The Baltic Sea: Chasing Silver along the Shores of Bornholm

Why travel all the way to Bornholm to fly fish for seatrout, when there are numerous other coastal areas all across Northern Europe that are within closer range? Well, Bornholm has a certain je ne sais quoi – and not just when it comes to the fishing, which – by the way – ranks among the best in the world.

By: RASMUS OVESEN Photos by: RASMUS OVESEN, GORDON P. HENRIKSEN, FREDERIK LORENTZEN and FIN FOLLOWERS

WITH ITS SMALL, IDYLLIC SEAPORTS, captivating panorama views, and exquisite food culture, Bornholm is an irrevocably ambient and pleasant place to vacate. Everything is within immediate range: the rocky shorelines and white sandy beaches; Svaneke Brewery and the many local smoke houses; the ancient round churches, fortresses and castle ruins; and the numerous vantage points that are found along Bornholm’s 158-kilometer-long coastline. Bornholm is the perfect place for an active holiday, and its coastal realms offer the perfect playground for the seatrout fisherman – a place where the dream of catching a silvery Baltic Sea trophy is within reach.

MY OBSESSION WITH SEATROUT has lured me across the Baltic Sea, to the craggy shorelines of Bornholm, on several occasions. And revisiting Bornholm’s amazing and varied coastal realm always makes me tingle expectantly within. I have that exact feeling inside on this day in March, where I’ve flown from Oslo to Copenhagen, then driven from Copenhagen to Ystad in Sweden to catch the high-speed ferry from Ystad to Rønne, Bornholm. Not even escalating south-westerly winds, which are forecast to reach gale forces around 24m/s within the next 24 hours, is enough to dampen my spirit.

Less than half an hour after my good friend, Gordon, and I have gotten off the ferry, we’re on the shore of a beautiful coastal stretch with our fly rods in firm grips, ready to battle the elements and look for trout.

We fish one promising stretch and then another - but without seeing any fish. It doesn’t deter us, however, because Bornholm’s seatrout have a tendency to school up in certain areas, and once we find them, we know that we’re in for a good time.

Arriving at the third fishing spot, which goes by the local name, Klympen, we’re still fully motivated and stoked to be fishing. And we now start to work our way down the shoreline, methodically and with great focus.

I SEND ANOTHER EXPECTANT CAST towards the edge of a dark patch that stretches out into the ocean below the gloomy, lead-grey horizon, while desperately probing for traction across the slick, rounded rocks that are so carelessly strewn here – rocks that are greedily licked by unyielding and turbulent waves. The water is turbid, and the hoarse southwestern winds tear at the frothing wave crests flinging shower-like myriads of glistening water drops in to the air and towards the beach.

It’s not the most comfortable weather for fishing. It’s more like an inferno of water, wind and whirling foam, but it doesn’t really matter. I don’t mind being thrown around in the waves on this chilly spring day, hectically waving my fly rod in the howling winds, as long as I believe in the dream of catching a solid piece of Bornholm silver. I firmly do, and every cast is laden with the greatest of expectations and the warmth-igniting assurance that Bornholm is capable of delivering fish in regular trophy sizes.

“Bornholm is capable of delivering fish in regular trophy sizes”

I RETRIEVE THE FLY, which is a small but eye-catching pink shrimp pattern, with long, slow strips without ever losing contact with it in the big swells. At the end of the retrieve, I lift the line partially off the water, roll cast, and execute an overhead cast with maximum power and acceleration making the line cut surgically through the wind and stretching the leader over the colliding, foamy waves.

Three strips later, a slight tug propagates through the line. I lift the rod resolutely but am not met with any weight. Hmmm! Did the fly just bump one of the big boulders out there? Was it temporarily snagged on drifting sea weeds – or was it a cautious take?

I quickly retrieve the fly and check it for seaweeds. Nothing!

I then cast again and immediately start stripping in the fly. This time, there’s no doubt! Another vague tug propagates through the fly line, and as I lift the fly rod, I’m met with the weight of a big fish that starts thrashing around on the surface. The fly, however, quickly loses its hold, the connection is lost, and I’m left there in the waves, lightly-trembling and with a nagging uncertainty.

Was it one of the many post-spawners so frequently encountered during early spring? Or was it one of Bornholm’s sought-after chromers - one of those prime creatures with shimmering loose scales, a muscular body build and bright silvery flanks? The fish was way too far out, and everything happened too quickly for me to ascertain for sure. Damn!

HALF AN HOUR LATER, after having lost another three fish, all my doubts have slowly evaporated. There are obviously a lot of post-spawners in the area, and I’m therefore mentally inclined to look for a new fishing spot. But then, suddenly, I feel another tug on the line. This time, it’s more abrupt and resolute, and once I’ve established full contact, and I put a good bend into the fly rod’s limber carbon fibers, a silvery, torpedo-shaped creature thrusts itself meter-high from the water. As it collides with the waves in a splashy belly flop, it immediately rushes off and soon after, the hoarse screams of my fly reel start to intermingle cacophonically with the howling winds.

