Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: Rodney on May 12, 2006, 05:58:47 PM

Title: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on May 12, 2006, 05:58:47 PM
Hullo from Copenhagen Denmark. :) In the next six weeks I'll be doing my journals in here, hopefully more fishing than travelling ones. It's 3:00am over here and I am absolutely jet lagged this time because I had no sleep during the flight yesterday. The flight from Vancouver to Frankfurt was smooth until 10:30am Frankfurt time (or 2:30am Friday Vancouver time), I'll get to that in a minute. ::) The weather here is amazing so far. It is quite warm and looks rather different to the dull winter. Sunset is at around 9:30pm right now but in a few weeks we should get at least another hour of daily. :)

First flight on a A340-600

So since Lufthansa introduced the airbus 340-600 on their fleet, I've always wanted to try it out. It is supposed to be smoother, quieter and more fuel efficient. At 75 meters, currently it is the longest commercial jet in the world. :o I was pretty excited yesterday as I was taking my first flight on it. Overall I was not more impressed than disappointed.

There were not many cons, but I thought one entrance for loading and unloading passengers was rather rediculous. Because the plane holds up to 350 people, it took a loooong time to get all of us in. ::)

The washrooms inside are located downstairs on the same level as the cargo space. That's nicer as you do not have to put up the smell after eating. ;) But again, the stairway entrance area was narrow, so it was rather congested most of the time. The washrooms are, twice as big as the old ones, so you do not have to practice yoga while doing your thing. ;D

The take-off was awesome, smoother and quieter indeed as Airbus claims.

This time I was fortunate enough to sit on the first row of the economy class, which is just behind the luxurious business class. ;D Throughout the flight, people kept coming up and peeked through the blanket to see the seats in front of me. I later on found out that members of the band Nickelback were sitting a couple of rows in front of me.

I sat next to a girl from Slovakia, who, like me, is a first generation Canadian. She has lived in Canada for 14 years, 4 in Vancouver, and works as a nurse at LGH. We discussed the recent raise that she and her colleagues received ;) and made some comparisons on the pros and cons of residing in Vancouver.

Landing Trouble

So let's just get to the exciting part of the flight. The entire 10 hour trek was smooth, there was hardly any turbulence at all. Our circling above Frankfurt Airport was nice, just like what should happen during my previous 7 flights to here. We approached the airport at around 10:20am, flaps down, gear down, everyone was looking forward to stretching legs on the ground. Frankfurt Airport has two runways that are side-by-side. As we approached the left one, I said to myself, "The landing speed is kind of fast no?". There was a 747 holding for take-off on the next runway, and we had gone beyond it and still had not touched down. :o As we hovered about 5 meters from the ground, the plane suddenly ascended and we were up again! I thought this kind of crap only happens in movies? :o People's faces turn from :) and :D to :o and :-\. There were screams, the flight attendant came on the radio and told people to calm down. Once we reached circling altitude again, the captain mumbled something about mechanical failure or plane on the runway? :o

The next twenty minutes were rather long as we did the exact same circle to approach the runway. Again, this time as we came down to the runway, we were going rather fast. For the longest seconds, it just didn't want to touch down until finally the rear landing gear landed really hard, then the front, also quite hard. This was followed by some serious braking power that almost pushed everyone's breakfast out.

Welcome to Frankfurt. ::) People were frightened but relieved. I don't need to experience that again. Oh wait, I am coming back on the same aircraft... :o

So how routine was that?? Eskimo, Fishin Chick?? Is this a way to punish me for not enduring on an Air Canada flight instead? ;D

Noon at Frankfurt Airport was insane as usual. People from Asia, Australia, Africa, Americas and other parts of Europe all converged at one place as we tried find out transferring flight.

The one hour flight from Frankfurt to Copenhagen was pretty routine, I sat next to an old East Indian couple who were on their way to Seattle for the first time. I told them that they should head up to Vancouver as well, but they did not want to deal with the border hassle. ;D

Anyways, back in this small apartment in Central Copenhagen again. We have made plans to wet a line in the morning since I can't sleep anywyas. ;) Anyways, I have made plans to do some outings with guys from www.globalflyfisher.com and www.sportsfiskeren.dk, hopefully we'll be able to deliver some sea trout and northern pike actions in the near future. :)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Big Steel on May 12, 2006, 06:29:07 PM
Wow Rodney, I had to read this to the Girlfriend!!!  She was like, OH MY GOD!!!  But we are glad that you are ok!!   ;D  But only because who would be here to run your site?  I need my fix you know!!   :D :D  Hope that you catch many more fish in Denmark, since Canada hasn't been good for you so far this year!! ;D :P  Anyhow, looking forward to the reports!! ;) :)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on May 12, 2006, 07:56:59 PM
Quote from: Big Steel on May 12, 2006, 06:29:07 PM
...since Canada hasn't been good for you so far this year!! ;D :P

Oh oh oh, burn!! :o ;D

Some photos from yesterday.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060512_1.jpg)
Are we there yet?

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060512_2.jpg)
Translation: Ground speed, altitude, outside temperature

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060512_3.jpg)
Looking forward at the first section of economy class and stair entrance to washroom

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060512_4.jpg)
Lufthansa now offers wireless internet during some of its flights

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060512_5.jpg)
A photo for fans of Air Canada, A330 just arrives at Frankfurt
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: norm_2 on May 12, 2006, 08:08:43 PM
Good for you Rod.  I look forward to the photos and hearing what is on the menu (they always sound so good).

You said small apartment.  How big are the typical apartments there?
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Big Steel on May 12, 2006, 08:21:06 PM
Quote from: Rodney on May 12, 2006, 07:56:59 PM
Quote from: Big Steel on May 12, 2006, 06:29:07 PM
...since Canada hasn't been good for you so far this year!! ;D :P

Oh oh oh, burn!! :o ;D



HEHEHEHEHE!!!!! ;D ;D ;D  Nice pics Rodney, but what, no pictures of Nickleback??  I thought you were one of their biggest fans!! ;D  Now stop playing with the darn computer and get out there and get us some fish porn to look at, and don't come back until you do!! :o ;D ;D :D ;) ;D
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Fish Assassin on May 12, 2006, 09:27:53 PM
Did you ever find out the reason for the go around ?
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on May 13, 2006, 05:03:46 AM
Quote from: Fish Assassin on May 12, 2006, 09:27:53 PM
Did you ever find out the reason for the go around ?

No, it was somewhat surprising that the captain did not inform us more after we landed. :P

Norm, the apartment is small in North American standard but in my opinion it is pretty reasonable. The bathroom/toilet is about 4 feet X  feet. :o Beside that, there is a kitchen/dining area, and a bedroom. That's it. Nina can probably provide some numbers on the actual size.

Fish photos? Coming right up. ;)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on May 13, 2006, 01:08:59 PM
(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060513_1.jpg)

First Danish fish in 2006, caught this morning. Story to come later, I am struggling to keep my eyes opened right now... :-\
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Big Steel on May 13, 2006, 01:39:22 PM
Nice Pike there Rodney!!  See Denmark waters are already being good to you!! ;D ;) ;D  Looking forward to the Story!! :)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on May 13, 2006, 08:42:55 PM
One more day is all I need to rid this jet lag. ;) :-\ I woke up 40 minutes ago (4:30am), which was better than what happened yesterday.

Yesterday I was wide awake at 1:45am. :o After several hours of email, forum, website checking, I was able to watch the sun come up from our apartment at around 4:30am. At 6:00am, Nina finally couldn't take the noises anymore and hopped out of bed too. ;D We decided to give the stream where we regularly fish a go this morning after breakfast.

The drive from here to the stream is only about 30 minutes, which is about how long it takes for me to go from Steveston to Downtown Vancouver. Since the gas price in Denmark is $2/litre, a trip like this is considered as a long trek. Nina and I discussed that because of this mentality, people do not take their personal car for granted unlike North Americans. The car is only used when it is absolutely necessarily, short trips are usually done by train, bus, bike or on foot.

The drive is usually an adventure itself. We had to travel through several highways, where I usually become the slowest driver in the entire country. Don't get into the fast lane unless you absolutely need to pass someone. The fast lane is usually empty, you will be told quite quickly if your car gets in the way on that lane. We had a good chuckle yesterday when I was attempting a pass of some slower traffic at 140kph. A car raced up to my tail at an even faster speed and I had to quickly find a space to get out of the driver's way. Once I got out of the way, the car sped by. I glanced over and only to see an old lady passing me in a tiny VW at 150 or 160kph. :o

Anyways, back to the fishing talk. The stream looks rather different compared to the times when I visited in the winter. The field is amazingly green, filled with all sorts of colourful flowers on the top. The air temperature is also fairly present at the moment. Daytime high is between 15 and 20C, so we were able to dress in short sleeves in the morning at times. The edge of the river is composed of this spongy substrate, pretty much like what you would see in Burns Bog. Nina decided that my Simms waders would be more comfortable than sandals. Guess who wore the waders? ::)

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060513_2.jpg)
Looking over the marshy field by the river.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060513_4.jpg)
Flowers sitting by the river bank.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060513_5.jpg)
The insect life by the river is also very abundant.

