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SCALE #37 Writers & Photographers
Cover: Jeremy Clark
GOING GREEN It´s time to come clean. Every business affects nature in one way or another and we are no different. When we conducted a survey of our manufacturing and business processes, we detected great opportunities to do better if we only committed strongly to the task.
We decided to go green and set up clear sustainable goals for our company. We named it ”Clean all the way”.
This means we will do everything in our power to minimise our negative environmental footprint. From the developing and manufacturing process to materials and logistics. It´s a daunting task and it´s easy to get paralysed and end up doing nothing.
We are on a green mission and until now, we´ve managed to produce rods, lines and clothing with significantly reduced environmental impact. We have redesigned packaging and minimised use of plastics, all in favor of nature.
We are not done yet; more is on its way. Read all about our work towards sustainable fly fishing on our website and please join us in the #fightfornature
guidelineflyfish.com |
#guidelineflyfish
Terkel Broe Christensen +++ Sophie Claassen +++ Jeremy Clark Stephan Dombaj +++ Moritz Freudenthal +++ Kenny Frost +++ Goran Grubic´ +++ Paulo Hoffmann Alexander Keus +++ Janne Koivisto +++ Aleksandar Panic´ +++ Thomas P. Peschak +++ Robert Pljuscec Milan Simonovic´ +++ Tomas Sjögren +++ Antonio Varcasia
CONTENT
FROM WITH GIVE AWAYS , SPIELEFAIBLE SOFTBAITS GUIDELINE, MOBY
Editorial 6 On board #37 10 Fuck The Virus - Trapped in Yemen • Robert Pljuscec does what he can to forget the Lockdown 18 Webwatcher 44 Hasta la victoria siempre • The Fly Fishing Nation syndicate conquers Cuba 48 Hot & Not 82 Towards the unknown • Antonio Varcasia follows Dante Alighieri on the Straight of Gibraltar 86 Fish, Photo & Fame • The SCALE Instagram Check 118 Stara Planina • Goran Grubic´ and Aleksandar Panic´ on Resistance, Traditions and Modern Age 120 Printfish – SCALE reads along • The News with Dr. Catch 152 The winners of SCALE 36 154 Camp Forrest, Camp! • Tomas Sjögren shows us the Finnish way 156 Payday 186 Out Cuisine • Moritz Freudenthal elevates the Garfish 188 The Danish MacNab Challenge • Terkel Broe Christensen on Sea Trout and Salmon 198 Tie Hard! powered by AHREX 222 Hardbodies & Softcores 226 In the workshop of JAKFISK • Beauty is the only Thing 242 Sexy Tools & Musthaves 260 284 SCALE Big Pictures • Redfish Diaries by Jeremy Clark Imprint 316

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EDITORIAL
FAR FROM NORMAL Writing an editorial while the world is basically in a kind of shock state is no easy task. As an editor of a fishing magazine, do you now deal with the Covid19 scenario or do you prefer to leave it alone? All media channels are dominated by this topic anyway and we would rather present our readers fantastic pictures and captivating stories about fishing. This is to help them escape for a moment from this madness and lose themselves in the beauty that nature offers us.
For us as anglers the lockdown was a particularly dispensable experience. In many places we were not even allowed to leave the houses and apartments. In Germany, fishing was partially allowed, federalism made it possible and it was clearly noticeable how good it did people when they could pursue their hobby. I found myself standing at the stream, completely lost in thought, forgetting all the virus scenarios. Diversion, idleness, whatever to call it, the stay in nature helps us to ground ourselves.
Now that Covid19‘s reference to nature is very close, we can‘t avoid mentioning the scenario, I‘m afraid.
Many voices we hear are longing for normality again. A „normal“ is desired, in silence or through loud protest and not least even by means of violence. But what exactly is this „normal“? Was it normal that recently the Amazonian rainforest was on fire, was it normal that we had to watch pictures of charred marsupials in Australia on the 8 pm news? These are just a few of the not very pleasant scenes that recently made our influence on the natural environment clear. The incidents pile up and occur so quickly one after the other, in fact, they detach themselves from each other that they no longer seem tangible.
We may not be able to process all of this at all anymore, as fast as the media is pouring over us, in the digital age. The fact is that mankind, with its advances into unspoiled natural areas, the exploitation of natural resources and the destruction of habitats, is contributing to the fact that such pandemics could well become more frequent. We have AIDS, SARS and Ebola as examples of a virus leaping from the actual host (animal) to humans. Virologists and pandemic experts around the world say that the destruction of old, well-established ecological relationships by invading previously undisturbed habitats can lead to the transmission of further viruses to humans.
The hashtags of many brand ambassadeurs, content creators and pro-staff-anglers, who usually advertised far away „fishing destinations“, were suddenly transformed into #homewater. They rediscovered the fish in front of their doorstep. A praiseworthy scenario away from high-frequency long-distance or air travel, which is also in direct contradiction to the desire to preserve nature and environmental protection. For us from the SCALE editorial team, the lockdown brought with it a horrendous number of new readers. Clearly, those who cannot fish and are stuck at home are at least dreaming of fishing and enjoying high-quality, entertaining reading.
And in order for the dreaming of nature and fishing, of beautiful landscapes, healthy food and peaceful get-togethers, to become somehow normal, something should happen in us very quickly, because what has just happened is anything but normal and somehow we all play a part in this new reality, which seems as surreal as a Hollywood disaster movie, but one thing remains very real: Fishing helps us to clear our heads, to have a clear thought and to appreciate all the beauty around us! (Frank Steinmann) So stay healthy, protect yourself and your fellow men and enjoy the time in nature!
Consumption, greed, power, raising economy. All these things lead directly or indirectly to the certain destruction of our planet, we all know that. And this is exactly what was our current „normal“ before Covid19 took the sceptre from our hands. The normal, which actually led to the fact that we had to experience a lockdown, had to live somewhat dispensable, had to limit ourselves. And exactly this restriction is in the eyes of many people the only true way out of the global crisis. More renunciation, less consumption, more conscience and more ethical behaviour. Only a new normal can lead in the long term to the protection of ourselves, but above all of the natural environment around us. We have experienced how vulnerable we ourselves are when nature shows itself „Old Testament“, destructive and powerful in its own way, with storms and floods. However, we should not continue to provoke such events.
Your Scale Editors
shout@scale-magazine.com

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ON BOARD SCALE #37
ANTONIO VARCASIA Yes, we can proudly say that Antonio belongs to the SCALE family like no other. He has often inspired us and our readers with his articles and photos and it is an honour for us to present him again in this issue.
The veterinary surgeon, who comes from Italy, lives on the beautiful island of Sardinia, where he works as a scientist for the renowned Sassari University. Antonio is a real „fish fanatic“, who writes for selected magazines around the globe, which he has travelled round countless of times armed with cameras and rods. His trips have taken him to places that other anglers can only dream of and he has caught fish that many didn‘t even know existed. What luck that he is an excellent photographer in addition to his many other facets. For that reason you always get the feeling of being right there with him, when reading his reports from all over the world.
Antonio, who has his own TV show „Reality Fishing“, is not only interested in fishing. What makes him especially likeable is that he is always enthusiastic about the country and its people and therefore has an eye for things beyond rod and reel. He is also an advocate of responsible fishing and uses his knowledge from fisheries research in a number of projects that are concerned with the protection of the oceans or are directly involved, for example, in the worldwide tagging of dolphin or bluefin tuna. As an angler, the Sardinian has fished just about everywhere and Cabo Verde, Ascension Island, Madagascar, the Seychelles, Siberia, Vancouver Island and just about every country in South America are just some of the countless destinations Antonio has traveled to. In this issue he takes us to the Strait of Gibraltar, where big Dentex, Amberjack and Brown Grouper have been waiting for him. More of an angler, researcher, photographer, journalist and world traveller in fish than Antonio Varcasia is hard to come by and we say again: „Ciao Antonio, nice to have you with us“. (Stefan Alt)
www.varcasia.com
www.realityfishing.tv
Photo: www.mojosportswearcompany.com

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ON BOARD SCALE #37
STEPHAN DOMBAJ PAULO HOFFMANN ALEXANDER KEUS FLY FISHING NATION Who would have thought that three ambitious anglers from the Rhineland would one day leave a bigger lasting mark on the fly fishing scene than the invention of the fly line? On the internet, more than 200,000 fans celebrate the adventures of the full-time fly fishermen, guides, photographers and filmmakers of Fly Fishing Nation. Every day, the Homeboys deliver 100% homemade content. Always authentic, always direct, always honest – sometimes a bit rude. With over 70 country stamps in their passports, there is hardly a puddle from Cologne to Tierra del Fuego that hasn‘t been fished by Stephan Dombaj, Paulo Hoffmann and Alexander Keus in the last 13 years.
In this issue the guys from Fly Fishing Nation rave about Cuba. However, the largest island in the Caribbean offers the three of them much more than just excellent saltwater fishing. Destination anglers looking for a quick in/out gig are definitely nowhere to be found during their trips with the FFN syndicate. They are more interested in traveling as a life experience and sharing passions for everything that comes before and after fishing. That is why a trip to Cuba without a few nights in its colourful capital would be unthinkable for them. Or to quote Camilla Cabello, „Half of my heart is in Havana, ooh na na.“ (Frank Steinmann)
www.ffnmedia.com

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ON BOARD SCALE #37
TERKEL BROE CHRISTENSEN According to the „World Happiness Report“ the Scandinavians are considered the happiest people in the world. The source of Nordic happiness seems to be above all the attitude towards an active life, closely connected and in harmony with nature. So the Scandinavians spend as much time as possible in the great outdoors and attach great importance to a sustainable approach to the environment. As you would expect, this is also true for our Danish author Terkel Broe Christensen. As often as his time allows, he goes hunting, sailing or is on a photo stalk with his camera. The full-time biologist from Svendborg Municipality prefers to use a fishing rod, of course, and since he lives and works on the Danish sea trout island of Funen, he has probably hit the fishing jackpot. But Terkel has also been able to hunt his favourite prey, salmon and trout, at many other locations around the world – especially during his four-year stay on Greenland.
But the 54-year-old Dane grew up in Herning in Jutland – in a water mill directly on one of the tributaries of the river Karup! And so Terkel and his friend Kenny Frost have written the story of a very special fishing challenge for you: Catch a salmon in river Skjern and a sea trout in river Karup in one day! This challenge became known as „The Danish MacNab“. The rules are strictly defined and anything but easy: Both fish have to be caught within one day between 00:00 and 24:00, not just within 24 hours – which doesn‘t really make the challenge any easier! Thanks a lot for this great story and Hjertelig Velkommen, Terkel and Kenny! (Hauke Barz)
www.vildlaks.dk

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ROBERT PLJUSCEC @rpljuscec
WHERE THE DESERT MEETS THE OCEAN COVID 19 – LOCKDOWN BETWEEN GOATS, BEACHES AND GT
PHOTOS
ROBERT PLJUSCEC
DESTINATION
YEMEN
TARGET FISH
GIANT TREVALLY, YELLOW FIN TUNA, PARROTFISH ...
WEB
WWW.WILDSEAEXPEDITION.COM

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Finally, after years of war in Yemen, the country, especially the Island groups of Socotra, have been opened again for visitors and I was lucky to be a part of the Wild Sea Expedition team, lead by Nicola Vitali, to visit Socotra with some fish-thirsty new fly fishing and popping clients.
Hadiboh – caught between folklore and plastic waste Hadiboh, the main city of the Socotra island group, was a shock at first but only a day long. From the airport we went straight to the restaurant/public kitchen, no hygiene concept here. Our food was served on a big plate full of rice and few pieces of chicken. No eating dish. For a second I was like, „ok do I eat this with my bare hands?“ And then Nicola just stuck his hand into the plate, grabbing a big pile of rice, looking at me and said: „Don‘t be a pussy“, and so I was not.
People here are very friendly and the city is safe which is one of the most important things. But to work here is very hard, since all is pure chaos, there is a big lack of infrastructure to welcome any future touristic approach and the piles of waste and plastic are surely none of an attraction, tourist would be drawn to.

