What to do in Sweden

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In northern Sweden the sun never sets during the summer months. In fact, if the weather is good, you can see the sun for a continuous 24 hours! The duration of the midnight sun depends on how far north you are. In Abisko for example you can see the midnight sun from 17 June to 19 July, in Kiruna between May 31 – July 11.


Every winter more and more foreign tourists travel to the Swedish mountains. They are enticed by excellent skiing in stunning surroundings, copious amounts of snow, excellent food and a friendly atmosphere. Skiers that like a challenge can choose from areas such as Åre, Riksgränsen and Hemavan. Or why not take a skiing excursion to Kebnekaise, Sweden’s highest mountain?

A unique quality of many of the larger sport and recreational resorts is that they have the capacity to satisfy so many different tastes – from extreme sports to gentle, relaxing pleasures for the whole family. Northern Sweden’s many mighty rivers offer an abundance of beautiful watercourses ideal for white-water rafting at varying degrees of difficulty for both rubber rafts and kayaks. The centre for alpine climbing is the area around Sweden’s highest mountain Kebnekaise.

Beside snow and ice Sweden has the long beautiful coastline, to the Baltic Sea and to the Nordic Sea. Thousands of vessels were lost along the Swedish coastline, the maritim tradition is long. Now close to 10 000 shipwrecks are registred and diving to them has become av very popular adventure.

Experience the Wasa museum

The Wasa museum. Foto: Karolina Kristensson, SMM

If you prefer to stay on the ground, visit the Vasa Museum. The Vasa is the world’s only surviving 17th-century ship and one of the foremost tourist sights in the world. It wrecked in 1628 and On April 24 1961, the warship Vasa broke the surface of Stockholm´s harbour after 333 years on the sea bottom.. The ship is displayed in a purpose-built museum in Stockholm. Open yearly 7 days/week.

Activities and sports in Sweden:
•Skiing
•Fishing
•Hiking
•Diving
•Water activities
•Biking
•Riding and sleding
•Golfing
•Extreme sports
•Farm activities
•Hunting
•Recreation and spa
•Summer & Indoor sports

Tours & Safaris in Sweden:
•Scenic roads trough Sweden
•RIB-boat safaris
•Göta Kanal
•Crab safaris
•Hotairballooning
•Dog sledging
•Musk ox safaris
•Birdwatching safaris
•Eagle and seal safaris
•Reindeer safaris
•Guided hiking tours
•Stockholm by bike
•The polar circle
•Hiking tours

Shopping in Sweden:
•Arts & Crafts
•Clothes & Accessories
•Grocery
•Home & Garden
•Sports & Outdoor
•Health and beauty
•Books & Music
•Toys
•Electronics
•Crystal
•Interior design
•Antiques

Attractions & Culture in Sweden:
•Museums & Galleries
•Buildings & Monuments
•Food traditions
•Culture heritage
•Nature attractions

Family activities in Sweden:
•Theme parks
•Zoo
•Mountains with kids, (skiing, dogsled, skating, ice-fishing, cycling and canoeing.)
•Stay on a farm
•Horseriding
•Fishing
•Rafting adventures
•Spa packages

Sweden boasts bustling cities where cutting edge design mixes with rich cultural heritage but is also the land of forests and lakes. The capital city Stockholm is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world, due largely to the archipelago system withs it`s 15 000 islands.

Captivating landscapes abound in Sweden from scenic coastlines, idyllic islands, arctic wilderness areas, vast lakes and starkly beautiful forests that cover over half the country.
But when going to Scandinavia and Sweden one of the most memorable experiences is the food! The capital of Sweden, Stockholm has been publicised as one of Europe´s most exciting, diverse and creative gastronomic destinations. The fact is that truly fine dining is no longer confined to the Stockholm area, but is available throughout the whole Sweden, in cities, towns and villages as well as all over the countryside. A large number of ancient and historically interesting castles, manor houses and inns offer holistic experiences and getaways where you can combine gastronomic pleasures with natural adventures and soothing relaxation and stimulation for body, mind and soul.

There are also a huge numbers of cafés, bars and cafeterias in Sweden. All over Stockholm the café culture thrives year round, with hundreds of coffee outlets of every possible variety. Here you can enjoy pastries and confectionery – other areas in which Swedish gastronomy excels.

