Germany Archives - Page 5 of 49

I had not been on any road trip this year but just by chance an opportunity came along.
One of my friends asked me to arrange a last minute trip to the Harz mountains.
Since the season there closed down mid September I had to act quick.

Since work was slow it was not a problem to get a few days off.
The plan was to leave early on Sept. 1^st and return late on Sept. 4^th.
I booked the hotel well in advance and also arranged that the required permits would be
obtained by the folks at the hotel.

There where challenges ahead for us as the main road along the river in the valley had
been closed due to construction work.
It mean longer drives to get to the water but that was not a real problem except for costing more gas.

What was more worry some was that the reservoirs along the stream filled well up to
capacity. In the days prior to our arrival some serious discharges where visible on
the website that monitored river flow and capacity of the reservoirs.

The trip to the mountains went pretty well with just one unexpected highway closure
that was easily bypassed.
When we arrived at the hotel we quickly dumped our luggage, got the permits and headed
for the river.

The river was high but clarity was pretty ok, I guess I preferred the situation to the
more or less low and clear water situation at the end of the summer.
Just as we geared up a fellow Dutchman spotted us as familiars as he recognized one
of the local supermarket bags we had in the trunk of the car.

I had the impression that he was showing off when he mentioned he fished the river
almost 15 years … kind of posing as an expert.
Heck, I visited that place 18 years but found it not a fact to be interesting to mention.
When I asked if he had caught any rainbow trout he declined, that section was known
for them so I doubted his skills.

We started fishing with our expert in sight and boy we caught a lot of rainbows right
away … our expert soon left the scene as he had less “luck”.
Anyways the fishing turned out to be pretty good all over the place with plenty of the
original small browns with their dark colouring plus off course tons of stocked.
rainbows.

What really surprised me was the amount and size of the grayling that I encountered.
These fish had surely grown since I was there last fall.
So we enjoyed four days of good fishing in a very beautiful setting.
The only minor mishap was that I went for a swim as I slipped and fell face first in the
drink. The camera survived … the powerbank not, ego slightly bruised..

Germany 20-08-2023

26 August 2023 admin

I skipped fishing on Saturday because of rain showers and extremely muggy conditions.
Sunday seemed a better choice with mostly sunshine mixed in with a few clouds.

In the morning I hardly got any bites but in the afternoon things changed.
Caught anything from trout to dace and rudd with squirmy’s, mopflies and
small sedge’s.

Ended the day as usual at the pub and was guineapig for a new dish.
Penne with cheese, vegetables and ground meat covered in cheese.
Liked it very much, as usual they overfilled my plate but I managed it in the end.

Weather and nature wise it seems that fall is around the corner.
Fields are harvested, the swifts that hovered over the city have gone on their way to Africa.
In the morning fog sometimes covers the fields, summer is ending.

Germany, 18-08-2023

26 August 2023 admin

I had the urge to skip work on Friday to go chub fishing as I had watched the river gauges drop all week.
That in combination with a prediction for hot sunny weather would make it a perfect day.
But… it turned out completely different from what I had imagined it would be.

On Thursday the cloud cover stayed all day and it was not even that warm.
Friday started the same.
Even worse was that the stream was carrying a lot more water than I had anticipated.
Could not spot a single fish let alone catch one.

I had bought a ticket to fish the chub hotspot from the other syndicate but I only encountered
high water and a bunch of kayakers scaling the weir I wanted to fish.

Tried to wade to reach a quiet pocket for nymphing but it was too deep for hip waders.
The kayakers went over the weir but not all made it without a swim.

Not a dangerous weir with a rolling current but tricky enough for bungling tourists to
go for a swim (3 to 4 ft depth).

The last hope was to try the upper reach of the stream but I not much going on.
Could barely scratch together one tiny perch and a small perch.
The only bright spot was the visit to the pub.