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A remote spot and hideaway of the big fish We organized a boat for our trip that should take place in the next days and picked up our clients to venture out on the open sea. The waves were harsh and the ride felt edgy. The ocean was roaring all night, the waves were higher than our boat in one moment, just to collapse in the most turbulent crash in the next. None of us slept more than one hour in total that first night out on the sea.
We arrived at our fishing destination in dawn, set up a beach camp and went fishing. All people that were here for the first time, managed to catch their PB right on the first day, but all these fish were the average size for this place. In the following days fishing was a bit slower but still some nice GTs were caught and the collateral catch of yellow fin tuna was common. One day we were informed that the world is closing down due to the corona virus situation and we had to react in sense to go back to the main city.

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Stuck in the Covid-Scenario, solution: fish more Unfortunately even with two days traveling back in advance from our camp to Hadiboh, for some reason the Yemenia local aeroplane company decided to leave even earlier than first declared.
So our clients and we were stuck here. For us that was not that bad, we even prefered to stay, so we could dedicate ourselves to fishing and filming in this place. But as our clients wanted to go home, they didn´t know yet, they would be stationary (and fishing) nearly two more weeks, before they could finally leave for Abu Dabi. So, we stayed.
The Hadiboh coast line is one of the very few places in the world to target parot fish selectively.
We had our eyes and hands on spotted grunter, Nicola caught an 8lb bonefish and one of our guests lost even a 12lb specimen. We saw some photos of bonefish around 22lb, caught by locals on sardine, and big GT´s on the fly are always an option. So the spin and fly fishing potential here is great, we just need more exploration.
The Socotra region is one of the last preserved natural marine environments. And for me, a photographer and fisherman, it´s hard to imagine a better spot to be stuck in, while Covid keeps the world in its grasp.

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WEBWATCHER
Eurofishion Song Contest A song for the migratory fish Our friends from the World Fish Migration Foundation have come up with a special contribution to the annual World Fish Migration Day this year: As part of the Eurofishion Song Contest, all musical fish lovers are called upon to compose a song for the protection of the worldwide migratory fish species! It doesn‘t matter if you sing, howl or growl in the shower, while washing up or in the fully equipped studio! It‘s about drawing attention to the disastrous conditions of the world‘s natural water courses and their lack of passability. In many places, transverse structures such as dams and hydroelectric power plants prevent fish from reaching their ancestral spawning grounds – this has to change, and that is what the World Fish Migration Foundation stands for.
The Eurofishion Song Contest invites everyone to upload their song on the corresponding homepage until 10.10.2020. The winning song will become the official soundtrack of the World Fish Migration Day 2020, which will take place on 24.10.2020.
So, let‘s go for the guitar, the trumpet, the turntables or the spinet. Rappers, bards, pop stars, metalheads and tenors of this world, compose a song in the name of the silent victims of

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water construction and environmental pollution. „Don‘t swim so far, my little friend“, is so 80‘s – this has to go!
By the way, we from the editorial staff liked one of the entries to the Eurofishion Song Contest so much that we would like to present it to you here: „Mazingira yetu“ (our environment) is a production of the Mazingira yetu - organisation, which aims to raise awareness of the challenges that rivers in Kenya are facing due to the pollution caused by solid and liquid waste, which has severely affected aquatic life.
The song was sung in English and Swahili and is aimed at the population of East Africa. It was sung by Lawrence Ochieng and Shamim. (Frank Steinmann)
VIDEO PLATZ www.eurofishion.com www.worldfishmigrationday.com

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FLY FISHING NATION @theflyfishingnation
ALEXANDER KEUS, STEPHAN DOMBAJ, PAULO HOFFMANN
RUM, MILLE FLEURS & CADILLACS CUBA - MORE THAN JUST FISHING
PHOTOS
ALEXANDER KEUS, STEPHAN DOMBAJ
DESTINATION
CUBA
TARGET FISH
PERMIT, TARPON, BONEFISH, BARRACUDA, SNOOK
WEB
WWW. FFNMEDIA.COM

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In recent years Cuba has been one of the most discussed topics in fishing magazines all over the globe. Especially a couple of years ago when rumours arose that immigration laws for U.S.-citizens were about to become less restrictive. For Europeans and Canadians the pristine flats of Cuba had been accessible for decades while most Americans had never set foot on them. Which of course does not mean that it was impossible to visit. How else would you explain that some of the biggest outfitters on the island were booking a share of 60-70% of U.S. anglers during the last decades, long before anyone dreamt of loosening immigration politics? Dedicated U.S.-anglers could simply fill out application forms, allowing them to travel into Cuba legally for humanitarian, religious or social reasons. Also, obviously, there was the ‘narcos style’ route through Mexico.
As long as one was smart enough to pay cash on location and avoid getting a stamp in the passport – he or she would be fine and ready for a fishing adventure.
Why Cuba?
Anglers from all over the place have been travelling to Cuba for various reasons, fishing just being one of them. Like many other destinations, Cuba offers a great excuse to spend time away from home in some far away exotic place, to experience a different culture and to live a different pace of life. Cuba in particular seems like the perfect escape. The booming tourist industry aside, you do get the feeling of having travelled back in time, of being part of a Hemingway story. And even if that does

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not impress you, the Cuban culture has a sort of magnetic effect, it draws you in. Soon after you’ve made your way down from Jose Marti International to La Habana Vieja, you will find yourself in a colourful Cadillac – heading down the infamous Malecon or stopping in the middle of the walkway to listen mesmerized to local street music groups. Later that day you will be sitting in one of Hemingway’s favourite bars, a freshly acquired box of Mille Fleurs on the table, getting tipsy on the third Daiquiri. Oh, the charm of it. No way around this, and lets be honest: isn’t this what we all need from time to time? To escape from a monotonous working life, diving into the unknown?
Now, back to our beloved U.S.-Americans, who were about to find out that they would be granted easy access for the first time in decades. Cuba has been in a timeless state for a long time and it’s been a popular holiday destination for backpackers, families and honeymooners alike. But when word got out that the country would soon be open for U.S.-Americans, things got a bit chaotic. Not only did American investors see the big potential in a vaulting hotel market, tourists from outside the U.S. feared that Cuba’s authentic charm was at stake and felt pressured to visit the country one last time before the Americans would ‚swarm‘ in. The hype was real. The fly-fishing industry was affected as well, most noticeable in the climaxing booking prices and growing waiting lists. Why though? Why Cuba in particular?

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What makes Cuba so special is the fact that Caribbean culture and lifestyle meet pristine flats and intact reefs – reefs that haven’t been affected by overfishing, pollution or mass tourism. Yet! In fact, Cuba’s multiple marine national parks have made commercial fishing in these areas illegal, to restore and sustain a healthy ecosystem.
So rest assured, those of you who believed the pristine marine life of Cuba to be in mortal danger. There is only a very limited number of boats allowed per area. Simply going down there and ‚doing ya thing‘ (DIY fishing) is not an option. Although there’s so much water to explore. The fly fishable part of the famous Jardines de la Reina marine park is twice as big as the entire Florida Keys area!
And only a maximum of 32 anglers per week is allowed to fish it. And this is just one of six huge and rich areas known to fly anglers. In short: There’s plenty of water to roam free and undisturbed! So there you go, Cuba sends you back in time. And it’s not just the fancy, colourful old-timers that make it feel like the 60s. It’s the kind of intact marine wildlife that really cuts it.
The Syndicate Having visited Cuba on several occasions in a row, back in 2017 we felt like this was the perfect setting for one of our Syndicate gigs. The FFN Syndicate is a carefully selected group of people we have met on the road in literally every corner of the world during the last couple years.

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A bunch of passionate anglers of varying ages, backgrounds and experiences. All of them travelling around the globe not just for size and numbers, but having a memorable time with like-minded people.
Of all the places where people discuss ideas, the bar seems to be a creative hotspot. And of course the idea of a Syndicate gig in Cuba first came up during a night out. The very same night an email was sent to the inner circle. Only a couple of days later, before we even had time to fully cure our hangover and think about what we had proposed, a group of anglers had gathered around us, eagerly waiting to travel back in time together. In September we found ourselves in Havana Vieja, sitting around a big table on the roof of the famous Parque Central. Admiring the view of the different parts of Havana, sharing fishing stories and preparing for another long night. Although we knew most people, many of them didn’t know each other and so a pleasurable (and slightly tipsy) meet and greet ensued. These fine gentlemen couldn’t have foreseen that only a few days later none of them would hesitate a second to take a bath together in crocodile’s territory – just to celebrate one of them catching a baby Tarpon in the last light of a rainy evening … This first night in Havana set the pace for our entire trip. Drinks, cigars and hell of a good time.
The Syndicate is a big bonus to a trip abroad for all of us. Experiencing the country (and to some extent exploiting its natural resources) together is a lot of fun.

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There are too many anglers who miss out on the local life because they are to busy running straight to their luxurious fishing destination.
Permit during the Day, Rum and Cigars at Night The following day began with a six hour bus ride to Jucaro, a small town on the south side of the island, and a subsequent three hour ferry ride to our accommodation, which sounds rough but actually was the perfect cure for a 3rd degree hangover. We lay in the ship’s bow, first witnessing a colourful sunset starboard side while simultaneously seeing an impressive thunderstorm portside. Then, as it grew darker, the Milky Way emerged.
A night to remember! And many were to follow. It is always fascinating to observe how group dynamics evolve around a common denominator. How small talk turns into deep talk and strangers become friends. It’s fair to say that nobody took things all to seriously, we were all in it for a good time. Switching skiff partners and sharing chances for Permit at day and sharing bottles of Rum and Cuban cigars at night. It was simply a perfect blend.
In the end we counted ten Grand Slams and one Super Grand Slam. History was made and a foundation for further trips laid.
And that’s what happened. Exactly one year after our first trip, the Syndicate returned to Jardines de la Reina, again with a mix of ‘old’ friends and new comrades.

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Just to prove that we could, and to prove that a careful selection of tides, guides and angler are a cornerstone for a successful tropic fishing adventure. We finished our second Syndicate gig with another 7 Permit, 4 Grand Slams, two birthday parties and a broken nose.
Of course Cuba is still on our list. Why shouldn’t it be? Not just for the fishing, but to reunite with friends, bringing together like-minded people from all over the world and to share our passion and the way we live it.