Years ago, Sweden had a reptutaion as being expensive. But the reality is that foreigners are often pleasantly surprised at the affordabilty of shopping there. By chrystal, furnitures and interior design, crafts, antiques, toys and childrens clothes. Swedish fashion has also exploded in resent years, swedish brands has become very popular, especially at the young trendy market.

Where to stay in Sweden
When going to Scandinavia and Sweden you will get access to many different kinds of hotels and camp sites. Hotels in Sweden come in all shapes and sizes – from modern design hotels in city centres, to ice hotels, spa hotels and family operated hotels.

Hotels in Sweden include a lavish buffet breakfast in the room rate so they’re particularly good value for money. The range of high quality hotels in the country is wide. Throughout the Swedish countryside, you can find castles and manors run as hotels, in beautiful surroundings – lake or river settings, parklands and golf courses. Many are internationally renowned for their excellent food and wine.

The Swedish standard of life is high and so are also the standard of accomodation. A single hotel room (always book ahead for weekdays) should cost you from around 900 SEK and up (special offers are common and cheaper), but you can find reasonable cheap lodgings in camping huts (400-700 kr, space for entire family), cabins (150-300 kr per person), youth hostels (130-230 kr per person), etc. Most of these will require you to make your own food, bring your own bedsheets, and wash before leaving.
Would you like to stay with a swedish family or in a swedish home? Find your room, house, Bed&Breakfast at Days in Sweden!

Stay in an old farmhouse in Hälsingland. The image is from Delsbo and unfortunatly not available for renting. But you can find similar farms, for example the wellpreserved farm “Hägers”, with traditional wallpaintings and architecture where you can experience history by living in it.

The Swedish Tourist Association (STF) has 320 hostels spread throughout Sweden. STF is a member of the International Youth Hostel Federation, Hostelling International (HI) and membership cards of hostel oganisations affiliated to the HI are valid in all the Swedish hostels. Breakfast buffets are available at most youth hostels but not at all of them; check before you book or arrive at the hostel. Guests have access to self-catering kitchen facilities at all youth hostels, at no extra charge. The kitchen equipment varies and is sometimes very limited. Sheets, towels and cleaning are not included in the lodging costs. Average price at STF hostels: SEK 130-230 per night (SEK 50 additional for non-IYHF members).

These are the largets hotel chains in Sweden; Choice hotels, Rica Hotels, Elite Hotels, Scandic Hotels, First Hotels and Best Western Hotels
See more of Sweden and pay less with a Stockholm Card. With free transport, entry into museums and attractions and other bonus offers, it’s the best value for money! Choose between a 24, 48, 72 or 120 hour Stockholm card and enjoy the freedom to customize your own itinerary. Your card includes a free guidebook with helpful information as well as a city map.
.Recent Photos of this Tour
Browse the gallery of recent The Stockholm Card photos submitted by actual, honest-to-goodness travelers


The Stockholm Card
Stockholm is a vibrant place. There are adventures to be had at every corner – on the streets, on the stages, at the museums and in the parks. Experience the beauty of Stockholm from the water or the many faces of the city ashore. The Stockholm Card is your short cut to a wealth of activities; visit a museum in the morning, a palace at lunch and go sightseeing in the afternoon. The card is also your ticket to the public transport, which will carry you all over the city both above and under ground. Everything’s easy with the Stockholm Card.

You decide whether you want a card that is valid for 24, 48, 72 or 120 hours. The card will not be valid until it is stamped with the time and date the first time you use it. Three child cards can be purchased per adult card. The card is valid once per attraction and entitles you to unlimited travel by metro, bus and commuter train.
THE STOCKHOLM CARD OFFERS:
Free admission to 75 museums and attractions
Unlimited use of public transport in Stockholm, including the metro, buses, and commuter trains
Free canal tour at selected departure times.
Free Stockholm bike tours
Free ferry from Nybroplan to Djurgarden
Free Stockholm Hop-on Hop-off boat tour (summer only)
Discounted tickets for the Stockholm Panorama sightseeing bus
Discounted tickets for the Open Top double-decker bus tour
Discounted tickets for Cosmonova IMAX theatre
Discounted tickets for boat trip to Drottningholm Palace
A guidebook available in Swedish, English, German, French, Spanish, Finnish, and Italian – containing information on museums and maps of the city

Stockholm City Hop-on Hop-off Tour
Create your own itinerary on a Stockholm City Hop-on Hop-off Tour. Travel on an open-top double-decker bus as you see the sights of Stockholm at your own pace. You can get on and off the bus as often as you like at the 14 designated bus stops along the route and your ticket is valid 24 hours.

