Sea Trout Magazine 2023 - ENG

Issue #2023

ENG HAVØRRED FYN

SEA TROUT FYN Denmark’s largest ever Sea Trout Marking Investigation • A Trout’s Life - In the Stream and at the Hatchery • The

gravel gang of Fyn • Gulp fiction • From pauper to prince • Daydreaming of Ærø • The strong senses of the night....

#2023

www.SeaTrout.dk

Your platform for chasing sea trout on Fyn, Ærø and Langeland Here, you can find everything you need in your quest for sea trout – apart from the salt water!

FIND SEA TROUT FYN ON:

C

heck out the interactive map of the 1,100 kilometres of sea trout coastline. EVERYTHING you need has been brought together on one sea trout map. There are 117 fishing spots with satellite photos, topographical

maps, descriptions of fishing spots, seasonal recommendations, conservation zones, special rules, etc. – all right at your fingertips whenever you need it!

You can also: Find accommodation at a certified anglers’ establishment.

Book the island’s best sea trout angler as your own guide.

Watch a video about fishing for sea trout.

Follow our work to promote Fyn’s sea-trout stocks.

Read news from the coasts, the fishing guides and partners.

Gain new knowledge about sea trout and practical fishing.

See conservation zone information and fishing rules for Fyn’s coastlines.

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Sea Trout Fyn

Havørred Fyn Secretariat

Welcome

to Havørred Fyn MAGAZINE 2023

tion of fishing tourism. We have had some new recruits join the project. In March 2022, Havørred Fyn welcomed on board a new PR & Marketing Coordinator, Christian Thomsen, who has been working full-time on the project since August.

A

Christian has a background within nature

2022–2026 was adopted, and we are now

hunting, fishing and outdoor tourism in sever-

s we here at Havørred Fyn (Sea Trout Fyn) cast our minds back over 2022, there is certainly no denying it was

a busy year. Our new Havørred Fyn Strategy working full swing now to roll it out into reality. The strategy connects our three primary areas of action: stream restoration, increasing sea trout numbers and the marketing/promo-

and culture communications and he holds a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Tourism from Aalborg University. Despite his young age of 28 years, Christian has already worked with al places across the globe. Christian grew up in Southern Jutland and he studied in Jutland.

He now lives on Fyn, close to some of the best spots for sea trout in all the country.

I have always fished. I don’t even remember when it started. But the water has always looked a little bluer on the other side, so I’ve travelled plenty and fished sharks in New Zealand, halibut and grayling in the Saltstraumen Strait in Norway, rainbow trout in Canada, and most recently, I developed fishing expeditions for Albatros Expeditions in Greenland. For me, there’s simply nothing better than a good day on the coast fishing for sea trout. So I am incredibly grateful for my new position with Havørred Fyn.” - Christian Thomsen

2023 – An Exciting Year

tres of coastline so there is ample space for

Havørred Fyn is set to continue its good work

everyone.

in 2023, and a particularly exciting year ap-

Here at Havørred Fyn, we take great pride

pears to be in store. We have begun our large

in getting across the right information to

marking experiment, which you can read

the right people. That is where we want our

more about in this magazine – including how

expertise to lie. More focus will be placed on

you can help. We are looking forward to a lot

the release of smaller and larger fish, learning,

of exciting projects, and the recently revived

experiences, handling catches and taking a

Fynske Grusbande (Gravel Gang) is also

sustainable approach to our sea trout com-

ramping up their activities, offering another

munications. After all, not all places are able

chance for you to get involved. At the same

to support increasing demand from anglers.

time, we are also hoping to see a lot more

The seatrout.dk website and its familiar inter-

sea-trout tourists along the coasts of Fyn,

active fishing map will be getting an upgrade

Langeland and Ærø. Fishing tourists help to

in 2023, so they will be even better. And we

support the project and ensure that we have

will also be working to build and cultivate

a reason to keep on doing what we do. They

even closer links with our partners and the

contribute to the local economy and, just like

many volunteers involved in the project, who

our local anglers, they treat our sea trout with

together help to make Fyn a real El Dorado for

great respect, returning the majority of their

all things sea trout.

catches. Fyn has more than 1,100 kilome-

Best of luck out there along the coasts of Fyn!

COLOPHON Publisher: Sea Trout Fyn / www.seatrout.dk Editor: Christian Thomsen Print run: 15.000 in Danish, German and English versions Print: Johnsen Graphic Solutions A/S Translation: Diction APS Layout: www.anglingconsulting.one v. O. Gade.

Photos: Johannes Arlt, Jahr Media/ F. Pippardt, Linda B. Høgh, Peter Sikking, Aart-Jan V. Mossel, Terkel B. Christensen, Johannes Radtke, Matthias Arnham, Omar B. Gade, Freja K. Christlieb , Christian Thomsen, Søren Bay, Søren Skarby, EHF, DTU Cover: Andreas Lindquist

Sea Trout Fyn

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6

Havørred Fyn project

A Trout’s Life

In the Stream and at the Hatchery

10 14 16 18

8

Denmark’s Largest Ever Sea Trout Marking Investigation The guardians of the smolt Revival of “Den Fynske Grusbande” the gravel gang of Fyn Little Stream A Restoration Project from Assens

CONTE

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Sea Trout Fyn

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From pauper to prince

Daydreaming

a perspective from Sweden of Ærø

20 24 25 34

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Fishing guides, tourist offices, certified accommodation, tackle shops Guide book: 117 coastal spots on Fyn

Gulp Fiction

The strong senses of the night

ENTS

Sea Trout Fyn

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THE HAVØRRED FYN PROJECT Havørred Fyn (Sea Trout Fyn) has helped to create top-class conditions for sea trout fishing by European standards. The project’s unique link between tourism development and environmental regeneration has helped pitch Fyn as a green island and an attractive tourist destination – especially outside of high season!

Havørred Fyn Secretariat

Tourism Based on Active Nature Conservation

T

he original idea behind the Havørred Fyn project was to develop sea trout fishing tour-

ism on Fyn and the Islands through nature conservation in the form of stream restoration and the release of smolt. The idea was that, by putting effort into restoring steams and

1990. The former Fyn County under-

directly into our watercourses had un-

brooks to good condition, and by

took a range of initiatives aimed at

fortunately become par for the course.

releasing smolt, we could bolster the

promoting business on Fyn. The idea

Back then, most anglers fished for cod,

foundations needed for solid fishing

was to create more jobs, especially on

flatfish and garfish. Finding a sea trout

tourism. Sound fishing tourism gener-

the smaller islands. One of the initia-

was a special but seldom occurrence.

ates a sound economy – and a sound

tives was Havørredeldorado Fyns Amt

And so Fyn County saw an opportunity

economy is a strong motivating factor

[Sea Trout El Dorado, Fyn County]. In

to kill two birds with one stone through

to invest yet even more in efforts that

the 1990s, the watercourses on Fyn

their El Dorado project. The project has

will improve our streams and water-

were by no means something to brag

since changed its name to the much

courses.

about. Blockages from water mills and

simpler Havørred Fyn that we know

meadow irrigation systems had be-

today, bringing all ten municipalities

come a ‘natural’ occurrence, and there

on Fyn together to make a unified and

was no shortage of piped sections and

concerted green effort across adminis-

drops. Moreover, water was often un-

trative boundaries.

Our History It all began for Havørred Fyn back in

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Sea Trout Fyn

derappreciated and sewage discharge

A Top-Class Fishing Destination

in places where the water had removed

for us to roll up our sleeves and keep

them over time. Alongside the release

on doing the good work that all our

of hundreds of thousands of smolt

volunteers, associations and others

Today, more than thirty years later,

each year, this huge effort has helped

have been helping with. Streams run

those early ambitions of the project

to make Fyn, Langeland and Ærø into

through our region like nature’s veins,

have succeeded beyond all expec-

top-class fishing destinations. Angling

and there are still plenty of ‘blood

tations. Fish living conditions have

along the coasts of Fyn is something

clots’ that could be removed. Without

improved considerable in many of our

that experts are discussing and writing

the tremendous support of its volun-

watercourses. This was the result of a

about both locally and internation-

teers, Havørred Fyn would never be

huge effort to remove the blockages

ally, and not without good reason. The

able to run. But so long as it is here,

that prevented sea trout from reaching

Havørred Fyn model has spread and

we can continue to enjoy the excel-

their spawning grounds, and of laying

that is fantastic.

lent sea trout fishing that Fyn and the

out spawning gravel and hiding stones

However, there is still plenty of scope

Islands have to offer.