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HOT & NOT
Hello, fishfarm anglers!
(byStefan Alt)
This term for people who try their luck at Put & Take trout lakes sounds extremely derogatory. People wrinkle their nose when talking about angling in small lakes especially created for this purpose. The colourful bait in a jar is often mocked as the devil‘s paste.
I also find myself smiling at these anglers from time to time. Is this slightly arrogant attitude justified? Are „fish farm anglers“ second-class anglers? And why are there so many people who love fishing stocked lakes? Do these „cathouses full of trout“ have a right to exist? An attempt to get to the bottom of this ...
Hot
When I think back to the first time I held a fishing rod in my hands, the lake of a trout farm in Lower Saxony immediately comes to mind. At that time my father, who wasn‘t really an angler but loved smoking and eating trout, used to take me to that lake and I have many fond memories of it. Many years of disinterest followed that initiation – until one day the fever came back. Even then my first excursions to fishing were with friends who often went to a stocked lake in Schleswig-Holstein or even to these Put & Take lakes in Denmark for several days. I have fond memories of these trips too.
Fishing on these kinds of lakes was always exciting and catching the „circus fish“, as a friend once called them, was no easy matter contrary to what many might suspect.
Even my colourful assortment of the successful PowerBait paste didn’t reel them in numbers. Nevertheless we had a lot of fun and when one of us caught a fish, we were chuffed to bits. Even my sister, who does not actually fish, came along from time to time. We loved being outside all day long and watching others, even if envious, catching a fish. We had a very friendly relationship with the owners of these lakes and the company of other anglers often felt like family.
Well, there was a bond ...
At one of these small stillwaters I made my first attempts with the fly rod and here I also caught my first fish on a fly. The lake was perfect for beginners, because the trout swam along a ledge, which I reached with my modest casting, and now and then one got stuck. I will never forget how we often prepared the fish right there at the lake on a barbecue we brought along and ate them on the spot full of joy.
Much later I also spent beautiful hours with my own son and his friends at these lakes. The picture of the boys’ faces when a fish wriggled on the line will remain with me forever. Over here, this type of lake is the only fishery where children are allowed to fish on their own, to actually catch a fish and take them home to eat. Somehow I have an itch to visit these lakes again.
Yes, these fishing lakes have a right to exist and are a part of my fishing life ...

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HOT & NOT Not
When I think of fishing, I think of the coast with its sea trout, sea bass and turbot. I think of the wind, the inimitable smell of the salty sea and washed up bladderwrack, and the wide-open view. Or I think of me stalking along a river in the high grass, with my fly rod in hand and my body and mind full of tension, hoping to spot a rising fish. I am surrounded by insects, chirping birds, maybe I see a beaver or another wild animal coming to the bank to drink.
All that is missing when fishing a stocked lake. The only exceptions I have seen are in Denmark, where people sometimes try a little bit harder. Otherwise, these lakes are often located to the left and right of motorways.
They are monotonous, rectangular pits from which at some point earth was taken for the construction of the adjacent motorway. Here and there a few bright spots in the water – underneath them soaked bait paste in all colours of the rainbow garnished with glitter. If the rush to them is big, so is the background noise at them.
People are groaning when the bobber twitches and loud arguing when the lines of two anglers get tangled.
Loud music booms out of throbbing speakers from cars parked behind the anglers, and while they are staring at their floats, they are talking loudly on the phone. Sometimes it smells of frying fat from the take-away on site, satisfying the appetite of its guests, or of gasoline from cars arriving and leaving. Every 50 meters garbage bins spilling over line the shore, filled with offal, beer cans and leftover string.
The fish? Delivered from a stocking farm, unlovingly dumped from the truck via a pipe into the water. Stuffed with pellets and without exception ugly as the night. When they take, it‘s out of desperation. Flat noses, tattered tail fins, pale and here and there with a missing pectoral fin. Zombie fish with a high fat content that piled on the pounds. Produced for the „meat packers“ among us anglers.
Now even the site owner is doing his umpteenth lap in his car, looking suspiciously at his customers. Is the time booked fishing over by now? Are forbidden baits used or is there one more rod than allowed on the water?
Have too many fish been taken?
No, these fishing lakes have nothing to do with my way of fishing.
This is not where I belong ...

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ANTONIO VARCASIA @reality_fishing
LOS SEÑORES DEL ESTRECHO THE KINGS OF THE STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR
Both sides I saw Spain, as far as Morocco, and the island of Sardis, and the other that bathes around that sea.
Me and ‚comrades were old and late when we came to that narrow mouth where Hercules marked them so that the man no longer goes: from my right hand I left Sibilia, on the other, Sect had already left me.
„O friars“, I said „that one hundred milia why did you come to the west, to this much small eve of our senses which is of the rest, don‘t deny the experience, back to the sun, the world without people.
Consider your seed: you were not made to live like brutes, but to follow virtue and knowledge „.
PHOTOS
ANTONIO VARCASIA
DESTINATION
STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR / SPAIN
TARGET FISH
DENTEX, BROWN GROUPER, AMBERJACK, MEAGRE
WEB
WWW.VARCASIA.COM
Dante Alighieri Divine Comedy; Inferno, Canto XXVI

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Panting like someone who hasn’t been to the gym in a while, I arrive at the end of the path that runs alongside the cliffs and finally embraces the bay of Barbate. Right in front of me the Torre del Tajo stands guard over this particular arm of the sea where legend and history are mixed into a delicious cocktail. As I enjoy my view over the twinkling waves, I’m able to distinguish between the merchant and fishing boats and I can even spot the coast on the other side of the canal and behind it, slightly blurred, the mountains of Morocco. I’m trying to imagine what it must have felt like for the great explorers, Columbus and all the other bold men, who set sail from the Columns of Hercules (Ἡράκλειοι στῆλαι) not knowing whether fate would treat them kindly. Dante also spoke of this fascinating place in his poem “The eighth canto of Hell”, in this bolgia Dante has Ulysses tell his own tragic end and of his greatest sin, presuming to arrive at complete knowledge..
Knowledge of what?
There are many reasons to pay the strait a visit, and obviously a lot of them are fishing related.
The transition from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic corresponds with sharp changes in habitats, currents and tides. Additionally, the canal serves as a place of passage for many migratory species and an entryway for new inhabitants of the mare nostrum, making it a very divers place to fish. The strait is a spot where fishing is never easy, it holds great surprises and first-rate fighters. Even though the Strait of Gibraltar has been known in the fishing community as a main passage place for bluefin tuna, with four tuna traps (Almadrabas) still

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active in the strait (Conil de la frontera, Barbate, Zahara de los atunes, Tarifa) for centuries, which is an ancient technique of tuna fishing employed by the fishermen of the strait for centuries – it is also an excellent spot for fishing for bottom predators. Precisely for this reason, and thanks to the hospitality and expertise of my friend Andres Rosado, a long-time fisherman on the strait, in this article, we will mainly focus on vertical techniques (both with natural and artificial baits) applicable in fishing to the benthic predators of the Strait of Gibraltar.
Where and When The Strait of Gibraltar is probably one of the most significant places on the planet, historically and geographically. The environment above water varies a lot over the 60 kilometre extent of the strait and apparent differences can also be noted between Tarifa and the coast of Morocco, even though they’re only separated by nine nautical miles at the narrowest point. The internal part of the canal is decidedly varied as well. Some stretches of the canal immediately reach impressive depths, while other parts, like the one overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, are much more shallow. At the Atlantic side, bathymetric measurements reveal a constant depth of 30 meters, even several miles from the coast. Across the strait, many small seamounts and several wrecks can be found. These underwater structures form real fishing treasure troves for those who know how to find them.
There are different marine phenomena that constantly mark the flow of time on the strait. In this regard, attention should be paid to the tides

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especially: keep in mind that the Atlantic can have high tidal coefficients leading to significant water movements in the strait. These movements have considerable consequences on both the surface and, especially, in the water column. In the canal, in the absence of wind, I noticed a 2-3 miles drift within 10-20 minutes.
The Mediterranean tides and the winds complete the challenge.
Lastly, the heavy traffic of boats and especially of cargo ships is not to be underestimated and demands special attention.
In Gibraltar, the best fishing seasons are similar to ours, with spring and autumn in the lead. Consequently, the weather will often dictate whether or not it is possible to go out, especially on the more remote banks of the strait.
How to One of the things that surprised me most is the variety of different techniques that can be employed to catch fish in the Strait of Gibraltar. In fact, just like in our area, in the evenings and early mornings a large population of anglers (in the port of Barbate I saw more than 100 boats come out on a weekday) goes out to fish for squid, which are mostly used as live bait. The novelty of fishing in Gibraltar lies in the fishing technique used by the locals, which is very different from most locations in the Mediterranean. There still is a certain spectrum within this approach, and although it is influenced by personal preferences, it is definitely based on target fishing.
On the strait locals use depth sounders to relocate the bank or their starting spot and calculate the right drift accordingly. They fish the bottom using live bait with a guardian lead or with a Live kab mount, a reinterpretation of the Tenya game. Normally, the strait is fished with 30/50 lbs vertical rods (or other vertical techniques) with conventional or rotating reels with an excellent drag (which is often kept completely closed), 50 lb braid and leader ranging from 70 to 80 lbs depending on the substrate and potential fish species. Once the bait reaches the bottom, it is raised to between 2 and 5 meters above the sea floor where it is left waiting for the fish to bite.

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The strategy of more experienced anglers could be described as a sort of „run & gun“ approach: meticulous inspection of the shoal for marks and/or biting fish. Anglers drop their lure, if the markings continue or increase they keep fishing, if the markings stop, passes or exploratory descents (just to not exclude anything) are made before moving on to another bank. This way an angler can fish a stretch of over 50 miles while moving from one bank to another. When traveling such large distances, two things must be avoided: running out of bait and sailing during the topical moments of the day, which means the moment during which the tides change, but more importantly, the climax of the high tide. Most fishermen know that it is during these periods of the day that (if they haven’t been doing so until then) predatory fish will go out hunting or at least be more active. Why?
Because an increasing current means forage fish are more active; looking for food and being in a general state of excitement due to the perturbation of the sea bottom. Their change in activity is closely monitored by the predators, they are there, waiting, ready to strike.
This, of course, is not the only way to fish in the strait and fishermen usually alternate their approaches. Typical for Gibraltar is the use of vertical fishing techniques and in particular: slow jigging, Inchiku and above all, fishing with softbaits (vinilos, as they call them here).
The latter is Andres Rosado’s favorite, he’s been practicing vertical techniques for a long time. Over the years, he has developed such an expertise that he began to customize and then handcraft his own hard (jigs, inchuku and other deviles for sloJ) and soft baits. One of his most outstanding creations is a silicone imitation of a generously sized squid, the use of which has been proven to be quite sensible as the natural squid population in the strait, similar to other places in the Mediterranean, has been depleting. Over time this path has led Andres to become a real bait pusher for those who practice these techniques in the Strait of Gibraltar. So much so that Andres created his own brand: Jigging a La Carta (JLC) which, as the name implies, has the objective to meet the needs of fishermen in a personalized way with a production that is still largely handmade.