Commentary is available in eight different languages (English, Swedish, Italian, German, French, Spanish, Russian, Japanese and Finnish) through individual headphones. The Stockholm City Hop-on Hop-off Tour departs every 30 minutes, increasing to every 18 minutes during the peak season. Stops include:

  • Sweden House - Stockholm’s largest tourist agency and visitor center
  • Fjaderholm and Djurgarden Boats - pier for boats to the closest islands in the archipelago, the Fjaderholm islands
  • Vasa Museum
  • Skansen - open air museum, containing historic buildings, a zoo, terrarium, folk dance performances and more
  • Djurgardsbron - the Historical Museum where you can visit the gold room and other collections
  • Stureplan - popular meeting in Stockholm, but also one of Stockholm’s shopping centres
  • Stockholm Palace with Palace Church
  • Mynttorget opposite the parliament building and the Royal Palace
  • Sightseeing boats
  • Gustav Adolf Square, with the Royal Opera
  • City Hall
  • The Malaren boats - boats depart from there to the Drottningholm palace, to the former Viking settlement at Birka, and to Skokloster
  • Central Station
  • Kulturhuset – Stockholm’s cultural centre.

Viking History Day Trip from Stockholm
Explore the vibrant history of the Viking era on this full-day trip from Stockholm. You’ll visit two beautiful cities, Sigtuna and Uppsala, and discover Sweden’s exciting Viking history.
The first stop on your full-day adventure is an old Viking bridge called Jarlabankes bro, with ancient runic stones to admire. Next, you’ll travel to the old Viking parliament, Arkils Tingplats, and take a drive to an ancient church at Vallentuna. You’ll then continue to the Granby ruins and Lunda.

At Sigtuna you’ll discover an antique shopping centre from the 10th century before making your way to the Old Uppsala, the most historic place in Sweden with its ancient Viking parliament and mounds.
Stockholm in One Day Sightseeing Tour
With limited time to spare, see Stockholm in a nutshell on this detailed 2.5-hour sightseeing tour. You’ll get a comprehensive overview of the entire city first from the comfort of a coach and then via boat travel, making for a well-rounded introduction to Sweden’s capital.
.Your tour starts with a 1.5-hour coach trip around the city, viewing the best known sites and buildings such as the Royal Palace, City Hall and the Vasa Museum.

You’ll then transfer to a boat to sail around the royal park of Djurgarden and past the inner archipelago islands.

Stockholm Grand Tour by Coach and Boat
Take the most comprehensive sightseeing tour of Stockholm available, combining panoramic coach travel and a boat cruise out to sea. Perfect for first-time visitors, you’ll see all the highlights on this 3.5-hour tour, leaving you with time in the day free to explore Stockholm on your own.
Highlights
3.5-hour combined bus and boat tour of Stockholm
Audio-guided coach ride through Stockholm
Boat cruise out to sea to admire Stockholm from the water
Sandwich and cold drink served onboard the boat
Audio guide in English, Swedish, Italian, German, French and Spanish
Russian, Japanese, Chinese and Finnish audio guides available on specific tours
The first part of the tour takes you through Stockholm in a comfortable, air-conditioned coach, with an audio accompaniment to highlight each attraction.

You’ll then transfer to a boat for the seaborne part of your tour, as Stockholm is especially picturesque from the water. While cruising you’ll be served a sandwich and cold drink onboard

Stockholm Royal Sightseeing Tour
Explore Sweden’s royal family past and present on this sightseeing tour of Stockholm. Visit typical swedish farms and churches and see where the royal family live today in the UNESCO World Heritage listed Drottningholm Palace.
.Your first stop is the beautiful park at Ulriksdals Palace on the banks of Lake Edsviken in Solna just outside Stockholm. The park is part of Ekoparken, the first National City Park in the world.

You will also visit the intriguing Haga Park where you will see a brightly colored copper tent atop the hill, Gustav III’s pavillion and a charming butterfly house.

Your tour continues to Lovos church dating back to the 11th-century. It was here that five runestones were found outside the church around 1050 AD.

