Fishing in Sweden

No matter from what direction your plane approaches Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, if the weather cooperates you will enjoy a breathtaking view of a mosaic of water and spruce-covered rocky land. Sweden, a country that stretches along the eastern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula, is one of those places where Earth meets Water and fishing is a way of life. The southern part of the country has an amazing array of big and small lakes, while the boreal forests and the tundra in the north have hundreds and thousands of ice-cold rivers and streams. Most of Sweden’s coastline belongs to the Baltic Sea, but the southern parts of the country have limited access to the North Sea as well. Midsummer, give or take a month, is believed to be the best time for most types of types of fishing in Sweden, also northern pike will bite like crazy in late autumn. You will need a license for fishing in Sweden; licenses are valid in particular areas, and can be purchased online, or in local fishing shops or gas stations.

Sweden is often referred to as “Europe’s last wilderness”. Although Norway and Finland may challenge this title, you sure can have an excellent backcountry fishing experience in Sweden , with a number of operators delivering anglers to remote lodges or camps by means of a helicopter. With the long summer days, and the sun never going out in the northernmost parts of the country in June, you can literally fish 24 hours a day! In the winter, of course, the opposite is true, but on the other hand, Sweden offers excellent opportunities for ice fishing, and as the bracken waters of the Baltic Sea, especially in its northern part, often freeze as well, you can enjoy a unique chance of an offshore ice fishing trip. Lake fishing n Sweden is in a class by itself, with the biggest lakes such as Lake Vänern which may look rather like small seas. Without access to an ocean, Sweden can’t be said to have true deep sea fishing, but nearshore fishing, especially in the south-western part of the country, is excellent.

Sweden is one of the destinations where you should go if you’re after a huge northern pike, which abounds in rivers and lakes all over the country. The lakes and rivers in central and southern Sweden have impressive densities of zander and perch as well. The country is home to two species of salmon, and you can find Arctic grayling as well. Landlocked salmon and trout may be found in the biggest lakes. Beware, however, that in the industrialized zone in the middle of the country, roughly around Stockholm, fishing opportunities for native trout and grayling may be limited at best, and the best fishing would require a few hours drive into a wilder area. Bracken waters of the Baltic Sea, which in many areas doesn’t get an obvious shoreline, as lakes give way to bays and islands, mean that there isn’t a clearcut boundary between the freshwater and saltwater species as well, and you can catch trophy pike, zander and perch on a nearshore fishing trip. Naturally, there will be saltwater species as well, especially in the west of the country, and in particular sea trout and salmon.

Flyfishing, trolling and vertical jigging may be said to be the three pillars of fishing in Sweden. Fly-fishing enthusiasts traditionally focus on salmon, grayling and trout, but other fish, from perch to pike, will also readily take the fly, especially in areas near the Arctic Circle. Trolling is the technique of choice both when fishing one of the country’s 100,000 lakes, and for inshore and offshore fishing trips. One kind of fishing experience you should try in Sweden is trolling for salmon in nearshore areas of the southern Baltic. And, of course, vertical jigging is inseparable from ice fishing. However, those who prefer spinning rods, bottom fishing, or even the old school hook-and-float won’t regret casting their lines in the waters of Sweden either.