Västtjärnen
nutrient-rich lowland lake · 61°N
clarity 2.1 mmax depth 3 mpH 7.4eutrophicstatus unsatisfactorygravel road
Character of the water
Västtjärnen lies in central Sweden — a nutrient-rich lowland lake.
The surroundings
The lake lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.
Shallow throughout (max 3 m), with reeds and vegetation over large areas — water that warms fast in spring.
Permits & rules
Fishing permit required — Västtjärnen FVOF. Day permit ~140 kr · annual permit ~700 kr.
- Zander: minimum size 45 cm · protected during the spawn (Apr–May).
- 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 Västtjärnen
perch predatory fish
typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm
The nutrient-rich water keeps perch moving constantly between the feeding grounds.
björkna fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 35 cm
Björkna works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.
bream coarse fish
typically ~38 cm · can reach 65 cm
Bream works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.
elritsa fish
typically ~7 cm · can reach 12 cm
Elritsa grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
pike predatory fish
typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 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 ~50 cm · can reach 95 cm
Zander hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.
grayling fish
typically ~30 cm · can reach 50 cm
The nutrient-rich water keeps grayling moving constantly between the feeding grounds.
id fish
typically ~38 cm · can reach 75 cm
The nutrient-rich water keeps id moving constantly between the feeding grounds.
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 ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm
The nutrient-rich water keeps roach moving constantly between the feeding grounds.
nors fish
typically ~12 cm · can reach 22 cm
Nors follows the schools through open water — here today, gone tomorrow.
trout salmonids
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
Trout hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.
Arctic char salmonids
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
Arctic char hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.
ruda fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 42 cm
Ruda works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.
whitefish whitefish
typically ~30 cm · can reach 55 cm
Whitefish roams the open water after the feed — a moving target.
vendace whitefish
typically ~16 cm · can reach 28 cm
Vendace follows the schools through open water — here today, gone tomorrow.
Fishing Västtjärnen
The species list of Västtjärnen runs to 17. The predators — perch, pike and zander — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size you soon learn where it holds its fish.
Every session at Västtjärnen 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
- Nutrient-rich lakes hold plenty of baitfish but often murky water.
The catch board
- 1Roland Schmidtzander41 cm
- 2Rickard Viklundid38 cm
- 3Emil Petterssontrout29 cm
- 4Oskar Noréngrayling24 cm
- 5Karin Nilssonruffe12 cm
- 6Karl Lundelritsa6 cm
Species records here
zander41 cmRoland Schmidt
id38 cmRickard Viklund
trout29 cmEmil Pettersson
grayling24 cmOskar Norén
ruffe12 cmKarin Nilsson
elritsa6 cmKarl Lund
The same water, for real
