December 12th 1996

Date: 12 Dec 1996 13:02:47 -0000
Subject: Seatrout Fishing

Dear Martin:
I am an American from the Great Lakes Reigon (Western New York) living in Germany. I would like to visit Denmark and do a little fly-fishing. I am mostly interested in fishing for these beautiful "Searun Browns" I've been hearing about. Is it possible to catch some nice sized Seatrout in the winter?
Another question I have is, Is it possible to fish for Winter Steelhead in Denmark? I'm a serious "Steelheader" and I was wondering what Danish rivers can you can find them in?

Thank you very much,
Shane Appleby

Hi Shane,

>hearing aboat. Is it possible to catch some nice sized Seatrout in the winter?

Yes, it is possible. The water is brackish in the Danish seas and the fish can live there even when it's *very* cold.

>Denmark? I'm a serious "Steelheader" and I was wondering what Danish rivers
>can you can find them in?

We have steelheads, but they are all escaped hatchery fish. Some of them do spawn, but none of our rivers are actually good and large enough to count as steelhead rivers. We have a few rivers (or rather: large streams) with runs of sea trout and salmon in Jutland, but that's a different story.
And the worst thing is: this year has been a catastrophe when it comes to sea trout fishing - both in the salt and in the streams. No one really knows what has happened, but it seems the a couple of very hot summers separated by a very cold and long winter has damaged a lot of sea grass beds on which the sea trout are very dependent.
Most of the avid sea trout fishers I know (including myself) have had no fish of any significance since the spring - and even though it seems to improve a bit right now, the fishing is nothing compared to normal years.
Martin