The first couple of hours at the river was pretty amazing. Northern pike, large and small, were boiling on the surface at times, feeding on whatever was floating around. My first attempt with some bunny strip flies was unsuccessful, so it was spinner time after a couple of hours. I tied on my usual spinner with a large size 6 french blade on it. I have done pretty well during the winter on this particular spinner. A small pink or red prism tape on the blade made it standing out more as the water clarity is not too great.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060513_3.jpg)
Abandoning the fly rod after some attempts.

After a few casts into the water shadowed by this large overhanging tree, a pike suddenly charged for my spinner like a crocodile several feet from shore! The surface exploded as it grabbed the spinner even though I wasn't even fishing close to the surface. :o First fish of the trip was on, it went for a few hard runs, being a lot more energetic than the fish we've seen in the winter. At one point it actually leaped and beached itself onto a high bank before hopping back into the water again. :o Having a pair of sandals on made landing rather difficult as well. Finally it decided to settle next to the shoreline and I was able to easily tail it with my hand. :)

The surface action died down after 11:00am. I decided to switch up to a smaller spinner, size 2 blade near the end of our outing. Most Danish streams and lakes also produce european perch. Unlike our yellow perch, european perch can reach several pounds! It did not take long before one grabbed the silver spinner. The fish was close to 1lb. Sorry, no photo but some of you will get a chance to see it in the video later on. ;)

The first outing was fairly satisfying, though I donated two large spinners as Christmas tree decorations. ::) At times it was hard to fish in such heavily bushed area. A friend of mine warned me about this several months ago when I brought up flyfishing in Danish streams.

It is now 6:00am, and it looks like another gorgeous day in Copenhagen. The bakery downstairs is about to open, so I shall end this and get ready to see what will come on the end of my line today. ;)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: fishin_chick on May 13, 2006, 10:11:16 PM
Hey Rodney,
though not "routine", it's not exactly an emergency until you hear the flight attendant yelling out evacuation commands.  Its called an aborted landing....happens for takeoff too sometimes.  just be glad they didnt go through with the landing and end up hitting something like another plane  ::)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: BwiBwi on May 14, 2006, 04:15:15 AM
Yap an aborted landing and go-around.  Maybe another plan or the landing was long. (passing touchdown marker)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Nina on May 14, 2006, 11:41:55 AM
Quote from: norm_2 on May 12, 2006, 08:08:43 PM
You said small apartment.  How big are the typical apartments there?

The apartment is a mere 45 square metres and rent is 650 Canadian dollars a month ::)

It is quite expensive, even for Danish standards, but the location is good (right next to a big park and close to down town Copenhagen) and the value of the apartment has gone up since I bought it a year ago. I'm hoping the money I've spent on rent will even out with the extra value by the time I move to a bigger place.

It's the smallest apartment in the building and I'm hoping someone will move out soon, so I can get their apartment ;D

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060514_7.jpg)
Picture of a park taken from the french balcony in the kitchen.
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Big Steel on May 14, 2006, 10:39:05 PM
Not getting enough views in the Danish fishing section?!?! ;D
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on May 14, 2006, 10:40:34 PM
Yeah, someone said, "Move it!" ::) ;)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Big Steel on May 14, 2006, 10:42:06 PM
So you're saying you're whipped then?? ;D ;D ;D  Good job Nina!! ;D ;D
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Fish Assassin on May 14, 2006, 11:05:41 PM
Guess we all know who the real boss is  ;)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on May 15, 2006, 12:14:40 AM
:-X

So anyways, right after my last entry, I dragged Nina out of bed so we could head down to the bakery for some fresh bread. One good thing about living in an apartment such as this is that all the necessary shops are around us. We got a grocery store (well, the locals call it a super market, but it's the size of a Seven-Eleven) on the first floor, a bakery in the building next to ours, a butchery a bit further down the street, and a whole bunch of other food stores within ten minutes of walking.

The Danes take their baking very seriously. ::) All bakeries are rated based on the quality of their bread and sweets. Bakers are required to attend a baking school before they become certified. The end products are well worth it. I rarely eat bread back in Vancouver, but over here I like trying out all kinds of bread whenever I get a chance.

After breakfast, it was time to head back on the raceway, I meant.... highway, to a new fishing spot. The destination was a beach that a friend of mine has recommended. Beach fishing is popular in the spring time over here. Beside the famous sea trout, there are many other target species that people connect with on the beach, such as cod and flounder. The species that we were after is called garfish. There are dozens of garfish species around the world. I used to catch a planktonic feeding species in Australia. They are fun on a light rod but also tasty on a frying pan. Unlike the freshwater gars that people angle for in North America, these garfish in Denmark only visit the coastline in May and June. They come by the millions, to spawn in the shallows. Seeing hundreds of them surfacing from a beach is supposed to be a norm. The average size is only 1 or 2lb, but apparently fantastic on a light fly or spinning rod.

Lost in Time

In the emailed that I received, the direction to the beach seemed so simple. The place where we were supposed to go is called "Bøgeskoven", which is actually not far from the stream where we were yesterday. Getting to that part of the country is not a problem, the highways are well marked. Getting to that specific location is a different story. The process involved navigating through a series of narrow roads that are so typical in the countryside of Denmark. We drove through tiny villages that look to be stuck in the 1700s. Farm houses from several centuries ago still stand quietly, it was truly a pleasant sightseeing treat. How we eventually arrived at the spot is still a mystery. I made a few detours and found some familiar road signs that lead us to the ocean. For quite a long time it felt like we were heading away from the ocean. ::) There will be a video clip of me pulling an Austin Power when I had to make a U turn on a very narrow road (I'm not sure how it and other surrounding roads are defined as two lanes... The entire width is not that much wider than a 4X4, and oncoming cars were always zipping past you at an unbelievable speed).

The Unforgiving Wind

There are plenty of fishing opportunities over here, but the wind can really limit your fishing time! The recommended spot is very lovely. A pretty cafe/restaurant sat just above the beach. In the tiny harbour just south of us, yachts were getting ready for their Sunday cruise. The beach has a gradual slope, so wading out was not a problem. The waves however, were not as friendly. The northeasterly wind gained its strength as the sun rose. It was impossible to flyfish (at least for me anyways ::) ) so the good old spinning rod was brought out. Back in Australia, surf fishing was always done on a heavy stick that allowed me to whip a large chunk of weight out. This light spincasting with a 1/8oz spoon was slightly more difficult. Having large waves pounding against your body and lifting up your feet briefly was certainly an interesting experience. This other large fisherman jokingly asked if we had lead tied to our shoes as he was having trouble holding ground even though he weighs 150kg. ;D

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060514_1.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060514_1.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060514_2.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060514_2.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060514_3.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060514_3.jpg)

Another Species to the List

Once I felt my way around the beach, I was more familiar with what to look for. Eventually I focused on a slight drop-off where I thought some fish may hold. After several casts into the spot, I felt a light tug and a few heavy kicks followed after I pulled the rod up. Hey, there was a fish on the line! Something actually wanted to grab the 1/8oz spoon that I made. ;) I turned around and called Nina on the beach, she had this puzzled look on her face as if she didn't think I was going to catch anything. ::) I slowly made my way back to shore while making sure the fish wasn't diving into any weed beds. The fish eventually emerged from the cloudy water. Both of us took a look at it then asked each other, "what is that?"

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060514_4.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060514_4.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060514_5.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060514_5.jpg)

A few quick photos and the fish was let go. I took a brief break as the wind was just too bloody cold. The rest of the morning produced nothing. No garfish were sighted, even though one local family who was heading out on the boat said that they found it unbelievable as lots of fish have been caught lately. ::)

Oh yes, the question of the day is, what species is that? The fish is commonly known as an "ide", its Danish name is Rimte. It belongs to the carp family, normally feeds on insects but sometimes on small fish such as roach or bleak. Interesting looking fish indeed. It was very solid when I held it, and it has these pretty red fins. Another new species added to the catch list. :)

When we returned, I corresponded by email with another friend who used to live in the area where we fished. He said the fishing has actually been good down there, as his friend managed to connect with dozens of garfish as well as some cod and one large sea trout that was 9lb! ::)

By the way, we've been seeing large populations of swans gathering on some of the beaches as well as lakes. Swans are the national bird of Denmark, so they are quite protected. I took this photo late in the afternoon at a lake nearby.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060514_6.jpg)

Hope you enjoy the read. It's 9:15am, Nina's at school, I am considering trekking into Downtown Copenhagen... :)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Big Steel on May 15, 2006, 04:21:11 PM
Nice piece of work on the Journal Rodney!!  Interesting fish as well!! ;D  But it does seem a bit like the Danish waters are on to you!!  I think all of us here would like to see you put up a big number day, or at least catch something bigger than a couple of pounds!! ;D ;D  Come on man, we're losing some faith in you!! ??? ;D ;D ;D ;D
  BTW, great pics of the coast line as well!!  Keep em comin'!! ;D
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on May 17, 2006, 08:22:04 PM
Size doesn't matter. ;) :P

Here is an update. We have not done any fishing since last Sunday, so not much to report. Yesterday we strolled into Downtown Copenhagen, which is really just a short bus ride away. We eventually came across this outdoor exhibition of wildlife photographs and spent quite a bit of time looking at them as they were just so well done.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060517_1.jpg)

The photographer's name is Steve Bloom, you can see most of his work on his website (http://www.stevebloom.com).

