Germany 2024 Archives - Page 2 of 3

We’ll, this was surely a case of you should have been here yesterday.
Yesterday … clear skies and 32 degrees C thus ideal weather to go chub fishing.
Lazy me however decided to ignore the wake up alarm and once I was awake
I figured it was to late to go fishing.

So on to the next day … another shot at the chub and when I came at the
hotspot fish where present.
What was also present where thunderclouds early in the morning.
I barely got the first chub on the dry fly as I heard the first rumble.

Rain was immanent but I figured I could get to spot nr. 2 and get at least
one hour of fishing without having to worry for a storm.
That was a misconception because when I arrived at the location thunder was heard
direct above me… to close for comfort.

Luckily the spot had a shelter so I waited the storm and downpour out.
With more mess on the way I figured spot nr.3 might be in order where shelter was nearby.
At spot nr.3 I spotted some big chub but again the thunderclouds rolled in and I had
to clear out fast.

With so many storms on the way my best bet was to head to the pub and I almost made
it without get wet … almost as on the last leg all hell broke loose and the skies openend.
I managed to find shelter in a farm building and waited the rain out.
After dinner at the pub I tried to make it home without rain but it started and did not stop.

The route home was a struggle, roads under water and closed off.
The city had gotten pounded with 100mm rain and many parts where flooded.
Luckily I live at a higher elevation so troubles in my street.

Germany 23-06-2024

24 June 2024 admin

Last Saturday I deemed the waterlevels of the local streams too high due to the many downpours but
on Sunday all looked good.
I went for an early start hence the number of deer encountered en route was significant.

As I had noticed last week that fish where stocked I tried one of the upstream stretches hoping to
find feeding or rising fish.
Well, I found plenty and had some nice battles with jumping rainbow trout.

Most fish came on the mop fly but also a few on the squirmy.
Although mayfly action was zero I tried a spent pattern on some dace I spotted in front of
a pool. I could only nail one on the mayfly but it was good fun.

The particular stretch I was fishing should better be left alone on Sundays due to the path
alongside it = to many dogwalkers tossing sticks in the stream.
I had one dog jumping right next to me in the drink but on its own accord …
The fish returned though once the dog was gone.

I caught most of the fish species available in the stream.
From gudgeons to roach, rudd, dace and trout all where inclined to take the fly.
Not many insects on the water but at some spots fish where regularly taking
stuff from the surface.

Germany 09-06-2024

16 June 2024 admin

For a change no rain on this day, I was early out an enjoyed the relatively clear skies.
Goal for the day was to catch a trout on a dry fly, preferably on a mayfly pattern.
On my way to the stream I noticed a red kite flying over, never seen one so close
to the border.

At the stream I first made a stop at my old honey hole and was again disappointed
as usual as there where no decent fish about.
The spot used to be good for the one or other trout but this season it has been
empty of any fish species except gudgeons.

After a few futile attempts it was on to another mark.
That whole dry fly fishing idea was quickly blowing away by incoming clouds
and a very strong wind.
There where no insects on the water and the rather low temperatures did not
help either.

I tried nymphing that only yielded more gudgeons.
At the spot I fished I noticed one rising fish and it looked like a trout.
The dry fly was ignored so i tried a streamer to no avail.
I moved further upstream and at a likely holding spot I switched over to
a spent mayfly as it was not that deep and delicacy was required.
That paid off when a nice rainbow trout hit the mayfly, mission accomplished.

At the next pool the depth made it feasible to use a streamer which would
surely provoke an attack from a trout.
It actually did but the fish kept tracking the streamer but would not take it.
From the colors it was again another rainbow trout.

At the last marks for the day I noticed several trout, obviously somebody
had been stocking fish.
I scared most of them off but at one deadfall i noticed a few fish that stayed
put. The dry fly did not generate any reaction so I tried a tan mop fly.
That mopfly did the trick on a rather stocky brown trout.

As I spotted another brown I tried to copy the mop fly trick and it surely worked.
This trout however was a jumper so it skillfully dispatched the mop fly.
After that last trout interaction I called it day, the trout action was quite good
so I was content with how the day had worked out.

Germany 26-05-2024

26 May 2024 admin

Went on another mayfly session to the local stream and soon spotted the first
rising fish at a location where I had seen a trout last week.
Some of the rising fish where dace but one was definitely a trout.

Targeting the dace was tricky because of overhanging trees.
After every clumsy cast I waited a while so everything would calm down and fish would continue to rise.
That tactic yielded two dace and a spectacular hit from the trout … who completely missed the fly.

When the action died down I tried tossing a streamer close to the bank to see if any trout where present. The trout that previously was rising took the streamer but managed to flee in the submerged roots of the trees and broke off.

I moved further upstream and heard a loud plop as if something had fallen from the trees in the water … but it was caused by a fish.
Off course a trout and when I launched a spent mayfly pattern under the trees the hit was instant.

