Published Dec 6. 2014 - 9 years ago
Updated or edited Nov 17. 2015

My most recent decent fish

Oddly enough the first fish I thought of when I started writing this series was my most recent decent coastal sea trout, which I'm ashamed to say was caught more than four years ago.

My most recent decent fish - Even when I fished most, sea trout like this weren\'t caught on every trip
My most recent decent fish
Henning Eskol

Due to health reasons my fishing has been severely on the backburner for some years. Inability to walk far, wade, fatigue and general lack of energy has reduced my annual fishing days from 70, 80 and even 90 to maybe 5-10, which includes longer trips together with friends.

Before I was ill, I'd go on any hunch several times a week, and if the family situation and weather permitted it, I'd generally be on my way out.

When my MS hit I had to ration my energy, and I was no longer able to go fishing alone. So I joined forces with good friends, mainly my all time fishing buddy Henning, and we'd go together. He'd often drive and give me a hand over the worst obstacles.
One one of these trips we went to a favorite place of ours. I remember the day. It was April, sunny, warmish and with a light wind.

The place we were fishing requires a little walk to the best spots. Back then I could walk the distance, which was maybe a kilometer or three quarters of a mile or so. After such a walk I had to sit down before doing anything else. After a short rest I was ready to fish.
The bottom is pretty sandy at this particular spot, and after having crossed the inner, stony part, I was doing fairly fine on the smooth bottom, not least thanks to the sturdy wading stick I had started using.
I have a habit of constantly gazing over the water when I fish, and many a fish has been victim to my flies because it has revealed itself by disturbing the surface.

This particular fish did the exactly that. I was fishing the inner through, a deep part that's runs along the shoreline close to the shore behind the first sandbar when I saw something move in the riffled surface on the far side of the sandbar, well beyond my casting range.

I immediately grabbed my wading stick and started making my way out. Through the deep, over the sandbar and on the backside of that until I was hip deep. My line was most likely trailing behind me, and ready to be hauled out. The fish showed itself again, easily within casting distance and obviously occupied with hunting something.

One cast was enough.

We usually say that the sea run browns we fish for will take a well presented fly with no hesitation if it's placed right, and I must have been doing something right, because there was contact on the first strip after my fly had landed.
Henning was close by and came running over and shot some pictures of the event. After a short but intense fight - me grinning as a kid opening Christmas gifts - I could hand land the fish.
A bright, very decent but somewhat slender sea trout of the kind we'd like to see more of. Probably around 60 centimeters or some 24-25 inches. Not huge, but large enough to be fun. I don't keep post spawn fish (kelts), and even though this one was regaining weight, it was just presented for a couple of pictures, was freed of the fly and let go.

I haven't caught a sea trout larger than 15 inches since that day four years ago...

Under control - In spite of me being slightly wobbly, the fish is under control
Fly selection - I sometime bring a few experimental flies
It took - The fish showed itself and was hooked in the first cast in its direction
Relaxing - An important part of fishing the Danish way
A few more pictures from that day
Henning Eskol - Martin Joergensen
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