We also visited Nyhavn as usual, which is this canal port just outside the main shopping street. On a hot summer day, the edge of the canal is usually lined with people.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060517_2.jpg)

So I made a note on how the fishing can be difficult here when it is windy last time. The locals say that you simply have to adapt to it as it is windy most of the time here. I thought last Sunday was too windy for beach fishing, until a friend showed me some video clips of their recent trip.

Clip one (http://10stille.dk/video.php?id=22&guest=b2bfc0abb9)

Clip two (http://10stille.dk/video.php?id=61&guest=b2bfc0acc9)

(http://10stille.dk/pictures/10stille/20040321/pust.jpg)

:o

Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on May 19, 2006, 05:27:45 AM
Urban Angling

This morning we woke up at 6:30am and decided to make a trip to a nearby beach. Without the luxury of a car like we normally do in Canada, getting to places is not impossible, but it does require a bit more effort. The network of train, bus, metro around Copenhagen is well planned. From our doorstep, we can hop on a bus that comes by once every ten minutes and we will arrive in Downtown in no time. Today's journey involved a short bus ride, followed by a 15 minute trip on the Metro. The Metro is a network of computer-controlled trains that operate at a five to ten minute interval. If you miss one train, the next one usually arrives soon after. This efficient system is fairly similar to our skytrain, except it is mostly underground. It is being expanded further within the next decade or so. When complete, one can simply get on a Metro train when arrived at the Copenhagen Airport and be in Downtown within 20 minutes. The last leg of the journey was a 1km walk to the beach.

Today's destination is Amager Strandpark, which is actually an artificially made land. The park includes a long lovely beach where sunbathers and swimmers gather at in the summer. Swimmers were no where to be found today, as it was cloudy and somewhat cool with a light breeze.

To our north, we could see a line of wind mills that were motoring away to generate the needed electricity in Denmark. Wind mills are a main source of electric power in this country, about 20% of the electricity comes from these giant machines. In a country that is constantly battered by strong wind, taking advantage of this clean and renewable resource is certainly a well worth it.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060519_1.jpg)

To our south, the long bridge that connects Denmark and Sweden could be seen at times when it emerged from the fast moving clouds.

Another Species on the List

Our first fishing attempt took place on the beach. Wading out, we found patches of sandy bottom around weed beds where we could cast our lure and flies to. After an hour of fishing, we came up empty and the wind picked up, it was beginning to look rather discouraging.

We decided to move to the back of a breakwater at the end of the beach, where we could be sheltered from the wind.

The fish species that we targeted today was garfish. Each May and June, millions of garfish travel down to the Baltic Sea and spawn. It apparently is not unusual to witness the sea to be blackened by these long fish. Garfish are pelagic and predatory, so they are always willing to chase down a swimming food source. This seaonal fishery is participated by thousands of Danes each year. Because they are easy to catch and tasty on a frying pan, the garfish harvest suits anyone who wishes to give fishing a go.

My goal today was to get one on the fly. I have been told my Martin on Global Flyfisher that any bright orange patterns would work well. Right before I left Canada, I had tied up some orange wooly buggers, hoping they would do the trick.

The new spot behind the breakwater was pretty quiet too after awhile. It was starting to look grim. The orange fly sat just below the surface as I stripped it in slowly each time. The water was crystal clear, and no fish were in sight.

Eventually, while daydreaming away, I spotted a few needle-like fish cruising by in front of me. Few seconds later, I felt a slow pull while stripping in my line. I lifted up the rod, thinking the kelp may have been playing a trick on me again, but a garfish began to dance on the end of my line! Finally, a garfish on the fly after many attempts! :D Although it did not take any long runs, this fish wiggled from side to side, splashing on the surface on numerous occasions. I made my way down to the edge of the water as Nina snapped a couple of photos. My first attempt to grab the fish was a failure. This thin slippery critter wiggled its way out of my hand. The second attempt resulted in the fly popping off the line. ::) Nina and I could only watch as it slowly made its way back to the deep.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060519_2.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060519_2.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060519_3.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060519_3.jpg)

Seeing that my fly finally worked, Nina wanted to use one under a Drennan float as well. It did not take long for another garfish to bury that Drennan float. This time the fish was well hooked. Nina was able to lift it up for a quick photo before we released it.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060519_4.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060519_4.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060519_5.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060519_5.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060519_6.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060519_6.jpg)

The jaw of a garfish is a long bony beak. Because it is rather hard, penetrating a hook into it is rather difficult. Most of the time a fish is not hook when it takes the fly.

Towards the end of our trip, I decided to take the spinning rod out and cast a tiny 1/8oz spoon a few times. On the first cast, I felt a distinct tug but managed to do an empty hook-set. The same thing happened several casts later, but one fish surfaced as I missed the hit. There was clearly a school of fish right in front of me. Excited, I made another cast but this time I chose to delay my hook-set. The result was a proper hook-up but that fish also came right off after a short fight. This feeding frenzy only took place within about five minutes before the school moved on.

Despite of the fact that we ended the morning with only a few fish hooked, it was good to pin down another fishing location on the map for future references.

Stay tuned, more to come hopefully. ;)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: TrophyHunter on May 19, 2006, 08:53:26 AM
Sounds like you are having a great time Rod!!!  those are some cool looking fish, it is nice that you are getting a chance to fish for some different species, alot of us are living vicariously through you so make sure you keep those reports coming!!!!!  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on May 19, 2006, 03:02:46 PM
Thanks Rick, wait until you see the video later on this year. ;)

So far the fishing has been satisfactory. Four species within one week is pretty good. The filming on the other hand has been difficult due to the weather. The wind, as mentioned before, is simply brutal. This evening the clouds were being blown around so fast that it was sunny for a minute and rain was coming down sideways before you blink. ::)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on May 20, 2006, 07:48:59 AM
The garfish fever continued as we decided to spend a few hours down at the harbour this morning. The wind did not die down overnight, instead it was even gustier today when we arrived at the beach. The good news was the wind was blowing from the beach to the ocean so it made casting slightly easier.

I decided to give flyfishing a rest today, as the blisters on my hand from casting needed some TLC. I tied on a 1/8oz spoon that performed wonderfully yesterday. The first cast resulted in a couple of bumps as soon as I began reeling in the spoon. The second cast came up empty. On my third cast, one bump turned into a slow pull. I set the hook and found a feisty garfish on the end of my line. Unfortunately, while Nina was rushing to the video camera, it popped off as soon as it surfaced.

Not to worry, as one hook-up after three casts is always a good sign. I continued to spincast at several different locations. Two more fish were hooked but again they fell off immediately. The single hook was sharp, but the slow action rod could not penetrate it through the garfish's hard mouth. Although having constant bite was entertaining, not being able to land any fish was surely frustrating.

Nina continued with her float fishing from yesterday as it required least amount of reeling. She was unable to connect with any during the time of my fish losses. A new idea popped up on my head and I decided to give it a try on Nina's rod. I decided to cast the float out and slowly retrieve it and let the tiny fly swim just below the surface. On my first cast, the float dipped once but the hook-up came up empty. It may have been weed, but the hook was clear of any algae. The float dipped again on my second troll, but it had resurfaced when I wanted to pull. The third cast pathetically fell short, but I decided to troll instead of reeling it in quickly. As soon as I started trolling, the float was buried! This classic burial was no weed, it was a fish for sure. I give the hook a brief set and indeed a fish surfaced on the end of the line. The top water action was spectacular as the long garfish wiggled from side to side. It appeared we had a school of fish directly in front of us. This time I was able to land the fish, as it had swallowed the tiny #10 orange fly completely. After a quickk photo with the fish, I bit the line off and let it swim away freely. ;D

During the remainder of our outing, both Nina and I worked on the same trolling technique and were able to produce about two dozen hook-ups. Finally we were able to fine-tune the technique and produce consistently. Everytime a school of garfish approached shore, we would experience multiple hook-ups. At one point, a fish attacked the fly on the surface right after a cast. :)

The wind was probably the main factor that kept the number of hook-ups conservative. As we approached noon, the wind became twice as strong as rain storms approached us. The whole weather business seemed so normal for the locals, as people were out yachting, windsurfing and even trolling a fishing rod on a sea kayak. :o

The peak season for garfish has apparently passed. We never had a chance to witness thousands of fish boiling on the surface, but we certainly can't complain about the fishing that we experienced in the last couple of days.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060520_3.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060520_3.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060520_2.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060520_2.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060520_1.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060520_1.jpg)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Trout Slayer on May 20, 2006, 06:09:21 PM
Hey Rodney whack one of those things on the head ziploc it and throw in your suitcase for me. I have a funny feeling it could work excellent for sturgeon. 8)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: huntwriter on May 20, 2006, 11:10:29 PM
Hey Rodney thanks for these great report from good old Europe. Being from Europe, Switzerland, myself I get a bit homesick. Especially in the part where you describe the local shops and their high quality and tasty food.

