Vättern
southern clear oligotrophic deep lake · 58°N
Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 120 m24 species on recordsizes from survey fishingreal water chemistrysources & method →
clarity 12.5 mmax depth 120 mpH 7.6oligotrophicstatus goodgravel road
Character of the water
Vättern lies in the south — a southern clear oligotrophic deep lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light. In summer a thermocline settles around 27 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.
Large and deep (120 m): a central basin ringed by drop-offs and shallow bays around the edges — varied bottom with many spots to read.
Permits & rules
Fishing permit required — Vättern FVOF. Day permit ~60 kr · annual permit ~300 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 Vättern
perch predatory fish
typically ~25 cm · can reach 52 cm
Perch moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.
ål fish
typically ~55 cm · can reach 110 cm
Ål holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.
björkna fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 27 cm
Björkna lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
bream coarse fish
typically ~47 cm · can reach 60 cm
Bream lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
elritsa fish
typically ~9 cm · can reach 11 cm
Here elritsa lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.
pike predatory fish
typically ~93 cm · can reach 125 cm
In the clear water pike picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.
ruffe perch family
typically ~12 cm · can reach 20 cm
Ruffe lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
zander predatory fish
typically ~53 cm · can reach 81 cm
In the clear water zander picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.
grayling fish
typically ~39 cm · can reach 48 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 ~56 cm · can reach 75 cm
Burbot holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.
salmon fish
typically ~53 cm · can reach 61 cm
Salmon is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.
löja fish
typically ~13 cm · can reach 19 cm
Löja moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.
roach coarse fish
typically ~23 cm · can reach 38 cm
Roach moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.
nors fish
typically ~11 cm · can reach 27 cm
Nors cruises the open water — the depth it picks follows the light through the day.
trout salmonids
typically ~57 cm · can reach 76 cm
In the clear water trout picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.
regnbåge fish
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
Regnbåge is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.
Arctic char salmonids
typically ~74 cm · can reach 83 cm
In the clear water Arctic char picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.
ruda fish
typically ~45 cm · can reach 45 cm
Ruda lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
sarv fish
typically ~26 cm · can reach 37 cm
Here sarv lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.
whitefish whitefish
typically ~45 cm · can reach 69 cm
Whitefish holds in the open water column where light and temperature set the day.
vendace whitefish
typically ~19 cm · can reach 31 cm
Vendace cruises the open water — the depth it picks follows the light through the day.
stensimpa fish
typically ~9 cm · can reach 11 cm
Stensimpa lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
sutare fish
typically ~45 cm · can reach 50 cm
Sutare lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
Fishing Vättern
Vättern holds 24 species, with perch, pike and zander at the top of the chain and ål, björkna and bream schooling beneath them. The depth gives the water two storeys — and the fish move between them with the season.
Whoever fishes Vättern 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
- 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.
Tournaments here
- 19 July · year 2 · 08:50Regional150 kr→
- 20 July · year 2 · 11:40Regional150 kr→
- 3 August · year 2 · 15:40Regional150 kr→
The catch board
- 1Heike Holmål46 cm
- 2Anna Månssonsutare36 cm
- 3Lars Sandströmsarv21 cm
- 4Roland Holmperch20 cm
- 5Elin Sjöbergbjörkna15 cm
- 6Andreas Petterssonruffe11 cm
Species records here
ål46 cmHeike Holm
sutare36 cmAnna Månsson
sarv21 cmLars Sandström
perch20 cmRoland Holm
björkna15 cmElin Sjöberg
ruffe11 cmAndreas Pettersson
The same water, for real