There is both power and punch in my agile adversary, but I slowly but surely gain the upper hand – and a few minutes later I land and unhook the beautiful fish. It is robustly built, steel-gray along the whole length of its back, and with powerful, semi-transparent fins protruding from its trembling silvery flanks, which display big, ink stain-like spots under a glistening veneer.

The fish is probably around 1,5 kilos, and while it isn’t exactly the trophy fish that lured me all the way to Bornholm in the first place, it’s well worth the trip.

It poignantly sums up, what the fishing is like over here. It rewards the laborious - those who are willing to take some serious beatings in the waves – and it goes to prove that the redeeming tug from one of the island’s much-coveted chromers might propagate through the fly line at any given time, most likely when you expect it the least. And when it does, all you can do is hold on and hope for the best…

THERE ARE MANY GREAT SPOTS to fish on Bornholm – regardless of temperament and previous experience, and it is too comprehensive a task to cover them all here. The most popular and wellknown fishing spots on Bornholm are found in the guide, “Kystfiskeri på Bornholm”, which is published by Destination Bornholm in close cooperation with local coastal fishermen and guides. You can get a hold of your own copy via this link https:// bornholm.info/en/. The guide contains maps, route- and fishing spot descriptions along with general information about conservation periods- and zones, minimum sizes, and fishing tips. The following contains a handful of fishing spots in addition to those in the guide.

1. Klympen

is an exciting coastal spot on Bornholm’s western shorelines – a spot that is demarcated to the south by a long, and for the coastal fly fisherman uninteresting, stretch with sandy bottom. To the north, however, there is an approximately 800-meter-long coastal stretch with varied bottom features, many big cliff fragments, bladderwracks, and scattered sandy patches. This is prime seatrout territory and, oftentimes, you’ll find the fish pushed right up against the shoreline or patrolling where the waves are breaking. The whole stretch, which is delimited to the north by Hasle Harbour, is capable of providing good fishing. You can park on the public parking lot at the end of the road, which carries the same name as the fishing spot.

2. Lufthavnen (The Airport)

is the name of a coastal stretch, which is found just behind – or west of, Rønne Airport. Here, you’ll uncover one of Bornholm’s finest coastal stretches, which is made up of rounded rocks, sand bars and bladderwracks with scattered boulders. To get here, drive via Arnagervej – a road that will take you around the airport and down to the water. Especially during spring, there can be schools of fish around, but you need to fish actively and locate them as they can be practically anywhere along this more than 2-kilometer-long stretch. Alternatively, you can park at Arnager and fish the whole stretch from here and westwards towards the Airport.

3. Bro Rev

is southeast-facing reef just south of Snogebæk. It’s reachable from the parking lot to the west – at the end of Turistvej, or you get there via the beach from Snogebæk Harbour, which is a 1,2-kilometer walk. Bro Rev is usually at its best in southernly winds, and oftentimes the fish are found along the craggy edges of the reef, where the waves break. Quite a lot of weighty fish have been landed here, and especially when the water has a bit of turbidity, schools of fish will come in to hunt.

“Especially during spring, there can be schools of fish around”

4. Salene Bugt

is a big bay west of Gudhjem. It’s a breathtaking spot with varied terrain – a spot that can be fished outside of the half-year conservation period at Bobbeåens estuary. To the west you can wade and fish plateaus with rocks, dark silty bottom and bladderwracks and to the east you’ll find a coastal stretch below steep cliffs, where there are good depth curves and lots of scattered boulders. Throughout the whole stretch there are fish to be found, and during spring they can be plentiful. You can park at the end of Bobbevej.

5. Kæmpestranden (The Beach of Giants),

which is situated in southern Allinge, is a well-known area for bathing during the summer months and it has good parking options. The beach with the ensnaring name is capable of delivering big seatrout during the winter months. Here, you’ll find exciting little bays, depth curves and lots of pocket water close to shore as well as cliffs and boulders, which attract many prey items. Oftentimes, seatrout foraging on herring and sprattus will enter this area, and while it can easily be fished from the cliffs, if usually pays off to wade in a little deep and fish the periphery of the bladderwrack patches. This is one of the preferred places for the big seatrout to patrol.

LOGISTICS

Bornholm is the easternmost part of Denmark – isolated in the Baltic Sea south of Sweden. Getting there, however, is neither difficult nor time-consuming. Once in Denmark, there are direct flights from Ålborg, Midtjyllands Airport, Billund and Copenhagen to Rønne – Bornholm’s airport, where you can rent a car. The flight itself is between 40 and 75 minutes depending on your point of departure, and the prices start at around 70 Euros for a one-way ticket.

