SEATROUT.dk 2015 magazine

www.seatrout.dk

#2015

WELCOME TO FY

.06 Kayaking for sea trout .10 The Silver Coast Along Lillebælt .14 The 4 Seasons .18 The prey of the Sea Trout .24 Weather, wind and water level .25 The Silver Island of Funen .31 Ladies and gentlemen, choose your weapons! .34 Fish n’ shop .37 Catch & release .40 Fyns laksefisk hatchery .41 New net-free zone in Odense fjord .42 Friends of the trout .43 Silver anniversary .44 Guideservice at Fyn .45 Sea trout & rubber bait .49 Campsites and Accommodation .50 Tourist Information .51 Map of Fyn

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Sea TrouT eldorado on Top of Funen

Æbelø

Flyvesandet

Fogense

Enebærodde Egense

Skåstrup

Good spots Go visit North Funen... and get the catch of your life! Here you’ll find some of Denmark’s best angling spots and lots of sea trout close to the coast. You can also catch mackerel, mullets, garfish, flatfish and crabs. Or you can go lake fishing at one of the Put & Take lakes in the area.

Holiday Tips Book a local fishing guide at the North Funen Tourist Office.

The guide knows all about the best angling spots and will give you top advice.

Book accommodation close to the angling spots. Most of the holiday homes and campsites on North Funen are near the coast.

Or let us plan your fishing holidays. The tourist office can offer you trips for every taste and budget.

Welcome to North Funen Enjoy the perfect fishing holidays on North Funen – we look forward to seeing you. Tight lines!

Low-budget trip:

Standard trip:

Luxury trip:

Accommodation, packed lunches, angling license and the book 117 Fine Fishing Spots on Funen.

Accommodation, breakfast, angling license, the book 117 Fine Fishing Spots on Funen, dinner, 4 hours with a local guide, gift cards.

Price: € 339, - per week

Price: € 742, - per week

Accommodation at a hotel, breakfast, angling license, the book 117 Fine Fishing Spots on Funen, gourmet dinners, 8 hours with a local guide, gift cards.

€ 205, - for 3 days

€ 473, - for 3 days

Price: € 1279, - per week € 875, - for 3 days

+45 64 81 20 44 | bogense@nordfynsturist.dk | www.visit-nordfyn.dk 4

SEA TROUT FYN, LANGELAND & ÆRØ

THE BEST COASTAL SEA TROUT ANGLING IN EUROPE

FOREWORD

By Knud Sondergaard, chairman of the Sea Trout Funen Project

The success of last year’s angling at our sea trout isles put our expectations to shame: this year was as good as it gets. The near absence of winter tempted many anglers onto the shore as early as February and sent the first of the year’s two peak seasons off like a rocket. Spring seemed to last until early June. A near-tropical summer drove some anglers impatient with the scorching temperatures. Those who ventured into the short summer nights nevertheless seemed to have had most of their hopes fulfilled – in silver. Autumn hit our isles with a vengeance in early September, temperatures plummeted until the comfort zone of the sea trout (some 16°C and below) was reached, and anglers came stampeding onto the beaches.

Autumn presented some greats months of angling, stable reports and records. As an example, the Sea Trout Open contest in October presented a good 400 anglers with a total weigh-in of 183 sea trout. Remarkable!

25 & ALIVE: This year is a special year for our sea trout project and organisation. It’s our Silver Anniversary – a befitting

title for a sea trout project! Back in 1990 the “Sea Trout Eldorado” was initiated by the County of Fyn. Since then the 10 partner-municipalities of our isles have co-operated to remove more than 200 weirs and dams, thereby opening up more than 500 km of prime watercourses for the indigenous sea trout to spawn. Actually, since 2007 we’ve funded a watercourse restoration project each month, all year round. We’re naturally quite proud of this. Along with our yearly restocking of smolt, we aim in equal measure to aid and support the local populations of sea trout as well as high-quality recreational angling along our shores. Over these past 25 years we’ve developed our islands’ habitat from having practically no sea trout to having them in spades. Each year this attracts more than 64,000 bed nights from visiting recreational sport fishermen, who are all smitten by our beloved, elusive, beautiful, valuable and fierce sea trout. This we see as quite a compliment, especially as it’s done by anglers for anglers. For us locals, it’s especially understandable as well why many anglers fall in love with the king and queen of our waters.

THE CONTINUED FOCUS

on Sea Trout Funen is threefold: healthy rivers, an increased population of sea trout and sustainable angling tourism. Combined with which, we undertake restoration of watercourses, removing dams and weirs and ensuring safe passage for the migrating sea trout (and other fauna), establish gravel beds and suitable spawning conditions for the sea trout, restock sea trout smolt, sample the waters, synchronise all the ongoing projects with our partners, and service anglers, communication and marketing. Seeing that we’re entering a new year of such successful angling as we had in 2014 makes it all worthwhile. And we’re still fighting to make things even better.

In this quarter of a century the Danish isles of Fyn, Langeland and Ærø have undergone a true transformation from being nearly without any population of sea trout to being the prime destination for coastal sea trout angling in Europe. We, and all of our partners, are so very proud of this!

We, and all of our partners, are happy to welcome you to yet another year of great angling along the salty shores of the isles of Fyn, Langeland and Ærø.

Tight lines!

PUBLISHER: Sea Trout Funen PRINTER: Clemens Grafisk GRAPHIC DESIGN: www.salarmedia.dk TRANSLATION: Interpen Translation (some texts translated by the advertisers) PRINT RUN: 50,000 WEB: www.Seatrout.dk PHOTOS: Havørred Fyn, Christian Eriksen, Jacob Sørensen (www.bluedotmedia.dk), Jan Kamman, Robert Weijman, Jesper Andersen, Kim K. Sørensen, Martin Jensen, Niklas Albrechtsen, Terkel B. Christensen, Kasper Wellendorph, René Gerken, Thomas Matzen, Søren Knabe, Vandpleje Fyn, Fyns Laksefisk Elsesminde, Omar Gade, Forlaget Salar (www.wideopen.dk), Mauro Barbacci (www.maurobarbacci.com), Frank Brodrecht, Thomas Weiergang

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Text: Omar Gade Photo: Frank Brodrecht

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WELCOME TO LILLEBÆLT Angel 356 days a year You can always find a place in the lee and angle all year round. The many different fishing grounds are clustered together, so you do not have to go far to angle sea trout, cod, and flatfish all year round and mackerel, garfish, and herring during the season.

See more on www.visit-lillebaelt.com

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FREDERICIA MIDDELFART

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VisitMiddelfart – Havnegade 8A DK-5500 Middelfart – Tel.: +45 8832 5959 mail@visitmiddelfart.dk - www.visit-middelfart.com

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VisitFredericia - Prinsessegade 27 DK-7000 Fredericia - Tel.: +45 7211 3511 turisme@fredericia.dk - www.visitfredericia.dk

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Fredericia & Middelfart The Silver Coast along Lillebælt

Photo: Bered Masselink

Slipways, boat hire and “the good catch” Lillebælt (The Little Belt) near Middelfart and Fredericia has got it all.

Because of the good sea trout catches in this northern part of Lillebælt, anglers have dubbed the area the “Silver Coast”. The record catch from Lillebælt was a 13 kg sea trout! Along the coast is a series of absolute gems when it comes to angling spots, with good fishing all year round.

If you fancy venturing into deeper waters, there are good slipways for your boat, and you will find tackle shops and plenty of options for hiring different types and sizes of boats, including at Galsklint Camping and Vestfyns MarineCenter.

Accommodation with everything an angler needs The varied accommodation options near Lillebælt makes it a good starting point for the perfect angling holiday. Stay in large properties, lovely lodges or your own luxury apartment, all by the water’s edge, of course, and with cleaning, cold-storage and drying facilities – see the next page.

Angle from a cutter and book a local guide who knows the area Sail out on the angling cutters Medicus, Marianne, Mira3 or Neptun.

It only takes 10-20 Minutes to reach the best angling spots! Book local guide Kurt Østergaard so you can be sure of finding the fish and getting some useful tips along the way. For more information about boat hire, angling trips and the up-to-date current high water chart for the area near Lillebælt bridges, visit www.visitmiddelfart.com Cod, plaice and garfish In recent years, from February to May, a number of cod weighing in at up to 10 kg have been caught. At other times of year, cod have been caught at weights of up to approximately 5 kg. Lillebælt boasts Denmark’s record for plaice – 3.7 kg – and from August to November it is not unusual to catch plaice of record sizes and in record numbers.

From November to April, large shoals of herring migrate into Lillebælt, while May and September are the peak season for fast-moving garfish.

Lillebælt – the starting point for your best-ever angling holiday.

You can be sure of finding a sheltered spot by Lillebælt Despite its name, Lillebælt is big on angling. Anglers of all ages can join in – all year round. The narrow channel means it is always possible to find a sheltered spot – whether angling from the coast or from the angling cutters.

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Home of Sea Trout Home of Sea Trout Home Home Home of of of Sea Sea Sea Trout Trout Trout Home Home of of Sea Sea Trout Trout of Sea Trout Sea Trout Home Home of of Sea Sea Trout Trout

Trelde Næs

Nice cabins with private toilet and shower, with free access to the best angling grounds at Trelde Næs.

Fish cleaning facilities and freezing facilities free of charge.

