Mellan-Malmen
nutrient-rich lowland lake · 59°N
clarity 1.7 mmax depth 7 mpH 7.4eutrophicstatus unsatisfactorygravel road
Character of the water
Mellan-Malmen lies in central Sweden — a nutrient-rich lowland lake.
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 — Mellan-Malmen FVOF. Day permit ~60 kr · annual permit ~300 kr.
- Pike: keep at most one over 75 cm per day.
- Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.
Species in Mellan-Malmen
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.
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.
burbot bottom fish
typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm
Burbot works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.
löja fish
typically ~12 cm · can reach 20 cm
Löja grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
roach coarse fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm
Roach grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
ruda fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 42 cm
Down on the bottom ruda sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
Fishing Mellan-Malmen
The species list of Mellan-Malmen runs to 9. The predators — perch, pike and burbot — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size you soon learn where it holds its fish.
Every session at Mellan-Malmen 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
- Nutrient-rich lakes hold plenty of baitfish but often murky water.
The catch board
- 1Fredrik Erikssonål51 cm
- 2Stefan Ekpike50 cm
- 3Elin Åbergperch18 cm
- 4Oskar Häggperch18 cm
- 5Elin Ekroach14 cm
- 6Torbjörn Brandtlöja9 cm
Species records here
ål51 cmFredrik Eriksson
pike50 cmStefan Ek
perch18 cmElin Åberg
roach14 cmElin Ek
löja9 cmTorbjörn Brandt
The same water, for real