The last stop on your tour is UNESCO World Heritage listed Drottningholm Palace, home to the current Swedish royal family. This renaissance-style palace was built around the same time as Versailles and has beautiful geometric, baroque style gardens. Drottningholm, meaning Queen’s islet is located on the island of Lovon


The Original Stockholm Ghost Walk and Historical Tour
When Stockholm’s museums have locked their ancient doors, when the stores are all closed and people have retreated to the safety of their homes, this is when the empty streets of Stockholm’s Old Town are handed over to the spirits, vampires and to us. Stockholm’s past will come to life on this 2hour walking tour.
.As the evening closes in, your experienced ghost-guide will light his lantern and lead you through a maze of forgotten courtyards, deserted alleyways and empty cobble-streets in search of the places where history meets mystery. Not only will you hear true accounts of ghosts, poltergeists and haunted places but also of murders, unsolved mysteries, myths and legends. Is your stomach strong enough for tales of disease and of public executions? On your tour, you will even have the chance to taste, as well as smell, medieval Stockholm as your guide brings the past back to life.

Sensible, comfortable walking shoes are a must and remember to wrap-up extra warm between November and March. The hauntings don’t stop for bad weather and neither do we. Parental discretion is advised for children under the ages of 8.
Kayaking Tour of Stockholm Archipelago
Discover Sweden’s must-see Archipelago, a cluster of over 24,000 islands just an hour away from Stockholm. Your day trip by paddle kayak is the most adventurous and eco-friendly way to explore the raw beauty of this unspoilt island wilderness.
Highlights
Kayak tour of the stunning Swedish Archipelago
Experienced kayak guide
Lunch hamper provided
Use of sea kayak and equipment
Boat connection to and from the port of Stavnas Vinterhamn
Your day trip starts with a short boat ride from the port of Stavnas Vinterhamn to the kayak base on the island of Runmaro.

After a short training session to suit all abilities, and led by your experienced kayak guide, paddle away to explore the varied seascape that makes up the Archipelago – from large, forest-clad islands to smaller outcrops of rock (known as skerries).

Surprisingly few visitors come to Stockholm’s Archipelago, so it is easy to find your own secluded island where you can swim and share a tasty lunch on the sun-drenched rocks.

After paddling back to Runmaro, enjoy afternoon tea (Fika) and take home fun memories of your unforgettable day!

Stockholm Bike Tour
Explore the islands of Stockholm on two wheels, and discover the hidden gems that can’t be reached by bus or boat! Your must-do 2.5-hour bike tour round this cycle-friendly city is led by an expert guide who will update you on the historical sights and on Sweden today as you ride.
Highlights
2.5 hour guided bike tour of Stockholm
New and easy-to-ride bikes provided
Rain poncho provided if there is bad weather
Qualified bike guide
Starting out near Kungsträdgården, your bike tour takes you round the islands that make up the city of Stockholm. Known as the Venice of the North, the islands provide a great setting for a bike ride as you follow their shorelines and pedal over bridges to see their many sights.

You will visit many of Stockholm’s top sights, such as the Swedish Parliament, the Royal Palace and the Royal Dramatic Theatre. Your Stockholm bike tour also takes you off the beaten tracks to see beautiful gardens and picturesque wooden houses from the 17th century, in addition to the world’s first National City Park, before returning to Gamla Stan at the end of the tour.

Stockholm City Tour: In the Footsteps of Alfred Nobel
Learn about Stockholm’s amazing history and get as up close and personal as you ever will be to the famous Alfred Nobel. See where he lived, visit Nobel Museum and listen to the history of this man, as well as the Nobel prize ceremony.
.You will gain an insight into the life of Alfred Nobel on this traditional city sightseeing tour of Stockholm passing by the Konsert huset (Concert Hall) where the exclusive Nobel ceremony is held every year.

Your tour continues through the royal park of Djurgarden which is home to many historical buildings and monuments as well as museums, zoos, amusement parks and many cafes.

In the Gamla Stan (Old City) you will visit the Nobel Museum where you will find exhibitions about the history of the Nobel Prize. Then a stop at Fjallgata to enjoy the beautiful view over Stockholm before passing Heleneborg where Alfred Nobel lived and performed his experiments with dynamite! It was at Heleneborg that one disastrous explosion killed Alfred’s youngest brother Emil.