Gl. Ålbovej 30 • DK-6092 Sdr. Stenderup Gl. Ålbovej 30 • •DK-6092 Sdr. Stenderup www.gl-aalbo.dk camping@gl-aalbo.dk Gl. Gl.Ålbovej Ålbovej Gl. Ålbovej 3030• •DK-6092 30 DK-6092 •camping@gl-aalbo.dk DK-6092 Sdr. Sdr.Stenderup Sdr. Stenderup Stenderup www.gl-aalbo.dk • Gl.Gl. Ålbovej 3030 • 75 Sdr. Stenderup Ålbovej • •camping@gl-aalbo.dk DK-6092 Sdr. Stenderup Tlf. +45 57 11 16 www.gl-aalbo.dk www.gl-aalbo.dk www.gl-aalbo.dk •DK-6092 camping@gl-aalbo.dk • camping@gl-aalbo.dk Gl. Ålbovej 30 • DK-6092 Sdr. Stenderup Gl. Gl. Ålbovej Ålbovej 30 30 • • DK-6092 DK-6092 Sdr. Sdr. Stenderup Stenderup Gl.www.gl-aalbo.dk Ålbovej 30 • DK-6092 Sdr. Stenderup www.gl-aalbo.dk • camping@gl-aalbo.dk • camping@gl-aalbo.dk Tlf. +45 75 57 11 16 Gl. Ålbovej 30 •+45 DK-6092 Sdr. Stenderup www.gl-aalbo.dk camping@gl-aalbo.dk Tlf. Tlf.Tlf. +45 +45 75 75 57 75 5711 57 1116 11 16 16 www.gl-aalbo.dk www.gl-aalbo.dk •camping@gl-aalbo.dk camping@gl-aalbo.dk www.gl-aalbo.dk •••camping@gl-aalbo.dk www.gl-aalbo.dk • 75 camping@gl-aalbo.dk Tlf. 57 Tlf.+45 +4575 5711 1116 16

Trelde Næsvej 297 · DK-7000 Fredericia · Tel.: +45 7595 7183 www.mycamp.dk

Tlf. +45 75 57 11 16 Tlf. Tlf.+45 +4575 7557 5711 1116 16 Tlf. Tlf. +45 +45 75 75 57 57 11 11 16 16

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AccommodAtioN directly by the wAterfroNt

bookiNG +45 70 26 05 65 booking@kursuscentre.dk

Rent Rentaaaholiday holiday holidayhome home home Rent a holiday home by the Lillebælt by by the the Lillebælt Lillebælt A selection of angler-friendly by the Lillebælt A Alarge large large selection selection ofof angler-friendly angler-friendly

holiday with capacities Aholiday large homes selection offreezing angler-friendly holiday homes homes with with freezing freezing capacities capacities close to the Lillebælt. holiday with freezing capacities close closetotohomes the theLillebælt.

Lillebælt. close to the Lillebælt.

6 persons for 3 days from EUR 165 66persons personsfor for33days daysfrom fromEUR EUR165 165 6 persons for 3 days from EUR 165

Situated directly by the sea

Spacious holiday houses

Good fishing spots

cook your own fish

Feriepartner MOB Feriepartner Feriepartner MOB MOB Feriepartner MOB Hasselvænget 1 Hasselvænget Hasselvænget11 DK-5500 Middelfart 1 Hasselvænget DK-5500 DK-5500 Middelfart Middelfart Email: info@mob.dk DK-5500 Middelfart Email: Email:info@mob.dk info@mob.dk Email: info@mob.dk www.feriepartner.dk/fyn www.feriepartner.dk/fyn www.feriepartner.dk/fyn Phone: +45 64 41 23 22 www.feriepartner.dk/fyn Phone: Phone:+45 +4564 6441 4123 2322 22 Phone: +45 64 41 23 22

more iNformAtioN At www.feriereSort.dk

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THE FOUR SEASONS

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TIPS:

BE HIGHLY MOBILE. IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN OR NOTICED FISH AFTER A MAXIMUM OF TWO HOURS’ ANGLING, YOU SHOULD SWITCH TO A DIFFERENT SPOT. FLY FISHING OR SPINNING ANGLING - THE CHOICE IS YOURS! BOTH METHODS ARE EFFECTIVE DURING THE SPRING MONTHS. DON’T FORGET WINTER ANGLING SPOTS AT THE START OF SPRING. THE SEA TROUT ARE NOT QUITE AS QUICK TO LEAVE THEM AS WE SOMETIMES THINK. ANGLE ALL DAY LONG IN MARCH AND APRIL AND MAINLY IN THE MORNINGS.

TIPS:

WHEN THE WATER APPROACHES 20 C°, THE SEA TROUT HEAD FOR DEEPER, COOLER WATERS. THIS IS WHY IT IS BEST TO ANGLE MAINLY AT NIGHT. MAY AND JUNE STILL OFFER SUPERB ANGLING FOR SEA TROUT - ESPECIALLY IF YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LIGHT NIGHTS. THE BEST FISHING SPOT IS TYPICALLY AROUND EELGRASS, WHERE THE SEA TROUT FIND A PLENTIFUL SELECTION OF FOOD. USE LIGHT TACKLE IN ORDER TO ATTRACT THE LESS HUNGRY SEA TROUT. 15

TIPS:

THERE ARE TWO USEFUL TRICKS THE SPINNING ANGLER CAN TRY IN THE AUTUMN IN ORDER TO GET THE SEA TROUT TO BITE. DURING SPINNING, YOU CAN STOP AND WAIT HALF A SECOND - AND THEN TURN THE REEL AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. NOW THE SEA TROUT WILL TRY TO GRAB THE PREY WHICH IS TRYING TO GET AWAY LIKE GREASED LIGHTNING. ALTERNATIVELY, THE SPINNING ANGLER CAN REPLACE THE SPINNING BAIT/WOBBLER WITH A SMALL, BOLD SPINNER. YOU HAVE TO SWITCH BAIT VERY QUICKLY, BEFORE THE TROUT GETS OUT OF RANGE OF THE LIGHT SPINNER. AUTUMN ANGLING IS BEST ON OVERCAST DAYS WITH A FRESH WIND. IN SEPTEMBER, THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY OF CATCHING SEA TROUT WHEN THE YOUNG GARFISH EMERGE FROM THE INLAND WATERWAYS.

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TIPS:

REMEMBER A HOOK HONE, BECAUSE HOOKS QUICKLY LOSE THEIR SHARPNESS DUE TO THE SALTWATER AND HITTING THE BOTTOM. EVEN BRAND-NEW HOOKS SHOULD BE HONED FREQUENTLY. STORE SPINNING BAIT AND HOOKS SEPARATELY. ONLY MOUNT THE HOOK ONCE THE SPINNING BAIT IS IN USE; AFTERWARDS, IT SHOULD NOT BE PUT BACK WITH THE OTHER HOOKS. WHEN YOU GET HOME, RINSE THE SPINNING BAIT, LIES AND HOOKS AS WELL AS THE REEL IN FRESH, RUNNING WATER.ALWAYS REMEMBER A MEASURING TAPE, OR MARK THE MINIMUM SIZES FOR THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF FSH ON YOUR ROD.REMEMBER A PRIEST FOR KILLING AND A STAINLESS STEEL KNIFE FOR CLEANING THE ISH ON THE BEACH.

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THE SUN IS JUST STARTING TO SET OVER THE REEF.

ASK THE QUESTION: “WHAT ARE THEY EATING?”

It is spring on south Fyn. Once again, my friend Mikael Pedersen and I are doing a spot of evening angling by one of Fyn’s many superb sea trout coasts.

We already have two fine sea trout laid out behind us on some rocks. Both are Mikael’s. After three hours of angling, he has caught those two, put back three or four undersized ones, and lost too many to count. It has been a brilliant evening – for Mikael, at least. As for me, only two undersized fish were deceived by my flies. Mikael has always been incredibly effective on the coast. He’s always the one who catches the most fish. Anyone can catch a sea trout by Fyn’s coasts – you just have to put in the effort (in other words, lots of casts). But some anglers, like Mikael, simply catch more fish than us other mortals.

So what’s the secret? It is hard to give one clear answer to this. No doubt there are many secrets. At least, Mikael often talks about wind direction, tidal waters, salinity and water temperature. He is constantly analysing the situation, and developing and testing theories. But one factor that he really focuses on is the prey of the sea trout on a given day, and his corresponding choice of bait. The basic question is this: What are they eating?

THE PREY OF THE

T U O R T seA

BIG UNDERLYING T’S NOWING WHA K IS T U O R T F SEA AY CATCHES O OUT ON THE D R T A E S R U FO ON THE MEN ING. YOU GO ANGL L BOUT A LOCA A E R E H READ OF BAIT TO N’S CHOICE A M R E H S FI CHAMPION OF THE PREY G IN D N A T S R UNDE GAIN A GOOD TROUT. OF THE SEA

ECRETS ONE OF THE S

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DRIVING FORCE AND EXPERIMENTS

Text: Terkel Broe Christensen Photo: Terkel Broe Christensen, Mauro Barbacci

The presence of prey and thus the sea trout’s menu varies somewhat according to the time of day or night, the season and the location. That’s why Mikael is constantly preoccupied with finding the right bait. It’s also why he keeps on changing the fly or spinning bait until he finds the one that works. And, almost invariably, there’s one that does the trick!

In most cases, anyway. The most important thing is that he believes there is a bait that will probably make a difference. That is what drives him on to keep experimenting, and it’s probably the main reason why he catches so many fish.

Michael believes it’s not so much the actual pattern that matters as the type of bait. If the sea trout are

going for bristleworm, then obviously you need to tie a five-to-ten centimetre long, bushy bristleworm to the snood. A second, third or fourth fly, if those little crustaceans such as sand-hoppers or gammerus, a shrimp or fish such as goby or sand eel are what the sea trout are going for.

He keeps an eye on the creatures that are frightened up from the bottom as he wades, or what gets stirred up when he gives the bladderwrack a kick. However, the surest way to see what the sea trout are eating is to cut open the stomach of a sea trout and examine the contents, and choose your bait accordingly. Naturally, that is contingent on your being able to land the first non-undersized fish in the first place!

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ONLY FIVE TYPES OF BAIT The bait in Mikael’s tackle boxes can be categorised as five types. Worms are frequently used for springtime angling. Basically, the sea trout will eat all the hundreds of types of worms that exist wherever sea trout are to be found. But the imitation worm he usually uses is a fly tied as a 5–10centimetre long worm. He sometimes even decides to fish with a live bristleworm under a plug or bombarda tackle.

Not many sea trout can resist a large bristleworm endeavouring vigorously to break away from the surface. Bristleworms are easy to find in periods when they are swarming freely in the water. Alternatively, a plump earthworm dug up in the garden at home can be a worthy replacement.

Imitation crustaceans can be the key – especially in winter.

In the very early spring, before the water has really warmed up, imitation crustaceans do the trick.

Basically, they are quite simple to tie, often only with a woollen body on a size 10 hook. When the water temperature rises a little more, shrimps appear. Then you will need a large imitation shrimp on your snood.

Note that, even if there have been large quantities of shrimp in the shallow water in March–April, they can easily disappear again if there is a cold snap. Shrimp dislike cold water, so they immediately retreat to deeper waters beyond the normal range of coastal anglers. Flies are usually used to imitate shrimp. There are many popular fly patterns such as “Pattegrisen” (the suckling pig) and the Glitter Shrimp. A live shrimp can also be amazingly effective. Just affix it using a little triple hook in one of the rear tale joints and cast gently with a float.

Fish are good.

