July 2018
By Allan Nørskov Johansen
Trophy hunting in River Karup. Part 4.
So now, you stand filled with joy, looking down upon your trophy seatrout. To get to this point, you must have used some solid tackle.
“But what exactly is “solid tackle”, when it comes to fishing for big fish in River Karup”?
Read more about this in part 4.
Solid tackle for big fish.
There is undoubtedly many different opinions on gear recommendations for River Karup. And I’m quite aware, that people generally like to use light tackle for big fish.
But if I’m going to try to give some sort of advice on what tackle to use, that also has to be in accordance with the “catching a trophy fish” theme of this blog entry, then it’s not going to be something that flirts with the ultra-light category :-)
Background info on what tackle to choose.
Start by choosing tackle, which strengthens you toward the fish, instead of the opposite!
By using to light tackle and thin leader material, you limit the amount of pressure you can lay on your trophy fish during the fight right from the start. This is bound to prolong the duration of the fight itself.
Longer battle time increases risk that the hook hold wears out, and this again increases the risk of losing the fish at a later point in the fight.
Solid tackle for big fish.
There is undoubtedly many different opinions on gear recommendations for River Karup. And I’m quite aware, that people generally like to use light tackle for big fish.
But if I’m going to try to give some sort of advice on what tackle to use, that also has to be in accordance with the “catching a trophy fish” theme of this blog entry, then it’s not going to be something that flirts with the ultra-light category :-)
Background info on what tackle to choose.
Start by choosing tackle, which strengthens you toward the fish, instead of the opposite!
By using to light tackle and thin leader material, you limit the amount of pressure you can lay on your trophy fish during the fight right from the start. This is bound to prolong the duration of the fight itself.
Longer battle time increases risk that the hook hold wears out, and this again increases the risk of losing the fish at a later point in the fight.
When the fish bore into weed ranks.
Contradictive to salmon, the seatrout in the river are very shy. It is my clear belief, that their eager to bore themselves deep into the weed ranks in the river during the fight, connects to their natural shyness. When going into the weed, they simply seek shelter and protection from “danger”… if they can get away with it, that is.
Very experienced salmon anglers, who are fishing the Danish salmon rivers, do on the other hand report, that they very seldom experience that the salmon go into weed ranks during the fight. The salmon actually seem to try to avoid ending up in the weeds… even though the salmon could very easily do so if it wanted to, in regard to their sheer strength!
The behavior of the seatrout during the fight in the river, therefore stands in sharp contrast to that of the salmon.
When the fish bore into weed ranks.
Contradictive to salmon, the seatrout in the river are very shy. It is my clear belief, that their eager to bore themselves deep into the weed ranks in the river during the fight, connects to their natural shyness. When going into the weed, they simply seek shelter and protection from “danger”… if they can get away with it, that is.
Very experienced salmon anglers, who are fishing the Danish salmon rivers, do on the other hand report, that they very seldom experience that the salmon go into weed ranks during the fight. The salmon actually seem to try to avoid ending up in the weeds… even though the salmon could very easily do so if it wanted to, in regard to their sheer strength!
The behavior of the seatrout during the fight in the river, therefore stands in sharp contrast to that of the salmon.
Use of UL-tackle in River Karup?
Use the chances you get!
You also have to consider, that you usually have to put in a certain amount of effort along the river, before even encountering one of the big ones. When that finally happens, it’s nice not to have to worry too much about your gear, because you know it’ll stand up to the power display of a big fish.
It’s a simple matter of making as good use as possible, of the chances you do get.
Of course, there’s also plenty of room along river Karup, for a nice combo of “luck and coincidences”. So I’m not arguing, that you can’t land a trophy fish in River Karup on very light tackle. But I am arguing, that it will be very difficult to do so, if you use very light tackle :-)
Use the chances you get!
You also have to consider, that you usually have to put in a certain amount of effort along the river, before even encountering one of the big ones. When that finally happens, it’s nice not to have to worry too much about your gear, because you know it’ll stand up to the power display of a big fish.
