Fishing along the Danish coasts and piers offers diverse and exciting experiences as well as good chances of catching popular species such as garfish, mackerel, and herring. The common denominator for these species is that they migrate in huge shoals along the Danish coasts, where they often linger for a long time. They appear in large numbers which makes them prime targets for rookies and families with children seeking dynamic and wholesome fishing experiences.
Garfish are a Danish favorite when they hit our coasts in late spring. The tropical appearance and shape of the garfish make fishing for it a fun and exhilarating experience – for the more seasoned anglers as well. The garfish is also a popular dish, and the interesting ways to cook it are plentiful. Coastal fishing for garfish can easily be combined with mackerel and sea trout, and it’s not unlikely that these three species can be caught on the same day and in the same area.
Mackerel often arrive a little later in the season, and mid-August you get to experience a thrilling scenario with large shoals of mackerel close to land. Keep your rod ready in case you spot this. The mackerel is aggressive and puts up a tremendous fight with the light fishing gear. Fun fishing for the whole family, and the thought of freshly caught mackerel for the smoker often sparks the hunt for this wonderful eating fish.
The herring is one of the most beloved fish among Danish anglers. Every year, huge numbers of anglers gather along our piers and harbor basins to catch this delicious eating fish. Herring are also found along the coasts in the shallow water, when conditions permit it. They’re often caught as by-catch during sea trout fishing in spring, since herring are also attractive food to the sea trout. The herring arrive in large shoals, and once you get your bearings, this type of fishing is one of the most fun and intense varieties we’ve got. In Denmark, we have a long history regarding the entire process of cooking herring, and it’s particularly renowned during our “julefrokost” season in December.
The delicious eating fish are in high demand around our piers, and over the course of a season, you rarely come home empty-handed.
Fishing for garfish, mackerel, and herring is seasonal. The three species are found inshore under different conditions and in different times of the year. Below, you can see when fishing is optimal for each of the species.
|
The North Sea, including the Limfjord and Ringkøbing Fjord |
The Skagerrak and Kattegat |
|
|
Mackerel |
30 cm |
20 cm |
|
Herring |
20 cm |
18 cm |
|
Garfish |
None |
None |
There are no closed seasons for garfish, mackerel, or herring.
Who lives the longest? That’s the mackerel, reaching an age of up to 20 years.
A spinning rod with a casting weight of 10-40 grams and a spin reel in size 3000-4000 will be ideal for this type of fishing. Also, choose a line with a breaking strength of about 10 kilograms and preferably a braided line. When fishing from piers, slightly heavier gear might prove advantageous, since you often have to lift the fish several meters from the water and up on land.
Lure, float, bombarda, and fly
Garfish can be caught using many different types of bait. The most common and perhaps most effective is a lure with a silk string on the end. The silk string wraps itself around the beak of the garfish, from which it rarely disentangles. This method is also very child-friendly, since you don’t have to deal with hooks.
A really fun type of fishing for garfish is coastal fly fishing with foam fly. This type is very visual and intense.
Mackerel snood, lure, float, bombarda, and fly
Mackerel snood with a good lure on the end is optimal for this type of fishing, since you can often catch several mackerel at a time.
If you target the large mackerel, a float with a piece of herring below can be very effective. Try out different depths.
Herring snood
The best method for catching herring is by using a herring snood and a good, heavy lure or sinker on the end for reaching the depths.
If you catch garfish, mackerel, and herring on the same fishing trip, we call it a Jutlandic Grand Slam! Can you do that?
Garfish, mackerel, and herring are all frequently caught from piers and harbors in Denmark. The pier season is often longer than along the coasts, since you cover much more depth of water. However, the garfish may sometimes be difficult to find from the piers, as it seeks very shallow water for spawning.
Garfish are found all over large areas with bladder wrack and often extremely close to land. During the spawning period from early May till July, you can often see the garfish being active near the surface of the water. The garfish can be caught all day, as long as the sun is shining and the weather is preferably changeable.
Mackerel are found along all of our open coasts and outer fjords. The mackerel arrive in large shoals, and, like the garfish, they tend to stir up the surface whenever they’re near. In fall, the mackerel often hunt close to land, where their quarries are usually sand eel, sprat, shrimp, and other small prey. The mackerel are most active early in the morning or late at night, which means you often have to get up early. Be ready about an hour before sunrise and around sunset.
The herring are often found in big shoals along the coast, and in late spring, they tend to be several hundred meters from land where they spawn. In early spring, they can be caught from land and often very close to the coast. Along the piers, the herring are found all day during the season. Optimal conditions are scorching heat and a light breeze.
The mackerel is fantastic for eating and simultaneously incredibly healthy, because it’s rich in the healthy omega-3 fatty acids. As a matter of fact, it contains almost double the amount as the salmon, for instance.
The garfish is found everywhere in Danish waters. It’s usually 60-70 centimeters long, but in rare cases, it can actually grow up to 1.2 meters and weigh over 2 kilograms. Its maximum life span is 18 years. The garfish first spawns at the age of two. Spawning happens in May to June when it seeks shallow water. The garfish diet primarily consists of crustaceans, but it also hunts small fish such as herring, sprat, and sand eel. Its greatest enemies are porpoises, bigger fish, and birds.
The garfish is rich in protein at 22 grams per 100 grams of fish. It also contains high levels of selenium, iodine, vitamin B12 and D, which makes it incredibly healthy to eat.
Official Danish record: 1.610 kilograms
The mackerel is a pelagic fish that lives in the upper waters. They can reach a length of about 50 centimeters in Danish waters. When the mackerel is about three years old, it reaches maturity, and it lives for up to 20 years.
Mackerel has a very high level of vitamin B and omega-3 fatty acids, plus it contains a lot fewer heavy metals than its fellow fish. In other words: a really healthy fish!
Official Danish record: 2.440 kilograms
The herring or Atlantic herring is a fish from the Clupeidae family. The herring lives in the upper waters and is found in enormous shoals consisting of up to one million individuals. For the herring, spawning may occur all year round. Growth is fastest in the North Atlantic near Iceland and Norway, where the herring reaches maturity at age 3-7 and a length of 25-35 centimeters. In the Baltic Sea, it reaches maturity sooner, but its growth is limited.
Official Danish record: 1.100 kilograms
