Fishing Denmark - April 20th.

[Marcel_Karssies]

Fishing Denmark – day 2, April 20th.

Being in the outdoors all day consumed a lot of energy so each morning we
recharged with a proper breakfast to keep us going through the day.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Fyn-20-04-2007/IMG_9384.jpg
Energy for the day.

According to the weather predictions the wind would lessen in force but a view onto
the beach in front of our cottage told us another story.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Fyn-20-04-2007/IMG_9387.jpg
Whitecaps on the sea.

Due to the wind the location we planned to fish was out of the question so we drove to the south of Fyn island to find a sheltered spot with clear water.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Fyn-20-04-2007/IMG_9390.jpg
Murky water and to much wind, on to the next spot.

Finally we found a place where we could fish, this was a place where even Tom
had not visited on his many Denmark travels.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Fyn-20-04-2007/IMG_9402.jpg
The location was looking good.

I decided to use a tactic of one of my friends who used it with much success on
the seatrout.
Instead of trying to reach the shores of Sweden I fished close inshore along the rocks because
there sooner or later a seatrout would be roaming for something to eat.
After an hours it was time, a large seatrout had taken the zonker I fished.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Fyn-20-04-2007/IMG_9396.jpg
A piece of Danish silver.

My day was made, this seatrout measured about 55 cm and fought very well.
When I was fighting the fish two Danish anglers arrived who would fish this
spot for the first time.
Their confidence levels as well as mine where boosted by this catch.
Tom had also luck, he caught his first fish of the trip that measured 53 cm.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Fyn-20-04-2007/IMG_9416.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Fyn-20-04-2007/IMG_9422.jpg
Seatrout for Tom.

I continued to fish the mixed bottom of sand and rocks and came along a second
Seatrout.
Fish nr. 2 was a smaller specimen that measured 41 cm.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Fyn-20-04-2007/IMG_9405.jpg
Seatrout nr. 2

Seatrout fishing in the Baltic can be very tough so my hopes where not that high.
My personal goal was to catch just one fish so on day 2 of this trip I had already
the feeling that the trip was a success.
In contradiction of the Kolding Fjord we visited a day earlier not much life was
visible in the water, I only spotted two goby’s.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Fyn-20-04-2007/IMG_9428.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Fyn-20-04-2007/IMG_9429.jpg
The landscape.

We had hoped for some more action at sunset but it stayed very quiet in the water.
Normally the fish would show themselves but not on this day.
The sun went away and the temperature plummeted towards freezing.
We called it a day for dinner and drove back to the cottage.

On the way back a couple of deer crossed in front of us over the road.
We stopped to watch them but I could only catch a glimpse of the deer
while it glanced upon us from the top of the hill.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Fyn-20-04-2007/IMG_9432.jpg
A quick look and they where gone.

Day 2 was a success for both of us, despite the adverse conditions we both managed
to catch a fish.
Fyn Island was ideal for this type of fishing since the Island was large so you could
always find a spot where you could fish despite bad weather.

[HJS]

Marcel - Glad to see you finally catching something impressive besides trophy roachs... and these searun trout are impressive indeed. I'm assuming these searun trout are actually brown trout... or were they salmon? Natural reproduction or stocked as fingerlings???

[Marcel_Karssies]

Imagine how glad I was when I hooked into the first fish of the trip :)

These seatrout are indeed searun browns that ascend the rivers in fall to spawn.
For the rest of the year they live in the coastal waters and feed on shrimps, lugworms and assorted baitfish.

The fish are a mix of natural reproduction and stocked fish.
The fingerlings are stocked in freshwater courses and will descend the rivers untill they spread out around the coast.

[HJS]

Several more questions:
What are the regulations (size limit, creel, season) affecting searun trout in Denmark?
Whats the yellow flowering crop in the one pix... looks like sunflower but its the wrong season for them to be blooming.
I was surprised to see deer running wild in heavily populated Denmark. What species of deer was that and are they rare or common?

[OneMoreCast]

That's a big trout... that's a real big trout. WTG Marcel!! Sea runs are a very special creature. What's the water temp you are looking for? Looks cold bro...
If you guys need anymore deer... let me know... They are like rats around here. I can't recall the last time I went a week without seeing a decent sized herd... (fwiw... I am the worst deer hunter that ever lived...they mock me)

[Marcel_Karssies]

OMC, the trout get bigger than that.
When we where there fish where caught that measured up to 70cm.
Imagine catching one of these big fish on the fly.
To be honest fishing with a spinning rod is far more effective since you can
cover a wide range quick, then again flyfishing is so much more fun.

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Deer species: capreolus capreaolus
They are more or less common and can be seen at morning and in the evening along edges of fields.
When I fish in Germany I encounter them sometimes at close range when they move along the wooded riverbanks.
I startle them, they startle me.

