Fly Fishing - Flyfishing Denmark

Marcel_Karssies

At the last week of September my friends Tom, Alfons, Joop and I went on our annual fall searun brown aka seatrout trip to Denmark.
The weather forecasts where lousy predicting strong winds and lots of rain.
Adverse weather would not stop us though because we knew it would be a fun weekend.

We left early morning on Friday and had smooth sailing all the way, even the usual bottleneck the Elbe river tunnel in Hamburg was free of any back upped traffic.
We had rented a cottage on the Island of Fyn where we would do most of our fishing.
Since we left early we decided to spend some time in the Kolding Fjord which was on route to the Island.

Tom’s flybox

The Fjord

German fast attack ship Gepard patrolling the fjord

A steady south wind caused the water to be low and dirty, after several hours without
Any signs of fish we continued on our way.
We picked up the key of our cottage at Vejlby Fed and organized our gear.
Next stop was the beach near our cottage where we fished into the darkness.

Magnus fly

My first contact with a searun brown was on a streamer pattern called “flammen” which
basically consisted out of a piece of fluorescent orange mylar.
A sizeable fish took my streamer and jumped clear of the water, action was short lived
though since after a minute the hook came out.
The hook was completely bend out, should have tied that pattern myself on proper hooks.
I had two very slight nibbles on the fly before I had solid contact with another searun.
This time a tiny seatrout had taken the small magnus fly I fished.
All the while the other guys had not seen any action, it was already dark so the decision
To call it a day was quickly taken.

The next morning we once again visited the beach at Veljby fed.
It was extremely high tide with a bright blue sky.

Getting ready

Cormorant

High tide at Vejlby fed

It was difficult to make a back cast because the tide was so high but that did not
Matter that much since the fish would be in close anyway.
Nobody saw or felt anything so it was time to find out where the seatrout where hiding
out.
With the wind coming from the south / southwest we opted to leave the island and try
our luck at a spot on the mainland.

At the mainland

We fished the sheltered bay, the water was beautifully clear and the whole place just
smelled like fish.
Unfortunately nothing happened at all, well the wind picked up strongly and clouds
came over the hills.

So what to do next … of course move again.
We headed back to the island and decided to fish smack in the little belt sound at
Rolje klint.
A strong current pushed through the sound, I always liked this spot with the moving
water.
Alfons fished a sandeel pattern and behold he hooked a fish, unfortunately the fish
managed to throw the hook.
I had more luck when late in the afternoon my Magnus fly was intercepted by
a small seatrout.

Small seatrout on the 6-weight.

Fishing was very tough with bites far and in between, the other two guys had no luck at
all.
Once again the decision to call it day was an easy choice.
We climbed up the cliff and drove off to our cottage for a good meal.

The wind head been blowing south to southwest all the time so the next morning we
Picked a spot on the north shore of Fyn island called Flyvesandet.
In the past I had picked up a nice seatrout there and had seen many fish so confidence
was high.
The weather forecast predicted a day with continuous rain so it was no surprise that the
place was quiet when we arrived.
Quiet on the beach but not in the water as we spotted jumping seatrout several times.
One of the local Danes showed us how it was done when he landed a very nice seatrout.

Flyvesandet

I was fishing with the eight wind due to the expected wind but in hindsight the six weight
Would have been more than sufficient.
After a few casts I was into a solid fish and was pretty confident I could bring it in, than it
Happened – the line went slack.
To my horror the line had snapped near the fly, the eight weight rod with the light tippet
Was most likely cause.
So I felt a little stupid and tied on a heavier tippet in the hope I would come across
another good fish.

Joop hooked a fish on a barbless shrimp pattern but that fish came off so no show for
Him.
Tom managed to catch the first of the day by hauling in a 40cm specimen.
Dane nr. 1 was replaced by Dane nr. 2 who was catching fish while we where teaching
our flies to swim.
When he left I should have asked him what he was fishing but I was to focussed on the
still present seatrout in front of me.
Tom saved the day when he hauled in a very nice and fat silver seatrout.

Seatrout 57 cm by Tom caught on an orange shrimp pattern

We fished again untill dark and left amidst pouring rain to the comforts of our little cottage.
The next day would be the last and time for fishing would be limited due to the six hours
drive back home.

The next morning we cleaned our cottage, delivered the key to the rental agency and headed out to a spot nearby.
We would fish Kasmoseskov right on the little belt, a place we never fished before.
It was high tide and the water was as clear as glass in the morning.

Kasmoveskov

The water was calm and flat and there where no visible signs of fish activity.
The other guys had no hits but I had two subtle takes.
It conditions where not boosting our confidence so the decision was taken to check out
Rojle klint which was located nearby to the south.

When we walked down towards the beach the weather started to change.
The wind picked up and rain showers poured down on the mainland.

At Rojle klint.

The current picked up and the showers got closer and closer.

Rainbow

It took quite a while before activity picked up.
Joop was standing next to me and shouted that he had just missed it take.
Within a minute I was into a fish, by the feel of it not very big but with the conditions as
they where a godsend gift.

Saved the day

A few last shots

Time passed away quickly and although I wanted to stay forever we had to leave in the afternoon.
Alfons also had a fish that took interest at his fly but like Joop he did not feel a solid take.
The last couple of days showed us fishing was very tough so late in the season.
It also showed us that you could catch fish, the locals proved it to us.
The score was three fish for me, two for Tom with both Joop and Alfons got skunked.
So the numbers of caught fish where small but the companionship as usual great.
Hopefully we can all get together for a spring session to once again go after the elusive seatrout.

TroutBone · Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 1:35 pm Post subject:

Wish you had more luck Marcel, I didn't even make it up there, wanted too, but work got in the way, though I did manage to hit up the Werre River in Herford, Germany. In the city center, theres a canal there that runs through the city, all the fish I caught were Asche (Graylings), they were not big, but First Graylings caught in Germany.

Marcel_Karssies · Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:32 am Post subject:

Good to hear that you have run into your first graylings.
That fish species has been hit hard by what we call the black pest aka
cormorants.
Small fish seem to be the only ones left, still I have heard more stories that this fish species is on the rebound.

The cormorant did so much damage to fish stocks in Germany that certain
federal states allowed them to be shot.
At one of my German clubs we pay the local hunters to knock them out of the sky whenever they come raiding our waters...

I will have to put the Werre on my to do list, only know the stream from further north where it does not look like wadable flywater.