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A Trout’s 8

Sea Trout Fyn

IN THE STREAM AND AT THE HATCHERY

E

Karsten Bangsgaard, Teacher and Biologist at FGU Fyn / Fyns Laksefisk

very year, thousands of sea

ter that runs out, fry in the wild start

crucial that they have also undergone

trout make their way from the

looking for food themselves, while in

the necessary physical changes at

sea and the fjords into our

the hatchery, feeding begins.

the breeding facilities. And precisely

streams and brooks to spawn. Cock

Light conditions at Fyns Laksefisk’s

because the light and temperature

and hen fish come together to spawn

breeding facilities follow seasonal

conditions reflect those in nature, the

in so-called spawning pits that the

variations through the use of a light-

smoltification process is able to take

hen fish dig by fiercely shaking their

ing control system. Great efforts are

place in the breeding facilities as well.

tail fin. After spawning, the female

also made to get the temperature in

They also go nice and shiny!

fish then use their tail fin to cover the

the facilities to follow the seasonal

And with that, the next generation

fertilized eggs with small stones, so

temperatures outside. All so that the

of sea trout on the coast is secured

they are well protected at the bottom

fish are raised in as natural a way as

and the cycle continues. At sea, the

of the water until spring.

possible.

trout grow very quickly. A smolt that

Fyns Laksefisk catches some of these

Young sea trout spend approximately

measures around 15 centimetres in

sea trout that are spawning. They do

one year in the watercourses, through

the spring will be over the minimum

this via electrofishing which involves

until the following spring. By this

size by the following spring, when the

using electricity to create an electric

time, they will have reached a size of

next generation of smolt are on their

field that briefly paralyses the fish

15–17 cm and the majority will now

way out to sea.

and allows them to be easily caught.

make their way out into the salty sea.

In nature, only the fittest survive.

These breeding females are taken

In the intervening period, they un-

There is no mercy. Figures show that

back to the hatchery where they are

dergo several physical changes in the

only 1.5% of wild sea trout survive

stripped of their eggs and sperm

water courses, smoltification, which

their first year in nature. And even if

while still paralysed. The spawning

allows them to survive in the salt wa-

nature and culture rarely compare,

process is then recreated artificially,

ter. The most obvious change is that

survival at the hatchery is 75% for

with the eggs being placed in hatch-

they become completely silvery.

the first year. But what about the

ing trays. These are the hatchery’s

The trout raised at Fyns Laksefisk

difference between wild and stocked

answer to spawning pits.

are released (or stocked) into the

fish once both are out on the coast? A

The fertilised eggs first become eyed

estuaries in the spring, at the same

new large-scale marking experiment

eggs and after several months, they

time as the natural smolt migrate

can hopefully answer that question,

hatch as small fish larvae. These are

towards the sea. The idea is that the

and Havørred Fyn needs your help

known as ‘yolk-sac fry’ and for the

farmed sea trout follow the natural

with it!

first few weeks they have their very

life cycle of a sea trout and migrate to

own food pack in their stomachs. Af-

sea themselves. For this reason, it is

s Life

Sea Trout fact:

1:

Sea trouts have growth rings on their scales, a little like the annual rings of a tree. These allow us to determine the age of a sea trout

2: A female sea trout can produce around

2000 eggs per kilo of fish

brown trout and lake trout 3are: allSeathetrout, same. It is their habitat that determines what we call them

Sea Trout Fyn

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Denmark’s Largest

Ever Sea Trout Marking

Investigation

Christian Thomsen, Havørred Fyn Secretariat In collaboration with DTU AQUA and FGU Fyn/Fyns Laksefisk

In collaboration with Fyns Laksefisk and DTU Aqua, Havørred Fyn (Sea Trout Fyn) is commencing history’s largest ever sea trout marking project in Denmark. From spring 2023, all sea trout smolt released in Fyn, Langeland and Ærø will be marked. Anglers will then catch both marked and unmarked fish in the future, and they can assist in data collection efforts by registering the fish they catch. With the help of anglers, we can therefore acquire better knowledge about the effect that release efforts are having.

O

ne of the main activities undertaken by Havørred Fyn has for many years been its support releases of sea trout smolt. The

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Sea Trout Fyn

purpose of this is to ensure large sea trout stocks in order to support the solid reputation for sea trout angling that Fyn and the islands enjoy today.

Through watercourse restorations, Havørred Fyn, as well as our volunteers and partners, make a huge effort to strengthen the wild stocks

of sea trout we have in our waters.

The vision at Havørred Fyn is to phase out our annual releases as natural production continues to rise. But conditions for sea trout are subject to constant change and it is hugely important that we follow the effects of our many efforts. Including the support releases.

Here on Fyn, we have a clear ambition to make all of our sea trout streams into optimal spawning and rearing streams. The day that goal is reached, we will be able to enjoy excellent coastal fishing based entirely on wild fish.

However we are not quite there yet, and until that time comes, it is important that we continue to provide support in the form of fish releases that ultimately originate from wild breeding trout. Marking these fish makes a lot of sense. It allows anglers to distinguish them from wild fish. So you can take stocked fish home to your kitchen with a clear conscience, and release all the wild fish you catch. This is fishing at its most sustainable.”

- Claus Eriksen, Chairman of the

help with the process. The marking process involves manually clipping the trout’s adipose fin, which will not grow back. This is a fast process during which the trout are stunned and suffer no harm. Fin clipping is a tried-and-tested method for marking fish that has previously been used for other stocking efforts in Denmark and is used today for salmon in the streams of West Jutland.

Havørred Fyn releases over 350,000 sea trout smolt at the mouths of several watercourses on Fyn, Langeland and Ærø. Havørred Fyn is not the only actor releasing fish on Fyn and the Islands. Trout smolt are also reared and released using the funds raised from the compulsory fishing licence. These extra trout will also be marked, so that all trout released between 2023 and 2025 can be distinguished from wild trout. This way, the project will be able to contribute more general knowledge about the effect of support releases and it can also help us better understand how many released sea trout that reach their minimum size are caught by anglers. The initiative will also help us better understand sea

trout migration patterns and the percentage breakdown between the wild and stocked sea trout that are caught.

It is important that our actions generate results, and these results need to be documented and measurable. That way, we can be sure that our efforts are having the greatest possible effect, and we can be certain we are moving in the right direction. Havørred Fyn has marked fish before, but never on such a large scale as this.”

- Havørred Fyn Secretariat

Fact box:

Fishing licence funds refers to the money generated from the sale of fishing licences. Fishing licences are mandatory to fish in Denmark for people aged 18–65 and can be purchased via www.fisketegn.dk

A Curl of the Fin A common side-effect of captive breeding is that the pectoral fins

Havørred Fyn Advisory Board.

Fast and gently Throughout the entire course of the project, the trout smolt are reared at Fyns Laksefisk. The smolt being released in 2023 all originate from breeding fish caught via electrofishing in local waters in 2021. Marking of all the 350,000+ sea trout being released in the spring will also be undertaken locally at Fyns Laksefisk.

Fyns Laksefisk is a modern landbased fish farm where marking can be undertaken un a controlled way, using large numbers of volunteers to

Sea Trout Fyn

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of the fish will curl. Whereas wild trout will have pectoral fins that are straight and pointy. However, this is not something we can rely on 100%.

During electrofishing, checks are made to see whether the fish caught are wild or fish that had been previously released. This is because we only want to use wild fish for breeding. A curled fin comes with great uncertainty, however, and so there remains a risk that stocked fish are caught and included. A missing fin, on the other hand, cannot be mistaken, so this increases our certainty that all breeding fish are wild, and it also means that handling can be minimised to a large extent.

Data Collection The study, which is being carried out by Fyns Laksefisk, DTU Aqua and Havørred Fyn, has the potential to be one of the most extensive and thorough studies into what proportion of the fish caught by anglers is made up of stocked sea trout. This knowledge will be key to streamlining and supporting future releases. Not just on Fyn and the Islands, but all across Denmark. However, the success of the initiative will hing on data regarding whether the sea trout caught at a particular destination are marked

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Sea Trout Fyn

or not, and this is where anglers can play a crucial role.

Anglers Asked to Record Data Anglers are asked to supply the project with data. DTU Aqua already leads a citizen-science project which allows anglers to contribute their knowledge of Danish fish stocks by recording their fishing trips on an app called Fangstjournalen. Basically, the app allows anglers to keep a fishing diary which allows them to acquire better insights into their own fishing practice and results.