The sea trout also has a large number of fish on its menu. The most commonly occurring species are goby, stickleback, sand eel and herring. They are often imitated with spinning bait, but occasionally with a fly too. Their biology is all very diverse. It is therefore beyond the scope of this article to go into detail about individual baits. Generally speaking, however, the fish that feature on the sea trout’s menu are not too big for the trout to get its mouth around. In other words, the largest prey fish is rarely more than 15–20 cm, such as a herring or sand eel. The fish can be found in the seaweed in very shallow waters, but also in open, deep sea areas.

When choosing the right bait, it is obviously important to look into the water – but sound background knowledge of individual prey can also make all the difference when it comes to landing fish. You can read more about the individual prey in the fact box for this article, here.

FACTS: WORMS Lugworms and bristleworms are found in large

numbers and are an important source of food in the sea for the sea trout. Both are marine bristleworms.

In Nordic waters alone, there are 500 distinct species, all with different habits. They can be categorised as two main types: those living free and those that are permanent residents. The first are predators, equipped with powerful jaws. The others burrow down or create tunnels in the sea bed. Here, they live by pumping and filtering sea water to obtain plankton and dead organic matter in or on the sea bed.

The most prevalent bristleworm in our waters is the common bristleworm. It is familiar to anglers, who use it as bait when angling for flatfish, and it can be bought live. They normally live on or in the sea bed. At night, however, they emerge into open waters. Here, they feel safe from predatory fish as they hunt for food under cover of darkness.

During the breeding season in spring, they throw all caution to the wind, forgetting their fear of predatory fish. That includes the sea trout, which are then thin and hungry after their winter spawning. This is when you will typically see bristleworms swimming freely in the water or lying on the sea bed.

A BRISTLEWORM CAUGHT WHILE SWARMING AT THE SURFACE. ITS FALSE DOPPELGÄNGER IS A SEVEN OR EIGHT CENTIMETRE BRISTLEWORM FLY.

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FACTS: SMALL CRUSTACEANS In winter and early spring – before the water

warms up, and all the large prey such as shrimp, bristleworms and small fish appear in the shallows – imitations of crustaceans measuring up to two centimetres usually tempt the sea trout to bite; these can be sand-hoppers, isopoda or gammarus. These small crustaceans normally live in the thicket of seaweed without much water, safe from predators.

When darkness falls, they swim out into open waters to hunt for food, when they probably feel safer from predatory fish on the hunt. Crustaceans are easily imitated using a hook with a little grey or brown wool wound around it. It really doesn’t matter whether the fly is called “Kobberbassen” or “Fyggi” (after Fyns Gummivare Industri – the Fyn Rubberware Industry – because of the rubber legs). All that matters is that it resembles a little creature up to two centimetres long.

FACTS: SHRIMP Our waters are frequented by a number of different

species of shrimp which are also on the menu of the sea trout. The most important ones are the Baltic prawn and opossum shrimp. They are found virtually wherever there is a thicket of seaweed for them to hide in. The Baltic prawn can grow up to eight centimetres long. The colour varies greatly depending on the surroundings. It can be anything from almost transparent yellowish-white with black spots, to dark reddish-brown.

In spring and summer, it migrates into the extreme shallows close to the coast to mate. In June, the large females disappear again, however, carrying their eggs under their belly. They migrate into slightly deeper, cooler waters. When the water turns cold again in winter, they all disappear entirely from coastal areas, migrating to somewhat deeper waters, where the water temperature is normally higher. The shrimp are active at night, when they go in search of food, whereas they hide in the vegetation during daylight hours to keep themselves safe from predators.

The opossum shrimp is also common in our waters, but whereas the Baltic prawn prefers thickets of seaweed, the opossum shrimp is to be found on the open sandy coasts. During the day, they lie buried in the sandy bottom with only eyes and feelers protruding, but at night they swim around, hunting.

THE BALTIC PRAWN IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON SHRIMPS IN DANISH WATERS; IT IS ESSENTIAL PREY FOR THE SEA TROUT. YOU CAN USE A FLY EITHER TO IMITATE THE SHRIMP, OR TO CREATE A PROVOCATION SUCH AS THE FAMILIAR PINK SHRIMP FLY, “PATTEGRISEN” (THE SUCKLING PIG).

THE GAMMER US CRUSTAC EAN IS IMPORTANT AS PREY.

A NUMBER OF EXAMPLES OF FLIES TO IMITATE THESE SM ALL CRUSTACEANS.

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FACTS: GOBY The goby is one of the largest families of fish, with almost 2,000 species worldwide. Approximately ten species are found in Nordic waters, all with their own distinct behaviour and biology. In particular, the sand goby and common goby inhabit coastal areas and shallow waters; they are food for the sea trout, so it is relevant for the sea trout angler to be familiar with them. All of them have a typical goby shape, with a wide head and large pectoral fins; the fish is able to support itself on these on the sea bed. The types found in the stomachs of the sea trout are seldom particularly large; five or six centimetres is the norm.

Some species patrol the thickets of seaweed in small schools, hunting for food; others appear singly, and still others, such as the sand goby, love the sandy bottom. Here, all it takes is a quick twitch of the tale, and they’re gone – covered by the sand. They can grow to 11 cm, and because they are very common in shallow waters, they are also one of the most common meals for sea trout. In early summer, you can see them in the shallows, the male’s head protruding from an upturned mussel shell as he watches over the eggs.

FACTS: STICKLEBACKS There are three species of stickleback, with three, five or nine spines on the dorsal fin. They are to be found wherever the sea trout are found; despite their spiny defence mechanism, sticklebacks are often frequently to be found in the stomach of a sea trout. Sticklebacks are good at adapting to different environments. That is why they are found in virtually any small waterhole, in watercourses and also in the sea, although mostly in brackish waters, e.g. at the base of an inlet, or an estuary.

FACTS: SAND EEL Sea trout just love 15–20 cm long, slender sand eels.

This plump fish is to be found along the open coasts as summer approaches. The sand eel is a schooling fish that exploits the advantage of being numerous, as there is much less risk of any one individual being eaten. At night, however, you may well find them on their own.

They do not need the protection of the school at night.

They are frequently found above a sandy bottom. The sandy bottom often appears desolate and as barren as a desert, but do not be deceived: the sand eel specialises in hiding here, as it can burrow down into the sand in a jiffy for protection from the many coastal predators.

The sand eel is also an important source of food for sea birds, and that is useful f or trout anglers to bear in mind. When terns and gulls dive for small fish in the shallows, their quarry is often the sand eel.

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A 3–4 CM GOBY CAN OFTEN BE SEEN ALL THE WAY INTO THE WARM, SHALLOW WATER – AND VERY FREQUENTLY, TOO, IN THE STOMACH OF A SEA TROUT.

A THREE-SPINED STICKLEBACK. IN BRACKISH WATERS ESPECIALLY, ANGLING WI TH IMITATION STICKLEBACKS IS EFFECTIVE, NO MATTER WHETHER YOU ARE FLY FISHING OR SPIN FIS HING.

AN ARTIFICIAL BAIT DESIGNED TO IMITATE A LARGE SAND EEL: THE PERFECT IMITATION OF ONE OF THE SEA TROUT’S FAVOURITE QUARRIES – THE GENUINE ARTICLE IS SHOWN ALONGSIDE. NOTE THAT THE REAL SAND EEL IN THE PHOTOGRAPH IS NOT ENTIRELY FRESH. THIS IS BECAUSE IT HAD JUST BEEN DISGORGED BY A FRESHLY A FLATWING CAUGHT SEA TROUT WEIGHING EM FLY WITH TAND IN AT THREE KILOS. HOOK, DESIGNED ONG, TO IMITATE A L CH SLENDER FISH SU AS A SAND EEL. HEST THE HOOK FART THE BACK IS OFTEN A ONE THAT THE SE FOR. TROUT WILL GO

23

THE WEATHER ON FYN IS VERY CHANGEABLE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE WINTER SEASON WHEN THINGS CHANGE VERY QUICKLY. MANY WEATHER FACTORS INFLUENCE SEA TROUT FISHING. Check the weather forecast at www.dmi.dk Be especially aware of the wind direction.

TIPS

Choose a couple of places with offshore wind in the guide book �117 Fine Fishing Spots on Fyn�.

Check the season columns for each fishing place.

Disregard places that are not marked with green.v A whole day of angling should not be spent at a place with only a limited fishing stretch.

If you are many fishing together, always choose somewhere with a wide fishing stretch.

And give the chosen stretch a fair chance. If nothing has happened after a few hours, you should consider moving to a different fishing spot in the area.

You have to believe in and enjoy the spot you have chosen. If the wind is bad or there are too many other anglers, or if you simply lose faith in the spot, then it is time to change. You will only catch sea trout when you are concentrating and believe in the cause.

It is rare to have a good spot to yourself, but that is not important. There is room and sea trout enough for everybody. Show consideration for other anglers.

Check the tide at www.dmi.dk It pays to be patient. There are no sure spots, but sea trout will turn up sooner or later, no matter where you are.

Weather

You cannot say what the best weather for fishing for sea trout is. Trout bite in sunshine as well as in rain. There is, however, a tendency for sea trout to be influenced by the weather the same way the angler is.

A warm period in the middle of a cold spell is good. On the other hand, a cool period in the middle of a warm summer also seems to refresh both fish and angler.

But no rule without exceptions. The safest advice is that as long as you fish, you have a chance to catch one. No matter what the weather is like.

Wind

The wind is a big influence on fishing. The waters along the Fyn shores often get murky and filled with seaweed when the wind is inshore and creates waves. You can catch sea trout in murky waters, but it happens very rarely. So, if possible, find a shore with offshore/side wind. An exception to this rule would be periods with very little wind. Then you want to find a spot with a very mild inshore wind, creating only very small waves. Movement in the water is a great advantage as long as the water is clear.

The weather forecast is very important. The sea trout angler needs to know what kind of weather to expect and how it is likely to develop over the next couple of days. You can get excellent newly updated weather forecasts on www.dmi.dk.

So there is no excuse for turning up at the coast with a fierce inshore wind and cocoa coloured water.

WEATHER

WIND AND WATER LEVEL

TIPS FROM LOCAL ANGLERS AND GO-FISHING SHOP

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Water Level

The difference between flood and ebb is very visible along the shores of Fyn. In Northern Fyn the difference is greater than in the south. In some places fishing is influenced by the different water levels.

Many shallow shores are best during flow, whereas ebb can allow you to wade to exciting new spots. However, the different water levels only play a minor role. Again, it is the number of hours spent fishing that counts.

www.seatrout.dk

THE VARIETY IT OFFERS IS THE BEST THING OF ALL. THE MANY REEFS, THE OPEN, ROCKY

COASTS, THE TROUGHS IN THE SEA BED WHERE THE SEA TROUT MOVE

IN AND OUT WITH THE EBB AND FLOW OF THE TIDE.