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The Bucket List Species The fish that inhabit the waters of the strait are different than those found in the Mediterranean.
Although you can find most of the common Mediterranean species here, thanks to the heavy currents and the specific type of spots in the canal, the fish in the strait tend to be more accumulated, larger and more muscular, especially at lower depths. The Dentex gibbosus is one of the most important species for fishermen in the Strait of Gibraltar. You can regularly find common Dentex, at least two species of Red Porgy, Brown Grouper, Amberjack and especially the Meagre (Argyrosomus regius) in the same spots. The latter is a euryhaline fish from the Sciaenidae family which is not only present in the Atlantic (especially between Senegal and the English Channel) but also in the Mediterranean.
Interestingly, this fish was rather rare in the Mediterranean at first but has gradually been spreading across the basin due to warming of the waters. Additionally, this species is one of the few Antilexepsian fish around, which means they passed from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea through Suez. Conflicting opinions exist on how they arrived here, but most people believe it has something to do with the set up of breeding farms.
Destination Guide The most suitable town to make a base for exploring the strait is Barbate. Barbate is located in the north-western part of the canal and is considered a great holiday destination as well as a great historical and cultural point of interest.

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In addition, Barbate lies a stone‘s throw from Cabo Trafalgar, where on 21 October 1805 the eponymous and legendary battle between the Spanish army and Lord Nelson‘s Royal Navy took place. You can enjoy the cultural heritage of the Almadrabas and tuna fishing, which has been present since the 16th century. Barbate can be reached by traveling through Jerez de la Frontera or Seville. Both have airports where several flights from Italy and other European countries are regularly scheduled (via Ryan Air and Iberia airlines).
With regards to fishing, due to the complexity of both the fishing itself and the navigation on the strait, it is not advisable to venture out alone. In my opinion, the best thing to do if you are planning a fishing holiday on the strait is to write my dear friend Andres Rosado or myself to ask for advice on guides and charters.
Last but not least, an obligatory stop for all gourmet fans: Restaurant „El Campero“ in Barbate! A real cradle of traditional tuna fishing and fishing in general in this part of Andalusia.
Hasta Luego!
Andres Rosado: www.jiggingalacarta.com
jiggingalacarta@hotmail.com

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THE SCALE INSTAGRAM-CHECK In our SCALE Instagram column we introduce you to people whose feed is worth following.
If I want to break out of the flood of pictures of presented fish and fishing people that clog my Instagram Feed, I‘ll drop by Thomas P. Peschak!
He is actually a marine biologist, but he quit that job in favor of photo reportage. Today Thomas is capturing images for National Geographic and is playing in the top league when it comes to wildlife. No matter whether we are talking about underwater photography or terrestrial life forms, his pictures are spectacularly staged and technically brilliant.
The focus is clearly on the marine ecosystem and its inhabitants, so there are plenty of shots of fish that are allowed to swim freely without being staged in any way to wriggle on hook and line or being held up in the hands of anglers. This is the true art and perfection of fish photography and always worth following. But also all other pictures of marine mammals, birds and other species are simply fantastic to watch. Have fun while diving down and grasping for air. (Frank Steinmann)

@thomaspeschak
#conservation #underwater #diving #trekking #adventure #wilderness #underwaterphotography #freedive #ocean #conservation #marionisland #globalwarming #southernocean #natgeo #polar

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ALEKSANDAR PANIC GORAN GRUBICĆ
STARA PLANINA LAST MOUNTAIN STANDING
PHOTOS
MILAN SIMONOVIC & ALEKSANDAR PANIC
DESTINATION
SERBIA
TARGET FISH
BROWN TROUT
WEB
GORAN GRUBIC: WWW.FLYANDTROUT.COM
WEB
MILAN SIMONOVIC: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/DISCOVEROLDMOUNTAIN

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Astraeus If we were to embark on a quest to find the mythical Astraeus, to see it floating, and if were heading out to witness fly fishermen, holding the fly rod and flies the same way as they did 2000 years ago, we would end up in Serbia – on the rivers of Stara Planina (Old Mountain).
Sometimes called Balkan Mountains (Balkan - derived from Persian, meaning “high above or proud house”), Stara Planina is geographically close, only couple of hundred kilometres, to the location of the mythical river in Northern Greece where the first fly fishermen were sighted. Stara Planina and its rivers are part of the region that gave birth to the craft of fly-fishing. The rivers of Stara Planina, preserved in their original state, are the keepers of ancient fish genetics, which is the main reason why certain people are fascinated with them. The natural beauty of these rivers cannot be overseen.
The thrill of experiencing this magical scenery for the first time, is everlasting, and it keeps drawing you back, till the end of your days.
From the times of old and the first anglers that used artificial flies, Stara Planina was the home to this most sophisticated fishing craft. It is of no importance whether the ancient craft of catching fish using only a branch of hazel tree, a thread and a hook from which dangled some tied wool and feathers – was discovered by the sharp minded people of

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Stara Planina. The craft became a tradition of the local people, that withstood the challenges of time, and they continued to catch fish that way till the 90’s.
Not even the development and availability of modern fishing tackle, could diminish its popularity with the locals, or completely erase it from their hearts and minds. It became a way of living on the mountain, which could perish only after the last true mountain angler is gone.
Stara Planina and how the locals coexist with it For a very long time the Toplodolska and Dojkinačka rivers have been flowing from the top of the mountain, bound by red sand stone, towards the gorge of Pakleštica, where the river is embedded in a clear white limestone, Stara Planina was a home to the ancient fishing craft, that everyone knows as – fly-fishing. The craft that always stood out from all other ways of fishing, as the unique and very imaginative concept of imitating a live insect. Hungry and fiery trout, swiftly appearing from the depths of a pool or rapid, would reward the anglers with their attacks.
This craft has been passed from generation to generation and it was constantly enriched by the accumulated experience and sharp minds of the mountain people. These rivers preserve another invaluable thing. During a scientific research of mitochondrial DNA, a strain of

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ancient brown trout was found here, which is likely to make Stara Planina and its environment the birthplace of a whole species.
The people of the mountain have always responsibly coexisted with nature, without any knowledge of the science called ecology.
When they settled here they learned to share the world they live in with all the plants, animals and fish, carefully preserving everything while harnessing the riches of nature. Everything they created on the mountain has in a way been an upgrade to the nature itself. Fly fishing is a part of this responsible coexistence with nature, a pure perfection, that does not need any adjustments or changes. The revolutionary idea of the first imitation lives on in its original form. Created in an ancient time, it remains untouched by “progress” and discovery of kevlar and carbon.
The Threats of New Age None the less modern age did not pass Stara Planina by… The arrival of pseudo democracy and a wild market economy have brought new challenges to these lands. In the last 30 years the tradition of living with and care for nature has been under attack. Deforestation and the industrial exploitation of various natural resources – even the fact that Stara Planina, with its abundant wild life, is a natural park of the first category, protected by strict laws and regulations, did not prevent certain parties from taking advantage. Finally, trees and minerals were not enough: the development of mini hydro power plants began.

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The New Elite, corrupt officials and “investors”, discovered a new “hidden treasure” – long forgotten plans and projects (conceived of during the mid 80’s) to “enrich” all the mountain rivers in Serbia with Mini Hydro Plants (MHP). Those plants redirect whole river systems through several kilometres of pipeline. Hiding behind the need for “green” energy, all MHP projects were approved by the government and implemented with a wild lack of interest in the consequences for the natural environment. Furthermore, the government subsidizes all MHP-projects, since this type of energy harvesting, on most rivers, cannot produce significant amounts of energy. The Serbian government opened the “hunting season” on mountain rivers.
The terrible conclusion: The sheer number of MHPs planned would completely destroy the interconnected mountain river systems of the Balkans.
The Answer!
The mountain of Ancient Memories, Stara Planina, stands proud and tall! Faced with the approaching start of construction of the first mini derivation type hydro plant, the people of Stara Planina, WOKE UP! The nightmare of losing everything that makes Stara Planina unique was upon them.
Such threats have never before been answered so vigorously in Serbia (or other Balkan countries). Several self-organized ecological groups formed one united citizens movement: the ORSP – Odbranimo reke Stare Planine (Protect the rivers of Stara Planina). The need for such a movement was obvious. Forged on Facebook and Instagram, in just a couple of weeks there the group gained 10.000 members, today it has 100.000. People from all parts of Serbia – the local population, scientists, mountaineers, climbers, professional athletes, poets, musicians

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and many more gathered around this one crucial mission and created a pool of great potential, that transformed into a tidal wave called ORSP. In its two years of existence, it has been recognized by independent journalists, artists and some members of the academic community, and received several rewards. ORSP was created as, and still remains, a non-political movement.
Peaceful protests against the MHPs involve legal battles with local, corrupted politicians, as well as peaceful blockades of heavy machinery. Sometimes these protests evolve into open confrontations with the police or “investors” private security.
For Now … The “investors” have been held off for now. The rivers of Stara Planina are currently safe, but the people who protect them are still worried, the battle is on-going. MHPs continue to devour rivers on many other Balkan mountains, where there are either not enough people to oppose it, or locals are just not concerned with the inevitable consequences. Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Macedonia are losing rivers every day, to the monstrous black pipelines of the mini derivation type hydro plants (MHP). The proud Mountain of Ancient Memories is the frontline today, and a bright example for all of us.

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Prof. PhD Goran Grubić was born 1962 and
raised in Pirot, above which, Stara Planina stands proud. Extremely passionate fly fisherman and fly tier, learned everything there is to know about nature, while exploring his backyard – the unique ecosystem of Stara Planina. Owing all of his knowledge to the traditional, ancient, way of living, for the last 3 years, has dedicated all of his time to protection of Stara Planina from greed and insanity of capitalism. One of the leaders of the ORSP movement.
Aleksandar Panić was born 1955 and raised in Belgrade, capital of Serbia. Professor on the University of Agriculture in Belgrade, teaching physiology and feeding of animals. Fly fisherman, who dedicated his life to scientific research of nature’s fauna, together with Aleksandar Panić creates the duo, that has written articles and books about Fly Fishing and Fly Tying.
Odbranimo reke Stare Planine on Facebook

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THE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT ANGLING BOOK Hot off the pre SCA LE REA DS ALO NG
ss
DR. CATCH / TOBIAS NORFF BARSCH – ANGELN MIT KUNSTKÖDERN
As common as the title BARSCH - ANGELN MIT KUNSTKÖDERN may seem, the content of its 256 is anything but! Dr. Catch remains true to the line of its online offer www.doctor-catch.com: easily digestible, yet valuable information. Meaningless texts and endless reports of an adventure coverage are nowhere to be seen. In this book the focus is on lively images and meaningful graphics, that lead to success with step-by-step instructions. Author Tobias Norff leaves out nothing that the modern spin fisher should have in his repertoire. All common lure types and methods are explained in an easy to understand manner and are easy to grasp for even less experienced anglers. Greatly useful: A lure type or technical topic starts with a graph highlighting its recommended areas of application. At a glance, the reader can see whether the lure or method is suitable for fishing in weeds, for example, what are typical depths for said lure or application and whether it is more likely to attract active or passive perch to the bait. BARSCH – ANGELN MIT KUNSTKÖDERN is a textbook! Sounds bone dry? Far from it: the author‘s wit shines trough even in the short texts and there is the one or the other anecdotes hidden between the lines. The book successfully manages to entertain the readers, even if it’s packed to the rafters with fishing techniques. Last but not least, thanks to a lot of high-quality pictures browsing through its pages is a real pleasure.
There’s only one catch: BARSCH - ANGELN MIT KUNSTKÖDERN really wets the appetite for fishing for perch with one of 120 carefully chosen baits. Which is a sure fire way to empty your purse by recommending brand-independent bait. The fully justified 29,95 € for this title won’t be the only expense. You’ll be gagging for some of these tasty lures – guaranteed! (Stefan Alt)