From Spring 2023, users of the Fangstjournalen app will be asked to report whether the sea trout they catch still have their adipose fins or not. The hope is that everyone who fishes sea trout on Fyn and the Islands will contribute data to the study by reporting their fishing trips and catches, with and without adipose fins. In order to further strengthen the database, a key team of skilled anglers will be assembled and report all their trips and catches so that the data can later be compared.

Havørred Fyn expects that the first marked trout will be caught and reported via Fangstjournalen over the course of summer 2023 and that

marked sea trout will first begin to reach the minimum size around the start of 2024.

Around DKK 3.5 million is spent each year on the release of trout smolt in Denmark under Fiskeplejen. Our knowledge about the effect of these efforts – including the extent to which they help improve angling conditions – is sparse. That is why this study is particularly important, not just for Havørred Fyn, but for Fiskeplejen more generally.”

- Anders Koed, Professor and Section Leader at DTU Aqua.

Help us to help the wild fish – Marking wild fish is good for more than just research. Marking released fish makes it easier for anglers to make an ethical and sustainable choice to release wild sea trout with their adipose fins intact, and – if they want – to take home sea trout without their adipose fins. This will accelerate the process of improving wild sea trout stocks and thus ensure an even more sustainable future for angling.

Christian Skov, Associate Professor at DTU Aqua.

Help us

Tell Us if Your Catch Is Wild or Released!

Each year, hundreds of volunteers and different organisations work to improve the conditions for fish in our watercourses. Fangstjournalen is an important tool for documenting the effect of the extensive work carried out.

S

o join many of your fellow anglers in Denmark and start recording your fishing trips in Fangstjournalen. That way, you can help generate important data about angling and fish stock

conditions. From 2023, it will be possible to record whether caught sea trout have their adipose fins or not, and thus help us acquire crucial information about the value of release efforts.

How it works This is how you can share your knowledge: 1.Download and install the Fangstjournalen app. You will find it on Google Play or the App Store.

2.Create your own personal user profile.

3.Record all your fishing trips and catches in Fangstjournalen – including trips when you don’t catch anything, that is also important information for us to know.

4.Record any sea trout you catch. Remember to specify whether it was clipped or not. It is very important that all sea trout – both WITH and WITHOUT their adipose fins – are recorded.

5.You can also record the size, location and time. It is then up to you whether you want to share all this information with your fishing buddies, or let it be known only to science!

Register your catches with ease! – It’s the best!

Fangstjournalen is also available via the FishingInDenmark app.

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Christian Thomsen, Havørred Fyn Secretariat

THE GUARDIANS OF THE SMOLT Each time sea trout smolt are released around Fyn, Langeland and Ærø, they are helped along their way by hundreds of local volunteers and passionate souls who act as living scarecrows all along the local watercourses. They are the heroes that we call our smolt guardians!

E

ach April, just as the beech trees are bursting into leaf in, hundreds of thousands of small

sea trout are released into the mouths of many watercourses across Fyn, Langeland and Ærø. The fish have been bought and ordered by Havørred Fyn (Sea Trout Fyn), but it is Fyns Laksefisk that has reared, cared for and looked after them for the last year and a half.

It is also the good folk at Fynsk Laksefisk who drive out and release these small sea trout into the wild. And they have been doing this for many years with great success. However, in recent years, more focus has been placed on the many challenges that these small and relatively helpless sea trout must face when they are released into the big, wide world. Their new surroundings are in no way comparable to the world they know back at Fyns Laksefisk. Like so many other animals in Denmark’s natural environments, they face no shortage of predators waiting to make these small fish into their next meal. Cormorants, gulls and herons are particularly interested in these small and confused little fish who make for a particularly easy dinner those first few hours after they are released.

Especially because they swim around in large shoals and splash about at the surface – a habit from the fish

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Sea Trout Fyn

farm, but by no means a strategy that any wild sea trout smolt would ever use. However, they do adapt relatively quickly to their new surroundings and make their way out to sea. Out in the open waters their chances of survival are much greater, but they need a little help along the way there. That is

at the same time.

Fact box: A cormorant eats up to 500 gram of fish per day. That equates to around 15 smolt. In the Little Belt area and the South Fyn Archipelago alone, 4089 inhabited cormorant nests were counted in 2022.

what our smolt guardians do. Smolt

In spring 2022, the smolt guardians

guardians are volunteer anglers, water

stepped up to the plate and waved their

conservationists and others who sign

arms and legs across more than 16

up to stand guard along local water-

streams and watercourses. More than

courses and scare off smolt predators.

200 volunteer smolt guardians helped

For predators are in no short supply,

stand guard for more than 350,000

and being a smolt guardian is a simple

new sea trout. Each smolt guardian

task that makes a huge difference. It is

stood guard for a minimum of three

a way to keep predators at bay without

hours and was relieved by another

the need for more disruptive inter-

guardian so as to leave potential preda-

ventions. And it is not just the newly

tors with no window of opportunity. The

released smolt who benefit from these

initiative also resulted in new acquaint-

efforts. The wild smolt head out to sea

ances, stories and experiences.

We have rounded up a few excerpts from their own reports: Longelse Sønderskov, Langeland

Could there really be GOLD(fish) at the end of the rainbow? With Freya on smolt duty in the rain and sleet.

There were five huge seagulls circling around at the mouth of the river. But Freya chased them far out to sea” Daniel R. Stæhr Viby Å

My wife and I decided to support this great ini ti ative that Havørred Fyn organised to protect the tiny smolt being released into watercourses large and small across the coasts of Fyn. I hadn’t actually been fishing on the coast since 2017, so I was definitely overdue a visit to the beautiful Fyn coast! We decided we should give back a little now that we were once more drawing benefit from this beautiful area and its sea trout” Michael Møller

Fact box:

Smolt guardians can sign up for different positions and choose for themselves where they want to stand guard.

Just as it has many times before, Havørred Fyn is leading the way for the rest of Denmark. Work is now being undertaken to spread the smolt guardian phenomenon to the rest of the country. This is being done via the FishinginDenmark page which is a part of the national angling strategy. Work is being done to create a common platform where volunteers can register for different positions all across Denmark. In 2023, Havørred Fyn will continue to coordinate the smolt guardians on Fyn and the Islands.

Would you like to be a smolt guardian in 2023? Keep an eye on our website www.seatrout.dk and on our social media pages.

Tange å

Good morning from Tange Å.

At 05:30, we chased six herons away from the mouth of the river, and after that we were by and large alone. By the way, standing guard at sunrise is a really nice experience.

Claus E. Christensen

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Revival of “Den Fynske Grusbande”

THE GRAVEL GANG OF FYN

Havørred Fyn Secretariat & Lars R. Petersen, Vandpleje Fyn.

A new collaboration between Vandpleje Fyn and Havørred Fyn has resulted in the revival of the former’s old Grusbande initiative – the Fyn Gravel Gang. The group will now go by the name Den Fynske Grusbande.

O

ver ten years ago, the Gravel Gang was all systems go. Wheelbarrows, shovels and grips were being worn out just as quickly as the watercourses on Fyn were being restored, and in 2012, the Gravel Gang was awarded the Danish

Sportfishing Association’s Environmental Prize. The Gravel Gang was set up by Vandpleje Fyn with Søren Knabe at the helm. It was for everyone with an interest in our watercourses, no matter whether you were an angler, a bird watcher or something else altogether. It gave people an opportunity to volunteer and make a real difference to the watercourses and natural world in Fyn. The phenomenon quickly spread to other parts of the country, and the Gravel Gang garnered great success and recognition for their initiatives and efforts. As the years went by, the group’s activities went into decline, and soon after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, their equipment trailer was left largely unused.

But that has now changed thanks to a new collaboration between Havørred Fyn and Vandpleje Fyn. In autumn 2022, these two organisations came together to revive the formerly successful Gravel Gang which, from that moment on, would now be known as Den Fynske Grusbande – The Fyn Gravel Gang. The values and mission statement remain the same as before, namely to improve our watercourses.

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Volunteer Coordinator at Havørred Fyn, Søren Knabe, was taken on at Havørred Fyn in

Sea Trout Fyn

2021 after 12 years with Vandpleje Fyn. His job is to prepare the new projects which are then undertaken by Vandpleje Fyn. The driving force and muscles behind the project are the many volunteers who help in its practical implementation. Their efforts help to create better conditions for sea trout in local watercourses, which ultimately contribute towards better

Vandpleje Fyn has its own board which works independently of both Havørred Fyn and Fyns Laksefisk.

Havørred Fyn, on the other hand, is a joint municipal project that is tasked, among other things, with improving local sea trout stocks and, through this work, ensuring more revenue from fishing tourism and creating jobs in waterside areas so

conditions for coastal sea trout fishing that we all can enjoy.

that we have more capital to restore yet even more waterways.