Keep it up as I truly enjoy reading the reports. Glad you have fun, keep that up too. The only part I felt for you was the landing in Frankfurt. I have traveled all over the world, professionally, and the more I sat in airplains the more I hated it.
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Lew Chater on May 21, 2006, 06:27:11 AM
Great journal Rodney. Enjoy reading of your exploits into new fishing territory. The garfish is certainly an interesting looking fish. Are they fished commercially and have you tried eating them? Your description of the Danish area and the way of life, food, travel, accommodation is really good to have to compare. The only thing missing as compared to Chris's journal is that I haven't heard of you finding any coffee cups, bottles or cans or Drennan floats.
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on May 21, 2006, 02:34:18 PM
Lew, bottles and cans are rare finds on the street in Denmark. ;) Although the Danes burn up some of the items that we would recycle in Canada, their existing recycling system is very effective. A 2 litre bottle has a $1 recycling deposit, so I doubt it is in anyone's interest to simply throw them away instead of returning them. The plastic bottles are thicker and heavier here, as they are reused after washed instead of being shredded up for new products.

Explosive Surface Action

This morning I brought the fly rod out even though the wind was actually stronger than yesterday. The good news was that the wind was blowing directly from land to the sea, so casting was slightly easier but I still met challenges at times. Due to the wind direction, there were no large pounding waves like we saw the last couple of days. The sea was rather flat, and this allowed us to spot any movement on or just below the surface.

The first hour produced nothing. While Nina was taking a short break, I finally had a hit and it was on the line immediately. As I was slowly making my way back to shore with the fish, Nina had taken out the video camera and captured the landing. ;) Today we decided to keep a couple just to try it out on the dinner plate. This one went on dry land and was dispatched immediately. :)

For a week now, I've been looking for signs of surface movement that has been described by other garfish anglers. Today I finally witnessed the show directly in front of me while fishing. After the first fish, schools of garfish began to emerge. At times, small patches on the surface would boil as if rain droplets were hitting them. These patches of splashes moved around at a very fast rate. Anytime I placed my fly not too far from a school of fish, I was able to hook up within seconds. The excitement was all captured on video as I hooked and lost fish on numerous occasions. Sticking that size 10 hook into the bony mouth was indeed frustrating at times, but being able to hook up on literally every cast while beach fishing was a rare treat.

The surface action lasted about one hour before they moved on. It appeared to be tide dependent as the bite came on and off almost around the same time in the last three days.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060521_1.jpg)

The Busy Channel and Hamlet's Castle

In the afternoon we decided to take a trip up north by car to visit Helsingør. Helsingør is a port that is around 40km north of Copenhagen. It sits by the narrowest channel between Denmark and Sweden, making it an important entrance for people arriving from Sweden. This was my second time visiting the area, and the ferry operation between Helsingør and Helsingborg in Sweden still amazes me. Between the two ports, several ferry companies operate sailings on a very regular basis. Each sailing takes about 20 minutes. This is one of the two options to get into Sweden. The other would be the new bridge from Copenhagen that was launched in July 2000.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060521_2.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060521_2.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060521_3.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060521_3.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060521_4.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060521_4.jpg)

As we sat, watched and filmed, several ferries made their way to and from Helsingborg. Denmark is an island nation, the sea is a way of life and that is certainly the case in Helsingør.

Helsingør is also famous for the Kronborg Slot (castle) that sits quietly next to the busy port. Kronborg Slot, better known as the Elsinore Castle featured in Shakespeare's play Hamlet, was originally built to collect shipping tolls in the 1400s. To date, the castle has survived fires and wars. Today, it is a museum that houses Denmark's rich history. We were there a bit late today, so the museum was not opened. We were able to walk around the castle and see some of the most interesting architectural designs.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060521_5.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060521_5.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060521_6.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060521_6.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060521_7.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060521_7.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060521_8.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060521_8.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060521_9.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060521_9.jpg)

What was more interesting to see this evening was the fishermen who lined up along the shores of the port and Kronborg Slot. Because the channel is narrow and deep, your chance of catching a nice bottom fish such as cod, sole or flounder is quite good. While we were there, we talked to a guy who caught a couple of nice soles. We also saw one atlantic cod released and one around 2lb kept. An interesting place to fish for sure, exotic in is own way.
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on May 22, 2006, 08:12:21 AM
After several days of waving that fly stick against all weather elements, I took a break from fishing. We are currently getting ready for a trip to Bornholm, a Danish Island located just south of Sweden. Hopefully the trip will bring some more beach actions with the local advices that I have been given.

Today I Cooked up the two garfish that I brought home yesterday. It is nice to try out some fresh saltwater fish for once instead of the usual trout and salmon. The garfish were seasoned with salt and pepper, grilled in the oven for ten minutes. I was too excited and didn't realize that I needed a photo of the cooked fish until all were in my stomach. ::) They are delicious slightly bony but with some patience it is not too hard to take them out. One unique feature of these garfish is their bones, which are actually green.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_01.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_01.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_02.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_02.jpg)

In the afternoon, the sun finally emerged for a long period of time after the long stormy week. We took a walk to Frederiksberg Garden, which is basically behind our apartment. Founded in the late 1700s, Frederiksberg Garden is a peaceful refuge where Copenhagen residents spend their free time in the summer to escape the fast-paced city life. In the centre of the garden stands Frederiksberg Castle, which overlooks the park from a hill. Birds populate the complex network of canal around the garden. Geese, ducks, swans and herons are often spoiled by garden visitors with feeds.

I took a bunch of photos, hope you will enjoy some of these.

Frederiksberg Garden and Castle

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_03.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_03.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_04.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_04.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_05.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_05.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_06.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_06.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_07.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_07.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_08.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_08.jpg)

Geese, swans, herons, ducks and jackdaws

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_09.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_09.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_10.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_10.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_11.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_11.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_12.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_12.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_13.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_13.jpg)

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_14.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_14.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_15.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_15.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_16.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_16.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_17.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_17.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_18.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060522_18.jpg)

Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: joshuag232 on May 22, 2006, 08:38:02 AM
  :D green bones
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: stryker 07 on May 22, 2006, 06:06:48 PM
Hi Rodney,With all these great pics and reports who needs to travel around the globe?? ;D
These reports make me feel that i was there myself.Have a great holiday with Nina.
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Big Steel on May 23, 2006, 02:51:45 PM
Great reports and awesome photos Rodney!! :o  Keep em coming!! ;) ;D
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: TrophyHunter on May 23, 2006, 03:16:27 PM
you are going to be able to write a travel book complete with pics when you get back lol ;D  those are some really nice pics and a couple are now on my computer to become wallpaper .. have a great trip
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: itosh on May 24, 2006, 11:43:50 PM
Ummm... if you don't mind me saying, Rodney, I think it is time that you buy your woman a new jacket?!?!?!  I'm sure she will appreciate it also... lol ;D ;D ;D

Shane
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on May 29, 2006, 05:05:02 PM
Several journal entries coming up after a week of absence, we have been away for a few days. :)

Bornholm Here We Come!
May 24th, 2006

Last week I finally had a chance to visit Bornholm for several days. Bornholm is a Danish Island that is just south of Sweden. Due to its location, it's a favorite vacation island for countries that surround the Baltic Sea, such as Denmark, Sweden, Poland and Germany. Bornholm is a land of natural, geological and human history. The presence of human on the island dates back several thousands years. Its recent history involves conflict and violence as it has been claimed by several countries over the last one thousand years. Today it is a peaceful northern oasis that is frozen in time.

Here is a map of Bornholm (http://www.peterlars.dk/Andet/Bornholm2003/BillederBornholm2003/bornholm.jpg) for future references.

To get there, we first had to cross the bridge between Denmark and Sweden. The bridge was opened in the year 2000, second longest in the world. Underneath tbe bridge is a tunnel, where trains travel between the two countries. Crossing this bridge is not cheap, each way's toll costs around $60, but it sure is a lot more convenient than the ferry rides before this connection. The beginning of the bridge takes us through this long tunnel which goes underneath part of the strait. It was probably the nicest tunnel I've ever been in, some of you will get a chance to see it in the video a couple of months from now.

Once in Sweden, the drive to the ferry terminal was about an hour. Sweden countryside is just as pretty, but hillier. Driving in the countryside is indeed a luxury. There isn't a freeway, most of the time we were on a single lane road. Intersections are mostly round-abouts, so you don't lose time by waiting for traffic lights to change.

The ferry ride was pretty sweet. Most people reserve when they choose to take the ferry. At the gate, simply plug in your reservation number and you are set to go. The ferry that we were on looks almost like our retired fast ferries, except it is wider, shorter, and probably faster. ;D Cruising speed of this boat is 70kph. :o

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_01.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_01.jpg)
The view of our ferry before docking

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_02.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_02.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_03.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_03.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_04.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_04.jpg)
Interior of the ferry

The restaurant food was pretty good, but just a bit pricy like everything else in this country. The entire ferry trip took about 1 hour 20 minutes. The ferry took us to a city called Rønne on the western side of Bornholm. The place where we stayed at is located at the northern end of the island, just outside the town called Allinge.