Sunset Wildlife Safari from Stockholm
Discover Sweden’s dramatic wildlife on this sunset safari from Stockholm. Traveling through rural landscapes once inhabited by Vikings, your evening safari provides a close encounter with elks, deer, wild pigs, birds and other inhabitants of Sweden’s forests.
Highlights
Evening bus safari from Stockholm
Tour wildlife-rich areas close to Stockholm
Expert guides to describe the animals, nature and history of the tour
Transport by air-conditioned coach
Starting from the Brunkebergstorg in central Stockholm, your expert guide will welcome you onboard your air-conditioned minivan for your sunset safari.

Navigating through the wildlife-rich countryside, your sunset safari will take you through meadows, woodland and hillsides, past the red cottages and well-preserved manor houses that typify rural Sweden.

Whilst enjoying snacks and refreshment (known as ‘Fika’) on board the safari, your expert guide will provide detailed information on the destination and animals that you hope to see. In addition to the wildlife viewing, there is also a 15-minute hike through the forest, so remember to take a camera to capture any wild encounters!

After viewing some of the most beautiful scenery on Stockholm’s doorstep, your sunset safari returns to the start point at Brunkebergstorg

Stockholm Bridges Cruise
See Stockholm from the water on a leisurely two-hour cruise. You’ll glide beneath Stockholm’s graceful bridges, traveling on the sea and Lake Malaren.
Highlights
Two-hour Stockholm bridges cruise
Glide beneath 15 bridges and through two locks
Cruise on the sea and Lake Malaren
English and Swedish commentary
Alternating tours provided in Italian, German, French and Spanish
Your two-hour cruise departs from Stromkajen or Nybrokajen, and provides panoramic views of Stockholm’s famous skyline. The cruise passes under 15 bridges and through two locks linking the lake and the sea.

Royal Canal Tour
Europe is famous for it’s many picturesque canals and Stockholm is no exception! Spend an hour chugging along the canals and waterways of beautiful Stockholm and relax while taking in the sights and monuments.
You’ll start with a trip along the shady canal of Djurgarden. As the canal opens out into the sea, we return towards the city and pass Fjaderholmarna, Prince Eugen’s Waldemarsudde, the Vasa Museum, Sodermalm and Slussen.

Pike fishing in Sweden

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Pike fishing in Sweden can very well be described as phenomenal. But, it is very easy to put strong words and praise to fishing, so please let me tell you of my experiences with pike fishing in Sweden, and you can judge for yourself.
EARLY YEARS
Since my early years of fishing, I have read and heard about the great pike in Sweden. Sweden is just a few miles from Denmark, separated only by a narrow sound, and yet the pike fishing there is worlds apart from ours.
The first Swedish pike reports and articles, I read, were about the fishing in Stockholm harbour. Stockholm is the capital of Sweden, and needless to say, there is a lot of boat traffic, so pike fishing right there seemed a bit odd to me at the time. Nevertheless a great number of 20-30 lb pike were caught around luxury yachts and among the pier pillars, where they were quite visible in the crystal clear water.

The Swedish pike record suddenly skyrocketed, when just one man, Fehmi Varli, got the two biggest pike on the list: 26.57 kg (58 lbs 10 oz) and 24.10 kg (53 lbs 3 oz). They were (of course) caught in Stockholm harbour.
These pike are to date two of the biggest pike recorded in Sweden, and even though they have recently been removed from the record list, because of lack of “credibility” in the way they were caught, one irrefutable fact remains: They were bloody big pike!

TODAY
These days, big pike fishing in Sweden is really something else. Methods, baits and especially fish finders have created totally new dimensions in the hunt for bigger pike.
All over Sweden an unbelievable number of 20 lb pike are caught, and what is even more interesting, a comfortably large number of pike between 30 and 50 lbs on top of this.
The many huge lakes of Sweden, that before seemed a daunting task to fish (and to some extend still is), have now seen the effects of fish finders and downriggers – many lessons learned from the prolific Baltic Sea salmon and sea trout trolling. Pike, which before were as good as untouchable, are now very much a realistic potential.