As a volunteer coordinator, my most important task is to make sure that Grusbanden always has something to be doing. My job is therefore to constantly seek approval from the authorities for a range of different projects. Meanwhile, it is primarily the chairman of Vandpleje Fyn and project coordinator Lars R. Petersen who, together with the other project managers at Vandpleje Fyn, takes responsibility for project execution.”

together, especially around electrofishing in the autumn, stock-

Havørred Fyn, Vandpleje Fyn and Fyns Laksefisk work closely ing releases in the spring, and now on the Gravel Gang.

The First Stone has already been thrown The new Gravel Gang has already had their first projects. Most recently, on a cold autumn day at the end of November in 2022, ten volunteers came down with coffee and rolls to assemble by Storå in the north west, at a sewage treatment plant next to the stream. Søren Knabe and Lars R. Petersen worked to direct their many helping hands, and both gravel and hiding

-Søren Knabe, Volunteer Coordinator, Havørred Fyn.

stones were set in place by the volunteers. Spirits were high,

Søren is a self-taught water conservationist with a background

was in much need of a loving hand. The Gravel Gang brought

in the restoration courses offered by DTU Aqua. Over a span of thirty years, he has worked with local angling associations, EVERYTHING relating to water management and as a Nature and Environment Coordinator for the Danish Sportfishing Association. It is safe to say that Søren is the saviour of a great

for this was a particularly sorry-looking stretch of Storå that along all the materials and on this occasion that even included a skid-steer loader which was used to transport the gravel and stones from the car park to the water. However, as always, it was the volunteers – with their shovels, rakes and wheelbarrows – who proved the key element, for not one single stone

many sea trout in and around Fyn.

was placed at random in the stream. This is where the Gravel

Vandpleje Fyn and Havørred Fyn

ing stones and dead wood. They also plant water plants and

Vandpleje Fyn is a voluntary organisation comprised of 23 recreational fishing organisations under the Danish Sport Fishing Association. Like Havørred Fyn, Vandpleje Fyn was established

Gang excels, after all, and their task was to place gravel, hidremove sand from spawning banks. The result at Storå was four incredible new spawning banks and loads of large hiding stones along a long stretch.

with the aim of putting more fish into our local waters on Fyn. Despite their comparable names, the two organisations are in fact quite different. Vandpleje Fyn is comprised entirely of volunteers, primarily anglers who volunteer through their associations. The work of Vandpleje Fyn consists of practical tasks such as electrofishing as well as smaller restoration projects and similar.

We are a voluntary association and we depend on other volunteers lending a hand. We typically announce our projects via the Vandpleje Fyn Facebook page and get help that way. Everyone is welcome. The streams and rivers of Fyn are our passion project. We protect our watercourses in the hope that we can leave behind a better and healthier landscape than what we inherited. It is tough and time-consuming work restoring nature to its optimal condition, but we do it with a smile on our face.” - Lars R. Petersen, Chairman of Vandpleje Fyn

Joining the Gravel Gang is free and does not involve any kind of minimum commitment. It is entirely up to you how much you want to contribute, and you only have to participate when you have the time and the inclination. To get involved, simply join the Facebook group called Den Fynske Grusbande.

Lending a hand to our waterways is of course voluntary, but it often brings good karma. And that is exactly what happened that Sunday at Storå. Participants got a pleasant surprise when plot owner Allan Madsen from Hårslev was so impressed by the gang’s work that he invited all participants to enjoy a free week at his fishing lodge by Vefsna, which is a very well known river for salmon fishing in Norway.

Sea Trout Fyn

17

#2023 Søren Bay, Biologist at Assens Municipality and Project Manager at Havørred Fyn.

A Restoration Pro At the beginning of November 2022, Assens Municipality undertook a restauration project at the little watercourse by Turup with support from Havørred Fyn (Sea Trout Fyn) It all began one autumn day in 2021, when a plot owner with an interest in a small watercourse by Vistorpdam got in touch with the municipality to find out if there was anything that could be done for the stream on his land and the fish within it. Fortunately, there are many such plot owners on Fyn. The municipalities receive many inquiries from landowners who are interested in supporting nature and improving conditions for both sea trout and our watercourses.

their fry grow, before they begin their migration out towards the salt waters of the sea as smolt.

It is a very positive development to see an increased focus on having good conditions in our watercourses.

Here at Havørred Fyn, we consider it to be very important that watercourse improvement projects are implemented in conjunction with local plot owners. That way, the projects can bring both more fish but also a sense of local satisfaction and cohesion.” - Søren Bay, Stream Biologist and Project Manager at Havørred Fyn. .

The Little Stream from Turup

The small stream is located in the western part of the island and drains into Turup Møllebæk, which then snakes its way further through the landscape towards Puge Mølleå before finally flowing into the Little Belt. The stream has an average drop of about 5%, which is ideal for a trout stream. But just as in many other streams, there is a lack of variation, spawning grounds and large hiding stones where small fish can hide and find shelter from the current.

Turup Møllebæk, which the stream flows into, is a fantastic home for sea trout. It first acquired that status ten years ago, when Assens Municipality and Havørred Fyn carried out a number of projects together with other plot owners

The little stream from Turup is about a metre wide and less

in the area. It is now home to both spawning grounds and

than two kilometers long. That may not sound like much,

hiding stones, and in a 2017 study, DTU counted 248 trout

but small streams like this are actually very important for

fry per 100 square metres in the stream. In the smaller

sea trout. It is in places like these that adults spawn and

stream at Turup, however, the figure was just 53. So the

18

Sea Trout Fyn

Little Stream oject from Assens

words of the plot owner were both heard and understood when he got in touch, and his stretch of water was restored in 2022. Heavy machinery dug up the stream while the Fyn Gravel Gang laid down more than 300 metres of gravel and hiding stones. Passage was secured through a pipe bridge and a piped stretch was shortened by seven metres.

Not many municipalities have the funds available to pay for their own waterway projects. However, we are lucky here on Fyn to have Havørred Fyn providing financial support to municipal restoration projects. This means that Fyn and the Islands have a long tradition of restoring watercourses.

Over the past thirty years, countless projects have been carried out to ensure passage through our watercourses and to improve living conditions for sea trout through the laying of gravel and hiding stones in many different shapes and forms.

up the river. Financial support for stream maintenance and restoration is crucial to ensuring future generations of wild sea trout. The rivers and streams are already there, we simply need to improve the conditions which in many cases we have damaged ourselves” - Søren Bay, Stream Biologist and Project Manager at Havørred Fyn

When it comes to this type of project, so much focus on sea trout in particular can make the initiatives seem a bit one track. But it is important to remember that good conditions for sea trout also means good conditions for many other species. In fact, sea trout can be used as an indicator species of sorts, especially when it comes to water management work. In short, watercourse restoration benefits not just fish, but also insects, birds and the rest of the ecosystem, too.

Sustainable sea trout fishing conditions on the coast actually begin far Sea Trout Fyn

19

#2023

One Day’s Fishing

Is Never Enough!

If you intend to fish for sea trout over several days, then we’ve got good news for you and your buddy – you can stay at an angler’s cottage certified by Havørred Fyn and enjoy yet even more time by the water.

Along the coasts of Fyn, Ærø and Langeland, you will find more than forty certified lodgings which have all gone that extra mile to make anglers and recreational fishers feel welcome. This means they have spared a thought to all those things that fishing folk value.

The hosts have local knowledge about fishing, they can arrange certified sea trout guides, help with fishing licenses, and you can even dry and store your gear!

You can find these certified lodgings at www.en.seatrout.dk and you can also recognise them by their signs: Havørred Fyn Partner.

Tackle Shops A free copy of this magazine is available at these fishing stores in Fyn:

... or at the nearest tourist office Dalumvej 67, 5250 Odense

Toftekærsvej 16 Porthusvej 127, Ore, 5400 Bogense 5700 Svendborg

Fynshovedvej 208, 5370 Mesinge

Magnoliavej 7, 5250 Odense

A free copy of this magazine is available at these European “sea trout friendly” stores:

20

Sea Trout Fyn

Enjoy the Best Sea Trout Fishing

on the Islands Fishing guides on Fyn, Langeland and Ærø Turbocharge your sea trout fishing: The fishing paradise on Fyn consists of more than 1,100 kilometres of coast spread across ninety different islands. The key to a successful fishing trip is knowing precisely where, when and how to fish for sea trout. The secret is FISHING GUIDES! Havørred Fyn offers fishing guides who are all professionals and certified within none other than sea trout fishing. They have local and up-to-date knowledge on our coastlines and can make a world of difference to your fishing experience.

