Västanträsket

Character of the water

Västanträsket lies in the cold north — a northern acidified brown forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light. Acidification has thinned life down to the hardiest few.

The surroundings

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

Moderately deep (7 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Västanträsket 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.

Fishing Västanträsket

Västanträsket holds 3 species, with perch and pike at the top of the chain and ruffe schooling beneath them. The modest depth keeps most of the fishing within reach of the bank.

Every session at Västanträsket 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.
• Nutrient-rich lakes hold plenty of baitfish but often murky water.