Värsjön

clear oligotrophic forest lake · 63°N

Real lakereal shoreline9 species on recordsources & method →

clarity 8.1 mmax depth 15 mpH 6.7oligotrophicstatus goodforest track · 22 min for the last stretch

Character of the water

Värsjön lies in central Sweden — a clear oligotrophic 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.

The surroundings

The lake lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.

A small but surprisingly deep pocket (15 m) with steep drops straight down from shore — the bottom falls away fast.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Värsjön FVOF. Day permit ~60 kr · annual permit ~300 kr.

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 Värsjön

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.

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.

Arctic char salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

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

whitefish whitefish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 55 cm

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

Fishing Värsjön

Värsjön holds 9 species, with perch, pike and grayling at the top of the chain and id, roach and whitefish schooling beneath them. The depth gives the water two storeys — and the fish move between them with the season.

Every session at Värsjön 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

1Jukka Åbergtrout37 cm
2Karin Ekid31 cm
3Wolfgang Olofssongrayling25 cm
4Kjell Karlssonperch18 cm
5Johan Viklundroach15 cm
6Sören Häggroach14 cm

Species records here

trout37 cmJukka Åberg

id31 cmKarin Ek

grayling25 cmWolfgang Olofsson

perch18 cmKjell Karlsson

roach15 cmJohan Viklund

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