Prices from: ½ day (4 hours) DKK 2499 Full day (8 hours) DKK 3499 Get to know them at www.en.seatrout.dk

T

Michael Johannes Nielsen Tlf.:+4524844422 Email: michael@fwo.dk

H

Jan Nachtigal

E

Tlf.: +4528410290 • Email: info@denmarkfishinglodge.com

René Gerken Tlf: +45 51 89 05 22 • Email: info@renegerken.com

G

Kenneth Birler Tlf: +45 40 47 41 67 • E-mail: mail@fishinglodgefyn.dk

U

Claus Eklundh Christensen Tlf.: +4527289541 • Email: info@fishnship.dk

I D

Niklas Albrechtsen Tlf.: +4553576006 • Email: niklas@seatroutguidefyn.dk

E S

Omar Bo Gade Tlf.: +4528410290 • Email: info@denmarkfishinglodge.com

: Sea Trout Fyn

21

#2023

Mathias Arnham, Arnham Media & Christian Thomsen, Havørred Fyn.

FROM PAUPER TO PRINCE A Perspective from Sweden The Danish Sea Trout El Dorado that is Fyn is a dream come true for saltwater fishing enthusiasts. It has everything. Fishing huts, guides and a fantastic coast for sea trout which disappears beyond the endless horizon. Best of all, Fyn and the Islands are just a stone’s throw away from Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands and Norway.

F

yn and the Islands are a place for all types of sea trout fishers, both beginners and professionals. The prince and the pauper. You will find everything you need here, and you can tailor exactly how you want YOUR fishing experience to be. You can bring along everything you’ll need, buy your licence and strike out on your own. Our you can pack light and dive into the myriad of options that the locals have tailored for you.

A True Buffet of Possibilities

and in top form.

their freshwater discharges, where the

In the early spring, when the ragworms

sea trout prepare for their journey back

are swarming, that is when the sea

up the stream. Typically, though, they

trout fishing season begins in earnest.

are to be found sneaking around in the

As the water gets warmer, the fish

shallowest of waters. So keep your eyes

spread themselves out more and more.

on the surface and remember to fish it

In April and May, food that the sea trout

clear before you wade out into it.

can munch on abounds in all different

Where Shall We Sleep Tonight?

forms, meaning a great deal of varia-

Are you heading out on a fishing adven-

tion for us fly fishers. Faux shrimp like

ture? Then you should go to Fyn and

the “Pattegrisen” or the Horny Shrimp,

its island paradise! Personally, I always

as it is also known, are often a safe bet.

check out the Havørred Fyn certi-

But do not underestimate small flies

fied accommodation options on www.

like the “Kobberbassen” (Copper Bully),

en.seatrout.dk. Here you will find a wide

especially when conditions are calm

range of options close to the coast for

Fyn has optimal conditions for sea

and sunny. We have experienced this

fishers who appreciate being able to

trout. Its practical size means it is easy

for ourselves when fishing on Fyn. When

trudge down to the water and cast that

to visit many different and varied fishing

the sand eels arrive and Fyn is carpeted

first line even before breakfast. When it

areas, all with different conditions, on

in blooming yellow rapeseed fields, this

comes to the class of accommodation,

a single day – from shallow, sandy bot-

is the spring fishing peak for many, and

perhaps you’re the princely type who

toms to steep and rocky coasts. In the

shortly after comes the garfish, which

would like to stay in a veritable medi-

spring, you will often find sea trout in

makes for a nice bonus catch.

eval castle or a modern fishing lodge

the shallow fjords and open coasts with

In the autumn, the sea trout make their

with all the facilities a sea trout fisher

their ‘bathtubs’ and deeper bottoms,

way along the coast. They are on their

could dream of? Or do you prefer the

where the sun’s rays quickly warm the

way back to their childhood home to

adventure of a pauper’s life, practi-

water. Autumn on Fyn is also really

secure the next generations. The water

cally sleeping under the stars in one

great. The sea trout change from their

is cooling down again after the heat of

of Fyn’s many wild shelters? Or maybe

appearance of polished steel into their

the summer, but it is still bubbling with

you would like something in between,

darker spawning colours, so they are

life. Sea trout can be found just about

perhaps staying at one of the local bed

prepared for the coming festivities back

anywhere in these autumn months.

and breakfasts with their cozy charm

in the smaller streams and rivers. At

From the reefs with their currents on

and great local food? No matter what

this time of year, they are super strong

the open coast to the small coves with

you prefer, Fyn and the Islands have

22

Sea Trout Fyn

it all, and the certified lodgings have

and there are always opportunities for

But Remember Your Fishing Licence!

gone that extra mile to accommodate

anglers interested in catching sea trout.

If you come to Fyn or anywhere else in

anglers. They know the local fishing

But with that being said, your tech-

Denmark to go fishing, then you need to

spots. They can offer an early break-

niques and experiences from fishing for

remember to purchase a fishing licence.

fast, packed lunches or a late dinner, all

sea trout in other places will not neces-

You can do this online at

depending on what best suits you and

sary transfer directly to conditions on

www.fisketegn.dk. A fishing licence costs

your fishing buddy. They have drying

Fyn. It is a good idea to find out as

DKK 185 and is valid for a whole year.

rooms for your waders and you can

much as you can about the local fishing

The money helps support local improve-

rinse off your fishing gear when you

spots, techniques, flies and lures before

ment measures which ultimately benefit

get back from the coast. And they can

you cast your line into the saltwater.

your fishing experience.

even offer certified fishing guides from

The book 117 Fine Fynske Fiskepladser

Havørred Fyn as well!

[117 Fine Fishing Spots on Fyn] con-

There is fishing on Fyn 365 days a year,

tains all you need to know!

Sea Trout Fyn

23

#2023

Guide book:

117 coastal spots on Fyn Fyn, Ærø and Langeland offer kilometre upon kilometre of coast just made for sea trout and sea trout anglers. More than 1,100 kilometres of coastline await, with scarcely a single metre where, at some point, a sea trout cannot be caught. But where do you start? Which are the best fishing spots for different seasons? And what about the wind and the current? How do they affect various locations?

A

nswers to these and many other questions can be found in our guide book to guide you

to 117 brilliant fishing spots around Fyn, Langeland and Ærø. Several of the islands’ most experienced saltwater anglers have contributed to the book and share the benefit of their fishing experience. The guide book is full of inspiration for the seasoned trout angler and the novice alike. Good maps and accurate descriptions make it easy to find just the right fishing spot – depending on the season, fishing method and wind direction.

Book contents: 117 coastal spots on Fyn, Langeland, Ærø and the numerous smaller sea trout isles Lerial photos of every single fishing spot bring a brand-new dimension to fishing.

Fifteen detailed maps with depth contours.

The best season and wind direction for each fishing spot.

Useful tips about tackle, strategy and how to fish all year round.

Useful knowledge about the sea trout.

Guide to sandbars, reefs, troughs and other coastal features.

Ten fascinating stories from some of the spots described in the book.

Buy the book from your local Fyn fishing tackle store

24

Sea Trout Fyn

Søren Skarby

GULP FICTION

My fishing partner was starting to get on my nerves, and the scene was almost like something out of a bad movie. As we stood out there in the dark of night, him with his spin gear and me with my fly, he said pretty much three things only: “That was a bite”, “there it was again” and “here we go!” Luckily he missed a couple, but he was very quickly on his way from annoying to downright unbearable.

T

he whole affair began with us ly-

Fly Tying Like A Nerd

Neither put up a fight and they were

ing on the beach in the afternoon

My fishing buddy was sold from the

both released again, but I had reached

sun, sipping on some freshly

get-go and sat down by the coffee table

the point where I just couldn’t take it

brewed espresso. There was a young

when we got home to further develop

anymore. “Get me a sand eel and a rig!”

guy standing out in the water who we

his rig. He has always called fly fish-

– I had to really control myself not to

figured would pack up when it got dark.

ing nerdy, what with all its hooks and

hiss the words out at him.

Then we would be left in peace to fish.

feathers, so I couldn’t help but giggle a

He did indeed start wading back in as

bit as I watched his burly, bricklayer’s

An Intense Night

the sunlight faded, but only to unload

hands begin tying small, intricate knots.

