Skagern
southern mesotrophic lake · 59°N
Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 77 m18 species on recordsizes from survey fishingreal water chemistrysources & method →
clarity 4.3 mmax depth 77 mpH 6.7mesotrophicstatus goodgravel road
Character of the water
Skagern lies in the south — a southern mesotrophic lake.
The surroundings
The lake lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.
Large and deep (77 m): a central basin ringed by drop-offs and shallow bays around the edges — varied bottom with many spots to read.
Permits & rules
Fishing permit required — Skagern FVOF. Day permit ~100 kr · annual permit ~500 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 Skagern
perch predatory fish
typically ~20 cm · can reach 44 cm
Perch moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.
ål fish
typically ~55 cm · can reach 110 cm
Ål holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.
björkna fish
typically ~21 cm · can reach 24 cm
Björkna lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
bream coarse fish
typically ~44 cm · can reach 44 cm
Bream lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
pike predatory fish
typically ~51 cm · can reach 51 cm
In the clear water pike picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.
ruffe perch family
typically ~10 cm · can reach 16 cm
Ruffe lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
zander predatory fish
typically ~33 cm · can reach 66 cm
In the clear water zander picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.
id fish
typically ~45 cm · can reach 49 cm
Id moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.
burbot bottom fish
typically ~41 cm · can reach 49 cm
Burbot holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.
salmon fish
typically ~65 cm · can reach 130 cm
Salmon is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.
roach coarse fish
typically ~23 cm · can reach 30 cm
Roach moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.
nors fish
typically ~12 cm · can reach 26 cm
Nors cruises the open water — the depth it picks follows the light through the day.
trout salmonids
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
In the clear water trout picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.
whitefish whitefish
typically ~33 cm · can reach 33 cm
Whitefish holds in the open water column where light and temperature set the day.
vendace whitefish
typically ~16 cm · can reach 20 cm
Vendace cruises the open water — the depth it picks follows the light through the day.
stäm fish
typically ~21 cm · can reach 23 cm
Here stäm lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.
stensimpa fish
typically ~8 cm · can reach 15 cm
Stensimpa lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
sutare fish
typically ~48 cm · can reach 48 cm
Sutare lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
Fishing Skagern
The species list of Skagern runs to 18. The predators — perch, pike and zander — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size every bay becomes its own fishery.
Whoever fishes Skagern 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
- 1Bjørn Bakkepike39 cm
- 2Torbjörn Brandtid37 cm
- 3Hanna Åströmid35 cm
- 4Jürgen Hansenburbot31 cm
- 5Sara Holmzander29 cm
- 6Mats Häggtrout28 cm
Species records here
pike39 cmBjørn Bakke
id35 cmHanna Åström
burbot31 cmJürgen Hansen
zander29 cmSara Holm
trout28 cmMats Hägg
The same water, for real
