Two Swedish angling records set in early summer

May and June offer anglers a wide choice of species, including bream and chub. This 2015 report announced Swedish records for both, caught by dedicated, experienced anglers.

Bream (Abramis brama): Sweden’s first over eight kilos

At six in the morning on June 10, Tobias Andersson from Lomma finally landed the fish he had dreamed of.

After many spring visits to Rögle dammar in Skåne, he made one final attempt at an exceptional catch. He had already caught several large bream over seven kilos that spring, but knew there was potential for more.

“Tobias was bottom-fishing with scented artificial corn, a useful and popular bait. When small fish and crayfish are present, for example, you can still be reasonably sure the bait will remain in place for an extended period, which may be necessary when waiting for a big bream,” explained Nicka Hellenberg, who records specimen catches for Sportfiskarna, the Swedish angling association.

The bream measured 80 centimeters and weighed 8,340 grams on a laboratory-checked scale. The previous record was shared by two fish weighing 7,960 grams each, caught at Rögle dammar and Bysjön.

“Those two waters in Skåne are producing bream records one after another at the moment. The question is whether this magnificent fish will prove difficult to beat, or whether the trend will continue,” said Hellenberg.

Andersson’s bream was confirmed as a new Swedish angling record.

Chub (Leuciscus cephalus): a narrow improvement for an angling favorite

When experienced specimen angler Jerker Löf from Motala headed out in wet, miserable weather on May 12, a trip that threatened to end in disappointment became an extraordinary evening. Löf ranked the day among the finest of his life, behind meeting his wife and the birth of their daughter.

“After starting on the Svartån in pouring rain and nearly abandoning his chub session, Jerker Löf made one last attempt. A feeling kept him there a little longer, and it proved to be the right decision,” said Hellenberg.

At 9:40 p.m., a heavy chub took Löf’s sausage-baited hook and an exciting fight began. When the fish slid into the landing net, he immediately realized it was exceptional.

“A friend came to help measure and weigh it, using two separate scales. They soon established that Jerker’s chub weighed 3,580 grams and measured 63 centimeters. After the scales were tested in a laboratory, Sportfiskarna could confirm a new Swedish record, although only just. The previous record, from 2005, was 3,578 grams,” Hellenberg explained.

“The Svartån is one of Sweden’s favorite waters for persistent anglers targeting large chub. But finding the right spot and the right fish in a water like this requires both determination and considerable knowledge.”