Germany 06-08-2023

7 August 2023 admin

With a dismal week weatherwise the weekend promised to be the same.
It had rained extremely for several days and a visit to the stream seemed futile.
Then again if you want to catch fish you have to be on the water.
The slight decrease in the peak flow convinced me to go.

Having said that the ditch at the border carried water which it never does
in high summer so that was not a good sign.
The first stream I came along was fully blown out, dark brown water.

When I entered stream number two I could actually spot some bottom
, still full to the brim but it gave some hope.
That hope was of short duration though as I could hardly get any bites.
Tried the mop fly, squirmy, perdigon nymph and streamer.

In the end the squirmy was the only fly that yielded some small roach
and the tiniest gudgeon of the season.
I had really expected a trout but none of that.

Next it was off to stream number one near the pub but dark skies
afar looked like trouble.
The clouds where thick and dark and I was directly heading towards
them. Did not reach the water in time so I had to shelter in a hut
against rain and thunder.

During a break in the rain I managed to reach the pub and quickly
headed to the mill pool.
The mill pool was full to the brim with duckweed from the section
above the weir floating everywhere.

Still some visibility in the water so I dragged a streamer through the mill pool
hoping for an intercept of a pike, perch or trout.
Not a good fishing day but better than last week because I did not got skunked.

Germany 30-07-2023

31 July 2023 admin

Tried for chub again yesterday despite the off conditions.
Strong wind and cloud cover really made it difficult to spot any fish.
On the way to the first spot I noticed tons of roach in a section above
a mill. It was however smack in the middle of the village so not
I spot I would fish despite the presence of loads of fish.

At the first spot again loads of chub in all sizes but like previous visits
totally uninterested in the hopper I served.
Tried the mop fly but got no reaction on that pattern either.

A little farther downstream I spotted a whole school of common bream
(Abramis brama), not exactly fish that respond well to flies.
Having said that I have caught them in the past so I drifted a squirmy
through the school … the fish ran off.

Spot nr. 3 had three nice chub that where in casting range.
With the rains we had lately the current was pretty strong.
These fish showed interest in the hopper and came up for it but the
current and wind pushed the fly to fast.
The chub veered off in the last minute so no show either.

Spot nr. 4 was the last spot I visited that day.
The wind was now blowing hard, with the ripples on the water and
the lack of sunlight I could not spot anything.
Only on the spots with a clear sand bottom I could see fish.
No hits though, scared all the fish I encountered.

I encountered a few chub in a deeper pool but those where not
surface feeders as they swam pretty deep.
Tried the mop fly, squirmy and small streamers but again nothing
happened.
So in the end I blanked … bummer.

With all the rain and lower temps I think I will leave the chub in
peace for the moment and concentrate on other fish in the
upper reaches of the stream.

Germany 22-07-2023

23 July 2023 admin

While the south of Europe was suffering extreme heat we had lower then average temps this week.
Despite the forecast for rain, wind and overcast skies I tried the chub stretch.
Found the motherload of chub but surface flies where shunned.
I had one hit on the mop fly but the fish came off.

My second spot was void of the usual small chub and I soon found out why.
A pike was patrolling the stretch, tied on a small streamer and had one nibble.
The pike was at right angels to me so I had little room to cast and retrieve,
the pike eventually lost interest.

The third and final location had several chub but by now the clouds where thick.
I just could not spot the fish early enough before they spotted me.
Had to surface takes which I missed… struck to early.
Finally got the only fish of the day that gulped in the hopper with gusto.

Increasing wind and light rain made me call it a day.
I was happy with that one chub of the day, off to the pub.

Germany, 16-07-2023

17 July 2023 admin

Normally so far in Summer I would concentrate on the big chub in the lower reaches of the
stream I fish … if conditions are right.
Conditions where however not right, a very strong wind and cloud cover made a visit to the
chub seem like a waste of time.

So it was off to the upper section and I was quite surprised how low the water was by now.
Even the pools that normally held some water looked like a puddle now.
The puddle yielded a small Rudd and one attack of a resident trout.
I was sure the trout felt the hook but tried several drifts to see if it would attack, it did not.

