Skarpabborrtjärnen

Character of the water

Skarpabborrtjärnen lies in central Sweden — a clear oligotrophic forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light. In summer a thermocline settles around 10 m and splits the lake into two worlds.

The surroundings

The lake sits close to town with a road right up to it — easy to reach, but hard-fished and exposed to nutrient runoff from the buildings and fields all around.

A small but surprisingly deep pocket (18 m) with steep drops straight down from shore — the bottom falls away fast.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Skarpabborrtjärnen 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 Skarpabborrtjärnen

The species list of Skarpabborrtjärnen runs to 6. The predators — perch, pike and trout — 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 Skarpabborrtjärnen are alike.

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.