 The perch bible is available online in German only from Dr. Catch here:
www.doctor-catch.shop

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WINNERS
HOW FORTUNATE!
In these times dominated by the virus one is happy about every ray of hope. For many, the start of the fishing season literally fell through, and so in the absence of beautiful spring catches, every manufacturer‘s catalogue and all relevant online shops were scoured for the latest shit to refresh the already impressive tackle reservoir – after all, you want to be prepared! Of course we are happy to help and can come to the aid of some of our readers. So here they are, the winners of our last issue:
One of five WILEY X Captivate Polarisation Sunglasses
Tibor Klampar Michael Witt Debbie Winder Jan Uhlhorst Rafaela Ramos One of three RAIDZAP Sets
Jörg Bendner Mikael Larsson Celine Blanc One of three FLY BOXES by Aleksandar Vrtaric
John Harden Sven Reichert Brynja Einarrdóttir

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TOMAS SJÖGREN @Tomassjogren1
FISH, FUN AND FORREST THE FINNISH SOUNDS OF NATURE
PHOTOS
JANNE KOIVISTO @KOIVISTOJANNE
DESTINATION
FINLAND
TARGET FISH
PIKE, ZANDER, PERCH
WEB
WWW.SALTWATERANGLERS.FI

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Casual Madness My alarm goes off at 4.30 in the morning.
One hundred kilometres of road await the tired but excited angler. The car is already packed to the brim, the kayak firmly tied to the roof. As I leave my drive way, the blinding sun reminds me that I’m behind schedule. I accelerate, pushing the pedal down to the floor, I want to arrive at my spot before the morning is over. The 40mph sign was obscured by bushes and very hard to see, I try to explain to the kind police officer who stops me.
Unloading the car after finally arriving at the spot, I realize the sonar battery is still plugged in safely in the garage at home and my favourite lure box is missing. I start fishing. The irritation I feel doesn’t go away. Nothing bites, the day goes by without any serious game. Maybe tomorrow, I think as I’m driving back. Tomorrow will be better, I think as I’m getting ready for bed. My alarm goes off at 4.30 in the morning.
There’s another way This is the way I did it for years before I slowly realized, there is an alternative, a less exhausting approach to my dearest hobby. Why not wake up on the spot, say at 7am after a good night’s sleep, instead of driving hundreds of kilometres? When I started combining fishing and camping, I did it to maximize my time on the water.

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Today I just do it to take it easy, to do what I love without being stressed out about it. The morning routines become long, complicated procedures after you reach a certain age, and now, there’s no rush. Nobody has to be first. My companions and me we just sit and drink fresh hot coffee, observing the calm surface, trying to spot cruising schools of baitfish. There’s no timetable in the middle of nowhere.
There is no better way to start to start your weekend than heading for that secluded little island straight after work, building up your camp, starting a fire and when you’re finished just sitting back and listening to the sounds of nature … and then breaking the silence with the ‘phiiiiist’-sound your beverage makes when you open it. All the fuss just fades away. And there’s nothing better than being woken the next by the chirping of nature, well rested and ready to go.

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The Finnish way I’m guessing that many of you are grumbling to yourselves by now – thinking about cold nights with almost no sleep, bad food, mosquitos, heat, cold and moisture that penetrates your very soul.
Well, you’re not wrong. But my friends and I slowly realized that the equipment today is a lot more advanced than the stuff we had when we were young. There are a few gadgets that really make a difference: The first and most important condition for a successful trip is being able to sleep well, you feel more energetic and life somehow seems less depressing. So, a proper sleeping bad and a pad befitting the natural circumstances of your chosen destination are essential. We mostly use hammocks on our trips. With a hammock the texture of the ground is of no importance, which quite often will make a great difference when searching for a good spot for a camp. And when the weather allows it, you can let go of the tarp and fall asleep right underneath the stars.
Hiking and camping are two very different things and we definitely prefer the latter. We have our Hobie kayaks, which are well suited to hold mountains of tackle and supplies. We don’t like to worry about space when packing for trips, we love to live the kings of the river when going on a trip and we like to brag about it as well. We sleep in our hammocks, prepare food with what we caught during the day and spice it up with some fresh mushrooms from the forest, maybe have a dessert dish of blueberries and a cup of steaming coffee afterwards. It sounds like a fairytale, doesn’t it?

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We always try to find remote spots, only accessible by boat, no towns or buildings nearby. Finland has lots of national parks where one can go and enjoy ready-made fireplaces, toilets, shelters and so on. They are free to use for everyone. That’s the easy way though. We like a bit of a challenge. We love to explore new territory, a new lake, the kinds of places that no or very few people have visited before.
The low temperatures, often sub-zero, are not a problem if one has the proper gear, though I want to add that kayaks are not equipped to break ice, a realization that took us a couple of trips to make.
We fish mainly in the southern part of Finland, the archipelago for instance or one of the thousands of lakes.
Our season usually starts around early April. When the ice sheet has melted, the pikes start heading towards the shallows for spawning. During the following hot season we tend to go for zander and the rest of the summer is dedicated to perch, until the water temperatures go down again in autumn and we enjoy some serious pike fishing again. Then the circle is complete, the temperature goes below zero and the surface is covered in a thick blanket of ice, to get a good rest until next spring.

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PAYDAY
175.000 ... Taste buds possess a large catfish at maximum. For direct comparison: we humans only have about 10,000 and claim to be gourmets, food bloggers or even star chefs with this measly number! Yuck, thinks the catfish, which of course have the highest concentration of taste buds along their barbels, but also on the rest of their body, the Siluriformes, as they are called in Latin, representing about 3390 species, are equipped with the sensory cells that help them to recognize the molecular structures of their food in the water. Thus, the catfish find their way around even in muddy, murky water or catch their prey safely and purposefully in the dark night.
Scientists have found out that catfish can catch their prey without visual help, but without functioning taste buds they are not able to eat normally.
And by the way, the animal with the least number of taste buds is the chicken, it only makes 24! „Tastes like chicken?“ Maybe, but it seems only partially tasty though. (Frank Steinmann)

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MORITZ FREUDENTHAL
GARFISH KNOWN BY A THOUSAND NAMES

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When there’s talk about garfish, horned fish, hornettes, piper, needle fish or halfbeaks, every angler knows who’s the talk of the town. Every year in May, the blossoming rapeseed rings in the traditionally garfish season on the Baltic coast. For me, as a passionate sea trout angler, it means an enforced break.
Yes, you still catch the one or the other sea trout between the ‘horny’ spawning garfish. However, the greedy halfbeaks with their turquoise spine make it difficult to reach them.
Targeting garfish is of course a welcome alternative and definitely a fun activity. Especially on light tackle such as #5 or #6 fly rod the Mini Marlin is quite a lot of fun. Another method is spin fishing with slim sea trout spinners. There are 2 tricks to gain some ground in hook up rates, because garfish like to stab with their long, bony beaks the lure and lifting into these contacts often lead to nowhere. On the one hand you can use the aptly named Silkekrogen – a special yarn in which the tiny teeth of the garfish get wonderfully hooked and tangled.
The yarn is simply attached to the snap ring instead of a treble hook. Another method is to simply put a 3-5cm long piece of monofilament between the lure and the treble hook. Because of the space between hook and lure, the hornie can attack the lure as usual, but the chance of getting tangled with the hook is much bigger because of the flexible piece of monofilament.
My tip: If you suspect both sea trout and garfish at the spot, you should always choose a treble or single hook. If you want to be on the safe side, use the most effective method – fishing with sbirolino, single hooks and fish shreds. For this you need a long spinning rod, a 30g sbirolino, 1.5m fluorocarbon and a fairly large single hook (for example flatfish or worm hook) and of course fish shreds. The best way to do this is with fillets of garfish. Sounds strange at first, but that‘s how it is. The fillet of the garfish has the perfect shape, it shines wonderfully and above all the skin is quite tough and therefore keeps well on the hook even with long casts.

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The garfish enjoys a rather bad reputation as a food source due to its many green bones. As a professional chef and sea trout lover I have also avoided them for a long time. But a few years ago I was allowed to cater for the wedding party of a former teacher and top chef and he actually wanted smoked garfish. So I was „forced“ to deal a little bit more intensively with the ‘tin wrap’. And indeed, the things turned out to be really tasty!
Over the years I created more and more different recipes and one of these I would like to show you today – a recipe to enjoy boneless halfbeaks.
GARFISH SKEWERS Ingredients: 2 garfish 1tsp fish spice or BBQ Rub 1tbsp vegetable oil 8 wooden skewers Preparation: The garfish must first be gutted and scaled. This can easily be done directly on the beach. Take a handful of sand and rub the scales off right at the shoreline. Now for filleting – as you know from all other fish, garfish can also be filleted quite easily with 2 cuts along the spine. Since garfish have quite a few bones, we come to the trick of carefully preparing the skewers. Slice along both sides of the small bones, which are in the middle of the fillet. From the very front to the end of the tail – but be careful not to cut the skin, but only cut the fillet down to the skin.