It was early in the morning and with the extensive foliage I dared to fish one of the off limit
spots. That paid off as I caught the first trout of the day.
Interestingly the worm fly was ignored but the mop fly was taken with gusto.
The other spots where however empty and with the low water I figured I would be
better off fishing the mill pool at syndicate nr.2

That mill pool turned out to be void of anglers, a good thing.
The water was also very low but I could spot some shiners moving up and down the water.
What was missing where the trout from a time ago.
Tried my best but only hooked small perch.

With the shiners refusing my nymphs I switched to a streamer to see if any pike would be active.
Was lucky enough to get one from the shallow water, not a monster but I was happy.
Had one even smaller fish following the fly plus a few of the larger perch also took interest but
still refused to strike.

I suspected the trout might have taken refuge in the stream below the mill pool.
After spotting dozens of dace I saw the first one, a small fish.
Whatever I tossed at the trout, it was no good … it got annoyed and left the pool.
The next pool was deeper and the resident trout was larger.
Again the mop fly did the trick but the fish threw the fly as I was about to net it.

After some time I finally managed to get another brown trout on the squirmy.
Back at the mill pool I tried again for another pike but I only managed to break
the leader at some underwater obstruction near the outflow of the mill.
That was the only spot with some depth to it.
Called it day after that and went to the pub, conveniently located next to the
mill pool.

Germany 02-07-2023

8 July 2023 admin

Summer was in progress and we experienced the usual low water situation that this season brings with it. It rained on Saturday but it was not enough to have any impact on the water levels.
The small stream coming out of the moors at the border has fallen dry for quite some time now.

First water I checked was at syndicate nr.1 where the only effect of the rains the day before was less visibility in the water, a good thing when it is so low.
Opted for the squirmy but all I could get was little Rudd.
Hooked one trout but only lightly and it slipped of the hook.

Since it was early I opted to check out an off limits spots where I expected another trout.
Even though the water was low the resident trout in the pool was still there and again a hookup and a lost fish.
Next I tried a wide spot further downstream but the water was now so low that large portions of the stream had fallen dry.

The remainder of the shallow water still contained some small dace which I caught on nymphs and small dry flies.
With the dismal results I soon called it a day and decided to go to syndicate nr. 2 hoping to catch
the first pike of the season.

At syndicate nr. 2 I hopped in the clear mill pool, also as shallow as could be.
To my surprise however I spotted some other fish besides the usual dace, perch and rudd mix.
It was the first time this season that I had spotted several trout at the end of the pool.
Unfortunately every type of fly I tried was ignored, I only got as far that one attacked the strike indicator.

I hoped the stretch of the stream downstream of the mill pool would hold some trout more cooperative than the ones in the pool.
At first I only caught the usual dace and small perch.
Last resort was the mop fly and I actually caught a roach with it … a first.

On the way back to the mill pool I spotted some trout in the stream and got one hookup
of a trout on the mop fly … it got off .. story of the day.
In the mill pool I spotted a pike following my woolly bugger so I switched to a larger streamer with a wire trace.
The larger fly paid off as I finally hooked that pike, not a big one but keeping in mind that the pool was less than 3 ft. put it into perspective.

After a while I hooked a second pike, a bit larger but it threw the fly.
Last of the pike only followed the streamer and hovered in front of me … no take.
With the pub conveniently next door I called it a day and met up with my buddies who
where also out for the day.
Opted for the special of last week, goulash soup with bread all topped of with the gooseberry
cake and a coffee.

Germany 17-06-2023

24 June 2023 admin

Saturday I opted for another chub session at one of the syndicate’s downstream that
require a purchase of a permit for the day.
At first I tried my own fishing grounds but to my horror I spotted a boatload of kayaks
with kids on the stream.

Since it had not rained for 30 days now the water was extremely low, that combined
with the racket of the kayaks meant catching fish was impossible.
I still tried some spots way downstream from the advancing flotilla.
I did see some big fish but the where as wary as usual making me think that they
had already witnessed some kayak action earlier that day.