The best thing about the Archipelago is the islands and bays. Often, you wander around here in solitude for days and at best you meet one of the locals, who is only too pleased to tell you about the angling spots where you can catch fish. Whatever the wind direction and wind strength, you will find yourself within walking distance of a coast where you can go angling.

There’s no shortage of islands. Baagø, Bjørnø, Lyø and Avernakø, Drejø, Skarø, Birkholm, Helnæs and Tåsinge, to name but a few of the larger ones. You can reach them by ferry, across a dam or bridge, and they are perfect for a day trip. No matter which village or island you choose as the starting point on your quest for sea trout, there’s good fishing throughout the Archipelago.

By Terkel Broe Christensen

Funen – an angler’s paradise all year round.

Assens From Assens Harbour, you can take the ferry to

Baagø, where there is every opportunity for an allday sea trout expedition. The short distances let you switch angling spots quickly and easily when there’s a change in the weather. It is not far from Torø to Helnæs Bay in the south. For as long as there have been anglers on Funen, sea trout have been caught close to Helnæs Fyr lighthouse. The seatrouts here are often large. Helnæs is well worth a visit at any time of year. Funen sea trout records have been set for many years from Sønderby Klint/Aa Strand, south of Assens.

Faaborg Faaborg’s crowning glories of Bjørnø, Lyø and

E FAIRYTALE H T ES LI K R A M EN D F O IN THE MIDDLE ERDANT HEART OF V E H T – EN N FU F O D N ISLA NLY COLOUR O E H T T O N IS N EE R G .

THE COUNTRY ND WITH 1,100 LA IS LE T T LI SH LU E H T N FOUND O AND THE MILD .

ER EV W O H E, N LI ST A KM OF CO ND’S SHORES ARE LA IS E H T G N LO A S ER T A W IN SILVER: NOT ALL THAT GLISTEN !

THE SEA TROUT DO, TOO

ARCHIPELAGO

Avernakø are ideal for day trips and can be reached by boat within half an hour from Faaborg harbour.

Avernakø is the only island too large to fully explore on foot in one day. The coasts around Faaborg are very varied. You can go angling in areas tending slightly more towards fresh water, for example Faaborg Fjord. You could also go angling on the more open coasts near Bøjden, where a number of large, shiny maiden trout are landed each year.

FYN

www.seatrout.dk

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THE ARCHIPELAGO AN ANGLER’S PARADISE

ASSENS

= FISHING SPOTS

FAABORG

26

www.seatrout.dk

ODENSE

NYBORG

iNFO

VisitAssens Willemoesgade 15A 5610 Assens Tel: (+45) 23 37 84 66 info@visitassens.dk www.visitassens.dk VisitFaaborg Torvet 19 5600 Faaborg Tlf. +45 72 53 18 18 visitfaaborg@faaborgmidtfyn.dk www.visitfaaborg.com VisitNyborg Adelgade 3 5800 Nyborg Tel: (+45) 63 33 80 90 visitnyborg@nyborg.dk www.visitnyborg.dk VisitOdense Vestergade 2 5000 Odense C Tel: (+45) 63 75 75 20 otb@visitodense.dk www.visitodense.com

www.seatrout.dk

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Nyborg The Great Belt coast from Svendborg in the south,

proceeding northwards past Nyborg, offers a lot of excellent fish. These fish come from the many excellent little trout watercourses that open out onto the coasts here. After extensive restoration of the waterways, these waters now have such robust stocks of trout that fish are no longer being released. So the fish caught on the Great Belt coast will often be wild. One angling spot near Nyborg is Knudshoved, renowned for its night angling in summer.

Odense The river Odense Å runs through the heart of the city,

and especially in summer and early autumn, large sea trout that you would give your eye-teeth for are caught every year – in the midst of the urban environment.

This is easily accessible angling for beautiful sea trout, and you can also enjoy the added extras such as strong pike and large perch. The river Odense Å is always well worth a visit between spring and the protected period in autumn. During the spring, in March and April, Odense fjord is one of the most popular angling spots on Funen – and for good reason.

: ” ?

P L E H E M O S “NEED GET IN TOUCH WITH THE LOCAL TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS THAT CATER SPECIALLY FOR ANGLERS, E.G. WITH REGARD TO COLD-STORAGE CAPACITY, FACILITIES FOR CLEANING FISH AND DRYING WADERS. WE WILL ALSO HELP YOU TO FIND THE LOCAL TACKLE SHOPS AND GUIDES WHO KNOW THE ARCHIPELAGO LIKE THE BACK OF THEIR HAND. WE CAN ALSO TELL YOU ABOUT ANGLING REGULATIONS, BUYING FISHING LICENCES, ETC. WE HOPE YOU WILL GET A TERRIFIC CATCH AND THOROUGHLY ENJOY BEING CLOSE TO NATURE!

ACCOMMODATION There are lots of options for accommodation offering excellent facilities for anglers, to suit all tastes and budgets: Fishing Lodge, Campsites with cabins, bed and breakfast, holiday cottages and hotels. www.visitfyn.com

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MOBILE GUIDE See all the angling spots on your mobile.

DOWNLOAD THE “VISITFYN” APP ON YOUR SMARTPHONE.

With your mobile in your hand, you will be able to make your way to angling spots, accommodation, attractions, cultural experiences, gems of nature, etc.

Please note that the information and content of the mobile guide will be downloaded via your mobile phone’s Internet connection and that your mobile provider will invoice you separately for this service in accordance with your mobile phone subscription.

www.seatrout.dk

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THE R ALONG FOR A E G T H IG R BRING THE KLE OF GOOD TAC S E C IE P W HUNT: A FE L GET YOU NOW-HOW WIL K E M O S D N A AKE THE ROUT AND M T A E S R U O LL. Y ABLE AS WE Y O J N E E R O PURSUIT M SAVE IN WITH AND G E B O T T H GET IT RIG ISH. LOT OF ANGU A F L E S R U O Y

Text: M. Jensen

LADIES & , N E M E L T N E G CHOOSE

UOR YWO EAP NS!

SPIN FISHING

Your rod & reel: a light, swift rod some 9–10’ in length with a casting-weight of between 10–30 g will get you a long

way. This is a great choice for all-round coastal angling for sea trout. If you’re into the very efficient technique of fishing with bombarda/sbirolino tackle, you should preferably go for a rod which is 1–2’ longer – or even choose one that is especially made for this purpose. Reel: a salt-water resistant spinning reel with a good, reliable and even brake is needed. It’ll need to hold some 200 m of braided line.

Your line: braided lines are the norm. They’re thin, they’re strong and practically non-elastic. This will help to get your lure or bombarda rig far out, even in strong oncoming winds, and you’ll feel even the most subtle of attacks from the sea trout (if you’re alert). A braided line of some 0.12–0.18 mm is preferable.

End gear & lures: the options are virtually endless. As a rule of thumb, it is a good tactic to try to imitate the seasonal

prey of the sea trout. This goes for the size, the shape, the pattern of movements and the colours of your bait.

Imitations of small baitfish and slender sand eels are a reasonable starting point for a day’s angling. A nice trick is to bring along a few variations of your lures in screaming unnatural colours such as chartreuse, pink and red. This will save your day more than once, when the sea trout are tricky and picky. Weights range from 5–40 g depending on your choice of gear and the specific location.

A bombarda or sbirolino rig of some 10–25 g with intermediate buoyancy is a good choice. This will give you the light bait of the fly fisher and the speed and range of the spin fisher. Go with a tippet of approximately the same length as your rod, made from 0.20–026 mm fluoro-carbon. Classically this rig is mounted with flies which imitate prey items, which is deadly effective! In recent years some anglers have begun fishing with minor rubber shads, “gulp” or live/dead worms instead of flies. This is definitely worth a try. www.seatrout.dk

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FLY FISHING

Your rod & reel: The most common setup consists of

a swift 9’ rod in line class # 6–8. Some anglers who prefer calm weather go a couple of line classes lower, but please bear in mind that sea trout love wind and waves. If you’re to bring one rod along, bring a # 8 and you’ve got yourself covered. Reel: no need for intricate explanations. An even and salt-water resistant brake and some 50 m of firm backing line will go far.

Your fly line & tippet: as you well know, matching your fly line to your respective fly rod, preferable style of casting and the conditions is key. For beating the wind and waves on and around these trout isles, most anglers prefer either a (short-headed) WF line or a shooting head. Those who choose the shooting head, which is slightly more difficult to cast, choose either a monofilament or coated shooting line to match. It’s all a matter of taste. They’ll all get the job done.

Most fly fishers chose a floating line. This has got you covered even in deeper waters of, say, 2 metres: the trout seem to have difficulty seeing the fly near the surface, as they move along in the bottom half of the water column. This line also works perfectly at night, when many anglers choose floating flies, which stream on the surface. This way the line won’t drag the fly and tippet down. It will, however, go with the flow of the waves, which in windy conditions can make you lose a bit of touch with the fly at the end of a sinuous line. An intermediate fly line, which cuts precisely through the surface water, will reduce this problem. Many anglers therefore prefer this type of line, if they’ve got a predilection for windy conditions.

A ready-made 9–12 foot fluoro-carbon tippet is standard for most fly fishers on and around Fyn, Langeland and Ærø. A 0.20–0.26 or so tip is common.

This will withstand many sea trout, casts and nice presentations of your fly equally well. Bring along a spare one in any case. And maybe a spool of spare line too: approx. 0.20–0.25 mm in dia. to replace the outer 3’ feet of your tippet, as it wears thin with all the hours you spend on the shore!

Flies: there are as many fly patterns around as there are fly fishermen. The exception proves the rule.

Generally it’s a sensible tactic to imitate the prey of the season. Imitate the shape, size, colour, behaviour and patterns of movement. Among the local classic tying-patterns for flies we count many shrimppatterns as the notable Pattegrisen in either sandy or pink versions, the all-round Grå Frede which continues to impress, many smaller versions (size 8–12) versions of gammarus and mysis, kobberbassen, fyggi, flatwings and the signature dark silhouette surface-flies which don’t look like anything – but are deadly in the dim summer’s night.

You can browse through all of them at www.kystfluer. dk and be inspired at the fly-bar of the tackle-shops on Fyn, Ærø and Langeland.

Line basket: bring one along – you’ll appreciate it. The basket keeps your line from drifting off and tangling 32

in the current and the waves. The baskets come in all shapes and sizes, although they serve the same purpose: keeping your casting enjoyable and keeping you going hour after hour, at all times of the day or night. And it might even add a bit of distance to your casts, as you’ll get no drag from having your line lying in the water.

