Stor-Valsjön

humic brown forest lake · 62°N

Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 17 m16 species on recordsources & method →

clarity 1.7 mmax depth 17 mpH 5.9oligotrophic · humicstatus moderategravel road

Character of the water

Stor-Valsjön lies in central Sweden — a humic brown forest lake. The tea-stained, humic water hides the bottom within an arm's length.

The surroundings

The lake lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.

Moderately deep (17 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Stor-Valsjön 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.
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 Stor-Valsjön

perch predatory fish

typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm

The nutrient-rich water keeps perch moving constantly between the feeding grounds.

ål fish

typically ~55 cm · can reach 110 cm

Down on the bottom ål sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.

björkna fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 35 cm

Björkna works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.

bream coarse fish

typically ~38 cm · can reach 65 cm

Bream works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.

pike predatory fish

typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm

Pike hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.

ruffe perch family

typically ~12 cm · can reach 22 cm

Ruffe works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.

zander predatory fish

typically ~50 cm · can reach 95 cm

Zander hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.

grayling fish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 50 cm

The nutrient-rich water keeps grayling moving constantly between the feeding grounds.

id fish

typically ~38 cm · can reach 75 cm

The nutrient-rich water keeps id moving constantly between the feeding grounds.

burbot bottom fish

typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm

Down on the bottom burbot sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.

salmon fish

typically ~65 cm · can reach 130 cm

In the murky light, salmon shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.

trout salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

Trout hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.

regnbåge fish

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

In the murky light, regnbåge shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.

Arctic char salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

Arctic char hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.

ruda fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 42 cm

Ruda works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.

stäm fish

typically ~16 cm · can reach 30 cm

Stäm grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.

Fishing Stor-Valsjön

perch, pike and zander sit at the top of the food chain in Stor-Valsjön, carried by ål, björkna and bream. The brown, humic water keeps visibility short — the fishing is more about vibration than sight.

Every session at Stor-Valsjön 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

Brown, humic water dampens the light — fishing can be good even in the middle of the day.
In deep, oxygenated lakes the predators seek cool depth in summer, shallower in spring and autumn.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches

1Stefan Brandtpike50 cm
2Tomas Brandtål44 cm
3Maria Erikssonregnbåge30 cm
4Torbjörn Lundtrout28 cm
5Maria Johansenstäm16 cm
6Karin Erikssonruffe10 cm

Species records here

pike50 cmStefan Brandt

ål44 cmTomas Brandt

regnbåge30 cmMaria Eriksson

trout28 cmTorbjörn Lund

stäm16 cmMaria Johansen

ruffe10 cmKarin Eriksson

The same water, for real

This water's real catch reports — and the logbook for your own.Fångstrapport.sein Swedish

The real bite table for this water — for your next real session.Huggtabell.sein Swedish