Sommen
southern clear oligotrophic deep lake · 58°N
Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 53 m20 species on recordsizes from survey fishingreal water chemistrysources & method →
clarity 8.2 mmax depth 53 mpH 7.4oligotrophicstatus goodgravel road
Character of the water
Sommen lies in the south — a southern clear oligotrophic deep 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 lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.
Large and deep (53 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 — Sommen 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 Sommen
perch predatory fish
typically ~21 cm · can reach 46 cm
Perch moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.
ål fish
typically ~72 cm · can reach 72 cm
Ål holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.
björkna fish
typically ~24 cm · can reach 25 cm
Björkna lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
bream coarse fish
typically ~41 cm · can reach 41 cm
Bream lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
elritsa fish
typically ~7 cm · can reach 12 cm
Here elritsa lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.
pike predatory fish
typically ~72 cm · can reach 100 cm
In the clear water pike picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.
ruffe perch family
typically ~14 cm · can reach 16 cm
Ruffe lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
zander predatory fish
typically ~28 cm · can reach 42 cm
In the clear water zander picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.
id fish
typically ~38 cm · can reach 75 cm
Id moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.
burbot bottom fish
typically ~37 cm · can reach 75 cm
Burbot holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.
löja fish
typically ~16 cm · can reach 18 cm
Löja moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.
roach coarse fish
typically ~29 cm · can reach 33 cm
Roach moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.
nors fish
typically ~11 cm · can reach 22 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.
Arctic char salmonids
typically ~31 cm · can reach 61 cm
In the clear water Arctic char picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.
ruda fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 42 cm
Ruda lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
sarv fish
typically ~27 cm · can reach 30 cm
Here sarv lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.
whitefish whitefish
typically ~44 cm · can reach 48 cm
Whitefish holds in the open water column where light and temperature set the day.
vendace whitefish
typically ~19 cm · can reach 22 cm
Vendace cruises the open water — the depth it picks follows the light through the day.
sutare fish
typically ~35 cm · can reach 60 cm
Sutare lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
Fishing Sommen
Sommen holds 20 species, with perch, pike and zander at the top of the chain and ål, björkna and bream schooling beneath them. The depth gives the water two storeys — and the fish move between them with the season.
Whoever fishes Sommen 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
- 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.
Tournaments here
All tournaments →The catch board
- 1Erik Viklundtrout31 cm
- 2Ida Vogelsutare29 cm
- 3Anna Månssonzander24 cm
- 4Heike Brandtzander23 cm
- 5Mats Bergsarv20 cm
- 6Oskar Åbergperch18 cm
Species records here
trout31 cmErik Viklund
sutare29 cmIda Vogel
zander23 cmHeike Brandt
sarv20 cmMats Berg
perch18 cmOskar Åberg
The same water, for real