YOUR CLOTHING

Keep dry, keep warm, keep fishing. A pair of waders is a

must. Opt for a pair of thin, breathable waders, a pair of fleece bibs and warm socks, which are needed all year round. For winter it is best to have a pair of cosy, neoprene waders as water temperatures drop to near freezing. As you keep mobile and fish/wade along the shore, you’ll appreciate either felt or studded rubber soles. Whatever keeps you upright on the slippery rock is the right choice for you. It can be a wise idea to bring a wading staff along as well – especially if you’re into angling at night on the rough outer shores.

You will also appreciate a waterproof wadingjacket – for use almost all year round. The weather is changeable and many regard the twin peak seasons of the year as spring and autumn – with matching weather. Physically the trout prefer water temperatures of some 4–16°C, so you’ll need to dress for this. Beneath you outer shell of waders and a wading-jacket, you’ll need to build up appropriate layers of perspiration-absorbing underwear, jumpers etc. Remember to bring a bit of spare clothing if you involuntarily take a cold dip – it’s too bad to cut a day short for such a reason.

Magic eyes: bring a pair of polaroid sunglasses. You

will appreciate this, as you’ll be able to see through the diffuse surface of the water – and see what or who is stalking your bait in the water. You will eventually see sea trout which you haven’t otherwise noticed.

Brown or amber lenses are a great all-round choice.

Furthermore, a pair of glasses – and a cap – will keep an incoming stray fly or lure from catching your eye or scalp.

LOCAL TACKLE SHOPS: GET THE RIGHT GEAR & GOOD ADVICE OR.DK ENSE: WWW.AEKVAT OD T, OR SP OR AT AGT.DK • ÆKV G: WWW.MICHAELSJ OR DB EN SV I, R KE FIS • MICHAELS JAGT OG O.DK ENSE: WWW.JANOGB OD , OP SH R KE FIS • JAN OG BO’S LYST K : WWW.GO-FISHING.D • GO FISHING, ODENSE T.DK E: WWW.HAUSUNDBOO BL M HU , OT BO & US • HA HOBBY.DK MESINGE: WWW.AKTIV I, R KE FIS OG GT JA .DK • TROPICA ATORSPORTFISHING ED PR W. WW : SE EN TSFISHING, OD • PREDATOR SPOR IOGANGELN.DK JERG: WWW.FISKER SB OD SP , LN GE AN • FISKERI & UM.DK WWW.ANGELCENTR G: R JE SB OD SP , • ANGELCENTRUM JAGT.DK ENSE: WWW.ODENSE OD D, ITI FR & GT JA KERI.DK • ODENSE MMERUPJAGTOGFIS TO W. WW : UP ER M M & FISKERI, TO • TOMMERUP JAGT

www.seatrout.dk

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FISHING

SHOPS ON FYN

FYN BOASTS A NUMBER OF

EXTREMELY GOOD FISHING TACKLE SHOPS WHICH

CAN GIVE YOU THE EXACT EQUIPMENT AND ADVICE YOU NEED TO COMPLETE

YOUR ANGLING TRIP ON FYN.

THESE SHOPS CAN BE FOUND

USEFUL ADVICE AND GOOD TACKLE

THROUGHOUT FYN, FROM

MESINGE IN THE NORTH TO

SVENDBORG IN THE SOUTH.

MICHAELS JAGT & FISKERI • In business for more than 30 years • The staff have 50 years’ combined experience of fishing and hunting • A wide range of hunting gear, fishing tackle and outdoor equipment • 1000 m2 shop • The shop has 7 shop assistants Michaels Jagt & Fiskeri Porthusvej 127 • 5700 Svendborg Tlf.: +45 62 21 11 53 • info@michaelsjagt.dk

WWW.MICHAELSJAGT.DK

GO-FISHING • Everyone in the shop is crazy about fishing!

• Together, they have more than 275 years’ experience of angling • They have their finger on the pulse and know • what’s going on out there • Attractive new premises just two minutes from motorway junction 51 • The coffee pot is always on.

Go-Fishing Dalumvej 67 • 5250 Odense SV Tlf.: +45 66 12 15 00 • mail@go-fishing.dk

WWW.GO-FISHING.DK

34

www.seatrout.dk

JAN OG BO’S LYSTFISKERSHOP Denmark’s largest fishing tackle chain, in the heart of Odense. See more at www.janogbo.dk or on Facebook.

The staff you’ll meet in the shop are hardcore sea-trout anglers using both fly-fishing and spinning rod methods. We consider it an honour to guide you to a Funen sea trout.

Note: we always have live worms and bristle worms in stock.

For fly-fishing, you’ll find a selection from Guideline, G. Loomis, Waterworks, Danielson, Einarsson and Future.

We fit your fly line in the shop for free.

A large outdoor department carrying Fjällräven clothing for men and women.

Waders/wading jackets in all sizes. We carry a huge selection

by Simms, Guideline, Scierra and Geoff Anderson.

Korkers Wading boots

Vesterbro 2 • 5000 Odense C Tlf.: +45 6611 2366 • www.janogbo.dk odense@janogbo.dk

Ækvator Sport: Nyborgvej 3 - 5000 Odense C Tlf.: +45 66 11 29 93 • fiskegrej@aekvator.dk

What do sea trout bite on? It depends on the season and the angling spot, but we have a massive selection of the best baits and a wide range of hand-made lures, wobblers and flies.

PURCHASE YOUR MANDATORY FISHING PERMIT

ÆKVATOR SPORT • More than 50 years’ experience • Specialist knowledge of all types of angling • Advice on virtually any type of fishing • An extensive, comprehensive range • Meet the experts in the shop – each has his own specialty: Hans, René and Thomas • Tours, courses in eg. coastal fishing tactics and fly casting techniques, guideservice

WWW.SHOP.AEKVATOR.DK www.seatrout.dk

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®

Angler de luxe in Kerteminde You cast the line ... it’s a flop! You cast again, enjoying the swish as it glides through the air and the satisfaction of pulling off the perfect cast.

And then suddenly a sea trout bites – 20 metres away from you. You battle to reel it in, and finally, it’s yours! Your joy knows no bounds...

In Kerteminde in north-east Funen, a group of angling enthusiasts has developed three new angling breaks. www.visitkerteminde.com +45 65 32 11 21

#havenvedhavet #lystfiskerdeluxe #Kerteminde 36

H EASE CAT&C REL A MORE SUSTAINABLE WAY

OF ANGLING FOR SEA TROUT

IforREMEMBER when I had just started angling sea trout. Everything I caught that was above

the minimum size, I took home (minimum size: 40 cm. /Odense Fjord: 45 cm). Some days I would catch 5–7 fish, and I was frequently out several times a week. That added up to a lot of fish every week, and I realised I would not be able to keep pace with eating all those lovely fish. It never occurred to me that there was any other option than to take the fish home with me: that was what you did.

Once I began to gain more insight into angling, I started selecting which fish I wanted to take home.

I became a bit more choosy. Now I suddenly started putting back some of the fish if they were too small, too skinny, too colourful, etc. – and if I had plenty of fish in the freezer, I really didn’t need any more.

Text and photo: René Gerken

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TODAY, I CAN SEE CLEARLY that it was wrong of me to do that. These days, I hardly take any fish home, and the fish that I do catch, I put gently back into the tidal flats again. Many of my friends ask me why I don’t take any fish home with me, and I tell them there’s a certain satisfaction in releasing the fish to give it the chance to make its way up the river to spawn.

Many subscribe to the philosophy that you have to take any fish home once you have invested time and money on that sea trout, and they want to have something to eat as a result. Looking beyond the borders of Denmark, Catch & Release is often a rule that you have to follow if you want to go angling, and those of us on Fyn, Langeland and Ærø could certainly learn a thing or two from that.

HERE ARE SOME SIMPLE GUIDELINES THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW IF YOU WANT TO GENTLY RELEASE YOUR FISH: GOODBYE AND THANKS! A LIVELY SEA TROUT WILL

PROBABLY SALUTE YOU WITH QUITE A SPLASH AS IT

MAKES ITS EXIT. ANGLERS SHOULD TAKE THAT AS A COMPLIMENT.

II just DIDN’T KNOW ANY BETTER – initially brought the fish onto dry land, where it

wriggled in the seaweed, stones and sand, and then released the sea trout back into the sea. I had to take photographs of the fish, too, so the fish had to be out of the water for several seconds before I released it. I used the landing net with knots in the belly of the net, even for small fish, and I did not give any thought to the temperature in the water or the air temperature. Was the water 20°C or 2°C? I fought the fish for a long time and kept it out of the water for a long time. Not least, I often used to squeeze the fish – after all, I didn’t want to lose it – or perhaps I’d have my fingers in its delicate gills without sparing a thought for its welfare.

38

1. Use hooks without mounting brackets.

2. Fight the fish quickly if you are angling in very warm water in summer, or very cold water in winter.

That way, it will not be as exhausted and it will cope better after being released.

3. Moisten your hands before touching the fish and its delicate scales.

4. If you want to use a landing net, it should be without knots and – even better – the belly of the net should be made of rubber.

5. Keep the fish under water for as long as possible to allow it to breathe.

6. Never poke your fingers into its gills.

7. Always carry a haemostat, tongs, etc., so you can quickly and gently remove the hook from the fish’s jaw.

8. If the fish has been hooked deep in the throat, clip the line.

9. Always have your camera ready so you don’t need to spend 5 minutes finding it after you have landed the fish.

10. If you want to photograph the fish, as far as possible try to hold the fish in the water with both hands.

11. Never hold a fish just by the tail.

HAPPY ANGLING - AND TAKE GOOD CARE OF THOSE SEA TROUT.

PURCHASE YOUR MANDATORY FISHING PERMIT AT WWW.FISKETEGN.DK AND M.FISKETEGN.DK Everyone aged between 18 and 65 angling in Denmark must hold a valid angling licence.

Angling is fishing using light hand tackle. The angling licence costs DKK 185 for one year, DKK 130 for a week or DKK 40 for a day. Hobby anglers fishing with passive fishing tackle such as a hook line, net and trap must buy a fishing licence. This costs DKK 300 for one year.

The fishing licence is also valid as an angling licence. You can now buy licences online at www. fisketegn.dk or m.fisketegn.dk and print them yourself. It’s quick and easy. You can also order a plastic card bearing your licence number. This number, together with proof of identity, serves as sufficient proof of payment.