It’s a simple matter of making as good use as possible, of the chances you do get.
Of course, there’s also plenty of room along river Karup, for a nice combo of “luck and coincidences”. So I’m not arguing, that you can’t land a trophy fish in River Karup on very light tackle. But I am arguing, that it will be very difficult to do so, if you use very light tackle :-)
Suit your setup for the size of the fish.
Fly rods.
I primarily use a 7-weight setup for River Karup, as this in my opinion makes for the perfect combination of sufficient strength to control the big fish, but at the same time, it’s not so heavy that it spoils the fun of catching smaller individuals.
A 6-weight rod with a 0.35 mm tip on the leader, is about as light as I dare to go, if it’s still the intention that it should be possible to put hard pressure on a big fish. If it’s very windy conditions in the river valley, I sometimes get my 8-weight rod. But that has more to do with powerful wind thrusts, than the size of the fish in the river.
I mostly use 10 foot single-handed rods, but I also like 11 foot light switch type of rods for this fishing.
Fly rods.
I primarily use a 7-weight setup for River Karup, as this in my opinion makes for the perfect combination of sufficient strength to control the big fish, but at the same time, it’s not so heavy that it spoils the fun of catching smaller individuals.
A 6-weight rod with a 0.35 mm tip on the leader, is about as light as I dare to go, if it’s still the intention that it should be possible to put hard pressure on a big fish. If it’s very windy conditions in the river valley, I sometimes get my 8-weight rod. But that has more to do with powerful wind thrusts, than the size of the fish in the river.
I mostly use 10 foot single-handed rods, but I also like 11 foot light switch type of rods for this fishing.
Fly reels.
There’s a lot of very good fly reels on the market. It goes without saying that the size and weight of the reel should fit with your rod of choice, to ensure the right balance in your setup. The reel should be of the “Large Arbor” type ensuring quick line retrieve, have a stabile construction, and with the rim of the spool running on the outside of the reel’s housing.
The last detail with the rim of the spool being on the outside of the reel housing, ensures that you quickly and with ease can adjust the amount of brake strength, simply by putting the palm of your hand on the spool.
The best brake system for this fishing, is your hands :-)
Fly reels.
There’s a lot of very good fly reels on the market. It goes without saying that the size and weight of the reel should fit with your rod of choice, to ensure the right balance in your setup. The reel should be of the “Large Arbor” type ensuring quick line retrieve, have a stabile construction, and with the rim of the spool running on the outside of the reel’s housing.
The last detail with the rim of the spool being on the outside of the reel housing, ensures that you quickly and with ease can adjust the amount of brake strength, simply by putting the palm of your hand on the spool.
The best brake system for this fishing, is your hands :-)
Fly lines.
Leader type and material.
I prefer to make my own leaders, or use a poly tip. When it comes to thickness of my leader tip material, it really gets “conservative”!
For daytime and night fishing in normal conditions, I prefer nylon or fluorocarbon no thinner than 0.38 – 0.40 mm for the tip of my leader. What brand you prefer is not so crucial, as long as it knots well and has a high breaking strength :-)
I taper my leaders for night fishing down from 0.55 mm material, and total length is no more than 1.5 – 1.8 m, for throwing my big and bushy night flies with ease.
I also use poly tips of 5-10 foot, with different sinking densities. I recommend you seek out the stronger types, for instance the ones marked for targeting “Salmon/Steelhead”.
If the water is very clear and I’m fishing in brought daylight, I’m sometimes down in 0.32 mm leader tip. Generally speaking I wouldn’t recommend less than 0.35 mm for River Karup, if you want to land a big fish. And if you venture further down and go thinner than that… well, then it’s not going to be easy pulling a “concrete block” out of a weed rank ;-)
Leader type and material.
I prefer to make my own leaders, or use a poly tip. When it comes to thickness of my leader tip material, it really gets “conservative”!
