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Stora Bällsjön

southern acidified brown forest lake · 57°N
Real lakereal shorelinesources & method
clarity 1.8 mmax depth 3 mpH 5.3mesotrophic · humicstatus unsatisfactorypaved road

Character of the water

Stora Bällsjön lies in the south — a southern 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 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.

Shallow throughout (max 3 m), with reeds and vegetation over large areas — water that warms fast in spring.

Permits & rules

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

  • Pike: keep at most one over 75 cm per day.
  • Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.

Species in Stora Bällsjön

perch predatory fish
typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm
Perch grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
pike predatory fish
typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm
In the murky light, pike shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.

Fishing Stora Bällsjön

The species list of Stora Bällsjön runs to 2. The predators — perch and pike — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size you soon learn where it holds its fish.

Whoever fishes Stora Bällsjön 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

  • 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

6 anglers · 12 catches
  1. 1Gustav Karlssonpike55 cm
  2. 2Elin Åbergpike54 cm
  3. 3Elin Ekpike52 cm
  4. 4Elin Sjöbergpike52 cm
  5. 5Ole Boströmpike50 cm
  6. 6Mats Nieminenperch22 cm
Species records here
pike52 cmElin Sjöberg
perch22 cmMats Nieminen
The same water, for real