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Now you can loosen the piece of bone at the head end and pull it out like a zipper to the tail end. Finally, cut the fillet x-shaped with fine incisions down to the skin in about 0.5cm intervals. Now you can cut the fillets diagonally in half in the middle and rub the spice mixture into the fillet from the under side.
Prick the spiced fillets on a skewer at one end, turn around the skewer like a spiral and also skewer them at the other end. Before putting them on the grill, brush them with a little oil. Barbecue from all sides until crispy. If you are not sure when the fish is cooked, you can simply prick the fillet with a toothpick or a skewer. If the skewer slides through the fillet without any resistance (almost like a potato), the fish is cooked in any case.
My serving suggestion: Garfish Kebab Put the fish skewer straight on to the crispy grilled flat bread, pull out the skewer and finish with Coleslaw and Tzatziki.
FREUDES’ COLESLAW Ingredients for 4 servings: 2 carrots 1/2 apple 1 tsp salt 1 tbsp of sugar 200g mayonnaise 1 tbsp apple or white wine vinegar Possibly some milk/butter milk or yoghurt to dilute.
1/2 red onion 1 spring onion 3 stems of parsley juice of half a lemon Salt / pepper / sugar to taste

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Preparation: Cut the cabbage into very thin strips with a plane or knife. Peel carrot and apple and grate them coarsely. Mix everything together in a bowl with salt and sugar, knead well and leave to stand for a good hour. Meanwhile you can peel the red onion, cut it in half and cut it into very fine strips.
Cut spring onion into fine rings and parsley into fine strips as well. When the cabbage is well-drained, squeeze it with both hands and collect the liquid in a separate bowl. Mix the well squeezed cabbage with the remaining ingredients and season with lemon juice, salt, sugar and pepper from the mill. If you like the salad a little lighter, you can now add some yoghurt or a dash of buttermilk.
www.moritz-freudenthal.de

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TERKEL BROE CHRISTENSEN KENNY FROST
THE DANISH MACNAB CHALLENGE SALMON AND SEA TROUT IN ONE DAY
PHOTOS
T. B. CHRISTENSEN, K. FROST
DESTINATION
RIVERS KARUP & SKJERN / DENMARK
TARGET FISH
SALMON & SEA TROUT
WEB
WWW. VILDLAKS.DK

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Catch a salmon in the River Skjern and a sea trout in the River Karup – and do so within the same day. This challenge has become known as the Danish MacNab. The requirements are stringent indeed, because both fish have to be caught on the same day between 00:00 and 24:00 – and not just within 24 hours. This does not make the challenge any less demanding.
The original MacNab is a Scottish tradition. Some have called it the “hunter’s triathlon”: between dawn and dusk the hunter has to shoot not only a deer and two grouse, he’s also required to catch a salmon. As an angler it can be interesting to set goals as well. And to accomplish a big catch of any sort can certainly be a long-term goal. The Danish MacNab is one such challenge. It is a goal which, although it certainly doesn’t preclude a little dreaming, will test even the most experienced river angler to the extreme – no doubt about that.
On top of that, you need a solid portion of good old-fashioned luck! Otherwise there is no way you will land a salmon in the River Skjern and a sea trout from the River Karup – on the same day.
Close, but no cigar I have tried to accomplish this challenge myself on more than one occasion. I never quite succeeded though, although on one occasion a couple of years ago, I was close.

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I had been lucky enough to catch a nice salmon in the River Skjern and went to River Karup to fish again that same evening. Absolutely nothing happened until just around midnight when, all of a sudden, a bow-wave rose up behind my surface-fished tube fly, accelerated and inhaled it. Fish on! Although it was by no means a giant fish, I was electrified with excitement when a sea trout of about two pounds surfaced. I had a special feeling of relief and gratitude as I gave the fish its freedom after a quick picture.
I knew it was a bit late, but I just felt an irresistible urge to share my joy and called Bo Fomsgaard, the man who coined the phrase Danish MacNab. Bo loves to set, and meet, self-imposed challenges and he has successfully met the ultimate challenge of catching a salmon in the River Skjern and a sea trout in the River Karup on no less than six occasions! Luckily, he answered the phone and listened patiently as I told him how I would like to join the exclusive club of anglers who have managed a Danish MacNab.
He then went on to ask me a question I didn’t quite understand: “You say you caught it only a moment ago?” “Yeah, I released it less than a few minutes ago.”

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“Well,” he said patiently, “then you didn’t catch the salmon and the sea trout on the same day – it’s a quarter past midnight.” I desperately pleaded my case: “Oh, more than two minutes may actually have passed. I mean, I had to fight the fish for a while before it came to the net. The moment when the fish takes the fly counts, doesn’t it?” Bo was not in the least understanding of my manufactured excuse. The rules were strict and he took pains to enforce them.
“I’ll acknowledge that had you caught that sea trout 15 minutes earlier, you would indeed have been a full member of the club by now. You may of course be lucky to hook and land another salmon during the next 23 hours and 45 minutes …” I thanked him reverently for this bonus information. But, unfortunately, I had no opportunity to get back to the river to try my luck the next day. And the MacNab trophy, which I had believed to be within my reach, remained something almost unattainable.

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Interview with Bo Fomsgaard
A test of sporting prowess Bo Fomsgaard has been fishing the rivers of the Jutland peninsula since he was a boy and he’s caught more salmon and sea trout than most other anglers in his home waters, the rivers Skjern and Karup. Here’s how he started – and how the idea of the Danish MacNab came to him.
How did you start fishing the rivers Skjern and Karup?
When angling for trout and grayling started to decline back in the late 1980s, stories started circulating about big bright sea trout being caught in the River Karup. It was back then, that I started taking the bus to what was then the Herning Angler’s Association’s stretch of river in the town of Karup. Ever since that first sea trout took my fly there back in the early 1990s, I have caught fish in Karup every season, and my capture of the first River Karup sea trout of the season still means a lot to me. A few years later, I was invited to join a local angler’s club which had at its disposal a stretch of the River Skjern. I caught my first salmon there at the end of that decade.
When I started fishing the River Skjern, very few salmon were being caught. It was before we saw the positive effects of the tremendous effort to restore the river’s stock of wild salmon.
Then, in the years after 2000, more and more salmon started to return during the spawning seasons. From then on, anglers could go to the river with a realistic hope of hooking a salmon.

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Today, as more and more anglers experience, you can hook the fish of your life in this river. So far, my biggest fish from the River Karup was a sea trout weighing 11 kilos (24 lb). My largest salmon from the River Skjern weighed between 12-13 kilos (27-28 lb). And then there were significantly larger fish that I hooked and lost: the ones that got away … When did you come up with the idea of a challenge?
The idea came about by chance more than 10 years ago.
Back then, reports of catches were scarce and you had to wait for them. Catches have to be reported within 24 hours today. I used to wait until the end of a week and then reported the fish caught during that period. On one occasion, I reported two fish, a salmon and a sea trout, caught the same day but in two different rivers.
This probably doesn’t happen that often, I thought, so perhaps I should see if I could repeat it. In the following years I sometimes made it so that when I caught a salmon in Skjern, I went home to the family, had dinner and put the kids to bed before heading off for a late evening fishing session at the River Karup. Every once in a while, I would manage to catch what my friends would later term as a “Danish MacNab”.
Has it become something you expect to achieve every season?
No, far from it. It’s not something I do every season, nor is it my intention to attempt that. It still is a difficult exercise, although the fishing is getting better and better every year. For someone like me who loves angling in those two rivers, it’s nothing but a fun, no-obligation little challenge.

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The earliest time of year I have achieved a MacNab was in June, but August and September would probably be the best months to make a MacNab attempt because it is the peak of the fishing season in the two rivers.
My job only allows me to fish in the afternoons and evenings, so it’s not always possible for me to fish in both rivers on the same day. But when I am able to do so, it gives the trip to Karup an extra boost when I feel there is the possibility of a Danish MacNab and when it all depends on the next few hours of fishing in the darkness. I have tried my luck a few times this season, though without success. I was close on one occasion: I managed to land a salmon and sped off to River Karup where a sea trout took my fly. Unfortunately, though, I lost the fish with the gold medal on its neck because it fell off my hook!
I want to emphasize that I don’t get obsessive about the MacNab challenge. It just presents me with that extra bit of pleasure when my angling skills are recognised and my winning number comes up. Setting and meeting a self-imposed challenge is also a way of making angling less formal and more fun at a time when a good many anglers have convinced themselves that the size and number of fish is what it is all about. So in this spirit I hope that other anglers will pursue the ultimate test of sporting prowess, that is the Danish MacNab.

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SCALE PRESENTS TIE ItHARD – POWERED BY time AHREX is pike-time … and this we have had Jesper Lindquist behind the vice.
GRIZZLY CANDY VONJesper MORTEN HAGGE is a very skilledHANSEN flyfisherman and fishingguide – and based on the island
big fish. Besides being a brilliant salmon and seatrout-hunter he also has a big passion for pike. In this video he goes all-black, and ties a light fly still with a of Funenheißt he knows everything about knows how to trick lot of sehr volume and movement causedeines by a big wiggletail Fliegenbau statt Fliegenbinden es diesmal bei Tie Hardseatrouts, ... Durchand die surely ausschließliche VerwenEine einfache Fischimitation Sandaals – ein echter Fischmagnet für das Küstenfischen dung von UV-Harz zum Sichern der Materialien anstelle von Fadenwicklungen, erhaltet ihr eine nach z.B. Meerforelle oder Wolfsbarsch. Einfach und doch effektiv.
superstarke Fliege und vermeidet die Umstände mit dem whip-finisher.
and tight lines! (fst) Follow along and tie hard Happy with tying AHREX & SCALE.

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ANZEIGE
www.rumundco.de
WHAT A CATCH!
MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE www.fishingguidesholland.nl
ANZEIGE ADVERTISEMENT
WITH A PINCH OF SEA SALT
ANZEIGE

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TEXT & PHOTO: FRANK STEINMANN
HBSC
Hardbodies & Softcores Lures you wouldN’t want to miss in your tackle box

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THE BIG ONE
by DK-Baits
Length: 15,5cm Weight: 120g Action: Classic jerkbait with built in rattle Target species: pike, zander, catfish and other large predatory fish Editor‘s note: Lovingly designed and partially handcolored, a real eye-catcher

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TROPIC THUNDER
by FlakeLures
Length: 18 cm Weight: 140 g Action: Classic salt water popper Target fish: GTs, tuna and other large saltwater predatory fish Editor‘s note: The PU material used does not absorb water when damaged by teeth, as is the case with wooden baits

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TROUT-TROLL by H.A Lures Length: 12 cm Weight: 14 g Action: Medium to strong lateral outbreaks and flanking Target fish: large salmonids, such as brown and sea trout, salmon Editor‘s note: The bait is specially designed for trolling on Scandinavia‘s large rivers and lake

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MOTHER OF PEARL CLASP by Roger Wyss Length: 7 cm to 17 cm Weight: varies according to the material, from 3.5 gr. to 92 g (large casting spoons) Action: flanking, trundling, swerving Target fish: lake trout, brown trout, char, salmon, pike and other predatory fish Editor‘s note: Fantastic natural product with unique character, can be cast or trolled

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RATSCHAN´S RECYCLED RODENT by Clemens Ratschan Size: Weight: Action: Target fish: Editor‘s note:
15 cm to dachshund dry 28g, wet significantly more Topwater bait huchen, taimen, pike, catfish fun project, rebuilding clearly desired, spectacular attacks

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RESIN/OAK-GEORGE
by TaunoLures
Size: 14 cm Weight: 120 g Action: Classic Jerkbait Target fish: pike, zander, catfish and other large predatory fish Editor‘s note: Clear understatement and therefore far ahead in terms of decoration! The light refraction in the resin/bellied area is fantastic under water.

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RACKER SHAD 22
by Moby Softbaits
Size: 22 cm Weight: 50 g Action: Shad with strongly flanked barrel and vibrating blade tail Target fish: pike, zander, catfish and other large predatory fish Editor‘s note: Truly sustainable soft plastic bait, ecologically safe and 100% made in Germany! A must for every environmentally conscious spin fisher.

