Motjärnen

Character of the water

Motjärnen lies in central Sweden — a clear oligotrophic deep lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light. In summer a thermocline settles around 11 m and splits the lake into two worlds.

The surroundings

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

A small but surprisingly deep pocket (21 m) with steep drops straight down from shore — the bottom falls away fast.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Motjärnen FVOF. Day permit ~60 kr · annual permit ~300 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.

Fishing Motjärnen

Motjärnen holds 7 species, with perch, pike and grayling at the top of the chain and roach and regnbåge schooling beneath them. The depth gives the water two storeys — and the fish move between them with the season.

Whoever fishes Motjärnen 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

• Clear water makes fish light-shy — dawn, dusk and night are usually best.
• In deep, oxygenated lakes the predators seek cool depth in summer, shallower in spring and autumn.