Norra Vålsjön
nutrient-rich lowland lake · 61°N
clarity 2.5 mmax depth 4 mpH 7.4eutrophicstatus unsatisfactorygravel road
Character of the water
Norra Vålsjön 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 (4 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.
Permits & rules
Fishing permit required — Norra Vålsjön 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 Norra Vålsjön
perch predatory fish
typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm
The nutrient-rich water keeps perch moving constantly between the feeding grounds.
bream coarse fish
typically ~38 cm · can reach 65 cm
Bream works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.
elritsa fish
typically ~7 cm · can reach 12 cm
Elritsa grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
pike predatory fish
typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm
Pike hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.
grayling fish
typically ~30 cm · can reach 50 cm
The nutrient-rich water keeps grayling moving constantly between the feeding grounds.
id fish
typically ~38 cm · can reach 75 cm
The nutrient-rich water keeps id moving constantly between the feeding grounds.
burbot bottom fish
typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm
Down on the bottom burbot sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
roach coarse fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm
The nutrient-rich water keeps roach moving constantly between the feeding grounds.
trout salmonids
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
Trout hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.
Arctic char salmonids
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
Arctic char hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.
whitefish whitefish
typically ~30 cm · can reach 55 cm
Whitefish roams the open water after the feed — a moving target.
vendace whitefish
typically ~16 cm · can reach 28 cm
Vendace follows the schools through open water — here today, gone tomorrow.
stäm fish
typically ~16 cm · can reach 30 cm
Stäm grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
stensimpa fish
typically ~8 cm · can reach 15 cm
Stensimpa works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.
Fishing Norra Vålsjön
The species list of Norra Vålsjön runs to 14. The predators — perch, pike and grayling — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size you soon learn where it holds its fish.
The fishing here follows the water's own rhythm: dawn and dusk have their windows, fronts close and open them, and the season moves the fish. No two sessions at Norra Vålsjön are alike.
General rules of thumb for this kind of water
- Nutrient-rich lakes hold plenty of baitfish but often murky water.
The catch board
- 1Emil Nieminentrout37 cm
- 2Anders Blomburbot37 cm
- 3Heike Brandttrout34 cm
- 4Tomas Wikströmroach15 cm
- 5Petra Brandtstäm14 cm
- 6Jukka Sandströmstensimpa6 cm
Species records here
burbot37 cmAnders Blom
trout37 cmEmil Nieminen
roach15 cmTomas Wikström
stäm14 cmPetra Brandt
stensimpa6 cmJukka Sandström
The same water, for real
