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Message Subject: My Baltic Sea Pike experience....

muskiefishman

Posted 6/26/2006 10:04 PM (#198175)
Subject: My Baltic Sea Pike experience....

Posts: 189

Location: Hoboken, NJ / North Webster, IN

First off, thanks to Jed V. and Pikopath for giving me contacts that led me to other contacts that got me on a boat, in a bay of the Baltic Sea, in what was formally East Germany. Super cool experience. First off, the water is Brakish(a mix of salt water and fresh water) which is just plain strange to think of to catch Pike. Even stranger, they told me that when the water really warms up, the fish move out of this bay and will head fairly far out to sea where it is completely salt water.

The morning starts off with me driving 125mph on the autoban trying to get there by 7:15am. I get there, then start praying that someone else will be on my boat that speaks English, since my futile phone calls that morning conisted of me speaking english, my guide speaking German and us both just laughing. Fishing is fishing and I would love it no matter what, but spending 11 hours(yes 11 hours for about $100) and not being able to say a word to your guide could get old. Luckily a bavarian guy who spent a couple years in New York was my boatmate...slience averted.

We head out, about 20-25 minutes, past former Nazi runway navigation installations into open water of this huge bay. We are in about 5-8 meters of water(15-24ft)...with mainly a rocky bottom. We use lead head jig head, with various different paddle swim tails in various colors....and that's it!!! You cast out, feel for it to hit the bottom...lift up the rod, crank and repeat.

Seems to be super hit or miss here. The guy I'm with caught nothing his first day, 12 his second day.

Well, I end up hooking 4, and getting 2 in the boat. My biggest at 97cm(about 38inches). Strange water, new technique, 30lb spin tackle, and by the end of the day about 3 foot seas, I felt pretty #*^@ good about it. Though it's not uncommon to catch 50" pike in these waters. I hand landed her, took the photo attached, and let her go. On that note, these guys are on the right track. It is actually illegal in Germany to release anything you catch, but these guys release probably 98% only keeping on clients suggestion or injured fish.

If you ever end up in Northern Germany give these guys a call and have a truly unique...and cool as hell experience. How many people can say they've caught pike on two conitnents?

Thanks again to Jed for his contact who was unbelievably helpful and friendly and led me to these folks.

Josh

Here is there email if you're ever there....

http://www.bodden-angeln.de/

Edited by muskiefishman 6/26/2006 10:19 PM