Smörtjärnen
Character of the water
Smörtjärnen lies in central Sweden — a acidified brown forest lake. The tea-stained, humic water hides the bottom within an arm's length. Acidification has thinned life down to the hardiest few.
The surroundings
The lake lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.
Shallow throughout (max 3 m), with reeds and vegetation over large areas — water that warms fast in spring.
Permits & rules
Fishing permit required — Smörtjärnen FVOF. Day permit ~60 kr · annual permit ~300 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 Smörtjärnen
Fishing Smörtjärnen
perch, pike and zander sit at the top of the food chain in Smörtjärnen, carried by ål, bream and id. The brown, humic water keeps visibility short — the fishing is more about vibration than sight.
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 Smörtjärnen are alike.
General rules of thumb for this kind of water
- Brown, humic water dampens the light — fishing can be good even in the middle of the day.
- Acidified water yields few, hardy species.
The catch board
- 1Torbjörn Karlssonpike55 cm
- 2Stefan Ekid33 cm
- 3Tomas Lehmannbream32 cm
- 4Tomas Weberid32 cm
- 5Klaus Olofssonruda15 cm
- 6Elin Ekroach15 cm