First thing I noticed when driving into Allinge or other small towns on the island was... The streets are super narrow! It was especially exciting when the narrow street also involves a hill. ;) Allinge, like all the other seaside towns, has at least one small harbour. The harbour acts as the centre of the town where people gather. On a sunny day, sitting at a seaside cafe while eating ice cream seems to be every tourist as well as local's favorite activity.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_05.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_05.jpg)
Allinge Harbour

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_06.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_06.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_07.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_07.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_08.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_08.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_09.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_09.jpg)
Some shots of Allinge, notice the narrow streets lined with very old houses

The shoreline around Allinge consists of rugged rocky beaches. The water is quite deep from shore and I was told that atlantic cod travel through these waters so catching them from shore is possible. We never did catch a cod because we lacked the gear used for them. Most people use a pretty heavy spincasting or baitcasting outfit and jig a large lure close to the bottom. The first evening we spent a bit of time fly and spin fishing on the rocks. I managed to lose an unknown fish and missed a few bites on both the fly and spinning rods, most likely garfish.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_10.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_10.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_11.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_11.jpg)
The rocky shoreline

In each seaside town, it's not unusual to see houses with a large chimney. These are the smoke houses. Bornholm is famous for its smoked fish, especially smoked herring.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_12.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060524_12.jpg)

The story of May 25th to 27th will come later. It's 3am (and the sky outside is already blue!!!) so I am going to bed. ;)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Nina on May 30, 2006, 11:01:16 PM
Quote from: itosh on May 24, 2006, 11:43:50 PM
Ummm... if you don't mind me saying, Rodney, I think it is time that you buy your woman a new jacket?!?!?!  I'm sure she will appreciate it also... lol ;D ;D ;D

Shane

Ooh, new fishing jacket, good idea!  ;D

Actually, we have talked for a long time about buying me a fishing jacket. That yellow gortex jacket I use is bad luck when fishing, I tell ya…  ::)

I am sure the reason Rodney wants me to have a new jacket is just so I can carry some more of all his fishing gear when we are out on the rivers. That way he can run off to his favourite fishing holes even faster.  ;)

Of course, I would not settle for anything cheap. Maybe a Simms…?  ;D  ;D

Anyway, we are probably going fishing in a local river this weekend and we might go to Jutland next week to fish for sea trout and graylings. Hopefully, we will get some nice photos of some fish and not so much of churches and other cultural things  ::)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: DutchAngler on May 31, 2006, 08:56:34 AM
Hi, Rod and Nina!

You're actually quite close to the Netherlands now. Welcome to Europe!
If you try for Garfish some more, try adding another one or two split rings between lure (spoon) and hook. It tends to improve the hookup ratio dramatically!
Good to see you're having fun!

Greetz,
Peter.
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: phatwop on May 31, 2006, 09:50:19 AM
Quote
Today I Cooked up the two garfish that I brought home yesterday. It is nice to try out some fresh saltwater fish for once instead of the usual trout and salmon. The garfish were seasoned with salt and pepper, grilled in the oven for ten minutes. I was too excited and didn't realize that I needed a photo of the cooked fish until all were in my stomach. ::) They are delicious slightly bony but with some patience it is not too hard to take them out. One unique feature of these garfish is their bones, which are actually green.


how did they taste?
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on May 31, 2006, 01:17:49 PM
The garfish tasted great! I grilled up the ones I caught Asian style with generous amount of salt sprinkled on them. The bones were not too annoying as the big ones were very visible since they are green. The small ones were soft and thin enough to be consumed with the meat.

The following day we had garfish again, this time with Nina's family. The fish were filleted and deboned, covered in egg and breadcrumb, seasoned with salt and pepper, and finally pan fried until golden brown. They were served with potato and a parsley cream sauce. It was fantastic. There'll be videos of the entire preparation in a couple of months in the subscribers section.


Thanks Peter. ;D Your trip to BC is getting very close now, excited I guess. :) When exactly are you fishing with IronNoggin as we will be fishing with him around the last week of July as well. Thanks for the garfish tips. The season for them is pretty much over now. The bulk of the run has passed through but I'm sure there are still some fish left. In July we'll be mostly focusing on freshwater species - Perch, pike, brown trout and grayling. :)


Simms jacket... ::)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on May 31, 2006, 02:28:08 PM
Fishless on Bornholm
May 25th, 2006

Bornholm is one of the better places to fish in the Baltic Sea. Its shoreline ranges from steep rock faces to shallow algae beds, meaning a variety of saltwater species are available. Common target species include sea trout, garfish, atlantic cod, sole and herring.

Unfortunately, our timing was slightly off as the best month of sea trout is April. Sea trout are migratory brown trout that spend a portion of their life in the ocean and spawn in coastal streams during the winter months. During early spring, sea trout move along the shallow water and feed as a sudden rise of sea water temperature translates into a boom of food source.

Bormholm also has more than a dozen lakes where fishing is available. A few lakes are free, while a $10 day card/licence is required to fish in the others that are managed by the Bornholm Fishing Association. Daily use fee is common at almost all lakes and streams in Europe, something unheard of in Canada where fishing can be done almost anywhere as long as you have an annual licence. Most of the lakes on Bornholm are inhabited with the typical European freshwater species, these include northern pike, perch, carp, roach, tench and trout if the lake is stream-fed.

Because we were told the coastal beach fishing was just about over, we decided to purchase two days of licences and focus on some lake fishing. Just behind the place where we stayed is the largest lake on Bornholm, called Hammersø. Like every other lake around here, Hammersø has a trail that lines along its shore, so access is convenient. On this day, we woke up to find that the gusty wind had arrived, not unusual for an island that is not sheltered by any other land. We arrived at Hammersø and found waves were pounding along the shoreline, not exactly ideal for fishing. Luckily, the pier sits at the western end was sheltered by the cliff behind it so we could fish on it comfortably.

The lake is pretty heavily structured. The shallows are covered with weed, which would be fantastic for pikes to hide and prey on small fish. Schools of small fish, mostly roach and small perch, constantly swam by as I watched for a few minutes. The water was clear, the sun was shining straight through it, all signs indicated a potentially productive lake.

While Nina was still fiddling with her spinning rod, I made my first cast with a large spinner that has a size 6 french blade on. It only took a few turns before I felt a solid tug at the end of the line. I set the hook immediately and the entire rod was bent to the cork. Finally it appeared to be a good size fish! Nina quickly took the video camera out as the fish made a few hard kicks. I didn't need to hold back and wait for the camera to be turned on, because the fish was gaining line on me. When the camera came on, the dreadful slack suddenly appeared at the end of the line. The fish had freed itself in the weed bed. >:( I guess my date with a large pike was not meant to be. :-\

The only fish we saw in the rest of that morning were the ones milling about by the pier. We called it quit at noon for our lunch and some cultural experience on the island. ::)

Our first stop after lunch was the Baltic Sea Glass (http://www.balticseaglass.com/Page.asp). Beside the smoked herring, Bornholm is famous for its production of glass. Its gallery (http://www.balticseaglass.com/Page.asp?Id=512) had a display of beautifully designed glasswares, while the glass making process at the studio (http://www.balticseaglass.com/Page.asp?Id=513) was fascinating to watch.

Our second stop was Hammershus, one of Northern Europe's largest castle ruins. Built in the 1300s, Hammershus has had a long bloody history. It sits on the highland of the northwestern coast, most likely so enemies could be spotted easily as they approached the island. Today, only a few pieces of the castle remain at this high point.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_01.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_01.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_02.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_02.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_03.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_03.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_04.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_04.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_10.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_10.jpg)

The view from Hammershus was spectacular. From the coastal side of the ruins, we could see the large waves pounding against the high cliffs. Large herds of sheep could be found grazing on the hill just below the ruins. A series of trails allowed us to walk down the hill. The experience was breathtaking.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_05.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_05.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_06.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_06.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_07.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_07.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_08.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_08.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_09.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_09.jpg)

In the evening we decided to visit Hammersø again, just to see if it made a difference during low light. ::) It didn't, except a perch that was almost as big as my spinner decided to be friendly with the 2/0 hook.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_11.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_11.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_12.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_12.jpg)

Just before sun down, we went for a drive. The constant weather change means the colours on this island are always evolving. An amazing view was always waiting for us around the corner.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_13.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_13.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_14.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060525_14.jpg)

May 26th comes tomorrow, maybe with more fish. ;)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Big Steel on May 31, 2006, 05:40:04 PM
Thanks again for the journel Rod!!  Very interesting read, and great job on the pics, that one of the sunset at the bottom is incredible!! ;D ;D :o
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: DutchAngler on June 01, 2006, 02:03:00 AM
Echo on the pics, wel done!

Yes, Rod, we're just over seven weeks away from our flight. Starting to worry about weight limits and such....  ;)

We booked Randy for August 4th and IronNoggin for the 15th.  8) 8) Absolutely looking forward to that! 

I'm also preparing a website for the trip, I'll post the URL here and on the FishBC forum once the preparations are done.

Have a good time in Denmark!

