Vassbotten

southern humic brown forest lake · 58°N

Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 18 m11 species on recordsources & method →

clarity 1.1 mmax depth 18 mpH 6.4eutrophic · humicstatus poorpaved road

Character of the water

Vassbotten lies in the south — a southern humic brown forest lake. The tea-stained, humic water hides the bottom within an arm's length.

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.

A small but surprisingly deep pocket (18 m) with steep drops straight down from shore — the bottom falls away fast.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Vassbotten 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 Vassbotten

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.

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.

sarv fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 38 cm

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

sutare fish

typically ~35 cm · can reach 60 cm

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

Fishing Vassbotten

Vassbotten holds 11 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 Vassbotten 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.
In deep, oxygenated lakes the predators seek cool depth in summer, shallower in spring and autumn.
Nutrient-rich lakes hold plenty of baitfish but often murky water.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches

1Karin Ekål51 cm
2Oskar Lehmannål49 cm
3Maria Holmål45 cm
4Hanna Petterssonburbot41 cm
5Elin Hedlundbjörkna15 cm
6Ole Björkroach15 cm

Species records here

ål49 cmOskar Lehmann

burbot41 cmHanna Pettersson

björkna15 cmElin Hedlund

roach15 cmOle Björk

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