“THE FINEST G IFT YOU CAN G IVE TO ANY FISHERM AN IS TO PUT A GOOD FISH BACK, A ND WHO KNOW S IF THE FISH THA T YOU CAUGH T ISN’T SOMEONE EL SE’S GIFT TO Y OU?” Lee Wulff

www.seatrout.dk

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FYNS LAKSEFISK HATCHERY: Watercourse work & releases of fish FYNS LAKSEFISK HATCHERY IS A REGULAR PARTNER OF SEA TROUT FYN. AT ODENSE PRODUKTIONSSKOLE ELSESMINDE, BIOLOGISTS, TEACHERS, APPRENTICES AND STUDENTS ENSURE THERE IS A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR FYN’S STOCKS OF SEA TROUT.

AT FYNS LAKSEFISK we work to promote stocks of sea trout around Fyn by releasing smolts (approximately 16-month-

old, small sea trout) into the local watercourses on Fyn, Langeland and Ærø. There have been releases of sea trout there for many years. Surveys show that releases of fish contribute both to boosting a natural stock of sea trout and, significantly, to the excellent sea trout angling along the coasts of Fyn. All the fish released originate from wild, Fyn-sourced sea trout.

In addition to rearing and releasing sea trout, Fyns Laksefisk also undertakes various tasks involving the watercourses – e.g. stock surveys. The stock surveys are generally conducted for the municipalities of Fyn (which own Seatrout Fyn), mainly for the purpose of shedding light on stocks of trout in the watercourses. Sometimes it is desirable to ascertain the density before and after a watercourse improvement project. Electro fishing is used when conducing the survey. In the period July–September, electro fishing is undertaken along a 50–100-metre section of the selected watercourse. Electro fishing is undertaken twice, and the trout that are caught are recorded and sedated before being counted and measured.

Records are also kept of other types of fish.

THE STOCK SURVEYS

are thus important in terms of documenting progress in the watercourses in connection with the many watercourse improvement projects. In watercourses where spawning conditions are being improved by spreading spawning gravel beds, distinct progress is frequently noted in the progress of natural trout parr; this promotes wild trout stocks.

Several of Fyn’s watercourses have their estuaries in the Odense Fjord inlet, which is a great big food store for the trout!

The smolts, which migrate from freshwater rivers to the saltwater sea in spring, have to pass through the inlet in order to reach open seas. They then have to make their way back through the inlet when, as adult sea trout, they head back to their home watercourses. Over the years, many sea trout have been caught in nets during this migration. Numerous active, reliable Text and photo: Linda Bollerup, Fyns Laksefisk enthusiasts – volunteers and professionals alike – have worked TAKING AND hard for amendments to be made to the Odense Fjord Order, ANALYSING which sets out legislative diktats concerning fishing rules for the SAMPLES IS inlet. The amendments lean towards more restrictive rules for VITAL FOR FUTURE angling with nets, as well as where and when angling with nets INVESTMENT IN THE would be permitted. In spring 2014, their work bore fruit, and a WATERCOURSES new Order came into force: an Order that helps to look after the - AN INVESTMENT precious trout, both when they are migrating through the inlet MADE POSSIBLE to reach the watercourses to spawn, and later when they migrate THROUGH back again. Angling with nets has been heavily reduced.

COLLABORATION Rearing and releasing do not work on their own. There remains WITH SEA a need for these releases in order to contribute to the excellent TROUT FYN AND recreational coastal angling for sea trout, but the work of VOLUNTEER improving the watercourses and restrictions on angling with nets SPORTS ANGLERS are equally important elements. On and around Fyn, there is a willingness, ven among large numbers of volunteers from the ranks of sports anglers, to ensure that, looking a head, there will continue to be lots of sea trout to angle for around Fyn, Langeland and Ærø.

The Fyns Laksefisk hatchery will continue to offer active support in all aspects beneficial to recreational fishing.

40

THE FUTURE OF FYN’S SEA TROUT ALWAYS STARTS SMALL. THESE SEA TROUT WILL PROBABLY BE BACK TO SPAWN IN THE

RIVER VEJRUP Å A COUPLE OF YEARS

FROM NOW.

Text: Søren Knabe, Chairman of Vandpleje Fyn, formand@vandplejefyn.dk

GOOD NEWS FOR SEA TROUT THE CONTENTIOUS ISSUE OF FISHING WITH NETS IN ODENSE INNER FJORD HAS BECOME A THING OF THE PAST. UNDER NEW RULES GOVERNING ANGLING IN ODENSE FJORD, ANGLING WITH TROUT NETS IN THE INNER FJORD IS NOW PROHIBITED, AND ANGLERS FISHING WITH NETS ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO FISH USING EEL TRAPS AND SPECIAL NETS FOR FLOUNDER DURING A STRICTLY LIMITED PERIOD FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER. AT THE SAME TIME, SEMI-PRO AND COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN WILL HAVE TO ABIDE

BY THE SAME RULES AS LEISURE ANGLERS AND AMATEUR FISHERMEN; THIS APPLIES THROUGHOUT THE FJORD. IN OTHER WORDS, ODENSE FJORD HAS NOW BECOME A RECREATIONAL ZONE.

ODENSE FJORD IS A VERITABLE MAGNET for

thousands of sea trout making their way each year from the sea and up into the rivers of Fyn to spawn and then return to the sea once the honeymoon is over. Up until now, it has been perfectly legal for commercial and semipro fishermen to place kilometres of nets in the fjord as an efficient way of catching the sea trout as they migrate to and from our watercourses. For the sea trout, these nets were like a brick wall; they would either be caught or prevented from breeding. The new rules put a stop to semi-pro and commercial fishing in the inner and outer fjord; in future, it will only be legal to fish according to the recreational angling rules. In the inner fjord, all fishing with trout nets is prohibited, while in the outer part of the fjord, fishing with trout nets is still permitted, but only in compliance with the recreational angling rules. This means, for example, that whereas someone fishing with nets was previously able to legally place 1,335 m of trout net across the bottleneck of the fjord, it is now only legal to use a 135 m net.

OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS,

Vandpleje Fyn has been part of a large and slightly unusual alliance, fighting for Fyn’s sea trout. For the first time, a politician from the Danish parliament, the municipalities of Fyn involved in Seatrout Fyn, fishing tackle shops, leisure anglers, and Fyn’s sports anglers joined forces under Vandpleje Fyn for a common cause: the protection of Fyn’s sea trout! Together, we managed to open up the “Order relating to conservation belts, Fyn”, and subsequently the Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark drafted a new Order that largely accommodates our shared desire for sustainable, responsible fishing in Odense Fjord. New rules will benefit the sea trout.

IN VANDPLEJE FYN

, as sports anglers, we are very happy indeed about the new Order, and we look forward to getting much better returns on our efforts to prepare watercourse restorations and spread spawning gravel beds in the hinterland of Odense Fjord. The rules are clearly inspiring, as we will be redoubling our efforts in these watercourses in the future.

At the same time, these rules are extremely helpful to the major breeding and release efforts we undertake each year in collaboration with Fyns Laksefisk hatchery and Seatrout Fyn.

“ODENSE FJORD”: NAME: VANDPLEJE

FYN (FUNEN WATER

CONSERVATION)

ESTABLISHED: 2007 MEMBERS: AN ASSOCIATION

OF 28 FYN SPORTS ANGLING CLUBS; APPROXIMATELY 3,000 MEMBERS.

PURPOSE: TO IMPROVE THE HABITAT OF FYN’S TROUT, AND TO LOOK AFTER FYN’S

WATERCOURSES.

WITH APPROXIMATELY 60 KM2 OF WATER AREA, ODENSE FJORD INLET IS AN

IMPORTANT AREA FOR THE THOUSANDS OF SEA TROUT THAT HAVE TO MIGRATE

THROUGH THE MANY BOTTLENECKS OF THE INLET AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR.

GIVING THE SEA TROUT FREE PASSAGE IS A QUANTUM LEAP FORWARD.

Each spring, we jointly release close to 100,000 trout into the watercourses that run into Odense Fjord. The fish we release, which are all offspring of wild trout, are reared at Fyns Laksefisk hatchery in Odense. The purpose of the programme is to maintain stocks and promote sports angling. Naturally, we are delighted that recreational anglers are the main beneficiaries of the annual releases of trout, and that the trout now have the opportunity to swim freely around the

fjord without the previously very real risk of ending their

days in a trout net.

AS SPORTS ANGLERS,

we have scarcely been able to stop cheering since the new rules were introduced. The new Order puts the spotlight very much on biological sustainability, and to a very high degree it accommodates the desire to prioritise and boost trout stocks around the coasts of Fyn. There is no doubt that our trout stocks will grow, not only in number but also in size, and I definitely expect that, within a few short years, we will see sports anglers landing more and larger trophy fish in Odense Fjord – and elsewhere on and around Fyn. I’ll be very surprised if Odense Fjord does not become a European mecca for trout within a short time – for the local people, but also for sports anglers visiting from near and far.

KEY CHANGES FOR COASTAL FISHING IN ODENSE FJORD: • Fishing with nets of any kind is prohibited in Odense inner fjord in the period 1 December – 15 May. • From 16 May – 30 November, the inner fjord – with the exception of traps from 1 August – may only be fished using special flounder nets designed to catch flatfish.

• Semi-pro and commercial fishermen must fish in accordance with the same rules that apply to leisure anglers, both in the inner fjord and in the outer fjord. In other words, their nets must not exceed 135 m in the outer fjord. This does not apply to permanent equipment installed on the bed of the fjord, however.

• Throughout the fjord the minimum size for a sea trout that can be lawfully caught is 45 cm.

41

FRIENDS OF THE TROUT DONATE MONEY FOR THE RESTORATION OF FYN’S WATERCOURSES OUR TROUT-LOVING GERMAN ANGLING FRIENDS HAVE LONG HAD A SOFT SPOT FOR FYN,

LANGELAND AND ÆRØ, AND WE THINK THAT IS PERFECTLY UNDERSTANDABLE. WHAT’S NEW IS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED A DONATION FOR THE RESTORATION OF FYN’S TROUT WATERCOURSES. THEIR ASSISTANCE IS MOST WELCOME!

Text and photo: M. Jensen, Sea Trout Fyn

SEATROUT FYN IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE that we have received a financial award from a German publishing company, Die Rapsbande, which specialises in books about angling for sea trout. The reason for this donation of DKK 8,332 is that the 50 sea trout anglers who wrote the guidebook “Mein 2. Bester Angelplatz an der dänischen Ostseeküste” (“my second-best angling spot on the Danish Baltic coast”) have chosen to donate EUR 2 to Seatrout Fyn per copy sold. The money has been donated to enable us to continue the work of safeguarding robust, self-reproducing stocks of Fyn sea trout.

