Utgårdssjön

Character of the water

Utgårdssjön lies in central Sweden — a acidified forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light. In summer a thermocline settles around 7 m and splits the lake into two worlds. 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.

Moderately deep (13 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Utgårdssjön 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 Utgårdssjön

The species list of Utgårdssjön 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 Utgårdssjön 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.
• Acidified water yields few, hardy species.