Angling in
December
December is not one of the great
months for angling. As compensation, Christmas is approaching,
and it is time for the little breeding rituals of salmon and
trout in the Danish rivers and brooks.
The pattern is the same as for
most other salmonoid fishes. The female starts by digging a spawning
pit where the bottom and current are suitable. She then lies
on her side, and with powerful strokes of her tail she removes
sand and gravel until bare stone is revealed. Here she then spawns,
the male fertilises the roe and the female covers it.
Winter fishing for
cod on Øresund near Copenhagen.
© photo: Steen Ulnits
Hot breeding in fast water
During the breeding session,
the males in particular are very aggressive. They are very protective
of their territories, and often fight bitterly over the most
attractive females. Their strong colours send out powerful signals
to rivals, and the sturdy hook is often used for biting rivals'
tails.
So salmon is a Jekyll and Hyde
of a fish. In the sea, it is has a very social disposition, but
during its migration upstream to reach the spawning grounds,
it turns into a regular monster, both in appearance and behaviour.
The internal struggles and the
breeding take their toll on the strength of the adult fish, and
many of them die after spawning. It is expected that about 90%
of all salmon die here, a percentage that varies from one stream
to another. It is possible to find salmo
The mortality rate of trout is
a lot lower, so many fish undergo spawning several times - unless
they end up in a monofilament gill net on their way to spawning
After breeding, the surviving
salmon and sea trout move out to sea again - now as lean "kelts".
In mild winters, the fish may be out again around the turn of
the year. In cold winters. it may take months before they dare
move into the salty waters again.
Slow fishing in cold waters
Eels are not very fond of cold
water and dig themselves down into the muddy bottom for the winter.
It is now completely impossible to get in touch with them as
they eat nothing at all.
The fish of the lakes also seek
out deep water, where they aim to spend the winter in the warmest
conditions possible. At its deepest point, lake water is always
at 4 degrees - whether the lake is covered by ice or not.
But unlike the eels, it is still
possible to catch them out here provided you use the right tackle
and fish in the right places. A temperature of 4 degrees still
allows the fish to actively seek their food. Jig fishing in particular
will often provide a delicious meal of perch.
If you prefer a little rowing
to keep warm, slow trolling with big, weighted wobblers is a
good way of getting in touch with the weighty winter pikes of
the lake.
Finally, do not forget that now
is the time to bring in the cod for New Year's Eve. And naturally
you will want to catch it yourself. At this time of year, the
cod have moved out to deeper, warmer water. Out here they are
not difficult to lure - once you have located them.
© Steen Ulnits
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