Ryggen

clear oligotrophic forest lake · 61°N

Real lakereal shoreline10 species on recordreal water chemistrysources & method →

clarity 6.0 mmax depth 4 mpH 7.4oligotrophicstatus goodforest track · 22 min for the last stretch

Character of the water

Ryggen lies in central Sweden — a clear oligotrophic forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light.

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 — Ryggen 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 Ryggen

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.

elritsa fish

typically ~7 cm · can reach 12 cm

Elritsa moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.

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.

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.

nors fish

typically ~12 cm · can reach 22 cm

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

trout salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

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

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.

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 Ryggen

perch, pike and burbot sit at the top of the food chain in Ryggen, carried by elritsa, roach and nors. The clearer water makes the fish wary — and rewards a careful presentation.

Every session at Ryggen 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

Clear water makes fish light-shy — dawn, dusk and night are usually best.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches

1Anna Nieminentrout29 cm
2Mats Åbergwhitefish24 cm
3Stefan Strandroach16 cm
4Maria Häggroach15 cm
5Rickard Brandtvendace13 cm
6Johan Björknors10 cm

Species records here

trout29 cmAnna Nieminen

whitefish24 cmMats Åberg

roach15 cmMaria Hägg

vendace13 cmRickard Brandt

nors10 cmJohan Björk

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