Stora-Småtjärnen

Character of the water

Stora-Småtjärnen lies in the cold north — a northern clear oligotrophic forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light. In summer a thermocline settles around 9 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.

Moderately deep (5 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Stora-Småtjärnen 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.

Fishing Stora-Småtjärnen

The species list of Stora-Småtjärnen runs to 3. The predators — perch and pike — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size you soon learn where it holds its fish.

Every session at Stora-Småtjärnen 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.