Fishless on BornholmMay 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. Beside the smoked herring, Bornholm is famous for its production of glass. Its
gallery had a display of beautifully designed glasswares, while the
glass making process at the studio 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.
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.
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.
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.
May 26th comes tomorrow, maybe with more fish.
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Topic: 2006 Summer Danish Journal (Read 31386 times)