Vilbacktjärnen

Character of the water

Vilbacktjärnen lies in central Sweden — a humic brown forest lake. The tea-stained, humic water hides the bottom within an arm's length. In summer a thermocline settles around 8 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.

A small but surprisingly deep pocket (14 m) with steep drops straight down from shore — the bottom falls away fast.

Permits & rules

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

• Pike: keep at most one over 75 cm per day.
• Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.

Fishing Vilbacktjärnen

The species list of Vilbacktjärnen runs to 4. The predators — perch, pike and burbot — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size you soon learn where it holds its fish.

Whoever fishes Vilbacktjärnen 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.