Peter.
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: norm_2 on June 01, 2006, 12:12:02 PM
Great photos Rod! One thing I notice about the photos is that there are very few people in them.  Is it not tourist season or are there few people there?
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on June 01, 2006, 12:37:32 PM
Good observation and question Norm. As mentioned earlier, Bornholm is a popular tourist destination but it is not peak tourist season yet, not for another month or so when the weather becomes warmer. During our stay, there were places where large crowd of German, Swedish, Danish tourists gathered. I just kind of unconsciously filtered them out of my photographs when I was trying to capture the beauty of the island. ;) It was quite a sight to watch these huge tourist busses, some double deckers, moving down a sloped narrow street to the harbours. :)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: DutchAngler on June 03, 2006, 06:19:47 AM
Hey, Rodney, if you need/want some pike streamers I could probably send them to you in a day or so, as you're in Denmark.
You'd need at least a #8 or a spinning rod to cast them: They're fairly bulky. But it's the BEST way (Not the easiest, not the most productive, but the BEST) way to fish for the green monsters.... :) :) :)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on June 03, 2006, 06:57:27 AM
I am still playing catch-up, two more entries on the Bornholm trip to go. :) Yesterday the sky finally cleared in Copenhagen, the temperature suddenly soared and people emerged onto the streets. :D We spent some time fishing in a couple of small lakes in the evening. In the past, these lakes always produced some pikes in the winter when we fished them. We suspected that after the cold winter we had this year, there had been a winterkill. Well, at least that has been our excuse so far. ::) I decided to fish with a size 2 spinner yesterday for perch and a small yet chubby pike came up and grabbed it as it approached shore. Half of the battle was caught on video until the spinner popped off after a giant leap by the fish. ::) Anyways, back to the Bornholm journal...

Finally Some Result
May 26th, 2006

After a disappointing fishing day on the 25th, we decided to wake up early in the morning to give Hammersø one more go just to see if timing makes a big difference. The howling coastal wind woke us up at 7:00am. We spent 30 minutes fishing at Hammersø with no result. We decided it was time to give the other lakes a go as well.

We drove to a lake called Smaragdsøen, which is basically several feet from the east coast. To get there, we parked our car right on the coast and walked along this trail that was just blasted with strong wind to the lake. The beach view was spectacular.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060526_03.jpg)

Thankfully, the lake is surrounded by tall trees and high bank, so we were pretty sheltered even though it is so close to the beach. The lake is basically a pond in Canadian standard :P and the water clarity is not so good. There is a stream that feeds into the lake from inland, then another stream from the lake that feeds into the ocean. Sadly, a stream in this case, is no wider than 5 feet. Most streams in Europe, have unfortunately been channelized or taken over by farm lands. Tremendous amount of effort has been put in by local fishery societies to restore many lost streams recently, hoping to bring back some of the fisheries that were long lost.

We were told that due to the stream connection, there are sea trout in this particular lake. Upon our arrival, we found that two gentlemen were already fishing at one spot. They were after large carp, several float rods were set up. After fishing by one of the creek mouths briefly, we witnessed several very large fishing jumping. They were all sea trout, doing what they do best, leaping completely out of the water and creating huge splashes. All the ones we saw were easily between 5 and 10lb. :o I also saw a large pike cruising by slowly only several feet directly in front of me. Signs of fish while fishing are always good, because it raises your confidence. :) Luck was with Nina this morning ::) as she managed to hook and land three good sized perch on a tiny silver spinner that I had made up. All fish grabbed the lure only several feet from shore.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060526_01.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060526_01.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060526_02.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060526_02.jpg)

It was sunny during the entire fishing time, we were actually getting hot in our waders since no wind was getting to us. After these fish, we decided to go into town for a quick lunch. On our way, we could see large storm clouds moving in VERY FAST from the ocean. The weather in Northern Europe sure changes fast. One minute it can be sunny, the next minute rain can be coming down sideways. Once we arrived in town, the storm clouds were already above us. Rain was coming down by the buckets. When we were done with lunch, the sun had come out once again. ;D

Not a whole lot happened that afternoon. We decided to go back to Hammersø around late evening because we just love to get skunked. Nina had bought some worms so she wanted to try them under the float for perch. On her first cast, the float disappeared while we were still organizing our gear. A tiny perch was on the end of the line when she pulled the rig in. ::) I walked around the lakeshore briefly that evening, and found couple of places where groundwater was feeding into the lake. Large schools of baitfish circled around these outlets, where the vegetation was also different to the rest of the lake substrate.

Behind Hammersø, is this giant man-made "lake". It is basically this large cylindrical pool that was cut straight into a rocky cliff. Nina told me that it was once used by the Nazis to hide submarines. I don't know much about it other than that, so you'll have to ask her. ;)

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060526_04.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060526_04.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060526_05.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060526_05.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060526_06.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060526_06.jpg)

After fishing and not catching at Hammersø, we drove up to Hammershus once again to see the sunset. It was worth it. Back in Vancouver, we never get to see a sunset on the ocean. :)

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060526_07.jpg)

On the way back, we encountered two common animals that roam the woods and farmlands of Bornholm - Deer and hare. Both were once completely removed from the island but only to be reintroduced later on in the 1800s. More in the videos later. ;)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on June 03, 2006, 07:08:45 AM
Quote from: DutchAngler on June 03, 2006, 06:19:47 AM
Hey, Rodney, if you need/want some pike streamers I could probably send them to you in a day or so

Hey Peter, thanks for the generous offer but I actually already have a bunch of those streamers. I have not used them but plan to (tomorrow actually ;) ) either cast them with my spinning rod or my 8 weight fly rod. I was just discussing this with Chrome Mykiss yesterday about what I would need to do to cast them on the fly rod. Most of the fish that I've seen rolling were only several feet from shore, maybe I'll just drop it down directly. ;D

Our upcoming agenda includes a trip with the gangs of www.globalflyfisher.com and another forum member on June 9th to 11th. :) After that we may get in a couple more river trips for pikes.

Looking forward to see your write-ups on the upcoming trip to Canada. :)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: DutchAngler on June 03, 2006, 03:08:13 PM
Rodney, man, that's a pretty picture.... again....

As for the flies: No sweat, you've got the contacts to do really well. I was tying some pike streamers, and thought I might as well share them...If you don't need them, it's all for the better....

It's just that this is a fishery I love, maybe best of all. I have no trout streams or lakes 'round. But I can tie a streamer, walk out of my front door, and be in for a decent "duckmouth" within seconds. Or not see one in days, of course, but the potential is there.....

I'll be finalizing my website preps this week or so. Contents=0, but just wait for July 25th.....
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on June 04, 2006, 03:04:47 AM
Final Day on Bornholm: Going back in Time
May 27th, 2006

On our final day, we woke up to a gorgeous morning. Not only it was sunny, the wind actually died down for once. :o We decided to spend the entire morning visiting some of the famous historical landmarks on the island. There are literally hundreds of places of interest but one would need to stay for a month to tour this island properly. The best we could do, like all the other countries where we have visited, was to pick out a few locations that really interest us instead of rushing from one place to the next.

Our first destination was the "helleristninger", meaning holy carving. There are several carving sites on the island. We visited one that is only a few kilometers from where we stayed. These carvings on rocks date back to the Stone and Bronze Ages. Symbols that can be easily recognized include ships, stars and suns. The interesting feature about these carvings is that they were not all carved at the same time, but over a long period of time at the exact same locations on the island. The exact meaning of these is unknown. Today these sites are declared as EU heritage sites. Similar carvings can also be found on the southern coast of Sweden.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_01.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_01.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_02.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_02.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_03.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_03.jpg)

More info on helleristninger (http://www.bornholmsmuseer.dk/helleristninger/English/English.html)

Our second stop was Østerlars Rundkirke, a white round church. It's not only a white round church, but the largest one of the four white round churches that are not found anywhere else in the world but Bornholm.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_04.jpg)

Beside the unique architecture of Østerlars Rundkirke, its historical importance is what attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year. The church's history dates back to the 12th century, and has been used as a place of worship as well as a shelter for protection and defence against the enemies from the sea.

Exterior views of the Østerlars Rundkirke

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_05.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_05.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_06.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_06.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_07.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_07.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_08.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_08.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_09.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_09.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_10.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_10.jpg)

Interior views of Østerlars Rundkirke

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_11.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_11.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_12.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_12.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_13.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_13.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_14.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_14.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_15.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_15.jpg)

Inside the church, narrow steep steps spirally line along the side of the church and lead us to the top, where we were able to observe how the roof of the church was constructed. Tiny windows along the narrow hallway allowed us to peek out and the view was absolutely spectacular.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_16.jpg)

Part two of our last day on Bornholm will come later. We're going pike fishing now. ;D
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on June 05, 2006, 11:40:49 AM
Ok, so no pikes yesterday. :P I had a couple brief connections but no solid landings. But hey, look at this! :o

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060604_1.jpg)

What the heck is that?? Any guesses? ;)

Anyways...

Final Day on Bornholm: Going back in Time (Part Two)
May 27th, 2006

After a morning of history lessons, it was time for lunch. We headed into a town called Svaneke on the eastern coast. The streets were alive on this Saturday. Driving into these towns was always difficult as the streets are narrow and the parking is usually located in the harbour. You have to slowly make your way through town and eventually find a parking spot. Not a big deal though, because it gave me a chance to browse around as we move through the streets slowly.