It became a very memorable evening

his catch. Hanging from his belt were

That was really quite nerdy. But the

and night. I discovered quickly how the

three big beauties: A cod, a mackerel

problem was, it bore fruit out on the

sand eel was attacked time and time

and a sea trout. It would be impossible

water. But I tried to ignore that as best I

again. And I soon also learned that

not to acknowledge such a varied and

could. This attitude served me just fine,

it’s important not to react too hastily

successful bounty. We praised his catch,

too, until one evening when I decided

before feeling the tug. My dry-fly fishing

offered him some coffee and asked, just

to bring along a spinning rod because

instincts cost me a few on that count.

by the by of course, what he had done

I thought maybe (just maybe!) I might

Then came frustration when a garfish

to lure his fish to bite. He gladly showed

want to try this whole Gulp malarkey for

assaulted the rig and I had to unravel

us his rig on which he had mounted a

myself. I waded out into the tidal cur-

the whole mess. But that comes with

Gulp Sand Eel. There was no weight or

rent while my buddy sat and tinkered

the technique, I suppose. The high

bombarda being used as a float, just

with his sand eel and his rig. A process

point came when I managed to get a

the rig and the rubber animal pulled

that takes as long as it takes. By the

little eddy going close to the land, and

straight out of that foul-smelling liquid.

time he had finally got his waders into

the Gulp was practically inhaled by a

The young man was admittedly just a

the water, I had been out there for a

trout measuring well over half a metre.

medical student at that time, but we

long time without any luck. The fish

It turned out to be a fun, successful and

quickly began referring to him as “Doc-

probably hadn’t come in yet, I thought

very intense fishing method.

tor Gulp”.

to myself. Until my buddy caught a trout on both his second and third cast.

Casting Length as a Fly Fisher

Sea Trout Fyn

25

#2023

You don’t cast particularly far using this

just keep enough contact with the bait

ber animal like a baleen whale. Often

method. The rig and the Gulp Sand Eel

to stop it from settling at the bottom.

this happens because the fish has hit

weigh only six grams together, and their

When you get a bite, you need to take

to the side or simply not quite man-

wind resistance is pretty good. Use light

things slowly and let the animal drop

aged to get the right grip. That is what

coastal gear and cast at approximately

in the water rather than react hastily.

makes this kind of fishing so intense:

the same casting length as a fly fisher.

I have gotten used to letting the rod

Everything happens at a relatively short

Don’t worry, fly fishers do also catch

handle rest in the palm of my hand as

distance. There is a lot of contact and

fish as well. Part of the technique is that

holding it firmly slows things down a

the fish cast themselves aggressively

you should not be bullish, but to cast

bit. When the tug comes, all you need to

at the bait. When luck is on your side,

gently and with restraint so as not to

do is raise the rod slightly in a con-

there is one very important thing to

mess up the rig. The foul-smelling rub-

trolled counter bite.

remember: Always use a rubber landing

ber critter should glide gently into the

net – never the classic net variety. That

water, and preferably with a long spin

Aggressive Bites

was a lesson I learned through bitter

stop. It will twist and turn in the water

The Gulp Sand Eel can get big fish to

experience. If the fish has only hooked

and really does look like a proper sick

go completely wild. It is a very special

on to one of the treble hooks, and this

sand eel, as my fishing buddy would

experience to watch a big sea trout

is usually what happens, then the other

say. In flowing tide water, you can let

whip up a vortex on the surface of the

will wrap itself thoroughly, and I mean

the current do most of the work and

water before then going for the rub-

very thoroughly, up with the net. I can

The rig looks complicated to tie at first, but like most things, it can easily be learned. You need to use small treble hooks of around size 8–14, three-way swivels and a screw to put into the nose of the Gulp. I use a 0.38 fluorocarbon.

It is neither too thin nor too rigid. Relax yourself, sit down and tie your first rig. And when it all goes to pot, simply cut the rig into pieces and start over again. A failed rig will cost you nothing more than a little bit of line. Start by tying

26

Sea Trout Fyn

the first hook with a loop knot, so the hook is hanging loose in a little loop. Now comes the tricky bit – namely, tying the screw. You might find it helpful to tie the knot to the point where you are almost about to pull it all together, and

only then introduce the screw into the loop, before tightening it all up. The rear hook should be done in a classic lure knot, and the same goes for the three-way swivel, of course.

If your rig turns out too short, don’t discard it.

We’ll come back to this.

Sea Trout Fyn

27

#2023

tell you, there is very little joy to be found in untangling the whole mess, and besides, rubber is

D

also much better for the fish if you are releasing it again.

Four in a Row

o

One evening, my fishing buddy gave me a buzz.

First to tell me that he had caught two beautiful sea trout. Later on, I got another dramatic account of a 60 cm catch that had bitten at so short a distance that it was basically about to close its mouth around the end of the rod! I offered him my congratulations both times, of course. But by the third time, just two hours after the first call, I must have sounded a tad short on the phone. This time he had just released a fish measuring half a metre, and I really was approaching the end of my tether ... But I got my revenge one evening when he wasn’t able to come out fishing. The message that popped up on his screen was short and sweet. It simply said: “60”. So I may as well admit that I have become a bit of a dabbler and I now take both a spinning rod and a fly-fishing rod with me when we got out after sea trout on spring and summer nights. I guess one must always be prepared for a bit of “Gulp Fiction”.

Dr. Gulp, Mikkel Warming, with a nice trout measuring 64 cm. The fish is proof that using a Gulp Sand Eel does not strictly need to be a nighttime affair, but is also possible in full daylight. At a spot with no current and basically no wind, fly and spinning fishers had been ploughing the waters with their bait all day without success. A Gulp Sand Eel made all the difference, slowly but surely. More than anything, it was a couple of long spin stops lasting 3–4 seconds that really got the fish to take the bait.

Mikkel also landed a 60 cm sea trout that day

28

Fishing on a summer’s night has its charm.

Sea Trout Fyn

Christian Thomsen & Peter Sikking | Aart -Jan van Mossel & Peter Sikking - Johannes Arlt A corporation with www.WeAreFlyfishing.com

Daydreaming

of Ærø

Sea Trout Fyn

29

#2023

To dream of Ærø is to dream of little cobblestone roads and crooked, colored houses. Of small, sheltered bays brimming with seatrouts. A place where time stands still, and life feels like living in a fairytale. Incidentally, the latter is quite understandable. After all, one of the most famous fairy tale writers, H. C. Andersen, was born on one of the neighboring islands – Fyn. And if you’ve ever been to Fyn, you know that it doesn’t require much imagination to understand where he got his inspiration from.

30

Sea Trout Fyn

T

he problem with (day) dream-

face of Middlefart*, gives me that

spots! There may be too much wind

ing is that, at a certain point,

warm welcoming feeling. From there,

at this spot, muddy water at the

you have to wake up. And

depending on the season, I go north.

next, and an abundance of floating

although I believe that dreams may

Past Bogense on the way up to Fyns

eelgrass at the third; or the moon

come true, the reality is that often,

Hoved. Or I take a right and visit the

may be wrong, the tides may not

they don’t. So, when I contacted

little city of Faaborg and the areas

co-operate, but I always catch them

Christian Thomsen, the marketing

to its north and south. But Middel-

somewhere at the end.

communication manager of Havørred

fart is always a good place to start,

Fyn by phone, and told him about my

especially with a piece of cake from

Ærø dreams, he nodded understand-

the local bakery in Brenderup. The

ingly. Of course, I couldn’t see him

largest sea trout I have landed on Fyn

nodding, we were on the phone, but

was 72 centimeters. It was a beauti-

I felt it. He told me that he knew ex-

ful September morning... Whoa, back

actly what I was talking about, since

from daydreaming! It is most often

he was half being born and raised on

The Danish Sea Trout Bible, “117 Fine

Ærø himself. Unfortunately, I wasn’t

Fyn Fishing Spots”, that guides me

the only one who was dreaming about

in the right direction and determines

Ærø, so we had to change my Ærø

the fishing destination in the end

dream into a Fyn dream. Which, with

anyways.

of January 2016, when I visited the

THE NORTH

on January 2, and collected my cabin

the help of Christian, turned into several dreamy days on Fyn.

Facta: Ærø is an island south of Fyn

I caught my biggest fish on the northern part of Fyn. The biggest and the

and west of Langeland on the Little

most. This of course raises the ques-

Belt. The island has no fixed crossings

tion whether the northern part of Fyn

to other islands or to the mainland.

is better for catching seatrout than

The “Ærøfærgerne” operates ferries

the southern part? The answer to that

from Faaborg and Svendborg on Fyn

question is very simple: during my

and Ellen, the world’s longest electro-

visits to Fyn I spent most of my time,

sailing ferry, sails to and from Fynshav

and therefore fished, on the north-

on Als. The other ferry, Ærøexpres-

ern part of Fyn; so naturally I caught

sen sails to Langeland. Ærø covers

more, and therefore better fish on

an area of 88 km², with a coastline

the northern part. Simple statistics. I

of 120 km. Ærø constitutes a single

don’t believe in better fishing areas.

municipality, Ærø Municipality, which

I believe in searching! And searching

is also a member of the Seatrout Fyn

implies moving around.

