Rügen - fall 2022

Fly fishing for pike in Rügen had been on the bucket-list for a while. Early October 2022 we, Fieldtester and photographer Ad Hulshoff and myself, found a way to make this trip work. It would be a short trip. A full day driving, two days of fly fishing for pike and another day driving back. That's as much driving as fishing...but it was well worth it!

In fall Rügen is the work area for professional guide Bernd Ziesche. Hunting for pike! If you google you'll soon find out he is the man to reach out to. We planned last minute but Bernd assured us he'd arrange something. Maybe not in the group he was guiding but he'd give us directions for sure. 

The group turned out to be a great bunch of guys chasing pike with a fly rod. They were ok for us to join and we fished for two days. Start was a shocker as Bernd looked into my fly box and gave me a compliment; nice flies....and then he added, I'm sure they work the Netherlands. Bommer! Our flies were too big. We needed small black and white streamers. Just minutes before I had laughed to Ad about one of the set-ups that came walking by with a fly that looked like a trout fly to me. About 10cm long, all black and no eyes. It was now clear to me that it was just that what we needed for the Rügen pike.

 The first day was tough. Some blanks too. But Ad caught 2 and I was lucky enough to land 5. My biggest measuring 97cm. A true Rügen beauty! It boiled on me twice before it took the streamer hard. I was fighting the pike in open water. No structure, only waterplants. Not long after hook-up I could land the pike and that turned me into a very happy man.

The second day we caught 64 pike with the group of 8. Everybody caught fish so happy faces all around. Bernd fished that day too and he caught a 120cm trophy pike on the hang. I can still hear his 'hook-up' scream. It was a big strong unbelieveably beautiful pike that gave a hell of a fight.

I will be back...

Peter Elberse

What did I use on Rügen?

• Airflo Greentooth 9ft #9/10 (I used a 9/10 this trip but would definately go for the #7/8 next time)
• Airflo Switch reel
• Airflo Elbi Pike line WF9/10F/I (floating with short intermediate tip)
• Stroft ABR 45/00
• Single strand titanium wire (no swivel or snap), all hand tied to leader and fly
• Small 10-12cm black fly (immitating a goby that pike feed on)

Tip: if you go to Rügen use a floating fly line with polyleaders. That will allow you to change quickly from shallow water to the drops bringing your streamer to the waterlevel needed to be succesfull 😉