Angler Legend
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Välen

southern humic brown forest lake · 58°N
Real lakereal shorelinesources & method
clarity 0.8 mmax depth 13 mpH 5.7oligotrophic · humicstatus unsatisfactoryforest track · 22 min for the last stretch

Character of the water

Välen lies in the south — a southern humic brown forest lake. The tea-stained, humic water hides the bottom within an arm's length. In summer a thermocline settles around 7 m and splits the lake into two worlds.

The surroundings

The lake lies remote, ringed by forest and bog far from any road. Few find their way here — the water is untouched and the stock undisturbed.

A small but surprisingly deep pocket (13 m) with steep drops straight down from shore — the bottom falls away fast.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Välen FVOF. Day permit ~140 kr · annual permit ~700 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 Välen

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.
roach coarse fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm
Roach grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
burbot bottom fish
typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm
Burbot works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.

Fishing Välen

The species list of Välen runs to 4. The predators — perch, pike and burbot — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size you soon learn where it holds its fish.

The fishing here follows the water's own rhythm: dawn and dusk have their windows, fronts close and open them, and the season moves the fish. No two sessions at Välen are alike.

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.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches
  1. 1Ida Boströmpike49 cm
  2. 2Björn Falkburbot37 cm
  3. 3Sören Dahlburbot36 cm
  4. 4Oskar Vogelperch19 cm
  5. 5Sören Häggperch18 cm
  6. 6Elin Ekroach15 cm
Species records here
pike49 cmIda Boström
burbot36 cmSören Dahl
perch18 cmSören Hägg
roach15 cmElin Ek
The same water, for real