I made my way to the planned destination and saw that the grass was indeed greener on the other side.

Loads of big chub on station in the clear water.
Lot’s of fish but I was only able to cast to them when they moved upstream.
I fished a hopper and dropped it extra hard on the water to coax a reaction from the chub.

The chub came up to investigate the hopper but at the last moment they turned away,
pretty exciting to watch.
The spot I fished boasted a floating dock probably installed to save the kayakers from
the weir downstream.
It was an ideal casting and surveillance platform.

I spotted a monster chub under a tree on the shaded bank and targeted it with the hopper.
Unfortunately the current conditions caused the fly to drag.
Luck was however on my side as the chub turned and pursued the hopper.
I managed to keep my nerves and waited for the chub to gobble the fly up.

I struck at the right moment and was into a fight with the big chub on the four weight
glass rod. As chub usually do it ran for cover and that was the floating dock I was on.
I had trouble getting the big fish on the surface and feared entanglement any moment
but luckily the dock was anchored to shore by a beam above the water surface.

I eventually landed the fish that measured 53cm / 21”, my personal best for this stream.
After catching a few smaller chub along the stretch I made it to the final spot of the day.
The last spot boasted a walkway over the stream, remnants of an old weir.
The wooden planks had seen better days so I made sure I walked near the supported
edge just in case.

From high up I spotted various big chub and a monster carp moving about but
whatever I dropped on them, it did not work.
Hoppers, Mayflies and nymphs where ignored so in the end I called it a day and
finally landed at the pub early evening.

Germany 11-06-2023

24 June 2023 admin

Last Saturday was a bust fishing wise as I had to attend the festivities of the fishing club’s 60th anniversary.

The peer pressure was to great to skip that event and go fishing instead (which I would prefer).
Anyway I made it through the speeches and the dinner but when the comedian came along to perform
his return one of my friends and I made a break for it..

Afterall I had to get up next morning early for a chub session.

During the last chub session I had regrets not buying a day ticket for the chub hotspot of the syndicate

downstream from where I was allowed to fish.
Not this time … armed with a license I entered the hotspot late in the morning and the fish where stacked,

small ones and the big boys.

Besides from some small fish on the sedge I had no hits from the big boys but they came up inspecting
the fly and especially the hopper seemed to trigger their interest.
I checked out some sections of the stream for patrolling fish and targeted some large fish but no hits.
After a small break I returned to the starting point and caught my first chub on the hopper.
Size of the fish improved also so I was happy.

Maybe Sunday was not the best day to fish the particular location I had chosen due to the amount
of daytrippers … it does not help when people stand on bridges and point to wary fish.

My last fish was of a decent size … like half of the big boys but I wanted more.

There was one other hotspot where I would have piece and quiet.

A dismantled weir where you could climb on the wooden walkway and spot the fish from high up.
I must say the wooden planks had seen better time and I made sure I walked near the steel
beams just in case.

The big boys where in place but current and wind made it tricky to place the hopper in a

convincing way near the fish.
Fish came several up to inspect the fly and I missed about two strikes.
But then that one fish came along and followed the hopper to swallow it, fish one.

Now I stood high above the water and had to fight the fish waving the rod along the
steel supports of the former flood gates.
I managed to get to the end of the walkway and was still connected to the fish.
The problem now was to get down in a respectable manner without loosing the fish.

The banks where darn steep but the section next to the concrete base was accessible
so I could let myself glide down the bank.
It was a case of wet wading but luckily not particular deep and even better …. the

floor of the form weir was paved.
I managed to net the fish and after measurements and a picture I crawled up
the opposite bank onto dry land.
Mission accomplished.

I tried one other spot and missed further strikes only to find out that somehow
along the way I had lost the hookpoint of the hopper.

It was later in the day than anticipated and since the 84F heat had gotten to
me it was imperative to get to the chub before dying of thirst…