Project.

As all coastal seatrout anglers know, finding seatrout is the key to catching

FYN’S FRIENDLY FACE

them. That sounds almost too trivial

I more or less consider Fyn home,

to be relevant, but it simply means

especially the northern and west-

that you have to keep moving. A com-

ern parts of the island. Even after

mon mistake is spending too much

all these years, my heart still skips

time in one place. If I tell you that it

a beat when I see the Little Belt

is around 800 kilometres from where

Bridge appearing at the horizon. The

I live to the island of Fyn, and when

bridge, soon followed by the friendly

being there, it is so easy to change

FYN (THE SOUTH-WEST) Although I really like the northern part of Fyn, including my all-time favourite fishing spot, I also have a soft spot for its south-west. Especially in the colder months of the year: from November through March. The area around Faaborg offers some of the best fishing spots on Fyn. Faaborg area I will never forget the first week area around Faaborg. When I arrived, key at a local SPAR supermarket, it was about +8 °C. When, still a bit sleepy from the long journey the day before, I opened the door the next morning, to take the dog for a walk, I immediately closed it again. During the night, the temperature had dropped to minus 6 degrees C and yesterday’s breeze hard turned into a fullblown storm. Temperature and wind together resulted in a wind chill of about minus 18 degrees C. The weather stayed more or less the same all week. Which led to the most incredible scenery, and because of the many (sheltered) options the Faaborg area has to offer, to some of the best fishing I ever experienced!

THE SMILE (TORØ HUSE) Driving to Torø Huse always puts a smile on my face. I just can’t help it.

There are so many good memories associated with Torø Huse, that I wouldn‘t know where to start. I could

Sea Trout Fyn

31

#2023

tell you about the first time I discovered, with

tographer for the upcoming week) we went

a little help, the reef, and saw several enor-

out together after lunch. We parked the car

mous seatrout jumping, quite out of reach.

at a spot I had visited the day before. Yester-

Or about that time when I had to wade out,

day it was impossible to make a single cast

and out, until slowly but certainly, my wad-

due to the blustery wind. When I headed out

ers filled up with ice-cold water, to reach a

to the water, it was not only gin clear, but the

fish I spotted (I did, in the end, catch it). Or

tide was perfect as well, and the wind was

that day in spring when everything seemed

just a gentle breeze. Just enough to make the

to come together, and I caught 3 beautiful

turquoise water ripple. Heading back to the

seatrout over 50 centimetres, at a spot they

car, a young Danish fly angler walked up with

call ‘the cross’.

me, and asked where we were from. Aart-Jan

WITH A LITTLE HELP I already spent nine hours ‘fishing’, of which at least 7 were spent behind the wheel, and I didn’t catch a thing. On one side of the island the water was too murky. On the other side, the wind was too strong for fishing with a fly rod. I tried several sheltered bays, but those were all filled with enough eel grass to weave a basket from. I don’t get frustrated easily. I always feel blessed just to be here. But it is fair to say I have had better days.

When Aart-Jan arrived on the third day (I was very fortunate that he agreed to be ‘my’ pho-

32

Sea Trout Fyn

told him, and after a slight hesitation, he advised us to walk all the way to the first trees on the outermost corner of that little bay. He had spotted some decent seatrout there but since he only had a lunchbreak’s worth of time to make a few casts…

THE RELEASE IS JUST AS BEAUTIFUL AS THE CATCH We started just in front of where we had parked the car. We waded while casting, as we slowly made our way to the spot the local had pointed out to us. Along the way, we caught a few small seatrouts, and after

a short coffee break in a perfect (seatrout)

TO DREAM OF ÆRØ

scenery, watching a young sparrow hawk

Sometimes I still dream of Ærø. I dream a lot

hunting a mouse, I headed over to that spot.

these days. And not all dreams are nice. That

A mere 10 casts, and I felt a sudden weight

is why a week on Fyn is important. It can and

on the line. I set the hook and immediately

will completely release a person from their

felt this was a good fish. No jumping, but

daily worries. By pure coincidence, I was

a steady and strong run back towards the

born in a place on this earth where taking a

vegetation I took her from. I needed this fish,

break is still possible. And if I could spend

and it was an absolute honour to catch her.

each of these breaks on the beautiful Danish

We took a quick “keep them wet – photo” and

Island of Fyn, I would be a happy man, and

released her again. Slowly but surely, she

an even happier fly angler.

made her way back to the safe green spot in the azure sea. Following her with my eyes, I was once again convinced that the release is just as beautiful as the catch.

Sea Trout Fyn

33

#2023 Johannes Radtke | Aart -Johannes Arlt A collaboration with Fliegenfishen – Blinker.de

”

There is nothing like coastal fishing at night. No other discipline requires such concentration or so finely attuned senses. If suddenly a large trout goes for a fly on the surface of the water, you lose all thoughts of the world around you.

To the author’s mind, that’s what night fishing on the coast is all about: concentrated listening and obser ving. If there’s a splash now, the adrenaline will kick in.

J

eg I stand on the reef with my

sound is clearly louder. I look to see if

When you tune in to the noises and

eyes closed. I cannot let anything

I can make anything out in the dark,

pay heightened attention to the fading

distract me from my ability to

but the action is unfolding in the wrong

light, the world becomes smaller. All

hear. On this particularly dark night,

direction. To my left, the last remnants

that seems to exist right now is the

my ears provide me with invaluable

of dusk – now two hours hence – are

coastline in front of me. Even thoughts

information. Even on such a still night,

leaving a faint glow on the horizon that

seem to cease when you have to rely

I must filter out the sound of the small

I might see something in. That said, to

so heavily on your ears. All on his own,

waves rippling on the open coast. Can

my right there is only darkness.

the fisherman on the coast sees the

any sounds be discerned beyond the

I don’t know of any other type of

sea and its inhabitants with entirely

noise of the waves? I get a surprisingly

fishing that fascinates me like fishing

different eyes at nighttime. The way

clear response: Off to my right, the

for sea trout on the coast by night.

the sea water glows in the summer

34

Sea Trout Fyn

The strong

senses of the night

it easier or harder for fish to be successful in their hunting. In general, I prefer – and seemingly so do the trout – calm conditions and at least some amount of light. Many times, under such conditions, I have stood amidst feeding trout – the only reason trout venture out of the bladderwrack at night is to eat as much as they can!

Why at night?

But why don’t they just eat during the day? - one might ask... The simple answer is: they eat – when they can! In summer, however, the daytime conditions on the coast are often not ideal for hunting. Clear water, bright sunshine, abundant vegetation (hiding places for prey) are not the ingredients for a successful hunt. However, since the water temperatures are also high, the sea trout’s metabolism is running at full speed – and it needs a ton of energy.

Since many creatures that trout prey on do venture out of their hiding places at

makes the ordinary Baltic Sea look like

year, cloud cover and the presence of

night with some even careless enough to

a foreign planet. In this world with all its

artificial light. Trouts are very sensitive

feast on the particularly nutritious film

challenges for the senses, you can catch

to these subtleties, and I give a more

on the surface water, this means that the

wonderful trout – and this is especially

detailed explanation below in the text.

hunters’ hour has now come. Against the

true on the surface!

First, the following principle is the most

backdrop of the bright sky, the silhouette

During my time spent at night on the

important: generally speaking, trout

and movement of the prey are clearly

coastline, I noticed that even within

can see well at night and feed quite

visible. On some nights, the combination

darkness, even the word “dark” can

well too, but they reach their limits on

of hunger, high water temperatures and

have a variety of meanings. How dark a

particularly dark nights. The weather,

plentiful prey makes for a real feast, with

night actually is, depends on the posi-

especially water movement and surface

some trout jumping a full meter out of

tion and phase of the moon, the time of

disturbance from waves, can also make

the water.