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SOPHIE CLAASSEN
JAKFISK – BEAUTY IS THE ONLY THING HOMEPAGE
WWW.JAKFISK.COM
YOUTOUBE
JAKFISK FISHING
INSTAGRAM
@JAKFISK
FACEBOOK
JAKFISK ANGELRUTEN

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I don’t really know a lot about angling – which ain’t a huge shortcoming when you’re a culture journalist. However, when SCALE Magazine asked me if I could do a piece on Hamburg based rod maker Jakfisk I eagerly accepted, as Jakfisk aka Jakub Gollasch happens to be one of my best friends.
You’ll find Jakfisk’s home right on top of the Erotic Art Museum in Hamburg’s world-famous red light district Sankt Pauli, between the notorious Reeperbahn and the Elbe river. Should you ask Jakub why he started making rods in the first place and has never tired of his passion, he’ll answer you by quoting one of his favourite films The Neon Demon: “Beauty isn’t everything, it’s the only thing”. Accordingly, Jakfisk as a brand is all about creating a work of art, not just a commodity. Jakub enjoys presenting his rods like the models in glossy magazines, but in a straight and pure fashion that will make their natural beauty shine even brighter.
Before Jakub started building his own rods, he used standard rods you may find at any local retailer’s. In his opinion those rods were sufficient regarding their functionality but had a blatant lack of style.
Sometimes single components were dodgy, sometimes the whole rod simply looked awful. A fact that naturally disagreed with Jakub’s high aesthetic principles as a designer. So he decided to do something about it himself. Now he had a mission.

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Looking back on the early days of Jakub’s career, I remember that he concentrated so much on the look of his rods that he would sometimes neglect the technical aspects. There was, for example, a rod that was exceptionally beautiful as it had a handle made of turned olive wood. However, on the downside, this beautiful wooden handle was much heavier than a usual cork one and lost much of its grip when it got wet. While he was still a student at architecture college, Jakub had pursued a similar strategy and liked to call himself first and foremost a “design architect”, as he put so much time and effort into the planning and designing of various buildings that he would sometimes deliberately skate around the technical aspects. However, his teachers seemed to be so mesmerized by his presentations that they overlooked the rest.
After college Jakub decided not to work as an assistant at some architect’s office but to get a taste of “real life” and work as a carpenter. So life offered Jakub to teach him a lesson and he eagerly accepted. At the carpentry Jakub learned how different materials will react under different physical conditions, which materials will go together while others won’t – and that functionality is, after all, a damn important thing, no matter, if you’re building the roof of a house or a delicate rod.
Even now that the Jakfisk rods meet a high technical standard, design has remained Jakub’s passion. And even someone who doesn’t know a thing about angling will acknowledge his exceptional craftsmanship.

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All the while Jakub has been true to his style – while still at college “Living - Minimalism and Reduction of Space” was his favourite subject. Accordingly, the Jakfisk rods are primarily defined by their reduced setups and their discreet colour design. Jakub will only use those utensils that are really necessary, no thick coating or useless grip elements, and it makes him happy when his way of building rods is acknowledged by clients.
However, a satisfied client is no reason to take things easier – Jakub still believes that his next rod will always be better than his last.
Will you eventually even catch more fish with a rod that is “beautiful” and not just average? “Actually, all I want is to design and build up rods that will function properly and also look good”, Jakub says. “I want to reach those people, who want to take exactly these kind of rods with them when they go angling. If you find something pretty or aesthetic – it’s just a feeling, right? It’s always a positive feeling that can turn your day into a really beautiful experience, no matter how many fish you catch.”

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ADVERTISEMENT

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SCALE INFORMS
3x QUICK NOTES COOL AS ICE While on the hunt for hip transportable coolers that anglers really want, we enviously looked at YETI coolers from across the big pond for a long time. In the meantime though, PETROMAX – a company from Magdeburg (Germany) known worldwide for their stoves and high-intensity lamps – has followed suit and delivers the finest workmanship with its ultra-passive cooling system, available in 50l and 25l versions. The double-walled and cavity insulated kx50 keeps ice cooled for up to 12 days without the need for a compressor or absorber!
www.petromax-shop.de LYING LOW Sleeping mats have always been a tiresome topic among outdoor enthusiasts.
Nothing has really worked well for campers In the past and if something was comfortable, it was either too heavy or too bulky to carry. The Klymaloft Sleeping Pad could put a stop to that. Its design concept based around a foam and air system promises considerable comfort – all neatly packed to a size of 29 x 20 cm and a weight of only 1089 g. In any case, we quickly nodded off ...
www.klymit.com SMOKE IN THE WATER
ihaveaninterestingproductforyou@scale-magazine.com
The Smokey Monk should be to the liking of anyone who feels a special need for a … well … smoky aroma. Instead of modelling oneself on the usual suspects from the Scottish islands, the oldest German whisky distillery (Schraml distillery v.1818) relies on a Bavarian solution: drying the moist malt over a beech wood fire. This, together with its selected ingredients, gives the whisky a very unique taste. Its taste polarizes and, although we were enthusiastic about it, it is not everybody‘s cup of tea.
www.brennerei-schraml.de

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GUIDELINE ELEVATION ROD SERIES
Fly fishing in itself boasts of being an environmentally friendly, nature-friendly and thus quite ecological discipline. However, if you have been the editor of a renowned fishing magazine for a few years and have had a deep insight into the economic processes within the entire angling sector, it can be a bit daunting here and there to pay attention to environmental compatibility.
Sustainability, i.e. the trinity of ecology, economy and social responsibility, is sometimes a factor that can be very unequally weighted in production and marketing.
The trend to enter the world of advertising with green campaigns is widespread and the consumer welcomes this environmentally friendly image of many companies, but recently not many goods that flood the market are actually ecologically balanced. As one of the first companies in the fly fishing sector, the Scandinavian company Guideline has decided to distribute ecologically safe products or to put ecological production methods in the foreground – before all economic efficiency. With the vision of „clean all the way“, Guideline is pursuing the long-term goal of producing free of fluorocarbons and CO²-neutral. For example, Guideline lines are delivered on spools made of recycled cardboard, there are no toxic and carcinogenic PVC coatings on all lines and the use of plastic packaging is reduced to a minimum.
WITH R
AFFLE!
Photos: Frank Steinmann
A MORE TRANSPARENT SHADE OF GREEN

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But the real highlight in the sustainability discourse is the new Elevation rod series from Guideline. Available as one- and two-handed models in all common classes and lengths, these rods stand out not only for their incredible price-performance ratio, but also for some features that classify modern rods as definitely sustainable. For example, no toxic components are used in rod production. Due to tighter windings of the carbon mats, less resin is needed in the blank. The abrasion during the grinding of the blanks has been reduced to a minimum by using a special sandblasting process. Production-related waste is disposed of in an environmentally friendly and appropriate manner. Lead-containing and therefore toxic chrome inlays in the rings are completely avoided.
Granules are not added to the cork handles of the rods, as these contain adhesives and other mixtures of binding agents which are also not harmless. No epoxy resin is used in the gluing of handle parts, only environmentally friendly water-based adhesives are used, which are absolutely non-toxic. Rod tubes and outer packaging/ shipping are made of PVC-free and non-toxic polypropylene or recycled polyester materials. Less emission in production, less volume in shipping and a weight reduction are the positive results!
So while production methods and the use of ecologically harmless materials are a pioneering achievement, the optical, haptic and technical characteristics of the rods are of the usual high quality and follow the Guideline standards! The matt, slate-coloured blanks have a noble appearance and both the windings and the connectors are cleanly processed or painted (windings). The guides are generous and neatly positioned on both models – one-handed and two-handed. The handles are made of high-quality cork, are neatly glued and offer a perfect grip even for people with smaller hands. The reel seat is extra nice to look at on the models with the beautiful wooden spacer.

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No matter if we are casting and fishing with shooting head systems, Skagit, WF or other line models, the Elevation rods are characterized by a quite fast but not too hard performance. Critics of „fast rods“, will enjoy the Elevation models as much as people who like the work and casting performance of state-of-the-art carbon blanks! Trout in the stream, trout in the sea, pike, salmon and much more will be rewarded with the Elevation range of rods. Actually the rod in this quality and the unique selling point „really sustainably produced“ is almost outrageously inexpensive. You might be surprised about the favourable price of the rods, but if at all, we do it quietly, otherwise there will be some changes in the end ...
Guideline has taken the decisive and right step and has produced a rod that is not only a kind of signpost to ecologically sound production, but that is affordable for everyone and therefore not a luxury eco-article that only well-heeled fly fishermen can afford! I hope that this pioneering function, which Guideline takes on here, will also motivate other companies to make what is actually a matter of course in our hobby, namely the closeness to nature and ecology, par excellence also primarily in the development, production and finally also up to the delivery as natural and ecological.
Last but not least we have received two Elevation rods from Guideline for you, which we offer for raffle. So if you want to win a Guideline Elevation one-handed rod in the class 5 (9 feet) or a two-handed rod in the class 9/10 (14 feet), please send an email to
gogreen@scale-magazine.com If you are interested in more details about the Guideline Elevation rod models, would like to try them out or have a look at the whole product range, just click on www.adh-fishing.com who offer all models and will be happy to advise you. (Frank Steinmann)
www.adh-fishing.com
RAFFLE

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MOBY SOFTBAITS
Soft plastic baits or softbaits are without doubt among the most popular artificial lures. Worldwide they can be found in all sizes, in weight classes from a few grams up to the „half-pound soft plastic bomb“ in manifold colours and shapes in the tackle boxes of spin fishermen. They are inexpensive, i.e. easily replaceable, give you the feeling of individual bait choice, due to the extremely wide range of colours, and the manufacturers are always coming up with new variations and marketing strategies. Softbaits are successful because of their flexibility, the softness of the material. Softness caused by softeners. And here is the crux of the matter: without these plasticizers, the rubber baits, which are mostly made of PVC materials, would be nothing more than a brittle piece of plastic. However, many of the plasticizers used in softbaits, whether they are substances from the phthalates, PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) or bisphenols, are suspected of interfering with the hormone balance of humans (and animals), they are considered carcinogenic and harmful to organs. The pollutants are absorbed or inhaled through skin contact as they are volatile. While there are clear guidelines and limit values for the use of plasticizers in children‘s toys, for example, such regulations or even comprehensive sampling of rubber baits are still pending.
As a result, there are products in circulation that are probably many times more toxic than would be permissible. It should be noted that investigations and scientific studies on ingredients and also the effect of rubber baits on water bodies are currently underway and we are eagerly awaiting the publication of the results. If it should turn out that the limit values for toxic softeners are exceeded, we will have to rethink the production of softbaits and their ingredients! Again and again we see photos of people posing in the living room with mountains of soft plastic baits, the shads, swimbaits and creature baits are held between the teeth or small children are beaming at us with the buff in their hands. Actually, a lot of rubber baits are rather toxic hazardous waste than fishing bait and if children‘s toys with plasticizer content are already classified as dangerous, you should add one and one together! Many manufacturers already advertise with „phthalate-free“ baits, which is a laudable thing at first, but they often contain PVC materials and other plasticisers, such as PAH and Co, which are nevertheless toxic and harmful to the environment.
And this is also the transition to the next topic: environmental compatibility! We anglers praise ourselves as nature lovers and environmentalists and then use baits that could actually be declared as toxic waste. How does that fit together? Everybody knows that bait remains in the water, snagging, demolition – there are a variety of causes for bait losses. How many tonnes of PVC and toxic softeners end up in our waters worldwide every year in this way is something I cannot and would not even like to imagine. I now also suspect that none of us fish enthusiasts really considers this to be a good thing. But is it avoidable? The outer packaging of softbaits alone is in principle a catastrophe! Plastic blisters in a plastic bag, mountains of plastic waste ... And if I want to have all the color decors and inch sizes of a certain bait, hello collecting mania, I have again produced a lot of garbage. Anglers are conservationists? In this case, hardly!
Photos: Frank Steinmann
FROM TOXIC WASTE TO BIO-BAIT

