Sottern
nutrient-rich lowland lake · 59°N
Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 16 m8 species on recordreal water chemistrysources & method →
clarity 1.9 mmax depth 16 mpH 7.4eutrophicstatus poorforest track · 22 min for the last stretch
Character of the water
Sottern lies in central Sweden — a nutrient-rich lowland lake. In summer a thermocline settles around 4 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.
Moderately deep (16 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.
Permits & rules
Fishing permit required — Sottern FVOF. Day permit ~140 kr · annual permit ~700 kr.
- Zander: minimum size 45 cm · protected during the spawn (Apr–May).
- Pike: keep at most one over 75 cm per day.
- Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.
Species in Sottern
perch predatory fish
typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm
Perch grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
björkna fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 35 cm
Down on the bottom björkna sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
bream coarse fish
typically ~38 cm · can reach 65 cm
Down on the bottom bream sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
pike predatory fish
typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm
In the murky light, pike shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.
ruffe perch family
typically ~12 cm · can reach 22 cm
Down on the bottom ruffe sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
zander predatory fish
typically ~50 cm · can reach 95 cm
In the murky light, zander shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.
burbot bottom fish
typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm
Burbot works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.
roach coarse fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm
Roach grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
Fishing Sottern
The species list of Sottern runs to 8. 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 Sottern 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
- Stratified, oxygen-poor lakes push the fish up above the thermocline in summer.
- Nutrient-rich lakes hold plenty of baitfish but often murky water.
The catch board
- 1Kjell Hedlundpike50 cm
- 2Mats Sjöbergzander41 cm
- 3Emil Nieminenperch18 cm
- 4Sara Fischerperch18 cm
- 5Ida Raskruffe10 cm
- 6Stefan Korhonenruffe10 cm
Species records here
pike50 cmKjell Hedlund
zander41 cmMats Sjöberg
perch18 cmSara Fischer
ruffe10 cmIda Rask
The same water, for real