BIG PIKE
The Swedish eastern coastline (the Baltic Sea) is basically an archipelago consisting of thousands of small islands, bays and fiords – called Skärgård. Many rich Swedish rivers run into the Baltic, especially famous for the salmon and sea trout fishing. This coastline, the Skärgård, and these river mouths are, in my estimation, the most prolific and by far the best pike fishing waters in the world.
Countries like Germany and Austria have very big pike, in Canada and Ireland you can catch almost as many as you like, but when it comes down to the amount of 30 to 50 lb pike, Sweden takes the lead by far.
The reason the big pike thrive in Sweden is mainly due to three things:
1) The lake pike have infinite masses of water, which to any normal pike angler are overwhelming, and which in turn leave many waters and areas completely untouched and free of fishing pressure.
2) The coastal pike live on fat prey such as herring, eelpout, mackerel, trout and salmon in the brackish waters of the Baltic Sea. And here, aswell, there is an almost infinite amount of water.
3) The Swedish laws prevent commercial fishermen from taking all the big pike.

WHERE TO FISH
A very good question now would, of course, be: “Where, exactly, do I go and fish pike then ?” – And an easy answer would be: “Anywhere !”.
Of course, that is stretching it a bit. There are pike, and very good pike, just about anywhere in Sweden, but naturally you won’t easily catch monster pike with no effort. So let me tell you a little about my experiences, and share with you some area information:

I) TROSA ARCHIPELAGO
The Trosa Skärgård, just south of Stockholm, has been famous for the Baltic pike fishing for a number of years now. There the brothers Robert and Ronny Andén run a very successful guiding business. They have together accumulated years of invaluable knowledge about the water there, plus perfected fishing techniques to lure the pike out under just about any weather condition, and overcome the very special bottom topography in the Skärgård. They are so successful, that they offer you your money back, if you don’t catch pike.
Both these guys have pretty good personal records, both with biggest pike just under 40 lbs, and Ronny sports a record of more than a 100 pike over 10 kg (22 lbs) in 1997.

In April 1997, I had the pleasure of doing a test-fishing trip to Trosa with Robert Andén. The conditions were not the best – sun, blue sky and very cold. This means the pike have a tendency to stay close to the bottom, and not moving around very much, and this makes bait presentation a bit hard, as the bottom topography is like something created by a psychodellic artist – huge rocks, very deep gorges and crevasses – the waters drops from 3 feet to 30 feet to 300 feet within a fairly small area. Very few artificial baits can really cope with these conditions, because it is next to impossible to get the bait placed in front of the pike for very long, and the pike rarely rise to the bait in very cold water (just a few degrees that makes the difference sometimes, though). For this fishing the Swedes have developed a plug, named Zalt, which has almost revolutionized plug fishing in Sweden. This plug can be fished, actually jigged, very slowly near the bottom, as it is almost weight-neutral, only just sinking.

In my estimation there are very few new baits that really make a difference, especially considering the amount of tackle being produced, and as a result I was hesitant to start writing a want-list consisting of Zalt plugs, until I had seen it in action. 1½ days fishing with Robert produced 54 pike op to 20 lbs (under conditions that are traditionally very difficult). Need I say more…

II) VÄSTERVIK ARCHIPELAGO
Four years ago, in May, I visited my good friends Håkan and Per, who run another guiding business. The places they take people fishing are the Skärgård about 200 km south of Stockholm, plus the second biggest lake in Sweden, Vättern. In Vättern they almost solely do trolling for pike – and it is actually in Vättern, that the present Swedish record pike of 19.7 kg (43 lbs 7 oz), was caught in 1999.

In Skärgården near Västervik, they do spinning/jigging or bait fishing depending on the time of year. When I was there the first time, the pike were “cold and slow”, once again. Håkan and Per’s way of overcoming these conditions is in a way similar to the Andén brother’s – jigging the bait. But Håkan and Per do the natural extension of this method – using a jig.
Too many big pike have been lost on traditional jigs, so the jigs have been outfitted to deal with that problem. Either a treble is simply fitted over the jigs big single-hook, and one of the points of the treble embedded in the silicone body; or a jig is tackled up like a live bait, with wires from the eye on the head to one or two trebles along the body and/or the tail of the jig.
We had 2 days fishing together, and landed 45 pike to 9.4 kg (20 lbs 12 oz), with the average pike weighing around 10-12 lbs. In perspective, two other very good pike anglers were fishing one day with normal plugs under the same conditions a couple of days before and caught 1 pike!

