Mensträsket

northern clear oligotrophic forest lake · 65°N

Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 18 m9 species on recordreal water chemistrysources & method →

clarity 1.6 mmax depth 18 mpH 7.3oligotrophicstatus goodpaved road

Character of the water

Mensträsket lies in the cold north — a northern clear oligotrophic forest lake.

The surroundings

The lake sits close to town with a road right up to it — easy to reach, but hard-fished and exposed to nutrient runoff from the buildings and fields all around.

Moderately deep (18 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

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

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 Mensträsket

perch predatory fish

typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm

Here perch lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.

pike predatory fish

typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm

Pike is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

ruffe perch family

typically ~12 cm · can reach 22 cm

Ruffe holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.

grayling fish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 50 cm

Here grayling lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.

burbot bottom fish

typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm

Burbot lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.

roach coarse fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm

Here roach lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.

trout salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

Trout is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

regnbåge fish

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

In the clear water regnbåge picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.

whitefish whitefish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 55 cm

Whitefish cruises the open water — the depth it picks follows the light through the day.

Fishing Mensträsket

Mensträsket holds 9 species, with perch, pike and grayling at the top of the chain and ruffe, roach and regnbåge schooling beneath them. The depth gives the water two storeys — and the fish move between them with the season.

Whoever fishes Mensträsket regularly builds something of their own: a log of what took, where and when. That's how the water gives up its patterns — cast by cast, never all at once.

General rules of thumb for this kind of water

In deep, oxygenated lakes the predators seek cool depth in summer, shallower in spring and autumn.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches

1Stefan Ekpike50 cm
2Axel Månssontrout34 cm
3Kjell Krügertrout29 cm
4Maria Åberggrayling26 cm
5Erik Sjöberggrayling24 cm
6Nils Erikssonruffe10 cm

Species records here

pike50 cmStefan Ek

trout29 cmKjell Krüger

grayling24 cmErik Sjöberg

ruffe10 cmNils Eriksson

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