Skotthällssjön

Character of the water

Skotthällssjön lies in central Sweden — a acidified forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light. Acidification has thinned life down to the hardiest few.

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.

Moderately deep (7 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Skotthällssjön FVOF. Day permit ~100 kr · annual permit ~500 kr.

• Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.

Fishing Skotthällssjön

perch sit at the top of the food chain in Skotthällssjön. The clearer water makes the fish wary — and rewards a careful presentation.

Every session at Skotthällssjön 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.
• Acidified water yields few, hardy species.