OVER THE YEARS, Seatrout Fyn has removed more than 200 barriers and opened up more than 500 km of watercourses on Fyn. Many of Fyn’s watercourses have now been made into suitable habitats for the sea trout, and one of the upshots of this is excellent sports angling for sea trout on the coast. However, sea trout still have to grapple with a number of challenges and, therefore, so do we! Albækken, a stream which runs through the heart of Fyn, was a suitable place to focus another targeted initiative. Close to the beautiful castle of Egeskov Slot, Albækken is a tributary to the river Hågerup Å, which in turn is a tributary to Fyn’s largest watercourse, the river Odense Å. Odense Å has a steady increase of spawning sea trout. Albækken is a modest little watercourse, but make no mistake – it is in watercourses like this that our many sea trout first see the light of day!

Thus, Albækken has excellent potential to become an important spawning ground and place where juveniles grow as future generations of sea trout. But for a long time, Albækken has been artificially straightened instead of being allowed to follow its natural, winding course; as a result, there have been problems with migrating sand smothering the sea trout’s spawning banks.

The profile of the watercourse was even too wide and too shallow, with the risk of stagnating water and the hazard of becoming overgrown, with very low biodiversity. It also had a number of minor barriers for migrating fish, and heavy growth, notably of common butterbur. It has potential, but the current reality is not very favourable.

TO MAXIMISE

the benefit of the donation from our German supporters, Seatrout Fyn has contributed DKK 60,120, and FaaborgMidtfyn municipality has contributed DKK 18,696. Thus, together, we have been able to amass approximately DKK 87,000 for a massive restoration project in Albækken, which has now made as much as 770 m of the watercourse into a superb habitat for the trout.

The watercourse has now been cleansed of migrating sand and sediment. This has created free passage for fish and other aquatic life; the common butterbur has been heavily pruned; 150 m3 of gravel has been spread in the watercourse, together with current concentrators to give the watercourse a narrower and more naturally winding profile, with fast-flowing water.

THE EXPECTED EFFECT is that the large trout already observed downstream in the river system will migrate upstream to the (new) favourable conditions in Albækken, and breed there. And there are already indications of this happening: when we visited Albækken in the summer, it did not take us long to spot some small, six-month-old parr swimming around just in the one spot where the close-up photograph was taken. Nice one! The survey results from other, similar projects conducted by Seatrout Fyn have shown that the concentration of trout parr in a watercourse can be boosted by more than 500% if the trout are given the opportunity to spawn under favourable conditions.

A great big thank you from Seatrout Fyn to Die Rapsbande and the German writers for their magnificent donation! We are hugely impressed and we appreciate your generosity. It means so much to know it is the anglers themselves who are willingly handing over part of their fee for the furtherance of our work. Thank you!

DID YOU KNOW...? Seatrout Fyn spends approximately DKK 2 million per year on restoring watercourses on Fyn, Ærø and Langeland. In recent years, Seatrout Fyn has undertaken an average of one restoration project per month, all year round.

THE ALBÆKKEN

WATERCOURSE - HERE, THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE TROUT TO BE SEEN AMONG

THE DENSE VEGETATION

AND MIGRATING SANDS ON THE STRAIGHTENED,

SHALLOW SECTION OF THE

WATERCOURSE.

42

ALBÆKKEN JUST ONE MONTH LATER, WHERE

THE WORK LOOKS TOUGH AND HARD, AS BOTH THE

PROFILE AND THE BED OF THE WATERCOURSE HAVE TO BE CHANGED USING

HEAVY MACHINERY.

THE NATURAL PROFILE OF THE WATERCOURSE HAS NOW BEEN REINSTATED.

NOW IT IS TIME FOR THE FLORA AND FAUNA TO MAKE THIS WINDING

WATERCOURSE THEIR OWN ONCE AGAIN.

www.seatrout.dk

SPRING: THE TROUT HAVE SPAWNED, AND THEIR OFFSPRING WILL THRIVE

HERE UNTIL IT IS TIME TO MIGRATE, GROW TO ADULT SIZE AND REACH

SEXUAL MATURITY.

ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL

BIOTOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF FYN’S TROUT HAS BEEN (RE-)ESTABLISHED.

OUR SEA TROUT PROJECT: SILVER ANNIVERSARY

“SILVER” - QUITE A SUITABLE

2015

ANNIVERSARY FOR A SEA

TROUT PROJECT. BACK IN 1990,

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT

OF SEA TROUT FYN (HAVØRRED FYN) WAS INITIATED. JUST AS IT WAS BACK THEN, THE AIM TODAY IS STILL TO AID THE INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS OF SEA TROUT ON AND AROUND THE ISLES OF FYN, LANGELAND AND ÆRØ. SINCE 1990 A QUANTUM LEAP HAS BEEN MADE

IN THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING A HEALTHY POPULATION OF SEA TROUT AS WELL AS UNEQUALLED RECREATIONAL SPORT ANGLING.

Text and photo: M. Jensen, Sea Trout Fyn

More than 25 years ago it was quite unusual to catch a sea trout along the coastline of these isles. Due to several decades of industrial pollution, channelisation of the natural watercourses, and the construction of weirs and dams to manage the drainage of farmland, life was tough for the native migrating sea trout. Due to many factors which all aggregate as obstructions for migrating aquatic species, the sea trout had disappeared altogether from several watercourses, while they were left struggling in others.

OUR VISION: Our three isles offer the best recreational coastal sport angling for sea trout in Europe. Through active

intervention, we seek to reverse the decline for the benefit of not only the sea trout (and other aquatic fauna) but also of the local population, recreational anglers and related businesses.

Our method: The 10 municipalities of our three islands have joined forces in this cause, and each year they all contribute to the project with a pro rata financial donation according to their population size. This amounts to an investment of some DKK 3.5–4 million each year. Proportionately, some 41% of these funds is spent on watercourse improvements, 45% on fish rearing and restocking and the remainder on marketing, project coordination and administrative services. It’s our firm belief that the reconstruction of the native rivers and watercourses is a sustainable way of ensuring a natural population of sea trout, going forward. We do so by removing unnatural obstacles such as dams and weirs, constructing bypasses and fish-passages around static barriers, restoring gravel beds and remaking channelised ditches as winding natural waterways. Much of this is done via our Watercourse Task Force (with representatives of all 10 municipalities) and via voluntary efforts by local sports anglers under the auspices of Vandpleje Fyn (Funen Water Conservation). These lads do a vast amount of work on behalf of the local sea trout; much delicate work, too, not suitable for heavy machinery, is done by hand: tonne after tonne of special gravel is carefully carried to the waters and made into spawning grounds by Grusbanden (The Gravel Gang).

THE RESULTING recreational sport angling and tourism generates revenue worth approximately ten times the initial amount investment in our natural environment. This revenue ensures a fair return on investment to the municipalities as investors.

This is done through local taxes in relation to the angling activities and is paid by members of the public, anglers and businesses. This way, we’ve got what we believe to be a pure win–win situation: a healthier and more diverse natural world, more sea trout, more recreational angling and more marketable businesses.

FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS now, we have thus permanently removed more than 200 dams and weirs, opening up more than 500

km of watercourses for the sea trout to spawn in. Quite remarkably, we have seen that, once the sea trout have access to suitable spawning grounds upstream, the population of trout fry and the mere number of (gravel) spawning grounds downstream also

increases. In some cases the density of sea trout fry increases as much as 500% once a watercourse is restored and one or more obstacles have been removed. This is proof to us that we’ve been on the right track for quite a while.

LOOKING BACK AT the past eight years, we can see that, over this period, we’ve financed a watercourse restoration project each month all year round. By the same token, this means that each month yet another obstacle for the migrating sea trout is removed for good. Over the past 25 years these actions have changed the sea trout from a rare guest into a common local inhabitant – our unofficial national sport fish.

Seatrout Fyn is proud to have proved the formula is correct: taking care of our watercourses and trout is as good for nature as it is for business – and it’s done sustainably. We aim to keep this up for the next 25 years as well.

In the meantime, enjoy your angling on the shores of Fyn, Langeland and Ærø.

MADE NEEDS TO BE T A H T T N OI P ATER IS A “THE BASIC THAT WHILE W IS UE S IS IS ARE NOT” ON TH CE, RIVERS R OU S E R E L RENEWAB

pbell

Cam Ronald

THE THREE ISLANDS OF FYN, LANGELAND AND ÆRØ: THE SEA TROUT TRINITY. TOGETHER THE 10 MUNICIPALITIES OF THE ISLANDS CONTINUE THEIR COLLABORATION

TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS FOR THE NATIVE SEA TROUT. THE MERE FACT THAT ALL 10 OF US CONTINUE TO STAND TOGETHER IN THIS AIM IS THE VERY CORNERSTONE OF OUR UNIFIED EFFORTS FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR WATERS - AND THEIR INHABITANTS.

43

BOOK

YOUR OWN SPECIALIST:

SEA TROUT ANGLING GUIDES ON FUNEN, LANGELAND AND ÆRØ Text: Niklas Albrechtsen, angling guide After possibly driving hundreds of kilometres to get here, and many months of planning your annual trip to Funen’s sea-trout eldorado, the day has finally arrived for you to go fishing!

You’ve bought and closely studied the “117 Fine Fishing Sports on Funen” guide book, but where to start?

Niklas Albrechtsen

Niklas has organised numerous sea trout flyfishing courses along the coasts of Funen, and as a result, more than 300 participants now have a quicker and easier route to “sea-trout success”.

Niklas has been flyfishing on the coast for more than 20 years, and has a large number of sea trout on his conscience each year. This has given him extensive experience about the life cycle of sea trout and where best to catch them. Niklas has also contributed to several books and articles, including “Fiskefeber” (“angling mania”) magazine and a number of web portals.

Niklas speaks English and German.

Contact: guide-niklas@seatrout.dk

Rene Gerken

René has been angling for most of his life, so he is an experienced fly-fisher and coastal angler. He has previously guided at Blackwater Lodge in Ireland, for Loop in Argentina and in Iceland for the last four summers. He is a certified casting instructor in the Federation of Flyfishers and is always able to give sound advice about casting using a flyfishing rod. René has organised numerous coastal fly-fishing courses all over Denmark for various clubs, as well as for Ækvator Sport of Odense.

René speaks English and German.