On my way upstream I noticed dace close to the adjacent bank rising now and then to debris floating by so again I presented the spent mayfly and got two fish.
Upstream from me the outside of a bend provided a continuous supply of debris floating close to the bank. The spot was not deep but I figured one or two fish might be station there.
On the second drift the spent mayfly was nailed by another brown trout.

Last week I had some takes on the streamer in a deeper pool so today I checked that spot today hoping for a solid strike. This time all went to plan and I hooked surprisingly a nice rainbow trout.
Later in the afternoon clouds and winds killed of the surface activity.
With rain showers immenent called it a day, a good day with the dry fly.

Germany 21-05-2024

24 May 2024 admin

With Tuesday as a day off coinciding with the last day of somewhat stable weather I went on a mission to catch something on a large mayfly pattern.
With the water still murky I first tried the squirmy and that got me a small rudd.
No signs of stocked trout not even on the spots where you are not allowed to fish…

I next tried the section of the stream where the syndicate issues day permits to so non-club
members can fish there also.
Off course it is a big scam as there are hardly any fish in there particularly the advertised trout.

Streamer fishing only caused lost tackle as you could not clearly spot the obstructions in the water. I soon was back on track fishing the dry fly hoping to get one or the other fish that way.
There where some fish rising but they where dace not trout.
I tried the sedge first but they rejected it every time.
A large mayfly pattern was investigated but did not meet the approval of the fish.

My last resort fly which I had never used was a spent mayfly pattern.
That seemed to be the ticket as it immediately was gobbled up by the dace.
In front of me a fish was aggressively rising and I was sure it was a trout.
The brushes in front of me however prevented me from presenting the fly properly.

When the action died down I went out to search for the fish but my due to my clumsy wading the trout spotted me first and bolted off.
During all this dry fly tossing the wind picked up and the skies became darker.

My final spot was in a woody area and by now surface action was almost zero.
I had one go at a rising dace but that soon ended.
As I stood on the bank watching for possible targets near a likely spot I saw another trout scooting away. It became pretty overcast fast so I called day before the rain came.

Germany 20-05-2024

24 May 2024 admin

On Monday I was in a lazy mood and choose to fish the mill pool of the nearest stream over the border. I had misjudged the amount of rain that had fallen in the previous day or at least the effects on the water clarity. The stream had risen a few inches and visibility was very poor.

I tried all the tricks in the book but only got nibbles from the tiniest of tiny fish.
Tried streamers for pike and perch but none of those around or in biting mood.
All I could get was a dace, a gudgeon and a ruffe which I never had caught on the fly before.

I had the pool for myself for most of the time and only saw one bait angler for a few hours.
He caught one or two fish but nothing spectacular either.
The move to the adjacent pub was an easy choice.

Germany 19-05-2024

24 May 2024 admin

Last week I had an extended weekend due to a public holiday and a day off.
The early success at the chub spot motivated me to visit that spot again.
The section above the weir / fish ladder was again empty with only some tiny
bleak (smallest shiner species) picking up stuff from the surface.

The best I could do was one small chub from the bank.
Fishing a dry like a sedge or large mayfly pattern was futile so I switched to
tossing small black streamers in the pools of the fish ladder.
That worked but not as intended, I hooked something but not the desired species.

I had actually hooked a pike and it was quite big.
With no trace and not that strong tippet I thought I would be cut off any minute.
But for some reason luck was on my side and I could counter all sudden runs of the
pike. I even managed to keep up as the pike went over two of the boulder weirs.

At the second weir the pike was showing signs of tiring and just maybe I could land
that fish. That landing proofed to be a challenge as my landing net was designed for
chub and not a rather large pike.
In the end was able to slide the fish on the bank, a post spawn fish so pretty skinny
but still measuring 70cm.

When I battled the pike I noticed a second pike be it smaller in the same pool.
Not what I wanted but I commenced fishing and when I hooked the second fish
in that pool it turned out to be a nice chub.
After the second fish I had one chub following the fly but no take, action then died down.

Looking at the skies I saw thunderclouds brewing so I moved to a spot where
in case of a downpour I could shelter.
There where plenty of chub moving on this spot but the dry fly only yielded one small fish.
I switched to a small mop fly and that yielded another larger chub, no luck with the monsters though.

The skies opened and boy it poured with thunder directly overhead, luckily I could shelter
under a bridged.
It seemed wise to wait out the storm and call it a day as other storm cells where en route.

Germany 11-05-2024

12 May 2024 admin

This Saturday I choose for the lazy option to travel the first leg to my fishing spots.
I opted for the first train to Germany.
The train however was late and when I settled in the train driver walked by and notified
me that where not leaving any time. The reason … a dead body on the tracks.

So rather than waiting for service to commence which usually takes several hours I opted
to bike the distance. Since early fishing was now off the cards my first port of call would be
the mill pool at stream nr 2 as it was the closest and probably void of anglers.

