The River Guden still produces
May 16th this year was a day to remember for those fishing the River Guden. some years ago. That day an impressive silvery salmon of no less than 14,1 kg, 108 cm long, was caught on a spinner. This was then one of the largest salmon caught in the River Guden since it was dammed by Tangeværket in the 1920’s when the original salmon stock was totally eradicated.
But this great fishing has not happened by itself. Instead it is the result of intensive fisheries management undertaken by local angling clubs along the river. Again this year more than 100.000 small salmon were released into the River Guden – at places like Bjerringbro, Ulstrup and Stevnstrup. Places located downstream of the hydroelectric power plant Gudenå-Centralen that still blocks further upstream migration of seatrout and salmon.
It is expected that the heavy stocking of salmon smolts in previous years will result in heavy catches of returning salmon in the remaining part of this year. Something to look forward to!
Peak season for peaceful fishing
Now is the peak season for heat-loving coarsefishes. They have finished spawning and now turn their attention 100% to feeding and putting back on the weight they lost during spawning.
If you fancy the exciting coarsefishing for species like roach and bream, tench and carp, East Jutland has many a good piece of water for you. Especially when it comes to roach and bream, several lakes in East Jutland are second to none. Some are even of international renown.
This in particular goes for Lake. Skanderborg that some years ago yielded several new world records and thus became internationally known. The fish are still there but a ban on heavy ground baiting – no more than 0,5 kg is allowed per day per fisherman to improve the water quallity of the lake – has limited the number of anglers here in recent years.
But fish are so plentiful that in fact you do not need heavy groundbaiting to be able to make heavy catches in the Skanderborg and Silkeborg Lakes. They are just loaded with roach and bream!
The night time is the right time
For seatrout, that is. Coastal waters are now so warm – around 20 degrees Celsius – that predatory fish like cod and seatrout usually abandon them and spend the day in deeper and cooler waters.
These predatory fish are well aware that the shallows are still very rich in easy-to-catch food. But they wait untill sunset before they migrate towards the shoreline to feed during the dark hours of the day. The water being at its coolest just before sunrise.
Especially the silvery seatrout is a common guest close to shore during warm summer nights. It prefers localities where deep water and strong currents are found close to the shoreline, making for pleasant temperatures. Fishing is usually best from points that protrude out into the open ocean – typically on Djursland that offers many good places for nighttime summer fishing. Among the classics are Fornæs Fyrand Sletterhage.
If you don’t like fishing through the dark, you may instead throw your line at the mullets that feed eagerly during the hours of daylight. These heat-loving fish may be caught on flies but it is a difficult game indeed. Better luck is usually had by those fishermen using bread as ground bait and small pieces of bread on a tiny hook below a small bobber.
Family fishing for flounder
All the flatfishes have now finished spawning and are eager to put back on the lost weight . Thus they are easier to catch than ever.
Easiest of all are probably those flounders living along the ship channels in the Bays of Mariager and Randers. Here the water is being exchanged constantly, assuring a fresh supply of water and plenty of food. Placid lug worms are the standard bait but if you can get them, biting Nereids are even better!
If you are fishing open waters with a sandy bottom, small but oh so tasty dabs will usually dominate your catch. If on the other hand you are looking for larger plaice, you should move towards deeper and cooler water. If you manage to find a light sandy spot on an otherwise dark bottom, chances are that you will catch good numbers of fair-sized plaice.
Or you may want to do battle with larger but rarer species like turbot and brill. Good places to look for these attractive fish are the gravelly shallows off Øer Maritime near Ebeltoft.
© 2023 Steen Ulnits
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