For daytime and night fishing in normal conditions, I prefer nylon or fluorocarbon no thinner than 0.38 – 0.40 mm for the tip of my leader. What brand you prefer is not so crucial, as long as it knots well and has a high breaking strength :-)
I taper my leaders for night fishing down from 0.55 mm material, and total length is no more than 1.5 – 1.8 m, for throwing my big and bushy night flies with ease.
I also use poly tips of 5-10 foot, with different sinking densities. I recommend you seek out the stronger types, for instance the ones marked for targeting “Salmon/Steelhead”.
If the water is very clear and I’m fishing in brought daylight, I’m sometimes down in 0.32 mm leader tip. Generally speaking I wouldn’t recommend less than 0.35 mm for River Karup, if you want to land a big fish. And if you venture further down and go thinner than that… well, then it’s not going to be easy pulling a “concrete block” out of a weed rank ;-)
Hooks.
“Close calls” and just barely pulling through.
On other occasions...
On other occasions I’ve been fortunate enough to land my trophy fish. But mostly because my tackle had the sufficient power and backbone, to hold up to the fish when it really mattered. Like when you have to pull it out of weed, or put a lot of pressure on it to divert it away from other riverside obstacles. Some of these situations has left me with the clear impression, that had I used significantly lighter tackle and thinner leader, then the outcome would definitely not have been the same!
A good example of this, was when I was battling a big male fish a couple of years ago. It simply refused to leave its holding spot in a river bend. I managed to “man handle” it a couple of times, and nearly succeeded in turning it downstream and out of the river bend. The fish didn’t like it one bit, and as a result of my effort it bored itself deep down into the weed ranks alongside its holding spot… twice!
Both times it fastened so hard, that I had to block the spool on my reel with my hand completely, point the tip of the rod directly toward the fish, meaning there was absolutely no absorbing properties in my gear to handle the movement of the fish… and then just walk slowly backwards, hoping for the best. Like you do when you’re stuck to the bottom, and try to free your fly… or break off your leader!
On other occasions...
On other occasions I’ve been fortunate enough to land my trophy fish. But mostly because my tackle had the sufficient power and backbone, to hold up to the fish when it really mattered. Like when you have to pull it out of weed, or put a lot of pressure on it to divert it away from other riverside obstacles. Some of these situations has left me with the clear impression, that had I used significantly lighter tackle and thinner leader, then the outcome would definitely not have been the same!
A good example of this, was when I was battling a big male fish a couple of years ago. It simply refused to leave its holding spot in a river bend. I managed to “man handle” it a couple of times, and nearly succeeded in turning it downstream and out of the river bend. The fish didn’t like it one bit, and as a result of my effort it bored itself deep down into the weed ranks alongside its holding spot… twice!
Both times it fastened so hard, that I had to block the spool on my reel with my hand completely, point the tip of the rod directly toward the fish, meaning there was absolutely no absorbing properties in my gear to handle the movement of the fish… and then just walk slowly backwards, hoping for the best. Like you do when you’re stuck to the bottom, and try to free your fly… or break off your leader!
To sum it all up.
Allan Nørskov Johansen originates from the city of Odense, and he is born 1976. Today Allan resides with his family, close to the river. Allan ”caught” his interest in fishing early on, with brown trout fishing in the small local streams near Odense. Later, many hours along the beautiful coastline of Funen went by, in an ongoing pursuit fly-fishing for the beautiful sea trouts. He visited the River Karup for the first time in the late summer of 1998, and immediately lost his heart to the beautiful countryside, and the river fishing for huge sea trout. Allan prefers a fly rod in pursuit of the beautiful River Karup sea trout, and therefore uses a great deal of time on fly tying as well. The "best experience" by River Karup is often when something unexpectedly and surprising happens on the fishing trip, and the fish suddenly act in a way you did not expect! It creates very memorable experiences. Allan also really enjoys helping others "cracking the code" with fishing tips or flies, so that others may experience catching one of the difficult sea trout from the river. His own best catch from the river is a male fish of 92 cm and 11.0 kg, caught at the end of June 2015. The fish was his second trophy fish from River Karup, surpassing "the magic 10 kg" mark, and gave him a long and memorable fight on his single hand fly rod.