Luckily the mill pool was empty and at first I dragged a streamer with a trace through the
shallow water in case any pike had remained after the mill weir was pulled permanently.
No response from the pike so next step tying on a small black streamer with an orange tungsten bead.
That yielded a tiny perch and off course nibbles from small gudgeons.

I then tried the squirmy and got a good hit right at my feet from something big.
Turned out the be a carp and frankly that carp showed me all the corners of the mill pool.
With the light tippet I could not exert any pressure on the fish other than the bend in the rod
and the line dragging in the current.
In the end the barbless hook came out, otherwise I think I could have landed it.

I fished downstream from the mill pool in the now very shallow water and caught some
dace and roach in the remaining deeper pools at bends and under tree roots.
I noticed that by now a lot of sediment that had filled the mill pool after the weir pulling had moved downstream into the river.

I tried the mill pool once more with the squirmy and got one roach and actually missed the
take of a trout, quite unexpected.
Next I headed to stream nr. 2 where I caught some roach and had a go a rising dace with the sedge.
Caught one nice dace on the sedge but could not find more rising fish despite numerous
big Danica mayflies on the water.

The rest of the stream was pretty quiet, no action until I arrived at one spot where a small brook enters the river. By now the stream was shallow as hell so spotting fish in the open was rare.
At the inflow rising fish got my attention, one rising fish was quite aggressive so I thought it must have been a trout.

I entered the stream somewhat ungraciously due to the steep banks but luckily far enough downstream not to cause fish to flee.
The sedge did not work so I tried a small mop fly that was not too heavily weighted.
That did the trick and I could hook a spunky small brown trout.
Called it a day after that trout and went to one of the local restaurants for dinner.

Germany 10-05-2024

10 May 2024 admin

The combination of a mandatory day off from work and bright sunshine and warm water called
for the first mission of the year to the chub spots.
Now it was way to early as the chub probably would not yet be in their summer haunts or surface feeding but it tried anyway.

What gave me hope was the fact that numerous mayflies where hatching, such a big morsel would surely be tempting for any chub.
I checked out one of my summer haunts and found it completely void with life, no fish at all.
My break came at a bridge where several fish where moving about.

In the surface tiny bleak where feeding, on the bottom I spotted chub and dace.
A dace was the first fish that I caught, on a small mop fly.
I spotted chub following the mop fly but only hooked a small one.
Next I tried the squirmy and again I hooked a chub this time a little larger.

Obviously it was not yet the season for surface feeding fish.
The last stop was a wide shallow spot at a weir and on a positive note I spotted a large chub.
But… there was also a pike and it messed up the scene as it was in attack mode.
Then I spotted an even larger pike moving in the shallows.

So next I tried for the pike but the trace on the leader was so heavy that I only caught weeds.
The only hope to get something larger was to fish the deeper pools of the fish ladder.
Weapon of choice was a small black streamer with an orange tungsten bead.
I dropped the streamer in the fast flowing water and retrieved it slowly.

Suddenly I got a hit and it was something big.
At first I thought it was a big perch but when the fish came to the surface I noticed that it was
a nice size chub.
After releasing the chub I tried the same spot again and to my surprise I hooked another big fish.
Turned out an even larger chub had taken the streamer.

My day was made, mission chub was a success.

Germany 04-05-2024

5 May 2024 admin

The quest for the trout continued last Saturday.
At first I tried one of my regular spots just to see if any fish where present.
The water level had dropped considerably since last week.
Although it was early morning insects where about and I even spotted
many insects on the water.

I fished with nymphs first but got no hits, subsequently I fished a sedge
to coax any of the dace to take the fly.
When I spotted a mayfly I tried one of those hoping the odd trout would
be keyed in on them and rise, it did not work.

I visited some other marks but did not spot any fish activity.
Since one of my friends often has success with streamers I tried that type of fishing.
I tied on a small black streamer and retrieved it past some submerged tree roots.
To my surprise I got a hit and could land my first brown trout of the season.

I continued fishing the streamer and soon had another brown trout be it a small one.
The small black streamer did the trick.
I spotted one large trout tracking the streamer but it would not commit.
There was more trout action at other spots but only small fish.
In the end I lost two brown trout, landed three of them.

There was a lot of debris on the water, flowers from the blooming chestnuts.
I noticed some big dace rising and tried a few casts with a sedge pattern but
they would not have it.
At an inflow of a small brook I noticed an aggressively rising fish.
Hoping it would be a trout I tried the dry fly again but no take.
When I fished the squirmy it only yielded a roach and a gudgeon.

My last fishing spot of the day was the upper reaches of the stream where I had
spotted a large trout last week.
With the water level so low all the fish had moved elsewhere and I could only
access one spot that I deemed deep enough to hold fish.
After several drifts with a squirmy I got a big roach, alas no trout anymore.

It was a pretty good to be out and about.
The weather started out fine but in the afternoon some shower passed.
After the showers cleared the weather improved again.
Late afternoon I called it day and went to the local pub for dinner.