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The darker nights hasten the mature eels,
and, under the cover of darkness, they will start their several
thousand kilometre long migration back to the Sargasso Sea, where
they were born in the colossal seaweed forests at a depth of
several kilometres.
- Mackerel are occasional
summer guests allong the shores of East Jutland.
- © photo: Steen
Ulnits
This is why now is the time to catch the
delicious eels - in traps, at bob or with a hook and line. If
you like cosy fishing for your dinner, there is nothing like
a nocturnal bob in the warm, soft and quiet darkness of August.
The increasing darkness also hastens the
sea trout, whose migration to spawn goes in exactly the opposite
direction - away from the salty larders of the sea to the fresh
waters and gravelled spawning grounds of the rivers. Particularly
if there is enough water in the rivers - and that is often the
case in a typical Danish summer of rain and wind - the sea trout
really start ascending into the rivers.
Angling for sea trout is often done in
rivers that cross the Jutland heath - in fantastic surroundings
as the heather will be blooming in August. The colour of the
flaming heather is a perfect backdrop for fly-fishing, spinning
or angling.
Perch preying
August is the time when the black-striped
perch of the lakes triumph in the weeds. Here they feed on this
year's fry, which have now become big enough to venture out from
the protective weeds towards the end of the day. Here they have
lived in hiding and safety among the long stems.
However, as darkness approaches, they must
come out to forage, and a large number of them end up in a voracious
perch's mouth. This year's fry are so tiny, and the perch's mouth
so frighteningly big.
Often you may experience regular episodes
of "seagulls' pranks", where the poor small fry are
hunted by birds from above and fish from below. Then it is no
easy task to be a small fish in the big waters.
If you do see such an episode, the thing
is to get within throwing range as soon as possible, because
it may die out as quickly as it started. And on no account sail
into the tunnel of fish and birds. Keep your distance, so you
do not frighten the fish with the boat. Do not go any closer
than you need to reach the fish with your throws. Then they will
rise!
Oxygen depletion
Towards the end of the month, the water
temperature will peak in the Danish waters. This may sound ideal
if you are one of the many holiday-makers at that time, but if
you have to live all your life in the water, it is far from good
news. Actually, it is very close to being the worst news possible.
Because now the first loss of oxygen may
be approaching. Typically this happens in deep waters first and
then moves into more shallow waters. Low oxygen content and a
high water temperature make August a slightly dull month on the
coast.
© Steen Ulnits
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