Hi,
Great fish Ripley, looking forward to hooking some of those in the summit this year!
I'm looking to buy a new saltwater fly reel and was wondering if you had any recommendations?
At the minute I'm leaning towards a Vision GT, do you have any comments on this reel?
Cheers
Jonathan
Hi Allan,
I have been using a class #5 at the Danish coast for longer than I can remember. Regardless of conditions and seasons, I have never experienced any problems with a 5 weight.
The rod I started with up until 2005 was a Fenwick HMG AV #5 (gavf 905-2 9ft #5), and a medium action.
The fact of the matter is...I still have the rod and it's still in excellent condition, including the cork.
I even used it at the last GFF summit and landed some nice fish on it. Pictures are ever present on the GFF '06 article.
It's not mean't to be for saltwater but it copes - and very well.
It is very light and browsing the weight charts and characteristics, it seems rated well and simillar to other 5 weights.
Many put down Fenwick but I havenever had any problems with them.
Last year, I picked up a Vision #5 for dirt cheap and, although rated a freshwater rod, it handles the salt well but I am reluctant to retire my Fenwick. Call me sentimental but the Fenwick has given me much luck and nice fish so as long as "she" continues to do me proud, I'll abuse "her"!
I suppose the main reason why I always enjoy to argue that a rod between a 5 and 7 weight is perfect for the Danish salt, is because I know the weight in question can handle Danish salt and the size of fish present.
I see many thrashing the water with heavy #9 and even #10 weights. Why?
My Fenwick will be back in action at the GFF summit '07. No doubt, "she'll" do me proud - again.
Maybe Fenwick should pay me for this promotional piece?
Rip Van "I love my Fenwick".
Hi Rip
You are using a #5 rod for seatrout on the danish coast ......, is it one of those special saltwater rods which is typically classified one or two classes below?
To get a lighter rod for the coast, I bought a Fenwick Techna AV Saltwater #6 , but actually
it is a lot heavyer than my class 7 Fenwick Ironfeather 😉
What specific class 5 rod are You using for the coast?
By the way, the 8 feet #4 Zeplin & König rod, I bought from You worked very fine for me, under my trip to Slovenia. I caught a lot of grayling, brown trout, rainbows and a single marble trout 😄
Kind regards
Allan Wermuth
Mooncussers...shiftless near-do-well shore bound pirate wanna'beeez who would meacon ships aground and pillage the booty...
(not to be confused with MoonBatz TedKennedy/JohnKerry)
Here's another eye-in-the-sky glimpse of the neighborhood...
and a stripes seasonal visitor...PhlatWing to go...
Different kind of fight to a salmonid, the broad tail sure makes them hard to come up to the surface. :) Our typical target fish here are salmon, steelhead and trout, so it's refreshing to fish for smallmouth bass for a few days a year. I find that their takes usually feel more like a pause or slow drag. A lot of times I mistakened them as weed or bottom. Once the hook is set, the fight is definitely very exciting. With nymphs, I just fish with wooly buggers (brown, black, size 8) by letting a intermediate sink tip to get the fly down to where they are. Most of these fish (the bigger ones anyways) are now sitting in 30 to 40 feet of water. There are also some very nice cutthroat trout in this lake, but the lake is a bit warm for them now. I did manage to "by-catch" one last weekend. ;)
Haha... I actually have about 150 photos from the trip. 😄 I had a tripod set up in my boat with a video camera so I could simply flip the screen around, and take photos in between video clips that way. It's quite exciting when there is a bit of chop on the water too. 😄
Probably December again. Hopefully I'll connect with a sea trout on the beach this time. Last year we fished Møn cliff area but had no luck, saw a couple fish landed late on in the day. We also fished on the west side of sealand one day, and I lost one fish but I think it was a rainbow.
They fight a hell of a lot harder than their size. Don't they, Rodney. How did you fish the nymphs?
Amazing how many different angles you can get with the same fish... 😄
Great pictures Rodney. When are you coming back over here?
Ripley
Hi everyone,
With reference to my original post I've been looking at flights from Norway to Denmark. I have found that the easiest method for me, will be to fly from Oslo to Billund and then rent a car, if I can't get a lift off someone.
Anyone who is travelling via Norway or Billund please feel free to contact me and perhaps we could travel together and/or share car rental if needed!
Cheers
Jonathan
My birding and fishing friends use to drive their jeeps to that light house before the big storm that cut up The Moy. Have you ever heard of The Mooncussers?
Beautiful photo! Here in Canada that insect would be called a damselfly.
There are still a few isolated places to find yourself...
South Monomoy...stomping groundz of distinction...
Variation on a Rayz Fly theme...
Owner wide gap worm hook...
Sparse...Less is more...
Don,
It's regular fishing line. I buy bulk too, and I like the Trilene for its suppleness and good price tag.
Martin
Martin,
Is the 0.23 (2X) Berkly Trilene line tippet or just regualr mono fishing line. If it is fishing line what pound test would it be, maybe 2lb? I would like to buy it in bulk rather than 30 yard spools.
Thanks.
oliver your flys are the best i one day hope to tie flys as well as you i have a book of yours that is in german and i cant under stand it but i have started tieing from the pictures in it and i think there not bad but still learning.thank because of you fly are fun to tie again. thank from the yukon.
He is a Cape Cod man. He fishes for Stripers and prays that the Bluefish leave his flies alone.
What a terrific, insightful article and pictures!! The Tigerfish is truly amazing - all those teeth. Thanks.
Hi Jonathan,
I am sure you'll get hundreds of answers, all different.
There's no real formula or correct way. As you progress, you'll find what works for you.
I can answer with my experience and what works for me.
What breaking strain of leader?
Basically you want a tapered leader to allow a good turn over and presentation, tapered to a tippet of around 23mm. Some, and including myself, have used tippets as fine as 15 to 20mm. But as a beginning, I would go for 23 to 25mm.
Expect average fish weights of 2 to 4kg.
What length of leader? ( My rod is 10.5ft #7/8 )?
That's weather permitting.
Normal conditions - 9ft.
Night and strong wind - 7ft
Calm, summer, crystal clear water - up to 12ft, maybe more...
A 7/8 rod, for some, may be to heavy. But that depends on what species your targeting.
I use, and always have used a #5 in all weathers and seasons. I have never had a problem.
As an average, good all round rod...A #6/7 handles everything.
Tropical species, the above does not apply.
Tapered leader?
I answered that. Tapered.
WF or SH?
Personal preference. I use WF.
As most sea trout lurk CM's from the shore line, distance isn't a priority. If you love casting...Then perhaps a SH.
Floating line or intermediate?
Both.
I use floating.
Intermediate still catches fish but I think most use floating in Denmark.
Are "polyleaders" recommended?
That's up to you.
I make my own and always have done with standard "bob's your uncle - any line I have", leaders.
Hope it helps.
You'll get many answers but don't stress to much. Experiment and enjoy the experience.
Happy chappies at the GFF will help, point you in the direction and some...May even point out a few sea trout for you?!
REMEMBER: GLOBALFLYFISHER have all the answers to your questions and with answers that are proven also to work.
See you out there at the GFF summit.
Ripley
Nice. With that guinea fowl cheek that reminds me of one of the variations of the Gibbs Striper bucktail. What species are you fishing those for?
Joe C
I can't wait to get out on the river and try it. Thanks again, Joe.
Thanks for the work you put into your article. So far all I've heard of is Dacron and braided type backing.Why can't monofilement be used??
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