Dry fly fishing - Briefly
Danish dry fly fishing is largely about fishing for larger brown trout, which like to rise to the surface, in connection with larger hatchings of dayflies.
Some mayflies, such as the best known: Ephemera Danica, are very large - and thus contain important calories for the fish that are large enough to inhale them.
This fishery is very close to our hearts, and we look forward to returning to the streams every year and studying the beautiful fish as they calmly and precisely rise and consume the drifting insects. Join us on a fishing trip in the video below:
Dry fly fishing in Denmark
Is not necessarily as good as it used to be, and the waters that are well suited for it are often very secret. They are, as the watercourses AND the fish are vulnerable, and thus cannot withstand too much pressure. Before 2010 we had excellent dry fly fishing in Denmark for stilts, which could be grown in many different streams, especially in the southern and southwestern part of Jutland. That is no longer the case.
Now dry fly fishing in Denmark is almost exclusively about brown trout, primarily from mid-May to mid-June.
Mayfly fishing is the epitome of our dry fly fishing.
The large mayflies suddenly appear along many Danish waterways, creating a feast for the eyes. As an angler, it is a fantastic time, but also a demanding time - because if you want to outwit the river's huge brown trout, it requires ingenuity, patience and skill.
The big mayflies
Ephemera Danica, the big yellow mayfly, which brings everyone out of the bush, anglers as well as fish. It is beautiful and not least important for our precious fish. As an angler it sets some "demands". We want to be as light as possible as dry fly fishermen, but the size of the mayfly makes you want to go up and use a #4 rod, preferably in 8´6 feet, as they typically have a faster action than the 9 foot version.
A tip thinner than 0.16 can make it difficult to create the presentation you want. This is because flies, like foam beetles, create a lot of wind resistance, which can make it difficult to create a tight enough line arc if the line is too light.
Be creative with your dry fly fishing
If you want to try your hand at dry fly fishing, there are several ways to "give it a shot". Many of us have started by tying small mosquitoes or floating zero men, which the street urchins happily pounce on. Here you have the opportunity to practice some of the things you need before you are really good at dry fly fishing.
Many of us have had to make do with the many smaller trout in the local stream, but there are countless inspiring hours to be had here. Seeing a 25-centimeter brown trout, and really studying its feeding patterns, its location in relation to where it rises, its elegant "head and tail" - yes, these are things that burn into the retina, and some of the things that make us always look distant when talking about dry fly fishing.
Try alternative species
Fortunately, there are other species that like to rise to the surface to eat their food. Sculpins, bream, carp, roach, trout - even sea trout like to rise to the surface (despite what the textbooks say).