Contact: guide-rene@seatrout.dk

TURBO-DRIVE YOUR ANGLING FOR SEA TROUT: WHEN FISHING ON THE 1,000 KM OR SO OF COASTLINE, DON’T SQUANDER HOURS OF YOUR PRECIOUS ANGLING TIME ON EMPTY HOOKS. BOOK A LOCAL GUIDE FOR THE VITAL KNOWLEDGE THAT WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE TO YOUR ANGLING.

Kasper Røjsmose

Kasper was given his first fly-fishing rod on 7 October 1989 and since then has spent thousands of hours by the water with his vice. Kasper fishes wherever he can and with whatever he has available. He has extensive knowledge of sea trout and its life cycle, and is always chasing his next big fish or the perfect fly. Book him for a coastal trip or a fly-tying event.

Kasper speaks English and German.

Contact: guide-kasper@seatrout.dk

PRICES:

• 1/2 DAY (4 HOURS): DKK 1500 • 1 WHOLE DAY (8 HOURS): DKK 2500 • EACH ADDITIONAL HOUR COSTS DKK 300 44

www.seatrout.dk

• MAX. PARTY OF 4 PER GUIDE.

SE A TROUT AND RUBBER? WHY NOT TAKE YOUR BOMBAR DA

TAC KLE ANGLING UP A GE AR? AS A FLY-FISHER, YOU C AN DO

YOUR OWN THING HERE AND MAKE YOUR OWN SPEC IAL BAIT FOR YOUR PARTIC UL AR TYPE OF SE A TROUT ANGLING. IT WORKS - THE EVIDENC E IS PL AIN TO SEE.

T U O R T SEA R E B B U R & BAIT

Text and Fotos: Thomas Matzen

www.seatrout.dk

45

Throughout time, all sorts of different bait has been used for catching sea trout along the coast – some types more, and some less, effective than others.

The large selection has never stopped me trying new things, however. I’m going to describe them here.

NATURE IS THE TEMPLATE: THE FOUR FACTORS It all began years ago, when the possibilities of GULP rubber creatures caught my eye. It occurred to me that these rubber creations could be converted for coastal angling for sea trout. Back then and to this day, people use them on the coast, generally with a single hook attached. But because I wanted to use these rubber creatures all the time and not just at selected times, I had to devise and test a whole host of systems to find out how the rubber bait behaved in the water. I concluded that there are four factors, which I have learnt to identify, and today I make my own rubber creatures based on this formula. I assess the quality of the bait based on the following factors: Its balance in the water, its movement in the water, its ability to hook the fish that is tugging on the bait and, finally, its ability to float.

I have carried out numerous tests while angling.

Actually, I rarely angle for sea trout, as I am so intent on developing the perfect bait. I might never manage it, but I feel compelled to keep trying! I have made lots of variants, and some are uglier and more useless than others, but you have to start somewhere, and today I have got the formula pretty much worked out. I have developed my rubber bait by watching my videos of them under water, taken on a Go-Pro camera. When I get back home, I can see how the particular bait responds in the water.

Next, I match the movements of the bait in the water to corresponding underwater videos of the type of fish or shrimp that the bait is designed to imitate.

It is important to compare the bait with Nature’s template.

HOOKS AND AFFIXING The first rubber creatures I made were on a single

hook. I found there were pros and cons with that.

The advantages were that they were easy to make and affix, but when I used them for both bombarda and fly-fishing, it did not take long to spot the disadvantages. During casting, turning and the down-stroke in the water, they slowly slipped off the hook! Next, I compensated for this by gluing the hook in place, but if you do that, the soft rubber bait will become rigid. Then I wound some wire onto the hook with a dab of glue, because the wire gets a better bite into the rubber creature, but that was not durable enough for a day’s angling either. I also found there was a lot of mis-biting by sea trout on the small rubber fish. I think this was due to the bend of the hook and the underside of the rubber creature – there is a great deal of give when the fish 46

bites, so the tip of the hook is not exposed enough to penetrate the fish’s jaw.

I continued the development process and I started to look into the possibility of using a tube and mounting the rubber creatures on the new L-Rig systems. I produced the first imitations of rubber fish and bristleworm on small, transparent plastic tubes.

Here, I discovered that the rubber creatures remained in place for longer on the tube, so I was able to angle for longer using them. In addition, the proportion of sea trout that I actually caught was higher – quite simply, I was landing more fish. But there was a problem! The rubber imitations were very buoyant – too buoyant! You had to angle very, very slowly with them in order to get just a little way down into the water column. Also, the rubber bait did not dive correctly when I paused while spinning in. What actually happened was that the bait was pulled back and down – this was because of the triple hook.

CONE HEADS AND A LIGHTER I started weighing the rubber; I clipped and halved

the rubber creatures; I observed their mass and how they sank. I also weighed my triple hooks. I began using pro cone heads of an appropriate weight. I semi-fixed the rig onto the little tubes. In addition, I began using weight tubes made of silicon. The benefits of this were that the rubber creatures remain flexible, and you can still mount them in tubes and the L-rig. Pro cone heads and semi-mounting ensured that the bait dived correctly when I executed a spin-stop. When I affixed the rubber creatures to my fly-fishing rod, however, I found that the rubber creature turned around and wiggled from side to side, as it did when I was spin-fishing with my bombarda tackle. Because I did not want to use glue, I made some changes before mounting pro cone heads: I mounted a tube slightly larger in diameter than the one I used for the rubber creature itself. I singed both ends of the slightly larger tube with a lighter to prevent the tube from sliding during the actual casting and angling.

Now I had made a life-like, true-to-nature rubber creature that had the four characteristics I was seeking: Balance, movement, good hooking properties and the ability to float (and dive) correctly.

It is difficult to measure the effectiveness of rubber creatures – are they superior to other bait, or not?

I would go so far as to say that they are a good supplement to the many other types of bait you use when angling for sea trout. Torben Nielsen, who unfortunately has now passed away, told me about some of the times he spent using pink rubber fish that I had made for him when he hadn’t been catching much for a while. With that little pink rubber fish, he was simply hoovering up sea trout along the coast!

I think the idea of home-made rubber creatures is a good one, and great fun – the concept is brilliant. I know there are countless types of rubber fish on the

1

2

3 5

4

6

1• Bristleworm with glow bead and a pro cone head – shockingly effective in the right season.

2• Jellyfish affixed to a release-tackle with UV reflection in UV light.

3• Jellyfish affixed to release tackle with UV reflection – in daylight.

4• Impressive, true-to-nature drop shot minnow affixed to an L-rig and triple hook.

5• Drop-shot minnows with pro cone heads and pink UV reflection in UV light.

6• Fyns Hoved, one Sunday morning: I caught a superb shiny sea trout using one of my rubber

7

imitations. It was one of two good sea trout that day, in a couple of hours of angling. I used a casting sinker to make the imitation sink – I had a feeling that there were sea trout lurking that morning. I used my standard rotation on the spin reel: six turns at normal speed, four turns at full speed – and then a spin-stop! Just as I started to increase the tempo again after the stop: BANG! A perfect hooking of the sea trout on an L-rig.

7• Drop-shot minnows affixed with slow death hooks. The advantage of the crooked slow death hooks, which are often used for angling with bristleworms, is that they allow the rubber fish much livelier and more unpredictable movement through the water. That makes the rubber fish even more effective! www.seatrout.dk

47

market today, and that they are so true to nature that they are just asking to be investigated and tested on Fyn’s sea trout coasts. The rest is a matter of one’s own creativity. There is no such thing as the perfect bait, but you can always try! Coastal angling is an individual hobby – personally, I believe what works best is whatever you believe will work – what you really believe could catch a sea trout. I believe these little rubber creatures could be optimised and used

48

more effectively for angling as time goes by. The trick is to identify the most ideal solution for the given situation. I can only urge you, as a spin angler – and perhaps also as a fly-fisher – to try out some of the excellent little rubber imitations yourself. You might be quite surprised at the result – and the sea trout might be, too!

www.seatrout.dk

FYNS HOVED CAMPING

Fynshovedvej 748, Nordskov DK-5390 Martofte Tel.: +45 65341014.

Email: info@fynshovedcamping.dk www.fynshovedcamping.dk

Fyns Hoved Camping is situated in a unique area of natural beauty on the top of Hindsholm. Rainfall is 25% less than anywhere else in Denmark. The long sections of coastline offer an ocean of opportunities for anglers.

You will never be short of a sheltered angling spot.

We have a place for cleaning fish, cold store, grocer’s shop and barbecue/café on the campsite. Sale of fishing tackle and fishing licences. Boat hire.

The most beautiful waterside site on Fyn. Right near great fishing spots on Gamborg Fjord. Hire of cabins, caravans and motor dinghies.

Good site facilities. Slipway and jetty.

Ring for brochure or visit: www.angler-camping.dk

We can offer 600 holiday homes on Funen, Ærø and Langeland.

You can stay close to the angling spot in one of our holiday homes with special facilities for anglers. We also have a large selection of houses with jacuzzi or swimming-pool and childfriendly houses at affordable prices. Example: 4 persons/1 week off-season from € 193, - 3 nights from € 139,-

www.seatrout.dk

49

Funen & Islands

Feriepartner Fyn Hasselvænget 1 • DK-5500 Middelfart Tel.: +45 64 41 23 22 Fax: +45 64 41 75 41 E-mail: info@mob.dk www.feriepartner.dk/fyn Open all year round

Middelfart

Ronæs Strand Camping Ronæsvej 10 • DK-5580 Nørre Åby Tel.: +45 64 42 17 63 E-mail: campingferie@hotmail.com www.camping-ferie.dk 21/3 - 20/9

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VisitFaaborg Torvet 19 5600 Faaborg Tel. (+45) 7253 1818 visitfaaborg@faaborgmidtfyn.dk www.facebook.com/visitfaaborgmidtfyn VisitNyborg Adelgade 3 5800 Nyborg Tel. (+45) 6333 8090 visitnyborg@nyborg.dk www.facebook.com/visitnyborg VisitOdense Vestergade 2 5000 Odense C. Tel. (+45) 6375 7520 otb@visitodense.dk www.visitodense.dk www.facebook.com/visitodense

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VisitKerteminde Hans Schacksvej 5 5300 Kerteminde Tel. (+45) 6532 1121 turist@visitkerteminde.dk www.visitkerteminde.dk Turist- & Erhvervsforeningen Langeland Torvet 5 5900 Rudkøbing Tel. (+45) 6251 3505 info@langeland.dk www.langeland.dk Ærø Turist- og Erhvervsforening Ærøskøbing Havn 4 5970 Ærøskøbing Tel. (+45) 6252 1300 post@arre.dk www.visitaeroe.dk