What is the difference between Arctic char and brown trout?

Char have light spots on a dark background, trout have dark spots on a light background. The surest sign is the white leading edge on the pectoral, pelvic and anal fins, which trout lack. In autumn spawning dress the char’s belly turns deep red to orange. Char also need colder, cleaner water, and hold deeper more often.

When is the best time to fish for Arctic char?

Right after ice-out, when char move shallow and are easy to reach from shore. That is often the best period of the year. In summer warm surface water pushes them deeper, and then you need a boat, an otter board or trolling. In autumn they move shallow again to spawn, but are protected in many waters then. In winter they are one of the best ice-fishing fish.

Which colour works best for Arctic char?

Red works strikingly often for char, more than for the other species, and natural colours are a safe starting point otherwise. Go down in size compared with what you use for trout: char have a smaller mouth. Small spoons of 5 to 12 grams and spinners in size 0 to 2 cover most mountain lake fishing.

Arctic char fishing: mountain lakes, season and gear

Facts about Arctic char
Topic	Arctic char
Size	Typically 20-30 cm. In waters with little competition it can reach 2-3 kg. The largest form, the deep-water char of Randsfjorden, can reach 10 kg. In deep water there are dwarf forms down to 1-4 grams.
Where it lives	Widespread throughout Norway. It is also found on Bjørnøya and Svalbard, where it is the only freshwater fish that reproduces.
Best time	Right after ice-out, in May in the lowlands and in June in the mountains, and through the ice in winter. Morning and evening are best.
Spawning	Lowland and south: September–October. Mountain and north: September–October. Check the local rules for closed seasons.
Minimum size	No national rule for inland fish. The minimum size is set locally, water by water.

How do you recognise Arctic char?

Arctic char carry light spots on a dark background, the opposite of the trout’s dark spots on a light background.

A white leading edge on the pectoral, pelvic and anal fins is the surest sign. In spawning dress the belly turns deep red to orange, and the male is then one of the most beautiful fish in the country.

Where do Arctic char hold?

The Arctic char usually holds deeper than trout, and moves towards shore and shallow water at first light and dusk.

It lives primarily in lakes, less in running water. It requires cool, clean water and tolerates pollution poorly. Dwarf forms live at 150-350 metres depth.

When in the year is Arctic char fishing best?

Arctic char fishing is best right after ice-out, in May in the lowlands and in June in the mountains, and through the ice in winter. The months say how the fishing usually is, not whether fishing is allowed. The rules where you fish decide that.

Ice-out to June

Char move shallow just after the ice goes, and this is often the best period of the year from shore. Fish along edges and on shallows where the sun has warmed the water.

July to August

Warm surface water pushes char deeper. Fish early and late, and further out. This is the period where a boat, an otter board or trolling really pays.

September to October

Char gather to spawn and move shallow again, in full spawning dress. Many waters are closed in this period, and spawning fish should be left alone in any case.

Winter, through the ice

Char are the classic ice-fishing fish. They stay active under the ice all winter and take small jigs and mormyshka willingly.

See the season month by month for every species, in the lowlands and in the mountains.

What gear do you need for Arctic char fishing?

For Arctic char, use small spoons and spinners on an ultralight rod of 3-12 g.

Spinning

Ultralight, 3-12 g

Char have a smaller mouth than trout, so go down in size. 0.18-0.22 mm line handles most of it.

Lure guide

Fly

Class 4-6

Good fishing at first light and dusk when the char are shallow. Small, dark wet flies and nymphs, and a small streamer when they are chasing fry.

Fly guide

Bait

Worm, deep

Effective when char hold deep in summer. Worm on or just above the bottom, with enough weight to get there. Check that bait fishing is allowed in the water.

Gear

Baits and lures

Small spoons 5-12 g
Red and natural colours. Char respond strikingly often to red, more than the other species.
Spinner size 0-2
Silver in clear mountain water, copper when it is stained.
Mormyshka
Through the ice, ideally with a maggot or piece of worm on the hook.
Small jigging lure
Ice fishing. 5-15 grams is enough in most mountain lakes.

Pick a colour for the light and water

Spawning and diet

Spawning

Arctic char spawn mainly in autumn, on gravel and stone in the lake, often on shallows near shore.

Diet

Normal forms live on zooplankton and bottom fauna along the shore. Deep-water forms take bottom fauna, and the largest forms are cannibalistic and live on other fish.

Which rules apply to Arctic char fishing?

Applies to all inland fish

There is no longer a national minimum size for inland fish. Minimum and maximum sizes, daily bag limits and closed seasons are set locally, and two waters in the same municipality can have different rules.
You need a fishing card from the rights holder wherever one is sold. The card is an agreement with the landowner, not a state fee.
Children under 16 fish free with rod and hand line from 1 January to 20 August, except in watercourses with anadromous salmonids. This follows from section 18 of the Norwegian salmon and inland fish act.
Fishing for inland fish does not require the state fishing fee. The exception is a salmon-bearing stretch while it is open for salmon, sea trout or sea char. There everyone aged 18 or over must pay the fee, also to fish for inland fish.
Releasing fish or moving live fish between waters is prohibited. Spreading species to new watercourses is one of the biggest threats to Norwegian fish stocks.

Specific to Arctic char

Char are protected during the autumn spawning season in many waters. The closed season is set locally.
Char need cold water and are considered one of the species that will lose most in a warming climate. In several waters the stock is already under pressure, and local quotas can be strict for that reason.
In overpopulated mountain lakes char are often small and thin, and there taking small fish helps the stock rather than harming it.

All of the above is advisory. The rules are set locally and do change, so always confirm with the rights holder or an official source before you fish.

Waters holding Arctic char

Finnfisk has 73 curated fishing spots with Arctic char, out of 132 in all.

Show all 73 fishing spots

Municipalities

Ringebu Stor-Elvdal Folldal Sør-Fron Engerdal Tynset Alvdal Bardu Hattfjelldal Karlsøy Røyrvik Tydal

Common questions

What is the difference between Arctic char and brown trout?: Char have light spots on a dark background, trout have dark spots on a light background. The surest sign is the white leading edge on the pectoral, pelvic and anal fins, which trout lack. In autumn spawning dress the char’s belly turns deep red to orange. Char also need colder, cleaner water, and hold deeper more often.
When is the best time to fish for Arctic char?: Right after ice-out, when char move shallow and are easy to reach from shore. That is often the best period of the year. In summer warm surface water pushes them deeper, and then you need a boat, an otter board or trolling. In autumn they move shallow again to spawn, but are protected in many waters then. In winter they are one of the best ice-fishing fish. Ice fishing: safe ice and gear
Which colour works best for Arctic char?: Red works strikingly often for char, more than for the other species, and natural colours are a safe starting point otherwise. Go down in size compared with what you use for trout: char have a smaller mouth. Small spoons of 5 to 12 grams and spinners in size 0 to 2 cover most mountain lake fishing.

Sources

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