At the town centre, a small market was in progress. People took advantage of the sunny weather by having their pastries, desserts, coffee just outside the bakery. We found a restaurant that was offering a herring buffet. For just less than 20 dollars per person, we had a choice of ten different kinds of herring (one smoked and nine different marinated kinds). It was quite a treat for the taste buds, but certainly not something I can eat on a regular basis. The smoked herring was good, but not as good as the ones we bought at a small smoke house a couple of days before. The marinated herrings were also good, but the sherry flavoured one did not go well with me. :-X

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_17.jpg)
Smoked herring with brown bread, a typical bornholm dish. There is also a small piece of deep fried marinated herring beside it.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_18.jpg)
The yellow one beside the egg is curry flavoured marinated herring. Moving to the right, there is a piece of deep fried marinated herring, a piece of vinegar flavoured herring, a piece of sherry flavoured herring. The large piece is a salted herring, very salty, yet fantastic when eaten with bread.

After lunch, we made our way to the final sightseeing stop of the trip - Dueodde. Dueodde is on the southern end of the island. The coast is famous for its white sandy beach, apparently Denmark's nicest beach, popular in the summer for obvious reasons. Upon our arrival, the sand was indeed very white, and very fine. Looking to either the east or west, all we could see were the white beach, greenish ocean and blue sky. One would almost mistaken this place as the Carribean, except we were all wearing fleece jackets. The water was kind of cold though. I put on the waders and went out for a few casts later on, the legs lasted about 30 minutes.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_19.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_19.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_20.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_20.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_21.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_21.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_22.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_22.jpg)

After Dueodde, we started making our way to a lake not far from the ferry terminal for one last bit of fishing. Nina originally thought the ferry was scheduled to leave at 6:00pm, meaning we had to be at the terminal at 5:45pm the latest. We arrived at the lake at 4:00pm, Nina decided to check the schedule sheet one more time, were we ever lucky that she did... ::) The ferry was actually scheduled to leave at 5:15pm, we were supposed to be at the terminal at 5:00pm the latest.

So, that gave us... 20 minutes of fishing time. ;D Nina baited up her hook with a worm, I started chucking spinners. The worms won. In those 20 minutes, Nina brought in two perch and one roach. :P

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_23.jpg)
The roach

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_24.jpg)
One of the perch

That's what you would call fast action. We sped back to the car soon after the third fish, and made our way to the terminal with five minutes to spare. ;D

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060527_25.jpg)
The wait before boarding.

Back to Copenhagen... Bornholm is indeed a beautiful island that deserves a few more visits in the future. :)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: WestEast on June 05, 2006, 12:46:45 PM
Quote from: Rodney on June 05, 2006, 11:40:49 AM
What the heck is that?? Any guesses? ;)

Hmmmm.... could be a BREAM ? They are sluggish swimmers, but "kite" when caught so they can feel much larger than they look. By the way, I spent a few days in Bornholm about 20 years ago.... quaint place.... and recognise some of your shots.... incredible how some things stay the same.
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on June 05, 2006, 02:40:35 PM
WestEast, that is indeed a bream, one of many species that are targeted regularly by coarse fishermen in Europe. :) Here is a close-up photo.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060604_2.jpg)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Big Steel on June 06, 2006, 07:29:38 PM
That is one ugly-assed fish!!   ??? :o ;D But great job with all the other pics!! ;) ;D
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: WestEast on June 06, 2006, 08:32:23 PM
... and was it 'hook and line' or 'jump 'n' grab?'  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: BwiBwi on June 06, 2006, 10:10:17 PM
Does that fish taste like carp? Did you try Rodney?
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Nina on June 06, 2006, 10:47:28 PM
One of the highlights for me was the visit to the round church.  I was amazed by the engineering and you can hardly stop wondering how many things have happened in such an important place. As Rodney wrote, these churches were not only sites of worship but functioned as small fortresses when enemies were approaching. I especially like the paintings on the walls. These paintings are likely as old as the church itself, as it was a traditionally way of decorating churches from 1080. Back then the masses were always in Latin. This of course meant that peasants (which constituted the majority of the population back then and were forced to go to masses) would have had no chance of understanding what the priests were talking about. Normally, there were no seats either and everyone had to stand up for the duration of the mass. Imagine that, standing for an hour cramped in with all your neighbours listening to someone yakking on and on in a language you do not understand. At least it would give you plenty of time to study these wall paintings, but that was actually just what the church wanted. These paintings served as a kind of cartoon over what the priest was saying, and that way even the simplest peasant got the over all idea. The paintings are really quite illustrative. If you look at the second last picture in Rodneys post about the church you will see Jesus sitting on his cloud. On his right hand all the righteous people who will obviously go to heaven have been depicted and on the left all the damned people are being thrown into hell and eaten by what looks like a giant pacman. One can only imagine what these cartoons did to those poor peasants. Life was tough back then.

In the 1700 many of the painting were covered and painted over because they were considered profane or even vulgar by the church. Much work has gone into finding and recovering these valuable pieces of history.

Anyway, just wanted to share my enthusiasm. Hope you enjoyed the little history lecture  ;D  ;D  ::)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on June 07, 2006, 06:23:31 AM
We let it go. ;) The fight was ok... but would be better on lighter tackle.
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: BwiBwi on June 12, 2006, 01:14:21 AM
Next time remember to bring a hand pole too.  :D
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on June 13, 2006, 02:46:11 PM
Summer has arrived
June 13th, 2006

The heat wave finally arrived last weekend. After weeks of battering wind and rainy days, the weather now is almost too good to be fishing. Last weekend we did a spring creek trip for grayling and brown trout, I'll have to spend a bit of time tomorrow to sort through over a hundred photographs before I write up the journal for that. You all have to wait. :) The fishing story today is just as exciting I think, so here goes...

Not only we have to put up with the heat this week, Nina's apartment is getting some reconstruction. They decided to change the entire pipe system in the building, so no toilet and shower for five days!!! :o To counter this problem, we decided to move into her dad's house, just outside of Copenhagen.

Around this house, there are lots of small shallow lakes. They are not exactly big lakes that we see in BC, but swamps and ponds where vegetation is rather abundant in and around the water. Due to the harsh long winter that we had in Denmark a few months ago, some of these lakes are almost empty due to severe winter kills. A few lakes where we previous fished have yet to produce anything, especially larger predatory species like pike and perch.

Yesterday we decided to check out one of these nearby swamps. We found two anglers fishing on a dock when we arrived. These guys were serious coarse fishermen. They had their carp rods set up with bite alarms and bait runners, as well as float rods for smaller fish. While we were watching, the floats were constantly dipping below the surface, once awhile a fish was being pulled out. We began to chat with them after seeing some success. After all, local knowledge is the best resource for fishing success. It turned out one of them is a writer for one of the main angling magazines here. He gave us one of the recently published issue and inside I found an article on BC sturgeon fishing with photos that were taken on forum member gofish's boat. ;D

Through the two local anglers, we found out that the lake produces roach, bream, tench, carp as well as some perch and pike. Today we went down to the local tacklestore, and bought a tub of maggots and some size 10 hooks. Yes, maggots, possibly the best live bait for coarse fishing. Back in Australia, we used to breed them by hanging a chicken in the backyard and collecting them in a tray as they fall on it. Half a dozen maggots on a size 10 hook can be deadly for any coarse species.

Nina and I spent some time before and after dinner at the swamp, tossing a tiny Drennan float out with a micro split shot which slowly brought the maggots to the bottom. The bites came almost immediately. First a couple of roaches came to the dock, then we could not keep the breams off the hook. I even managed to brought a perch in. The job is rather messy. During the hour when we were fishing, I was constantly hooking maggots on, setting the hook, bringing the fish in, unhooking the fish, wiping slime off so I could get photos and videos. Breams are VERY slimy. The slime is not thin, it's this thick snot-like jelly that turns into flaky white clumps if not wiped off. Just the thought of it is about to make me vomit. :-X

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060613_1.jpg)

The breams that we caught today were all fairly small, some were up to 16 inches, but most were between 10 and 14. Good fun of course, I think they are quite pretty at that size, compared to the gigantic one (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060604_1.jpg) I caught a couple of weeks ago. :o

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060613_2.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060613_2.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060613_3.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060613_3.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060613_4.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060613_4.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060613_5.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060613_5.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060613_6.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060613_6.jpg)

For the skeptics, this type of fishery can be just as fun. ;) Although the fish do not fight as hard as the salmonids that we are constantly targeting, it is enjoyable to be fishing and not knowing what fish species you will get on the next hook-up. Sitting by the lake and reeling in fish after fish in a cool evening after a scorching summer day, can't beat that. ;)

Damn, what's this on my hand? A popped maggot or more dried bream slime? Time to wash my hands again. :-X
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on June 15, 2006, 07:54:51 AM
Five Species in Three Hours
June 15th, 2006

Seeing that some patchy clouds had moved in this morning, we decided to take advantage of the cooler weather by spending a few hours down at the swamp where we were quite lucky two evenings ago. Our first stop was the local mall, where we purchased more maggots as I had tipped over the previous container and lost almost the entire batch. ::)

We found several cattles resting and grazing (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/member/gallery/2006denmark/060615_9) by the pier when we arrived, a very typical sight in Denmark even though we are only 15km from Greater Copenhagen area. The first roach came out of the water as soon as I dipped Nina's rod in the water to test the float depth. :o We thought the fishing was going to be hot, but it appeared either the cooler weather or timing of the day kept the bites slow yet consistent.

