Angler Legend
← Map

Valsjön

humic brown tarn · 61°N
Real lakereal shoreline16 species on recordreal water chemistrysources & method
clarity 0.8 mmax depth 5 mpH 6.4mesotrophic · humicstatus moderategravel road

Character of the water

Valsjön lies in central Sweden — a humic brown tarn. The tea-stained, humic water hides the bottom within an arm's length.

The surroundings

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

Moderately deep (5 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Valsjön 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 Valsjön

perch predatory fish
typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 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.
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.
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.
löja fish
typically ~12 cm · can reach 20 cm
The nutrient-rich water keeps löja moving constantly between the feeding grounds.
roach coarse fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm
The nutrient-rich water keeps roach moving constantly between the feeding grounds.
ruda fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 42 cm
Ruda works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.
sarv fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 38 cm
Sarv grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
stensimpa fish
typically ~8 cm · can reach 15 cm
Stensimpa works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.
sutare fish
typically ~35 cm · can reach 60 cm
Sutare works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.

Fishing Valsjön

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

Every session at Valsjön 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

  • Brown, humic water dampens the light — fishing can be good even in the middle of the day.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches
  1. 1Wolfgang Olofssonål47 cm
  2. 2Rickard Brandtzander42 cm
  3. 3Bjørn Falksutare27 cm
  4. 4Lars Johansengrayling24 cm
  5. 5Roland Holmruda19 cm
  6. 6Heike Wikströmstensimpa7 cm
Species records here
ål47 cmWolfgang Olofsson
zander42 cmRickard Brandt
sutare27 cmBjørn Falk
grayling24 cmLars Johansen
ruda19 cmRoland Holm
stensimpa7 cmHeike Wikström
The same water, for real