Stopbäcktjärnen

Character of the water

Stopbäcktjärnen lies in central Sweden — a mesotrophic stratified lake. In summer a thermocline settles around 8 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 (17 m) with steep drops straight down from shore — the bottom falls away fast.

Permits & rules

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

Fishing Stopbäcktjärnen

Stopbäcktjärnen holds 5 species, with perch, pike and zander at the top of the chain and roach and vendace schooling beneath them. The depth gives the water two storeys — and the fish move between them with the season.

Whoever fishes Stopbäcktjärnen 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.