Here you can find information about fishing in Sweden. Which fish can be found in which water? What are the minimum sizes for pike fishing or salmon fishing and what do you have to consider when fishing in Sweden?.
Fishing in Sweden – a thousand lakes and a very long coastline are inviting
In Sweden you can fish in lakes, rivers, streams, on the Baltic Sea and Kattegat
Fishing Midnight Sun Ammarnas Vasterbotten Sweden ©staffan_widstrand
Fishing in Sweden is ubiquitous. Alone 96.000 lakes and over 7.000km of coastline invite you to fish in Sweden. So you can find a favorite place for every angler in Sweden. On the coasts and the 5 largest lakes Vanern, Vattern, Storsjon, Malaren and Hjalmaren it is allowed to fish without a fiskekort / fishing license with normal sports equipment / hand equipment in Sweden. For all other waters, fishing in Sweden requires a fiskekort, i.e. a fishing license. Ask therefore before or in your fishing vacation in Sweden with the landlord or the local tourist information, where one these at which price receives. With the app "ifiske" you can buy a fishing license for most lakes in the app and always have it with you.
You can get fishing rods and lures in every supermarket in Sweden. And then good luck fishing for pike, perch and pikeperch.
There are fishing trips that organize the complete trip to fishing in Sweden, or you just book yourself: a cottage by the lake, with a boat and you’re ready to go.
Fishing in Sweden is interesting especially for the sport angler. Because in contrast to Germany, catch and release is allowed in Sweden.
Pike fishing in Sweden
Pike fishing in Sweden is possible both in the lakes and in the brackish water of the Baltic coast. The minimum size for pike is 40cm, the maximum 75cm. This means that pike fishing is allowed in the size 40cm – 75cm. All other caught pike must be released again. Pike fishing in Sweden is the ideal way to start if you have rented a cottage by the lake. In the evening, in the first twilight row out with the boat. Then look for a nice spot on a reed belt and with the casting rod / spinning rod (kastspo) hope for his luck when pike fishing in Sweden. How to turn a vacation in a cottage by the lake in Sweden into a fishing holiday.
- Pike, lat.: esox lucius, swed.: gadda
- Genus: predator
- allowed dimensions: 40cm – 75cm
- Landscape fish: ostergotland
- fishing grounds: inland lakes, brackish waters of the Baltic coast
- Fishing method: casting rod, spinning rod
- Preparation: pike dumplings, steamed, in the oven
Trout fishing in Sweden
Trout fishing in Sweden can be done for a variety of species in a variety of methods. The trout is the landscape fish of the province of Jamtland
Rainbow trout (Regnbåge)
The rainbow trout originates from North America and is released for sport fishing in Sweden. If you want to fish for rainbow trout in Sweden, it is best to do so in a so-called put-and-take fishing lake.
Brown trout (Backoring)
The classic fish when tenkara fishing in Sweden. This Japanese form of fly-fishing is particularly suitable for trolling. In the clear and cold streams of the fells, the small light tenkara fishing rod is the ideal companion. If you want to do classic fly fishing in Sweden, you certainly do it for brown trout in Sweden.
Lake trout (Insjooring)
Lake trout can be fished in large lakes in Sweden. Mostly this is done in trolling. The Vanern is famous for it, especially the region around Gullspång is known for especially large lake trout.
Sea trout (Havsoring)
If you want to fish for sea trout in Sweden, there are many thousands of kilometers of the Baltic coast and the estuaries of the rivers available for sea trout fishing. You can fish for sea trout even in the waters of the capital Stockholm. If you want to try something special, try fly fishing for sea trout. Appropriate equipment can be bought in the large XXL department stores in Sweden.
- trout, lat.: salmo trutta, swed.: oring
- Genus: predatory fish
- Minimum size: 50cm
- Closed season: 01. October to 31.December
- Landscape fish : Jamtland province
- Fishing areas: rivers and streams and Baltic coast
- Fishing method: fly fishing, bait fishing, tenkara, trolling
- Preparation: blue, fried, smoked
Zander fishing in Sweden
Fishing for zander in Sweden is possible in many lakes. Sometimes you can catch real record pikeperch in Sweden. Up to 14kg can weigh a zander there. Pike perch fishing is best done with a casting rod or trolling, i.e. rowing slowly with the rod out. Please note that trolling on some lakes and waters is only allowed without a motor. Pike perch are caught later than pike at the darkest hour of the summer night. Pikeperch fishing in Sweden is a bit more difficult than pike. But also for beginners it is possible, as a coincidence at the end of a long night fishing for pike.
- Zander, lat.: sander lucioperca, swed.: gos
- Species: Predatory fish
- Minimum size: 40cm
- Landscape fish: Vastmanland province
- Fishing areas: Inland lakes like Vanern and Vattern, brackish waters of the Baltic coast
- Fishing method: casting, spinning, trolling
- Preparation: fried in a pan with lots of butter at medium temperature
Perch fishing
Bass fishing in Sweden is the right thing for families with children on family vacation. All you need is a stick, a piece of fishing line, a hook, bait and a suitable body of water. There are many ideal places for bass fishing in Sweden vacation: jetties, stones in the lake, fishing from the boat, etc…Especially when fishing with children, the experience is great with success. For me bass fishing in Sweden in the summer is one of the best childhood memories. You can get a fishing set in almost every supermarket in Sweden, or you can take a fishing set for you and your children for the family vacation in Sweden. When booking your cottage, make sure that there is a lake nearby. With a little luck you can also find a cottage with a rowing boat.
