Lake Burtnieks is one of the most legendary lakes in Latvia. The lake (13.5 km long) magnificently lies in the western part of Northern Vidzeme – Talava lowland. There are 23 rivers and rivulets inflowing Lake Burtnieks, but there is only one river outflowing from the lake – River Salaca. The lake is not too deep, at places overgrown with wilderness. The banks of the lake are gently sloping and swampy. The shallow coastal area is rich in reed, but the steep shore next to the Burtnieks Church has picturesque sand stones. From the lake it is easy to see the towers of the nearby churches and Visrags Observational Tower; therefore, these sites can be used by people in boats to find their way. Licensed fishing takes place in Lake Burtnieks.
The fourth biggest lake in Latvia stretching 13,5 km long in the western part of Northern Vidzeme. Average depth – 2,4 m, maximum depth – 4,3 m, width – 5,5 km. 23 bigger and smaller rivers flow into the lake. More than 20 various species of fish inhabit the lake. Fishing is allowed with licences.
Fishing in Lake Burtnieks:
- Obligatory fishing licence;
- Obligatory Lake Burtnieks fishing licence;
- Excluding May it is allowed to fish with "Free one year licence" for those who have land next to Lake Burtnieks and their siblings, children and teenagers up to 16 years old, persons older than 65 years old as well as people with special needs and politically repressed persons.
During winter time it is prohibited to drive (cars) on Lake Burtnieks.
Places where you can buy fishing licence: www.visit.valmiera.lv
Lake Burtnieks (Latvian: Burtnieka ezers, Estonian: Asti järv) is the fourth largest lake in Latvia. It is shallow with an average depth of 2.9 m. The lake bed is mainly sandy, in places a little muddy. In the southeast part of the lake there is Devoniansandstone rock. The lake has 17 species of fish, such as minnows, salmon, chubs, eels, and pike, and there are areas for duck hunting. The banks are shallow and sandy, but along the southern coast, waves have carved sandstone cliffs. After the regulation of the Salaca river in 1929, the lake level dropped by a metre, and many of the exposed shallows grew covered with reeds and algae. The lake contains three islands with a total area of 14,000 m². The lake lies entirely within the Northern Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve. Small streams from Latvia and Estonia; the Aunupīte, Bauņupīte, Briedes upe, Dūres upe, Ēķinupe, Rūjas upe, and Sedas upe flow into the lake. Lake Burtnieks is the source of 95 km long Salaca river, which flows out of the northwest corner into the Gulf of Riga. In ancient times, the lake was known as Astijärv or Aster, when northern Vidzeme was inhabited by the Livonian people. The lake is a major setting of the Latvian national epic Lāčplēsis, and appears in many Latvian folklore stories. A few small villages cling to the coast today, the largest of which is Burtnieki.
| Lake Burtnieks | |
| Primary outflows | Salaca |
| Catchment area | 2,215 km2 (855 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Latvia, Estonia |
| Max. length | 13.3 km (8.3 mi) |
| Max. width | 5.5 km (3.4 mi) |
| Average depth | 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) |
| Max. depth | 3.3 m (11 ft) |
| Water volume | 91.1×106 m3 (3.22×109 cu ft) |