Möhne river Germany, 1st of May

[Marcel_Karssies]

Yesterday I went with Robert to the Möhne river in Germany.
I replaced his boss who originally would join him on this trip but called in sick.
I went instead, for free that is since it was Sunday and the day tickets where paid in advance.

It was beautiful weather. With the clear skies the temperature would rise to a tropical 86F
The water level was considerably lower since our last visit during flooding.

After our last visit we heard rumors that the river was fished empty by a hatchery because
the tackle shop who leased the river had not paid the bills for the stocked fish they had bought.

We where soon able to see that these rumors where untrue since we saw with our own eyes
That fish where present in the river.
Robert took 5 trout (brown- and rainbow), yours truly did not got further than a couple of missed takes.
This huge difference in the catch was due to my inflexibility to change from nymph to dry fly.
I just did not see enough rising fish to confidentially switch to dry fly.
Instead I tried in vain to locate the fish on the river bed.
As it turned out fish where feeding in the surface at certain places.
Robert switch timely and was rewarded with fish. Another valuable lesson learned.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Mohne-01052005/IMG_6903.jpg
Our local guide was present again, a resident of a local guesthouse.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Mohne-01052005/IMG_6905.jpg
After bribing him with sandwiches he pointed the fish for us out.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Mohne-01052005/IMG_6902.jpg
Robert with trout nr. 1 of the day, a nice brown trout.

We both spend at least half an hour casting to a big rainbow that continuously nipped flies from the surface of the river.
When the fish finally was about to inhale the fly I yanked it out in sheer excitement, stupid, stupid, stupid.
At least we had a ball throwing flies at feeding rainbow trout in the current.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Mohne-01052005/IMG_6901.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Mohne-01052005/IMG_6900.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Mohne-01052005/IMG_6899.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Mohne-01052005/IMG_6896.jpg
Active rainbow trout.

With the warm weather insect activity was high. Loads of small midges about and also large hawthorn and alder flies.
While wading I turned several stones and found a whole range of nymphs, caddis larvae and shrimps.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Mohne-01052005/IMG_6910.jpg
Robert with a rainbow caught on a dry fly (hawthorn fly).


It was so darn hot that we had to take several breaks at our favorite hangout, the beer garden of the Niederbergheimer hof.
It was very tiring to sit on the terrace zipping on a cool beer and watching the river flowing by.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/Mohne-01052005/IMG_6907.jpg
The usual Warsteiner-versus-river picture 2005.

On this day we also did some scouting work to explore the upper part of the river.
We had never been there so it was interesting to find several promising new spots.
I got skunked this time but still had a ball, there will surely be a next time when I will
Bring in to practice the lessons I learned on this trip.

[djones]

As always, well done photo essays with informative words combined with self-effacing wit. I didn't understand this section, however:

"After our last visit we heard rumors that the river was fished empty by a hatchery because
the tackle shop who leased the river had not paid its bills. "

[Marcel_Karssies]

Maybe I have to rephrase that sentence.

Well, last time we fished there we got no fish and saw no fish.

So later somebody of our flyfishingclub got a mail from Germany from a friend that it was no wonder we had not seen fish.
That person had heard in the woodwork that the fish where removed from the river by an disgruntled (unpaid) supplier of stock fish by means of electro fishery. In other words the river would have been cleared of trout.

Although in hindsight this seemed rather unlikely the fact that the tackle shop who leased the river had gone bankcrupt recently and re-emerged under another name seemed to give that story just enough credit to make it believable.
Last time we fished there one of us called in about fishing conditions the day before and was told fishing was good.
When we arrived the river was severely flooding and no locals where to be seen. The tackleshop did not earn credits by this
(they made the remark we should use teeny lines to get to the fish that day).

Of course one of us called in to ask if the "no fish" story was true and off course it was denied. Somebody supposedly had a grudge against the owner. Since he went bankcrupt I can imagine it would be likely. On the other hand if it where true nobody would be stupid enough to admit they where frauds[smile]

[HJS]

Nice report. Seems like theres always a visit to a beer garden somewhere in each of your reports. Nice way to end a day.

[Marcel_Karssies]

There always is a beergarden around, that's Germany :)

We fished the lower end of the Mohne river. A couple of miles upstream of the Mohnesee, a large reservoir.

The river is fly-only and the stringent size limit makes sure that
almost all fish are safely returned to the water.
The river has rainbow trout, brook trout and brown trout in it.
Other fish species are grayling, pike and a various collection of shiners.

In the last weeks nature has gone into overdrive and hordes of insects are on the loose.
Alder flies and Hawthorn flies are around in large numbers.
The trout where feeding on hawthorn flies which are slow flying terrestrials. They where also quite picky.
I turned various stones and inspected some caddis housings and found that the larvae where already beginning to transform.

I also have seen the first migratory swallows again so summer is looming. It should be a great time to fish right now.

[fisham]

Nice report, I hope that our weather turns soon. We really could use some warmth.

[spilunkr]

Enjoyed the report and photos, especially the last one. And I second the desire for warmer weather here. I had to scrape the frost off my car windshield this morning, glad I have not yet put my tomatoes out yet.

Guy

[Marcel_Karssies]

Well, it seems I get another shot at the Mohne trout on May 10th.
Guess I will look into my archive of dry flies and tie some new patterns myself.

Next time I am also gonna bend the regulations a bit.
I was fishing the river last time with my clearwater #8 rod.
Nice for the Gulf of Mexico but not on a small river.

Regulations state you can not fish with rods less than #5.
My two light rods are both #4 (Trout bum + 7-11).
It will be definetively Trout bum time. Makes it also easier to
fish some promising spots I came across when I was in the
jungle down there.

[spilunkr]

Marcel,

I don't think I've ever come across a reference to regulating the weight of a fly rod for a fishery before. Living in this country that seems rather odd. Is there a stated rational in regulations for not allowing light weight equipment?

Guy

[Marcel_Karssies]

I guess all those regulations are confusing, they also differ
from place to the place.

The reason for this rod rating is the fact that there are some huge fish in that river. They fear fishing with light gear would prolong the fight too long causing harm to the fish.

My rod collection consists of one #8, one#9 and two #4 weight rods. The #4 weights are my trouting rods. Light enough to throw dries and nymphs and still able to transport a small streamer through the air.

I fish small streams the most so the shorter rods are my favorite.
Haven't seen many short rods higher than #4 around, maybe I am looking in the wrong place.