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Flower: Brassica napus - Canadian turnip
A crop that blooms in spring, there are many fields of this crop all over the place now.
I think it is a source for bio gasoline, with these days fuel prices most likely an attractive plant to grow.

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Fishing rules as copied from a Danish website:

All anglers between the age of 18 and 67 are required to buy a valid state fishing license to fish with rod and line in Danish waters.

Size Limits & Fishing Seasons
Size limits and fishing seasons are defined in the Law of Saltwater Fishing. Limits and seasons can be changed without prior notice so it is up to each individual fisherman to check for himself before he goes fishing. At the time of writing, the most common size limits and closed fishing seasons are as listed below.

Size Limits
Salmon................(Salmo Salar).............60 cm
Seatrout.........(Salmo trutta trutta)........40 cm
Cod.................(Gadus morhua).............35 cm
Plaice.........(Pleuronectes platessa)........27 cm
Flounder..........(Platichtys flesus)..........5.5 cm
Dab...............(Liminda limanda).............25 cm
Sole.................(Solea solea)..............24.5 cm
Red Sole..........(Microstomus kitt)..........26 cm
Turbot..............(Psetta maxima)...........30 cm
Brill..........(Scopthalmus rhombus)..........30 cm
Eel.............(Anguilla anguilla).............35.5 cm
Viviparous Blenny...(Zoarces viviparus)...23 cm

Closed Fishing Seasons
Salmon................(Salmo Salar)..................16/11 - 15/01*
Seatrout...........(Salmo trutta trutta)..........16/11 - 15/01*
Plaice............(Pleuronectes platessa)..........15/01 - 30/4**
Flounder...........(Platichtys flesus)..............01/02 - 15/05**
Viviparous Blenny....(Zoarces viviparus)......15/09 - 31/01***

* Only salmon & trout in spawning dress
** Only females with roe
*** Only pregnant females

Size limits and fishing seasons
Legal size limits are intended to make sure that every fish will grow to spawn at least once in its lifetime. The fish has to contribute to the future of its own kind before being caught and killed.

Closed fishing seasons ensure that the fish have the necessary peace for succesful spawning.

Protection zones are established to make sure that enough mature fish will make it back to the spawning grounds in nearby rivers. At certain spots and "bottlenecks" that could easily be blocked by nets, extended protection zones have been established by the Ministry of Fisheries.

Law of Saltwater Fishing
In saltwater, everybody who has purchased the mandatory state fishing license, is entitled to fish without further cost. And everybody may walk and fish all beaches below the line defined by daily high tide.

You are thus allowed to walk and fish everywhere along the beaches but you are only allowed to trespass on private beaches - not to stay there. Camping is allowed only on registered camp grounds.

But be aware that even if the beaches are for everyone, getting there may require that you use a private road. Be sure to ask the landowner if in any doubt.

Protection Zones
Since 1986 the fishing with nets has been banned in the innermost 100 metres along the Danish coastline. This has been done to protect anadromous fish like seatrout on their migrations to and from their rives of birth - to ensure that enough fish will make it back to spawn and reproduce.

This protection zone is valid all year long but applies only to fishing with nets. Fishing with rod and line is allowed within those 100 metres.

Rivers wider than 2 metres have a further protection zone that is valid all year long and apply to any and all kinds of fishing. Be it with monofilament nets or fishing rods.

This protection zone is made up by a halfcircle with a radius of 500 metres. The centre is the middle of the river mouth. An additional zone extends 100 metres directly in front of the river mouth, beginning where the halfcircle ends.

If the river is narrower than 2 metres, the protection zone applies only from September 16 until January 15.

Finally, all kinds of fishing is prohibited within 75 metres of nets and fish traps.

All of the above are minimum requirements. They can at any time and without prior notice be changed by the Ministry of Fisheries. Thus many extended protection zones have been established around selected river mouths, narrows and inlets.

Sales prohibition
Following the latest revised edition of the Law of Saltwater Fishing, it is now illegal for unauthorized fishermen of any kind to sell or in any other way trade in their catches.

Thus fish may only be sold by commercial fishermen who are registered and who pay both VAT and taxes from their catches.

[OneMoreCast]

Lugworm? Kinda like our clam worms and blood worms?
We are getting ready to enter the "may worm hatch" here on the Chesapeake. They break in half and form these masses that look like red pasta... and fishing gets tough for about a week... Full moon in may.. like clockwork.

[Marcel_Karssies]

Well, I think they are like clam worms.
At least the species name seems to be the same "Nereis".
I have never witnessed the hatch but the same happens around here also.

There is a fly pattern to imitate this worm which consists of Crystal chenille, Kevlar thread and two hooks.
Next time I go I will get some of those flies, Imagine they might be working also on Bass in Florida or else for that matter.