- Perch, lat.: perca fluviatilis, schwed.: abborre
- Species: predatory fish
- Minimum size: none. Can become up to 3,15kg (Swedish record caught in Bohuslan)
- Landscape fish: Medelpad
- Fishing grounds: Inland lakes, brackish waters of the Baltic coast – almost all waters in Sweden
- Fishing method: with float, casting, spinning, trolling
- Preparation: fillets fried in the pan
Salmon fishing
Salmon fishing in Sweden is certainly the supreme discipline of angling. Who is looking for a classic fishing vacation certainly goes to salmon. Many fishing tour operators also offer the salmon fishing experience. Salmon used to be very common along the Baltic coast and rivers flowing into the Baltic Sea. Legend has it that Halland was the birthplace of the first worker protection law. This said that the employees of a farm could be put on the menu salmon no more than five times a week. Even today the salmon is the landscape fish of Halland.
Salmon fishing areas in Sweden
The fastest way to reach it from Germany for fishing vacations is Laholm on the river Lagan. If you take the Vogelflug route, you will be there in 5:30 hours drive from Hamburg. Information in German about salmon fishing in Laholm at Lagan can be found here.
The best salmon river in the world for many anglers is Morrum in Blekinge. You can reach it by car within 6 hours from Hamburg. For the distance Berlin-Morrum you need ca. 8 hours driving time. Salmon fishing in Morrum is limited to 7 km of river course. This year’s premiere is on Saturday the 25th. March 2017. Information about salmon fishing in Morrum you will find here.
- Salmon, lat.: salmo salar, swed.: lax
- Species: predatory fish
- Minimum size: usually 60cm
- closed season: usually 01. October till 31. December, some areas longer!
- Landscape fish: Halland province
- Fishing areas: Vanern, rivers and along the Baltic coast
- fishing method: fly fishing, trolling, casting, spinning
- Preparation: smoked, grilled over open fire, baked in oven
Lobster fishing in Sweden
If you want to have a very special fishing experience and if you don’t like fishing in Sweden, I recommend a lobster safari on the west coast of Sweden. Information about lobster fishing in Sweden you can find here.
For your fishing vacation in Sweden you can find here more information about a vacation home at the lake
Tips when fishing in Sweden
- With the app ifiske you can quickly and easily buy the right fishing license for most lakes. Then you always have your fishing card with you on your cell phone.
- Especially near the shore mosquitoes can be quite annoying. So wear irgen which mosquito repellent.
- Ask the locals for the best baits and times.
Here is some more information:
13 comments
Moin,
in summer we go to the Malaren, near Strangnas. We hope for nice predatory fish like pike, zander, perch and maybe the one or other trout? Does anyone have experience of the area?
Good day a very nice contribution.
If would like to go on a trekking tour and take my fishing rod with me.
However, I can’t find a way to get a fishing license online for the waters I pass, nor do I doubt that I will find a cafe next to the lake in the deepest forest where I can buy one.
How do I proceed in such a case?
Hello Maiko,
try the app iFiske. Almost all Swedish lakes are represented there. Besides the "Fiskekort" so the fishing card you can buy there are also many catch reports and tips on what fish to go for.
Hello we are in the archipelago on the east coast near Vasterbotten island Grono and try for 3 days in the bays here to catch a fish preferably a perch.
We are with a boat in the middle of the bay and fishing with a worm. What are we doing wrong?
Thanks for a tip
Greetings
Axel
Hi Axel,
Bass are best caught under bridges and in areas with lots of underwater rocks or strong rises under water. Big stones in the middle of a lake are also called perch mountains. You can work a larger area faster if you fish with a spinning rod and a flasher.
And of course you always have to be lucky when fishing…;-)
Continue to have fun fishing in Sweden
wishes you Gustav from Sweden-Tip.de
Hello all
We are going to Sweden in 1 week, but then we will travel 4 weeks through the country.
Is there a possibility. not to have to buy a new fiskekort at every lake?
And another 2. Question. On the Internet (ifiske.en) you can choose the lakes where you want to fish. But here are by far not all lakes listed. What do I choose when I am at a mini lake that is not listed?
Thanks for your supportive answers!
Hey Joe,
Unfortunately you have to buy a new fiskekort at each lake. Lakes that are not found in the app ifiske sell their fiskekort through tourist information or cafes at the corresponding lakes. You can recognize the sales points for fishing permits by the blue sign with fish and the inscription "Fiskekort".
Hello,
where can i catch rainbow trout brook trout etc near matvik?
Hey Florian,
Try Ronnebyån… This is a good place for rainbow trout in Blekinge.
Hello and thanks for the interesting article. Do you fish in Sweden actually rather freshwater fish or rather saltwater fish? At what time of year is fishing most profitable?
Hej Sandra,
it depends on where you want to go on vacation…;-) Both goes well and when it is most bearable depends on the fish species. At any time of the year you usually get better results than in German waters.
Fishing in Sweden, that sounds great! I’m currently getting my fishing license and I’m really looking forward to practicing my hobby in a wide variety of regions. Now of course I need the right fishing clothes first. Does anyone have tips or experience with certain brands? Many greetings Yvonne
This is definitely a very helpful and informative article about fishing in Sweden. I have not been there for a long time. Time to plan a new fishing vacation in Sweden again. By the way, great video on tackle