Although we did not pull in as many fish as two evenings ago, the three hours we spent on that pier was one of the more exciting outings so far in Denmark. Nina's first fish today was also a new species for her, a crucian carp (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/member/gallery/2006denmark/060615_2) that had a dark, golden body colouration with thick scales along its broad body.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060615_1.jpg)

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060615_3.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060615_3.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060615_4.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060615_4.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060615_5.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060615_5.jpg)
Eating, while talking and catching fish, multitasking appears to be one of Nina's strength?

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060615_6.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060615_6.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060615_7.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060615_7.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060615_8.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060615_8.jpg)
Nina reeling in a small bream. A close-up of a bream, and a roach. Notice the beautiful red fins on the roach.

At one point, Nina decided to lay her rod down and walked over to the cattles for a break. Just a couple minutes after she left, her float, which was sitting directly in front of me, was slowly pulled to the left, then to the right, before completely submerged at a very fast speed. Seeing how fast it was going, I knew the rod was ready to fly off the pier. I quickly dropped my rod and grabbed onto hers, immediately the 6 feet 4lb test spinning rod was bent to the max. I yelled so Nina ran back to grab the video camera. The initial run went on for a long time, I was pretty sure that the tiny spinning reel was going to be spooled. Luckily it decided to stop once it reached the weeds on the far bank and started to make a left turn so I could reel in some slack. After a few minutes of give and tug, the large carp finally surfaced and splashed briefly before diving towards the nearby reeds again. I kept the pressure on, just enough without straining the 4lb test line and size 10 hook too much. Finally it approached the pier and it became apparent that landing this large fish was going to be a challenge. Nina continued to capture every second on the video camera... Find out what happened by watching the video when we release it next month. ;D

After that brief drama, I managed to hook another new species at the exact same spot just before we left. The fish had some weight to it and took deep dives so I knew it was neither a bream or a roach. I was delighted once it surfaced, because it was a tench, a small-scaled carp species that I have wanted to catch this week. No photo of the tench, but you'll also be able to see it on the video. ;)

Five species in three hours from the same location, not a bad outing even though they are coarse fish. :) Maybe we'll try again later on. There'll be another entry if we do. ;)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: itosh on June 15, 2006, 11:51:27 PM
Quote from: Rodney on June 13, 2006, 02:46:11 PM
... are VERY slimy. The slime is not thin, it's this thick snot-like jelly that turns into flaky white clumps if not wiped off. Just the thought of it is about to make me vomit. :-X

Damn, what's this on my hand? A popped maggot or more dried bream slime? Time to wash my hands again. :-X

Are you sure it isn't mod: Wouldn't you like to know? ::)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Big Steel on June 16, 2006, 04:47:42 PM
Quote from: itosh on June 15, 2006, 11:51:27 PM
Mod: Mental image snipped ;)

Ok now I am going to Vom, that is not the mental image I needed, come on man, I just got home from work!! ??? ::) :P
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on June 17, 2006, 09:09:39 AM
New Pictorial Feature (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/fishing_photos/index.html)

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/fishing_photos/image/index.jpg)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on June 21, 2006, 02:46:48 PM
Poor Man's Bonefish

As we approach the end of my stay in Denmark, I am trying to squeeze in a couple more fishing outings this week. A couple of days, my friend Thomas informed me that they maybe some good "stalk" fishing to be had so we decided to go out for a few hours this morning.

The target species was ide, or rimte in Danish. It is a carp-like species that is categorized in the minnow family. On my third day in Denmark, I encountered one of these on the beach while casting a spoon. As an ide grows, its diet changes from insect to molluscs or crustaceans to small fish such as roach. Because of the freshness of Danish coastal water, ides can be found in the shallows, not far from the beach. In the spring time they enter the river and spawn, then make their way out of the river and feed along the shoreline. This provides good fishing opportunities for beach anglers.

Beach fishing is fairly popular in the Baltic. People enjoy fishing for sea trout, flat fish, cod, garfish. For some fly anglers, they particularly enjoy fishing for ide and mullet. A mullet, not the hairstyle, is a shy fish species that can be caught with both bait and fly. Back in Australia, we used to catch yelloweye mullet by the buckets but they are usually small. The mullet found in Denmark are similar to the ones that I used to catch in Taiwan. They are big, large scaled, buggy eyes, and STRONG. Despite of their large size, they are extremely sensitive to disturbance so stalking is necessary when fishing for them. Some call this style of fishing in Denmark "bonefishing in the north" as the technique is fairly similar.

Unfortunately, the season is still a bit early for mullet, so we were only going for ides. I'm not too disappointed, since I have already bagged ten species of fish in the last five weeks, which shows you how diverse fishing can be in Denmark. Originally we had only planned to target five species, but we took advantage when opportunities of other fisheries emerged.

The area where we fished today was only 15 minutes of driving from Downtown Copenhagen. Although we were so close to one of the busiest and most colourful city in Europe, we found ourselves surrounded by miles of empty beach flat with only sea birds hovering by occasionally. Beside attending his cancer research job during the day (or night), Thomas is a local flycasting instructor who is sponsored by Scierra. It is fortunate that I have met several knowledgable Danish locals over the years who are always so eager to show me what this country has to offer.

To get to our fishing spot, Thomas and I first waded for 0.5km out to another mud flat in the middle of the ocean. The wade was not tricky, but just tiring. My feet sank into the soft algal substrate everytime I stepped forward. Thomas had it easy since he is taller. Unlike him, water reached up to my waist. ::)

After ten minutes of walking/bathing, we finally arrived at the flat. We allowed the water to rest for a few minutes before walking slowly along the flat while watching any movement in the water. The bottom is a mixture of olive algal flat and yellow sandbed. Thomas informed me that we had to look for cruising fish under the surface or any finning action above the surface. Within minutes, I spotted several fins dancing directly in front of us! I let Thomas to make the first cast so I would know what to do. No takers but we did see a couple of fish taht followed the fly.

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060621_1.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060621_1.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060621_2.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060621_2.jpg)

The fly used today was a size 12 nymph that immitates a small sand flea or shrimp. I guess ide likes to feed on these as they dart from one algae patch to another.

Once I was a bit familiar with what to do, I proceeded to walk and observe. We spotted another school of fish, sitting a bit over 20 meters in front of us. Thomas said I should make a cast, I said that was not possible as I cannot cast that far. ;D I casted anyways, just to prove my point. ::) Immediately after that display, a large ide exploded on the surface around ten feet in front of us. Most likely it was spooked by my fly line. ::)

Another hour went by and still no hook-ups after seeing numerous signs of fish. We slowly seperated and worked in two different pieces of water as both had fish finning around it. Just after Thomas indicated that he missed a fish, I felt a light tug while stripping. I picked the rod up quickly and only to find it being pulled down hard. A few big kicks later, the line went completely slacked. ::) That has always been a problem with fishing for minnows, I find it hard to embed that hook into the tough lip at times. The hook-up certainly picked my spirit right up and I was eager to find another one. Unfortunately we did not spot that many fish after that.

Thomas suggested that we did not find that many fish (and I actually thought we saw quite a few) because of the overcast weather condition. If it was sunny, we would have been able to see more fish. He also believes that the fish are more active when it is sunny. Just to prove his point, he told me that yesterday he and his friend Henrik were out and both had five fish each. The largest one was 4lb, putting up an incredible fight on the 3wt. Here are two photographs of yesterday that he emailed me, if only I was there. ::)

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060621_3.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060621_3.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060621_4.thumb.jpg) (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/albums/2006denmark/060621_4.jpg)

I hope you enjoyed this one. Personally, I like a change of pace when it comes to fishing. Exploring different fisheries and species is more exciting than constantly focusing on salmonids. Out of all the fisheries that I have been introduced to in the last two months, this has to be on the top favorite list. We may go out again tomorrow, I shall report if something happens. ;)
Title: Re: 2006 Summer Danish Journal
Post by: Rodney on July 01, 2006, 11:51:21 AM
Subscribers, some video clips from Denmark are now available!

Tackling Danish Coarse Fish

(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/tour/video/image/20060701.jpg)(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/tour/video/image/20060702.jpg)(http://www.fishingwithrod.com/tour/video/image/20060703.jpg)
Part OnePart TwoPart Three
Time: 3 min. 25 sec.Time: 6 min. 21 sec.Time: 3 min. 25 sec.
Size: 12.8mbSize: 23.9mbSize: 12.9mb
Download now! (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/subscriber/video/high/20060701-high.wmv)Download now! (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/subscriber/video/high/20060702-high.wmv)Download now! (http://www.fishingwithrod.com/subscriber/video/high/20060703-high.wmv)

Best way to watch the video clips is to download them to your computer by right click on the link, select "save as..." and view after the entire file is on your computer, instead of downloading it while you watch in the media player (semi-streaming, which may have interruptions).