Angling in
May
In May, millions of midges hatch
from the muddy lake bottoms. The worm-like larva is an extremely
important food source for many of the lake fish.
The bream particularly, is a
true expert at hoovering the bottom of the lake. It also breeds
in May and then moves into the rushes and paddock pipes to spawn.
Garfish caught on
a Toby spoon.
© photo: Steen Ulnits
At the same time, May is the
month for the traditional pike premiere - after the official
preservation in April. However, this is a close season that is
not very precise. For example, typically, deep lakes do not get
warm enough for spawning until May - which is the start of the
season.
Of course, the experienced pike
fisherman knows this, and he puts back any roe-filled female
pikes that might be tempted by a hook in May. Usually, the small
males are the first to appear in the shallow water. Not until
the water temperature is exactly right do the large, roe-filled
females appear.
Spinfishing the coastline
Along the coast, both small and
large animals are very active. For instance, the shallow water
along the coast is full of small fish, fry and various crustaceans.
The fish know this, and at this time of the year they prefer
to visit the coast during the dark hours - which do not, by the
way, get very dark during the light northern nights.
In several places, it will be
possible to hear the first cod come "chomping" towards
the coast at the surface. If there is a little current, it will
often be possible to see them swimming so high that their dorsal
fins are visible.
If the light nights in May belong
to the sea trout and cod, the long-billed garfish have usually
taken possession of the coastal waters during daylight hours.
The first ones are always the
biggest - in the best cases a metre long, as thick as a wrist
and weighing over a kilo. They come as a vanguard and go wildly
for any jig or fly. Later, the smaller but considerably more
numerous medium-sized garfish will arrive - followed by the smallest
fish, usually half a metre long, sometime in early summer.
They only come to spawn and,
having come so far, they have completely lost interest in food.
Under favourable conditions it will be possible to see them spawn
as they are often so absorbed in their breeding that one can
get quite close and witness the spectacle.
Flyfishing the rivers
May is one of the big months
for fly fishers, who are fond of the constantly flowing water
in the river. After a cold spring, the insect life there almost
explodes, and the river is alive with the sound of various water
insects.
The mayflies are certainly still
there - as they were last month, albeit less numerous. But in
May, it is often the very small black flies that dominate.
The hatching may be so massive
that the water can be completely covered in newly hatched flies.
With so many flies on the water, it is obvious that the fish
are more active than ever and constantly targeting the little
black ones.
The grayling is also very fond
of the black flies, and they are in the process of finishing
their breeding towards the end of May. At least that is what
the law says, since the close season runs from the middle of
March until the middle of May.
© Steen Ulnits
|
