Angling in
September
September is the first real
autumnal month - the one that symbolises that summer is over
and that autumn is waiting to move in.
It can be seen in many ways -
in the river, in the lake, along the coast and far out at sea.
Nature is now preparing to replace the warm and abundant summer
with a winter with little nutrition. Now is the time to put on
some weight - while there is still enough food in the water.
Surfcasting from the
west coast of Jutland.
© photo: Steen Ulnits
Salmon and sea trout
In the rivers - at least in the
ones with unobstructed access from the larder of the sea to the
spawning grounds of the stream - the salmon and sea trout are
now gathering. The November-December spawning is now starting
to be noticeable - in the form of roe and soft roe developing
in the mature sea trout. And when the internal pressure rises,
so do the sea trout!
As more and more sea trout move
into the rivers, the greater the battle for the limited number
of spawning places in the river. New ascenders have to run the
gauntlet of "old" fish, which often perk up in the
battle to defend their territories.
If there is a period of rain,
it will often speed up the ascending. And at the same time, the
battle between new and old fish improves the odds of the river
angler tremendously!
Along the coast, the "remaining"
sea trout become more and more choosy well-nourished after
a long summer stay in the warm coastal water. They become more
and more difficult to catch - especially on warm and quiet "Indian
summer" days when the sea is as smooth as a mirror. All
you will see is the odd tail fin from time to time.
In such cases you will have to
rely on your fly-fishing tackle with tiny flies moved very slowly
through the water. Then you may experience the rush as the line
is tightened and a fat sea trout engages the turbo and moves
out to sea.
Perch and pike
If you like these black-striped
robbers of the lake, there is no better month than September.
The fish are well nourished after the forays of the summer in
the weeds, and the water is still so warm that they hunt actively
all day. Thus an ideal month for hooking a number of delicious
perch fillets for the chef!
The pike, on the other hand,
is not quite so easy to get in touch with in the still lukewarm
water. They have moved to deeper and cooler waters where they
like the conditions better. Their peak season will come later
- in October and November.
If you are going specifically
for lake pike, you will have to fish at greater depths
typically 10-15 metres. Out here the pike is hunting - often
swimming freely in the water, which is not so common during the
rest of the year. Trolling with large, weighted wobblers is a
good method for locating these free-swimming heavyweights!
© Steen Ulnits
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