Fishing Expressions
Napp, fiskelycka, den som kom undan — Swedish fishing talk, tall tales included.
Fishing culture, rules and all: the luck vocabulary (nybörjartur, fiskelycka, den som kom undan — den var såhär stor), the permit landscape (fiskevårdsområde, dygnskort, endast handredskap, the inspector on the lake), the release ethics in full (blöta händerna, hullingfri krok, ett kort sen tillbaka), the tech skepticism (lita för mycket på ekolodet) — closing with the sport's first commandment: aldrig avslöja stället.
- 1
åka och fiska
to go fishing
Tip: lit. 'go and fish'.
- 2
ett napp
a bite
Tip: lit. 'a nibble' — also used for a job offer or a date.
- 3
få napp
to get a bite
Tip: lit. the same — figuratively, to get a response.
- 4
fisken tar inte
the fish aren't biting
Tip: lit. 'the fish isn't taking'.
- 5
nybörjartur
beginner's luck
Tip: lit. the same.
- 6
fiskelycka
fishing luck
Tip: lit. 'fishing luck' — wished before you set off.
- 7
den som kom undan
the one that got away
Tip: lit. the same — and it was enormous.
- 8
en fiskehistoria
a fisherman's tale
Tip: lit. 'a fishing story' — a synonym for exaggeration.
- 9
den var såhär stor
it was this big
Tip: lit. the same — hands widening.
- 10
kasta ut
to cast the line
Tip: lit. 'throw out'.
- 11
veva in
to reel it in
Tip: lit. 'crank in'.
- 12
linan gick av
the line snapped
Tip: lit. the same.
- 13
fastna i botten
to get snagged
Tip: lit. 'get stuck in the bottom'.
- 14
ett fiskekort
a fishing licence
Tip: lit. 'a fishing card' — needed in most Swedish waters.
- 15
ett fiskevårdsområde
a fishing permit area
Tip: lit. 'a fishery management area' — where you need a card.
- 16
fritt fiske i de stora sjöarna
free fishing on the big lakes
Tip: lit. the same — Vänern, Vättern, Mälaren and Hjälmaren.
- 17
endast handredskap
handheld tackle only
Tip: lit. the same — the condition for free fishing.
- 18
ett dygnskort
a day permit
Tip: lit. the same.
- 19
ett årskort
a season permit
Tip: lit. the same.
- 20
en fisketillsynsman
an inspector on the lake
Tip: lit. the same — they do check.
- 21
en fångstbegränsning
a bag limit
Tip: lit. the same.
- 22
tre fiskar per dag
three fish a day
Tip: lit. the same.
- 23
catch and release
catch and release
Tip: lit. the same — the English term is used.
- 24
minimimåttet
the minimum size
Tip: lit. the same — anything smaller goes back.
- 25
släppa tillbaka de stora
to release the big ones
Tip: lit. the same — they're the breeders.
- 26
blöta händerna först
to wet your hands first
Tip: lit. the same — before handling a fish.
- 27
en hullingfri krok
a barbless hook
Tip: lit. the same.
- 28
kroka av försiktigt
to unhook carefully
Tip: lit. the same.
- 29
en avkrokningsmatta
a landing mat
Tip: lit. the same.
- 30
ett kort, sen tillbaka
a photo, then back it goes
Tip: lit. the same.
- 31
pimpling
ice fishing
Tip: lit. 'jigging' — sitting on a frozen lake with a short rod.
- 32
borra ett hål i isen
to drill a hole in the ice
Tip: lit. the same.
- 33
håller isen?
is the ice safe?
Tip: lit. 'does the ice hold?' — ask before you walk.
- 34
vara uppe klockan fyra
to be up at four
Tip: lit. the same.
- 35
tålamod är allt
patience is everything
Tip: lit. the same.
- 36
lugnet är hela poängen
the peace of it is the point
Tip: lit. the same — most Swedes will admit this.
- 37
termos och en macka
a thermos and a sandwich
Tip: lit. the same.
- 38
komma hem tomhänt
to come home empty-handed
Tip: lit. the same.
- 39
rensa fisken
to clean the fish
Tip: lit. the same.
- 40
nyfångad ur sjön
fresh from the lake
Tip: lit. 'newly caught out of the lake'.
- 41
inget slår det
nothing beats it
Tip: lit. the same.
- 42
ett ekolod
a fish finder
Tip: lit. 'an echo sounder'.
- 43
lita för mycket på ekolodet
to trust the fish finder too much
Tip: lit. the same.
- 44
en vindstilla morgon
a windless morning
Tip: lit. the same — the best conditions.
- 45
fisken vakar
the fish are rising
Tip: lit. 'the fish are surfacing'.
- 46
fiska i skymningen
to fish at dusk
Tip: lit. the same.
- 47
aldrig avslöja stället
never tell anyone the spot
Tip: lit. the same.