Whitefish fishing in Sweden

Whitefish occur in the majority of Sweden's larger lakes and along the entire coast from Öresund up to the Torne River. The best-known waters are Vänern, Vättern, Storsjön in Jämtland, Torneträsk and the archipelagos of the Gulf of Bothnia. Along the Norrland coast, whitefish are central to traditional small-scale fishing.

Whitefish favour cold, clear, well-oxygenated water. In deeper lakes they often hold at 10–30 metres through summer, moving into shallower water to spawn in autumn.

There are two prime periods: early summer, when whitefish move shallow and take hatching insects, and October–November when the spawning migration begins. In winter they are jigged through the ice at 8–20 metres in clear lakes.

Closed seasons and minimum sizes vary between counties — always check the county administrative board's rules and svenskafiskeregler.se before you fish.

Bait fishing with maggot or sweetcorn hard on the bottom is the classic approach, and is especially effective from a jetty or boat along a drop-off. Use fine line of 0.14–0.18 mm and small hooks in sizes 10–14.

Fly fishing for whitefish works well during surface activity — small nymphs, midge pupae and emergers in sizes 14–18. Ice jigging with a small jig and maggot is standard in winter. Trolling with small crankbaits, or a flasher and fly, is productive in Vänern and Vättern.