Viking Lars | Saturday, 28 July 2018
We're experiencing the most extreme summer I can remember. Basically it hasn't rained since the end of April or something (other than a few drizzles here and there). The temperatures are gruelling and has passed 30 degrees C on a daily basis for a week or two, and been above 25 C for months. We've had several nights with temps above 20 C, and all that's quite unuusual for Denmark.
Just to clear up one thing - I really don't iike it. I won't say I hate, because that too string a word, but I really can't wait for a weather change.
The extreme heat and complete lack of water has now had another consequence. I believe, for the first time ever, two of our salmon rivers have closed for fishing for now. The water's too low and, worse, the temperature is too high. The big salmon are catch and release, and due to the water temperature there's so little oxygen in the water that they won'r recover after a fight. This has never happened before to my knowledge and just goes to show that the summer is extreme.
Several bodies of water (Mariager Fjord, Limfjorden and Rosklide Fjord) are also on the verge of a breakdown, slowly dying because of lack of oxygen (caused by excessive algae growth). This summer just can't end fast enough if you ask me.
So there's practically no fishing that makes sense, apart from mornings and evenings chasing mackerel from the pontoon boat. I had a quick outing the other evening (lost two), just to get some time on the water and cool down a little.
Another "curse" of summer are high numbers of weevers. Sometimes there are so many that fishing is impossible as they jump your fly every other cast. And - the buggers are poisonous. The have little darts in their dorsal fin, and if you're stung, you will swell and it's ever so painful. And - you'll also be struggling with pain and swelling for 2-3 weeks. I've been stung in the hand once, and stepped on one as a kid many years ago. It's not lethal (unless you're allergic), but it's painful enough for me to *never* touch them, and be *very* careful when unhooking them.
They are quite tasty though. I remember having them for dinner as a kid when I brought home a brace from the piers. Flipped in eggs and bread crumbs and fried, they taste really well.
Even if the mackerel weren't playing along, I got to test a couple of new pieces of gear. First of all the new line tray, which is a huge succes. And then my new fins (Force Fins). I already have a pair of really good fins, which are perfect for the float tube, but in the pontoon boat they're too long. They're a little difficult to get up on the foot rests, so I bought these Force Fins, recommended by Lars Andersen, who builds the Anderson Pontoon Boats. And they're friggin' excellent. *very* easy to get on and off, very effective, less stressful on my knees and very much easier to get up on and off the foot rests.
There's rain and thunder in the forecast tonight, and that'll probably keep me off the water, but I might get out tomorrow.
Have a great weekend!
Lars