Västersjön

southern humic brown forest lake · 56°N

Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 13 m12 species on recordsizes from survey fishingreal water chemistrysources & method →

clarity 2.1 mmax depth 13 mpH 6.7eutrophic · humicstatus unsatisfactorypaved road

Fish Västersjön Buy forecast

Character of the water

Västersjön 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 4 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 (13 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Västersjön FVOF. Day permit ~100 kr · annual permit ~500 kr.

Zander: minimum size 45 cm · protected during the spawn (Apr–May).
Pike: keep at most one over 75 cm per day.
Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.

Species in Västersjön

perch predatory fish

typically ~11 cm · can reach 43 cm

The nutrient-rich water keeps perch moving constantly between the feeding grounds.

ål fish

typically ~55 cm · can reach 110 cm

Down on the bottom ål sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.

bream coarse fish

typically ~47 cm · can reach 65 cm

Bream works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.

pike predatory fish

typically ~109 cm · can reach 109 cm

Pike hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.

ruffe perch family

typically ~12 cm · can reach 22 cm

Ruffe works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.

zander predatory fish

typically ~36 cm · can reach 87 cm

Zander hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.

karp fish

typically ~45 cm · can reach 95 cm

Karp works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.

burbot bottom fish

typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm

Down on the bottom burbot sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.

roach coarse fish

typically ~21 cm · can reach 33 cm

The nutrient-rich water keeps roach moving constantly between the feeding grounds.

sarv fish

typically ~28 cm · can reach 28 cm

Sarv grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.

vendace whitefish

typically ~26 cm · can reach 26 cm

Vendace follows the schools through open water — here today, gone tomorrow.

sutare fish

typically ~43 cm · can reach 43 cm

Sutare works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.

Fishing Västersjön

perch, pike and zander sit at the top of the food chain in Västersjön, carried by ål, bream and ruffe. The brown, humic water keeps visibility short — the fishing is more about vibration than sight.

Whoever fishes Västersjön regularly builds something of their own: a log of what took, where and when. That's how the water gives up its patterns — cast by cast, never all at once.

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.
Nutrient-rich lakes hold plenty of baitfish but often murky water.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches

1Kjell Falkpike83 cm
2Mikko Lindqvistsutare32 cm
3Sören Björksarv22 cm
4Torbjörn Petterssonvendace21 cm
5Kjell Hedlundperch12 cm
6Ole Krügerruffe10 cm

Species records here

pike83 cmKjell Falk

sutare32 cmMikko Lindqvist

sarv22 cmSören Björk

vendace21 cmTorbjörn Pettersson

perch12 cmKjell Hedlund

ruffe10 cmOle Krüger

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