Stora Mörtsjön

clear oligotrophic deep lake · 62°N

Real lakereal shoreline13 species on recordsources & method →

clarity 8.9 mmax depth 22 mpH 6.7oligotrophicstatus goodgravel road

Character of the water

Stora Mörtsjön lies in central Sweden — a 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.

A small but surprisingly deep pocket (22 m) with steep drops straight down from shore — the bottom falls away fast.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Stora Mörtsjön 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 Stora Mörtsjön

perch predatory fish

typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm

Perch moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.

pike predatory fish

typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm

In the clear water pike picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.

zander predatory fish

typically ~50 cm · can reach 95 cm

In the clear water zander picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.

grayling fish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 50 cm

Grayling moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.

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 ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm

Burbot holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.

roach coarse fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm

Roach moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.

trout salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

In the clear water trout picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.

regnbåge fish

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

Regnbåge is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

Arctic char salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 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.

whitefish whitefish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 55 cm

Whitefish holds in the open water column where light and temperature set the day.

vendace whitefish

typically ~16 cm · can reach 28 cm

Vendace cruises the open water — the depth it picks follows the light through the day.

Fishing Stora Mörtsjön

perch, pike and zander sit at the top of the food chain in Stora Mörtsjön, carried by id, roach and regnbåge. The clearer water makes the fish wary — and rewards a careful presentation.

Every session at Stora Mörtsjön 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

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.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches

1Per Krügerpike51 cm
2Elin Viklundburbot36 cm
3Andreas PetterssonArctic char30 cm
4Björn Strandtrout29 cm
5Stefan Åströmgrayling25 cm
6Torbjörn Schmidtgrayling24 cm

Species records here

pike51 cmPer Krüger

burbot36 cmElin Viklund

Arctic char30 cmAndreas Pettersson

trout29 cmBjörn Strand

grayling25 cmStefan Åström

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