Sea Trout Fyn

35

#2023

I try to approximate the direction and

If you see a trout on the prowl in front

soft splash right where I suspect the fly

distance of the noise, then I start to

of you by day, the take is all but certain.

to be makes my pulse jump. Instead of

cast and let a good 20 meters of my fly

At night though, it’s an entirely differ-

raising the rod, I do a quick, long strip,

line slide through my fingers. I can only

ent matter. Figuring this all out took

a little pull on the line, then a bit more.

guess that the line, including the leader

me quite a bit of time – not that the

I pull the rod to the side, and it’s now

and the weightless fly, has dropped

learning is over – before I was able

fully bent! In the darkness, I hear the

down silently and, most importantly,

to discover a few regularities in their

full splash of a tail hitting the water.

stretched out. Very slowly and evenly I

nighttime behavior. Since this article

All my tension disappears: it worked!

begin to strip in the line. Leading the fly

is intended to be a broad overview of

A seemingly good-sized fish plucked

in the dark requires one to concentrate

night fishing, I cannot go into too much

up my fly – while stationary – from the

and listen intently. My surroundings

detail on this topic for now. A simple,

surface. The resistance is fierce, and my

are seemingly picking up on my tense

but quite useful rule is that: Less light

entire line whistles through the rings.

inner state. I am one with the sea, feel

– less speed! Believe me: many hours

Far out I hear the fish slap the surface

the movement of my fly on the surface,

of frustration went into discovering this

of the water again. But the hook has

hear the sounds in the rings as the

relatively simple principle. As a coastal

a firm hold, my 0.25mm mono leader

diameter of my line changes. But for

angler, one really has to get used to

leaves little room for doubt in this re-

now, no pleasant surprises. I’ve almost

being gentle in the fly control, and even

gard. A few minutes later, the fish is just

got my leader in the rings when I hear a

what feels slow is often still too fast...

in front of me, and I can simply scoop it

soft gurgling sound right in front of me.

On really dark nights and with super

– shaking wildly – with my net. Only as

I look deep into the darkness and do

discreet fish, I seemingly move my fly in

I wade towards the shore, do I switch

indeed spot a ring moving in a differ-

slow motion, sometimes just giving it a

on the headlamp and look at my catch.

ent direction. Immediately my fly lands

tug and letting it drift.

Covered in bladderwrack and with water

softly in the center of the ring. At least

pumping through its gills, there she is:

I hope so, because my vision is quite

The best fish of the year

perfectly round and 50-some centim-

limited. Again, I slowly begin to retrieve

I have to change something! The cast

eters long, with a blue shimmer running

the fly. But again, nothing.

was on target, the fish certainly caught

down her back. This fish is perfect, it

This can be quite aggravating: You

eyes of the fly. But there’s something it

gave me a wonderful experience – full

are standing amongst tons of fish and

doesn’t like. I threw my line in the same

of gratitude, I quickly released her back

the sea trout – not exactly a squeam-

direction as before – again only ten

into the dark water.

ish creature – is decidedly rejecting

metres out. But before I started bring-

In general, the fish themselves are a

what you have to offer. Night fishing in

ing it in, I waited four, five seconds. A

great side catch of summer fishing! At

particular, trips up many seasoned sea

no other time of the year would you

trout anglers.

find so many fat and fit sea trout on the coast. After a tough winter, these fish are in good shape again, the silvery fish of the spring are round and veritable silver bullets and those river-running trouts in the autumn have hardly formed any spawning suits yet, they too

A fish appeared in the shallow water in the bladder wrack.

Thanks to the moonlight, the author was able to place his fly accurately.

Now he guides it through the trout hunting grounds with the utmost concentration.

are in top shape. But despite the perfect conditions of summer, we should practice moderation! Once one finds a spot with good fishing, it often runs good for weeks and brings great fish on demand.

Even if we only take one fish a day, it can still be quite nice. Many of the splendid summer trout start to change color in July and August, thus hinting at what they will be up to in a few weeks.

36

Sea Trout Fyn

A look into the water with a headlamp shows why the trout are often active at night in summer... often invisible during the day, the prey comes out of its hiding places and often also to the surface.

There was one now! While the fishermen are checking their mobile phones to make sure they are in the right place, a noisy trout on the prowl confirms this for them.

Catching fish at night doesn’t require exact imitations. What is crucial are the size, approximate silhouette and most importantly the movement of the fly! In most cases, the author gets by with these four models and a number 5 floating line.

Sea Trout Fyn

37

#2023

We should let some of them have that

approach. You can also go to a well-

and worms. As already mentioned, it’s

chance.

known, good summer spot and fish, lis-

not about making the imitation visually

ten every now and then and fish again.

plausible – what matters is their size

Always on top

Most good spots will have a fish passing

and, above all, movement on the water

To my mind, the matter of which fly to

by as dusk and night set in – and some

surface!

use at night is simple to determine.

will go for your fly. Here, everyone is on

Since all night fishing like mine is

Depending on what one is looking to

their own.

highly dependent on prey availability

catch, I use models with hook sizes 4

and activity, it is only logical that it is

to 10. You can catch fish with dark pat-

Unique spots and long nights

restricted by time. The food animals

terns, but also with bright ones. Black

But what is a “good summer spot”? In

sometimes only have short phases of

is good, but this probably matters more

the literature, one reads that summer

activity, which are in the hour or two

to the fisherman than to the fish. The

spots are, for example, reefs with a lot

after dusk.

patterns themselves are not compli-

of currents and coastal stretches with

cated. I like to use a Gurgler, but on

deep water under land. In fact, I’ve had

some nights, the fish prefer flies that

good catches at times like this, but es-

go a little deeper below the surface.

pecially in the hour or two after sunset

Simple flies with little tails and body

and at the onset of dawn. In the middle

hackles over amply dubbed bodies will

of the night, however, I often prefer

catch their part. Another simple but

coastal spots that would otherwise not

often applicable rule: The louder, faster

be customary in the summer. Channels,

and more boisterous the trout hunt on

shallow mussel reefs and above all shal-

the surface, the better surface designs

low water areas are the places where I

like Gurglers will work. However, all my

prefer to be at night, but currents and

night flies are weightless because I am

somewhat deeper water should at least

convinced that the trout catch most of

be nearby. In these places, I usually

their prey on the surface in the summer.

find either quite a lot of fish or none at

This hunting behavior already points

all; the spots are either teeming with

the way to the night trout. Unlike during

fish or have none at all. In fact, it often

the day, fishing at night is very rarely

happens that the activity is confined to

blind fishing for me – despite the dark-

a very limited area within a given zone.

ness. On the contrary, just like when I

It’s easy to explain why the trout roam

was fishing for mullets on the coast, I

around here in the dark: there’s plenty

only fish when there are fish in the area.

of prey in the shallow water with struc-

But since you can’t usually see much

tural diversity. Some soil types, espe-

at night, it’s like in the scene described

cially some aquatic plants and substrate

at the beginning: I wait and listen. On

particle sizes, are host to certain forage

many a summer night, I basically didn’t

animals that are more active than oth-

cast the line out at all because I simply

ers at one time of the year or another.

didn’t hear any fish. Were they not there

In summer, many of these little animals

or simply not active? I don’t know.

are more active at night than during the

Whatever the case may be, I don’t enjoy

day. In addition, when the sun is shining

fishing blindly in the dark. If I don’t

and the water is clear, the trout simply

hear anything, I keep walking, if I don’t

cannot reach their prey in the shallow

hear anything after some distance, I

water. At night, this is not an issue. The

change places. This can take on real

trout does not shy away from even the

proportions: some nights I listen along

shallowest water, and their victims can-

five, six or more stretches of coast –

not catch on to them in good time. In

without even putting the fly in the water

my opinion, the most important prey to

once. This is of course quite an extreme

imitate at night are shrimp, copepods

38

Sea Trout Fyn

A very active trout showed up several times in the water, which was only 30 centimetres deep, and ended up eating the wrong prey.

However, it can also happen that they swim around all night long and offer themselves to the trout on the surface.

On such nights, the trout often only stop feeding at dawn. Since I can’t bring myself to leave when the fish are active, I fish straight through until morning. I used to be able to take that in stride, but now I need a few nights’ sleep to get back on track. That’s a price, however, that I’m happy to pay – for me, very few fishing experiences can rival the intensity of surface fishing at night on the coast.

Almost the best thing about summer fishing is the fish. Never throughout the course of the year do you catch nicer and stronger sea trout.

This article was made in collaboration with Fliegenfishen, part of JAHR MEDIA, during a presstrip in 2022. As always, a professional and artistic narrative with fantastic & beautiful pictures. Havørred Fyn thanks you for the use of this article and all the pictures that make up a large part of the content in this magazine.

See more at www.blinker.de

At night, it’s quite common for a strike on the surface to miss its target. This is often a sign of a fly moving too fast. However, when the fish sit still, that’s usually a good sign. Misses are rather rare here.

Sea Trout Fyn

39

HAVØRRED FYN

#2023 www.seatrout.dk

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