Rappsmälingen

clear oligotrophic deep lake · 61°N

Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 21 m12 species on recordsizes from survey fishingreal water chemistrysources & method →

clarity 4.5 mmax depth 21 mpH 7.6oligotrophicstatus moderateno road · 50 min for the last stretch

Fish Rappsmälingen Buy forecast

Character of the water

Rappsmälingen lies in central Sweden — a clear oligotrophic deep lake. In summer a thermocline settles around 6 m and splits the lake into two worlds.

The surroundings

The lake lies remote, ringed by forest and bog far from any road. Few find their way here — the water is untouched and the stock undisturbed.

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 — Rappsmälingen 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 Rappsmälingen

perch predatory fish

typically ~11 cm · can reach 39 cm

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

bream coarse fish

typically ~38 cm · can reach 38 cm

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

pike predatory fish

typically ~47 cm · can reach 54 cm

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

ruffe perch family

typically ~9 cm · can reach 10 cm

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

zander predatory fish

typically ~50 cm · can reach 95 cm

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

id fish

typically ~38 cm · can reach 75 cm

Here id 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 ~12 cm · can reach 32 cm

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

Arctic char salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

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

ruda fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 42 cm

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

whitefish whitefish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 55 cm

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

vendace whitefish

typically ~16 cm · can reach 28 cm

Vendace holds in the open water column where light and temperature set the day.

Fishing Rappsmälingen

Rappsmälingen holds 12 species, with perch, pike and zander at the top of the chain and bream, ruffe and id schooling beneath them. The depth gives the water two storeys — and the fish move between them with the season.

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 Rappsmälingen are alike.

General rules of thumb for this kind of water

Stratified, oxygen-poor lakes push the fish up above the thermocline in summer.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches

1Heike Sundinwhitefish24 cm
2Oskar Åbergvendace13 cm
3Gustav Åströmroach10 cm
4Hanna Lindqvistroach10 cm
5Axel Raskperch10 cm
6Björn Falkperch10 cm

Species records here

whitefish24 cmHeike Sundin

vendace13 cmOskar Åberg

perch10 cmBjörn Falk

roach10 cmHanna Lindqvist

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