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A small German company from Hessen has taken up all these problems and acted! With the goal of creating a soft plastic bait that is really sustainable, contains no toxic softeners and reduces packaging waste, the Moby Softbait range was brought to life.
The three brothers from Hessen, who represent the small company Moby, produce bait locally and sustainably. All ingredients, from paint to glitter particles, the production methods and manufacturing originate in Germany or are made in Germany. That means, locality, short ways, less logistics! In contrast to many conventional rubber baits made of PVC, Moby uses TPE plastics, or thermoplastic elastomers, which have similar properties to natural rubber and are considered harmless when it comes to health hazards and environmental compatibility.
Of course, softeners are also needed here, and in the case of Moby softbaits, certain oils are used which have their origins in human medicine or baby care and are therefore not only completely harmless, but can also be classified as anti-allergenic and environmentally friendly. TPE material is extremely stretchy and tearproof, which holds the big advantage that the baits from Moby are much more durable than other softbaits. So if the pike has already amputated the tail of Shad XY after the first contact, many more specimen can be landed with Moby lures. The extensibility of the TPE lures is really impressive, you can pull and stretch them until they have reached a multiple of their length without tearing! Moby does not pack in plastic! Moby Softbaits are shipped wrapped in paper or packed in recycled cardboard boxes. This avoids unnecessary waste and production of plastic, a fine thing!
Moby Softbaits are baits that swim, so they also offer a variety of uses on the rig, jig or system! There is a wide range of lure models from the classic shad in small to XXL, V-tails, goby imitations, twisters, lugworms, slim shads, compact shads and much more. The colour palette is above average and the guys are always trying to create new catchy decors. All in all a clean affair with a presentable ecological balance. A rethink in the softbaits division is actually long overdue, away from toxic hazardous waste and towards an environmentally friendly and sustainable product. Not only with regard to the ingredients of the baits, but also with regard to production methods and packaging.
If you would like to test the eco-softbaits yourself, we can help you: We have three full boxes of the One-4-all Shad in multi-color design ready for you to win. Each box contains 20 shads with a length of 11.5 cm. (Frank Steinmann) If you want to win one of the boxes, send a mail to
moby@scale-magazine.com
RAFFLE
www.moby-softbaits.de

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ORVIS HYDROS FLY REEL 2020 BLACK NICKEL
Photo: Stefan Alt
FROM 0 TO 100 IN LESS THAN ONE ROTATION
ORVIS has pushed on and introduced the new model of the popular HYDROS series. Like her predecessor, model 2020 distinguishes itself by an excellent price/performance ratio, but the update is also a technical one. Salt water fishermen in particular will be glad to hear that the smoothly operating steel/coal fibre brake, a state-of-the-art component, is now sealed to withstand even the strongest of attacks by aggressive crystals. Particularly handy: Just one turn of the handle is enough to switch the brake from freerun to extreme. Its classic design was only slightly changed, though through this small modification the developers were able to save a couple of grams, which should satisfy the current trend of fishing with shorter and consequently lighter rods. A well-balanced rod/reel experience is warranted.
Those of you with big and small fish on your bucket lists can fall back on the extensive HYDROS range of models. With its classes 1-11 it doesn’t leave any need unsatisfied. All in all we can say that the new HYDROS, which strikes us as especially cleanly manufactured, is a real gain – particularly with regard to those of us who can’t spend fortunes on every new piece of equipment. (Stefan Alt)
www.orvis.de
Photos: Stefan Alt
We tested the new HYDROS III (colour: Black Nickel) on our native trout-filled river and on the coast going after sea trout and garfish and we can definitely say that the modified 2020 reel is another decent piece of craftwork from ORVIS. The line capacity of the model we tested is developed for classes 5-7 and with its 140g it is indeed a featherweight, yet no fishermen needs to fear catching a big one with this robust reel. To those of you who are fond of class 7 lines we recommend the HYDROS IV though, which offers more capacity while keeping its weight at a light 155g. Especially when fishing very shallow flats, in a Caribbean setting for instance where enough backing is essential, the IV should distinguish itself.

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THE DIE IS CAST
BOARD GAME FRESHWATER FLY We write the year 2020 A.D. Digital games are being developed all over the world... In the whole world? No! In the small city Kaaks in Northern Germany, the small, unyielding company SpieleFaible won’t stop resisting this development ...
First things first: As someone who grew up with endless afternoons and evenings playing board games, I feel like I‘m in seventh-game heaven right now. With Freshwater Fly (US publishing house Bellwether Game), a classic board game has come to my home for the first time in a long while. For me as a fly fisherman the game is highly addictive and has the potential to join ranks with my favourite board games, such as Stratego, Bermuda Triangle or Monopoly. Already unpacking the game reminded me of old times, when each individual piece of a game was looked carefully before setting up. The more elaborate the game, the greater was the anticipation of finally being able to play it. The Freshwater Fly, developed by Brian Suhre, leaves nothing to be desired when you open it, because this game is designed lovingly as I have rarely seen. As an angler and graphic artist I admire the fantastic artwork of Darryl T. Jones and especially the fish illustration inspired me. I will spare you details about how to play the game. If you have played it once or twice, it turns out that it is much less complicated than the instructions suggest.
But in principle that’s what the game is about: You come to a raging mountain stream full of fish equipped with rod and reel and an assortment of flies. You have to assess the current correctly, cast precisely to a rising fish, let the fly float over it in a perfect drift and reel in the fish if all goes well.
You can help yourself from a pool of dice, carry out appropriate actions and try to increase your chances by using bonus actions.
WITH RAFFLE
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Reeling in your catch is done with your own reel boad in the form of an innovative rondel mechanism with a rotating crank. In the end, the winner is the one who followed a clever strategy, solves tricky tasks and collects the best card combinations.
Sounds like a real fishing trip, doesn‘t it? In any case, you notice that the makers have an idea of the subject matter and that at least the author must be a fly fisherman. Anyway, I think it‘s nice that there is finally a classic board game about it that is so beautifully made and well thought out.
This game is the ideal gift for all fishermen and belongs in every fishing household.
The company SpieleFaible also sees it that way and, in order to get a little closer to this goal, they kindly provided us with three games for a raffle. All you have to do is to write us a mail as usual. (Stefan Alt)
freshwaterfly@scale-magazine.com www. spielefaible.de/shop/freshwater-fly

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SOMETHING TO FIT YOU
CHEST WADER TRAUN RIVER PREMIUM
There is someone though, who over the years has built up a high reputation with his own brand – Rudi Heger and their Traun River series. In contrast to others who often go for quick cash, the Bavarian company is careful, considered and thorough when it comes to their products. Traun River’s main goal is quality, and only after quality is ensured, they start discussing the still very acceptable prices. The Rudi Heger Flyfishing firm itself of course has a prestigious standing, which it could never put at risk by rolling out an inadequate product.
And now to be frank for just a moment: Our readers are not sheep and some of you might have noticed that Rudi Heger Flyfishing is one of our media partners, ensuring that SCALE magazine is available free of charge.
One could argue that our reviews of their products is therefore bound to be sympathetic. Understandable but inaccurate, we too have a reputation to maintain, which is why we would never write a positive review simply to please a business partner. On the contrary: no one sees the things we send back to producers (media partners or not) because they don’t manage to meet our expectations in quality. Always with a note though, proposing rectification and another try. It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen.
Photos: Stefan Alt
The own-brand strategy of tackle dealers is an ambivalent thing: on one hand they can be an interesting alternative to the well-known producers, on the other hand they’re often struggling to establish themselves because people don’t buy what they don’t know. In my opinion this is solely the case because of a lack of some good old-fashioned advertising. Two sides of the same medal here: no or very little media presence equals a lower name recognition, but it also means saving advertising expenses which enables you to offer your products at a better price than the wellknown companies. But if you’re considering your next step, consumption-wise, it’s seldom the case that you just happen to remember a little store brand. Even if you ask your fishing buddies, products offside the mainstream are not encountered often.

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Back to business! Just kidding. Seriously though: The newly reworked TRAUN RIVER Premium Waders has more freedom of movement and more flexibility in regards to carrying options. The 5-layer breathable high-performance fabric is now featured from the thigh down. As a result, the leg areas including knees are well protected against abrasion and damage by bushes and stones. The 4-layer material, which is used from the thigh upwards, increases the freedom of movement in the hip and completes the design. Also newly revised is the carrier system, which now allows the waders to be pushed down to the hips. It was important to us that this is as simple as possible, which is why you only have to adjust the front straps because the back straps follows automatically.
Two D-rings on the straps also hold small utensils. The outer breast pocket, with water-repellent zipper, also has an underlying fleece hand warmer for adverse conditions. Sufficient storage space can be found in the practical inner pocket with zipper and two mesh pockets. An elastic waders belt and an adjustable drawstring in the chest provide security in the deeper wading. The integrated Gravel Guards with elastic closure and attachment eyelet for the wading boots ensure that no gravel or sand gets between the boots and neoprene socks. The 4 mm thick neoprene feet are anatomically shaped and the sole, made of highly compressed material, defies even heavy loads. I would like to highlight, that this pair of trousers is available in quite a few special sizes, so no one will fail to find his or her model. Rudi Heger Flyfishing is currently offering the Traun River chest wader for an attractive price of 399,- €. (Stefan Alt)
www.rudiheger.eu

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ANZEIGE
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@jerms1977
www.jerms1977.com/zland-1
JEREMY CLARK REDFISH DIARIES In our photo gallery Jeremy takes us to South Carolina, a parade ground for the Redfish. Jeremy Clark grew up in Virginia, fishing lakes and farm ponds for largemouth bass. After leaving his small town and serving in the United States Marine Corps he ended up in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, Charleston to be specific.
Redfish reign supreme here, following the rising water up onto spartina grass flats that are dry except for specific tidecycles that „flood“.
Only a couple hundred miles of the east coast of the US has the specific topography and flora that allows fishing to redfish „tailing“ in the spartina grass flats. On „flood tides“ the water gets high enough to cover previously dry flats covered in spartina, a type of cordgrass, and redfish follow the pull of the water to root around the grass and mud to feed on anything they can fit in their mouths. While they will chase down prey aggressively, you‘ll most often find them when their tail sticks out of the water while digging after something they‘ve identified on the bottom.
When not working in Antarctica and New Zealand for part of the year, or photographing weddings with his wife, you can find him on a skiff, chasing these fish on fly and introducing his two adopted kids to the wonders of the marsh.
Jeremy‘s photography captivates with a certain kind of soft and matte tones, his love of open aperture knows how to shine with a perfectly fitting focus and his stagings of the Southern Lifestyle are so authentic that you can almost reach and taste the marsh landscape.
Have fun digging up someting juicy with the Redfish Diaries by Jeremy Clark.
(Frank Steinmann)

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SCALE Magazine supports the project of its Danish friends
Bring it back!

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SCALE MAGAZINE
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