III) BLEKINGE ARCHIPELAGO
South again, in the province of Blekinge, the local authorities are putting a lot of effort into promoting the pike fishing in the Baltic coast. It was at Eriksberg estate in Maraviken, Blekinge, that I caught my biggest pike of 21.2 kg (46 lbs 12 oz).

My fish isn’t the only big pike from this specific area. The local record is 22.5 kg (49 lbs 10 oz), and a few days after I caught mine, a German angler got a pike of 19.1 kg (42 lbs 3 oz).

In Maraviken the best fishing is when the pike are actually spawning, which happens in April/May, depending on the temperature of the water. The pike can then be found in the shallow bays, and often you will actually see the pike taking the bait. In the shallows we used small green/yellow jointed Rapalas with great success, and in the deeper water I would now use either Zalt plugs or the big “outfitted” jigs.

As an afterthought, it is strange to think that had I recorded my big pike at the time, it would have been the Swedish (and Scandinavian) record today. At the time it was Fehmi Varli’s 26.57 kg pike, which held the record. But who complains…

IV) RIVERS & LAKES
The many rivers of Sweden have also come under the “pike microscope”, and what an utter and total success that has proved. Only five years ago river pike were caught sporadically, but nevertheless, a couple of enormous pike were caught by anglers fishing for perch. One lucky perch angler actually managed to land a 20 kg (44 lb) pike on light tackle.
That, and other very interesting reports, practically jumpstarted a new generation of pike anglers in Sweden. Besides the pike anglers, specimen- and carp anglers took a good and serious look at this new potential. Echo sounders made it easier to map the river in search of monster pike lairs, but the greatest leap in this respect was undoubtedly made in bait presentation – and then a good portion of patience. The results came on natural baits, live bait and dead bait, and preferably trolled – not even pre-baiting is sacrilege anymore for the modern pike angler as it has almost always been in Scandinavia.

Of course, there is nothing new in live and dead baits, but the methods and rigs adapted from England, turned out to be enormously handy in the Swedish rivers. The Lödde Å (Å/Elv = River) produced no less than five pike over 30 lbs in one single day: 13.9 kg (30 lbs 11 oz), 15.5 kg (34 lbs 3 oz), 15.9 kg (35 lbs 1 oz), 16.5 kg (36 lbs 6 oz) and a monster of 19.9 kg (43 lbs 14 oz). They landed no less than 14 fish over 33 lbs that year (1997) from the river.
The next year the biggest monster from Lödde Å weighed 18.8 kg (41 lbs 7 oz). This pike was caught by a very talented pike specialist, Fredrik Stjärnkvist, who has spent countless hours on the rivers in wait of the big ones. Fredrik is one of the new breed of Swedish specimen anglers, who are not afraid to implement techniques from abroad, and who have the intelligence to make them work under Scandinavian conditions. He has a solid knowledge of Swedish pike fishing, and he has an impressive track record of 6 pike over 34 lbs to back up his views.
Besides boat fished natural baits and trolling, Fredrik recons that the influence from American jerk bait fishing and improved techniques on ice fishing, have “opened up” waters that were previously very difficult.
Fredrik sees a bright future for Swedish pike fishing, indeed. He believes that the really big breakthrough is yet to come – and he foresees a leap in catches helped by refined techniques for both spinning, bait fishing, trolling, ice fishing and fly fishing in the years to come.

The area around Trollhättan in the southwest of Sweden, lakes and rivers, including the great Göta Elv can boast of big pike and big catches, aswell. My long time friend, Peter Grahn, lives there – and certainly fishes there. Peter is without a doubt the greatest pike expect I have ever met. His keen interest in pike over many years, his natural talent for fishing, and his generosity has put him in the top of the Swedish pike anglers.
I fish with him as often as I can, and I have a much benefit of his in-depth knowledge of the local waters. We have yet to return home empty-handed.
Peter has a good deal of 10 kg (22 lb) fish under his belt, and his biggest pike, which came from Göta Elv, weighed 16.65 kg (36 lbs 11 oz).

Lately Peter has recently tested an enormous local lake, and after only a few seconds of the plug being in the water (after a yellowbird planer-board), he hooked and landed a 12 kg (26 lbs 7 oz) pike – and after another half hour he got another one just touching 10 kg (22 lbs). He has promised me, that I can come and try myself, so guess what I will be doing next time we meet in Sweden…