If you want to bring your own car, you can drive via Sweden to the city of Ystad. Here, a ferry will transport you to Rønne – a boat ride that takes 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Depending on the dates and time of departure, you can book a round-trip to Bornholm with a car and up to five passengers for less than 80 Euros. The convenient cross over is operated by Bornholmslinjen, and there are atmospheric seating options on its speedy catamaran ship, where you can sit together and enjoy a meal and a drink – or, perhaps, tie a few last-minute flies.

For flights, check: https://bornholmerflyet.dk

For ferry tickets, check: https://www.bornholmslinjen.dk

LODGING

There are lots of attractive lodging services on Bornholm and during the winter months and early spring, when the fishing is at its best, booking a strategic place to stay is not an issue. Airbnb is a good place to start, but there are also plenty of hotels, vacation houses, hostels, bed and breakfasts, camp sites, and summerhouses. You’ll find a general guide to Bornholm’s many and varied lodging services at www. bornholm.info, while Feriepartner (www. feriepartner.dk/bornholm/) and Novasol (www.novasol.dk) are the right places to acquire specific information about available summer houses.

THE FISHING GEAR

It’s possible to hook up with seriously big fish on Bornholm, and most locals therefore tend to favor 9,6’ 7 – 8-weight fly rods with a great deal of backbone. These rods are typically matched up with intermediate shooting heads, which – apart from having great wind-cutting abilities, also quickly find the right fishing depth and ensure that you have good contact with the fly no matter the wave action. Furthermore, the stout equipment assists in achieving good casting distances – something that is key in certain spots with subaqueous reefs and plateaus that extend into deep water. It also aids in casting in into headwinds and big crashing waves– not least when deep-wading.

The flies that are typically used aren’t dissimilar to the ones used in other seatrout locations across Northern Europe. The locals on Bornholm, however, seem to favorize smaller patterns, and – not least – minute pinkish patterns, which are strikingly visible – even in turbid water. Patterns that are popular among the locals include Skyggen, Polar Magnus, Kobberbassen, Glimmerrejen, Pattegrisen, Brenda and Cutthroat Kutling.

Apart from the fly fishing tackle and the usual clothing – which should be warm and weather resistant – there are two additional pieces of equipment that are recommended: A line tray and a wading staff. The latter is important when wading along Bornholm’s craggy cliff shorelines and where there are big, rounded and slick boulders. Additionally, the wading staff comes in handy when deep-wading in turbid water and big waves. In these conditions the wading staff is potentially the difference between staying dry and on two feet or getting soaked.

The line tray is not only advisable for those who fish with shooting heads and mono shooting lines or sinking lines, but also for those who fish regular WF lines. Regardless of whether you’re fishing from the cliffs or wading, there are tidal currents, waves, rocks and bladderwracks to take into account – and they are all capable of ruining an otherwise perfect cast by snagging the slack line.

Line trays that are robust, self-draining and firmly fixed in a waist belt are to be favoured – especially if you’re wading deep along coastal stretches with headwinds and lots of wave action.

THE FISHING

A national Danish fishing license is required to fish Bornholm. With the inexpensive license in your pocket you can fish all along Bornholm’s coastal line with the exception of the seasonal and year-round protected zones near Bornholm’s small estuaries. Furthermore, you need to be aware that there’s a conservation period in effect during the period of November 16th through January 15th for seatrout in spawning colours. This means that all coloured seatrout must be quickly and carefully released during this specific period. All the current rules and regulations can be found on the website of the Danish Fisheries Agency: https://fiskeristyrelsen.dk/english/recreational-fisheries/

The season stretches from October until the beginning of May, and the peak season is from March until the end of April. The winter months, periodically, provide great fishing – especially if the water temperatures aren’t too low, and the weather is mild.

The locals usually seek out coastal spots with headwinds – spots with turbulent and pushing water that has some turbidity to it. When these conditions are met, seatrout will often forage close to the shoreline and along the drop-offs where the waves crash and break. A lot of massive chromers have been caught under such conditions, but don’t be fooled. There are also good fish to be caught in calm weather or along coastal stretches that are sheltered from the wind.

The most important thing is to be on the move and continually relocate until you find fish. They often school together in certain areas; for instance, in small protected bays or along depth curves and reefs. As a result, you shouldn’t dwell too long at any given spot, unless you establish contact or there are fish to be seen. One quick sweep-through is usually enough to get a good indication of whether or not there are foraging fish around.

If you’re looking for a local fishing guide with lots of experience and high spirits, Bjarke Borup is highly recommended: http://www.bornholmfiskeguide.dk/da/