Guide to fishing in Storåen

Fishing in Storåen continues to become more and more popular, and for good reason.

With publicly accessible fishing on large parts of the system, there are good opportunities to join an association that owns some of the country's best fishing waters for salmon.

With a good salmon run, the river has become a sought-after destination for salmon fishermen from all over the country - and abroad!

We come here with our guide to fishing in the Storåen - there are many hours of experience behind our words.

Watch Daniel's wild fishing trip to the main river, which featured 3 large salmon from the main river.

As with all other salmon fishing in Denmark, catching a fish is not always straightforward.

Those who know the river best are often also those who catch the most.

In many places, the Storåen River runs slower than the Skjern River, which is why you often hear fly fishermen say that the water in Skjern is better.

We don't believe that fishing in Storåen should be more difficult or strenuous than in Skjern, it's just different.

The river varies quite a lot in size, and further up in the system, right up where Storåen runs through Holstebro, the river is quite narrow, and in some places also quite fast.

Storåen east and west

When talking about salmon fishing in the Storåen, we are talking about fishing in the west of the Storåen, although a few salmon are caught above the hydroelectric lake on the eastern side.

The river still has a large blockage inside the city of Holstebro. An elaborate diversion has been made to get the migrating fish around the hydroelectric lake, which has been somewhat successful.

However, it is very clear that the vast majority of salmon stay in the main stream and spawn in the tributaries that come to Holstebro, mainly Vegen å and Råsted lilleå.

Come down to the fish

The Storåen is deep, and you have to get your fly down to the fish.

Fishing with sinking lines is a must in Storåen.

The stream is deep and the fish have a lot of water to hide in. In addition, the stream does not run equally fast in all places, so the fly must be fished quite actively.

Having the right sinker line helps a lot with this. Daniel almost always uses the RIO Scandi VersiTip , and changes tips depending on the water level in the river.

You will undoubtedly notice, see or catch a fish. Make sure to make a mental note of exactly where in the stream this was and what the water level was when you had the experience.

Often you will be able to catch fish in the same spot over and over again by knowing where the fish is, how far the fly should go, and exactly when to pick up the speed.

You can also see where other anglers have caught salmon along the banks of the river by looking for areas where the brink is well trodden.

Sometimes you will also see that it is a spinning fisherman who has cast upstream.

Storåen is like Skjern å, very varied in size. It doesn't get as wide as the outer reaches of Skjern, but it changes profile as you get further west.

At the far end of the system, west of Vemb town, the Vemb Fishing Association has the water, and unfortunately there is a queue to become a member out here.

Out there, the stream is quite wide and your casts will be longer than in the rest of the system.

From Vemb town all the way to Holstebro, HOF owns most of the fishing water - here it is still possible to sign up.

Hof has divided their water from zones 1 to 5, in the western course of the main river, in addition they also have water in Vegen å and Råsted lilleå.

Zones 3 and 4 are probably the most well-known sections of the Storåen, with places like Bur bridge and "Hængebroen".

Up here the stream is relatively narrow. However, most locals still use a two-handed rod for their fishing, as during the summer and autumn you may need the extra reach.

Not only because there is vegetation on the bank, but also to be able to steer the fly around tubers and weeds in the stream.

If you fish for salmon in Storåen, a good selection of salmon flies is necessary.

Conditions vary throughout the season, from low summer water levels to water above the banks in the fall.

One thing that really determines the size of the flies we use is the water temperature, but one thing is for sure, we prefer quite small flies.

Daniel is especially fond of hackle flies like Tilda , Astrid and Guldklumben .

These have a fantastic ability to fish the opposite bank, as they quickly come down and fish immediately.

If you want to fish your own brink, then a fly like the Munkeren is absolutely eminent.

Read the water

You can easily reach a stretch where most pitches are on the opposite bank.

However, you will often find that there are just as many fish to catch on your own side, or in the middle of the stream.

You need to actively think about this when you guide your fly through the water.

If you want to fish your own brink, we recommend that you use a fly that has a good "float" in the water, these are typically skins or wing flies.

Especially in the fall, this can get a stand fish into gear.

Your equipment matters.

There's nothing that can ruin a fishing trip like fly fishing gear that doesn't work.

That's why Daniel and Stefan have been to the river to explain gear selection in depth, you can find that video below.

Some things deserve to be mentioned once more:

1. A good fishing net is worth its weight in gold along the steep slopes
2. Waist waders keep your legs dry and your upper body free, it's a win-win
3. One of the fantastic sling bags from Simms or a Fishpond fishing vest to store your fly tackle in.