Mörttjärn

acidified brown forest lake · 60°N

Real lakereal shoreline15 species on recordreal water chemistrysources & method →

clarity 8.4 mmax depth 7 mpH 4.7mesotrophic · humicstatus unsatisfactorygravel road

Character of the water

Mörttjärn lies in central Sweden — a acidified brown forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light. Acidification has thinned life down to the hardiest few.

The surroundings

The lake lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.

Moderately deep (7 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Mörttjärn FVOF. Day permit ~140 kr · annual permit ~700 kr.

Zander: minimum size 45 cm · protected during the spawn (Apr–May).
Pike: keep at most one over 75 cm per day.
Trout & Arctic char: protected during the autumn spawn · catch-and-release on certain stretches.
Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.

Species in Mörttjärn

perch predatory fish

typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm

Perch grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.

ål fish

typically ~55 cm · can reach 110 cm

Ål works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.

bream coarse fish

typically ~38 cm · can reach 65 cm

Down on the bottom bream sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.

elritsa fish

typically ~7 cm · can reach 12 cm

The nutrient-rich water keeps elritsa moving constantly between the feeding grounds.

pike predatory fish

typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm

In the murky light, pike shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.

ruffe perch family

typically ~12 cm · can reach 22 cm

Down on the bottom ruffe sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.

zander predatory fish

typically ~50 cm · can reach 95 cm

In the murky light, zander shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.

burbot bottom fish

typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm

Burbot works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.

roach coarse fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm

Roach grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.

nors fish

typically ~12 cm · can reach 22 cm

Nors roams the open water after the feed — a moving target.

trout salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

In the murky light, trout shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.

sarv fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 38 cm

The nutrient-rich water keeps sarv moving constantly between the feeding grounds.

whitefish whitefish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 55 cm

Whitefish follows the schools through open water — here today, gone tomorrow.

vendace whitefish

typically ~16 cm · can reach 28 cm

Vendace roams the open water after the feed — a moving target.

sutare fish

typically ~35 cm · can reach 60 cm

Down on the bottom sutare sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.

Fishing Mörttjärn

The species list of Mörttjärn runs to 15. The predators — perch, pike and zander — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size you soon learn where it holds its fish.

Every session at Mörttjärn is fished in whatever conditions hold right then — the same pressure, wind and light as over the real water. What bites today isn't what bit the day before, and those who return learn the water for real.

General rules of thumb for this kind of water

Clear water makes fish light-shy — dawn, dusk and night are usually best.
Acidified water yields few, hardy species.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches

1Karl Nyströmpike51 cm
2Stefan Strandperch20 cm
3Heike Fischerperch19 cm
4Elin Strandroach14 cm
5Lars Forsbergroach14 cm
6Elin Fischerruffe10 cm

Species records here

pike51 cmKarl Nyström

perch20 cmStefan Strand

roach14 cmElin Strand

ruffe10 cmElin Fischer

The same water, for real

This water's real catch reports — and the logbook for your own.Fångstrapport.sein Swedish

The real bite table for this water — for your next real session.Huggtabell.sein Swedish