Rainbow trout fishing in Sweden

Rainbow trout occur almost exclusively where they have been stocked: put-and-take lakes and ponds exist across the country, most densely in Skåne, Västra Götaland, the Stockholm region and around the larger cities. Many venues restock weekly during the season.

The species essentially does not reproduce naturally in Swedish waters, so the fishing depends entirely on stocking. Occasional rainbows are caught as escapees from fish farms, mainly along the coast and downstream of farms in rivers.

Rainbow trout are a cold-water fish and feed best at 4–14°C, which means March to May and September to November. Many put-and-take waters stay open year round and offer ice fishing through the winter.

In high summer the fish go deep and turn passive in shallow ponds. Fish early morning and evening, or search the deepest areas and inflows where the water is coolest and best oxygenated.

Legering with powerbait or sweetcorn is the simplest and often the most effective approach in put-and-take waters. Use 0.18–0.22 mm line, a small running lead and a 60–80 cm leader so the bait floats up off the bottom.

Spin fishing with size 2–3 spinners, small spoons and crankbaits covers water quickly. Fly fishing works very well: nymphs and small streamers under an indicator when the fish are deep, dry flies when they are rising.

Vary depth and retrieve speed until you find the fish. Rainbows usually shoal at one particular level, and once you find it the takes come thick and fast.

A 7–9 foot spinning rod rated 5–25 grams with a 2500 size reel handles all normal rainbow fishing. For the fly, a 5–6 weight outfit with a floating line and a sinking leader is a good all-rounder.

Many put-and-take venues require barbless hooks or ban certain baits. Check the venue's rules before you go — they differ markedly between waters.

Put-and-take waters are regulated by the venue itself: day tickets, a quota on the number of fish and sometimes a requirement that any killed fish counts towards that quota. The permit states what applies.

Rainbow trout is excellent eating, with firm pink flesh that smokes, grills whole and pan-fries beautifully. Because the species does not reproduce naturally in Sweden, there is no conservation reason to release fish, unlike brown trout and Arctic char.