I am sure that not all people in Poland know that our western neighbours, Germans, have a huge island on the Baltic Sea. The name of this “mystery” island is Rügen. Rügen is situated in the former GDR (East Germany), in the south-western part of the Baltic Sea. It is a very big island with the area of nearly 1000 square kilometres. The island has a very complex coast line and includes numerous smaller islands (e.g. Hiddensee or Ummanz), islets and peninsulas (e.g. Jasmund or Wittow) and big saltwater bays (e.g. Grosser Jasmunden Bodden and Kubitzer Bodden).

Rügen is separated from the mainland by the Strela Sound. The name of its sound comes from town Stralsund, which forms a gate connecting the German mainland with the Rügen Island. The island is accessible through a small road and railway bridge, a huge motorway bridge or by water (using boats and ferries). Some smaller islets and peninsulas can be accessed only by water – using a ferry, a water taxi or a boat. Rügen is full of beautiful small towns and villages. The most charming town of Rügen is the town of Sassnitz situated on the eastern edge of the island. Rügen is a typical tourist region with holidaymakers coming to take a rest or to visit local health resorts. One of the largest tourist attractions of Rügen is the Jasmund National Park, where visitors may see uncommon for this part of Europe huge cliffs, or the Rügen Nature Park with the Southeast Rügen Biosphere Reserve.

I am sure that there aren’t many anglers in Poland who know the angling potential of this area of Germany. Unfortunately, it is a mistake, as the Rügen area is one of the regions with the largest number of fish. The entire Rügen is divided by numerous bays. The largest of them are Greifsfalder Bodden, Grosser Jasmunder Bodden, Kubitzer Bodden, Schaproder Bodden, Rugischer Bodden, Wekier Bodden or Breeger Bodden. Most of these bays are situated in the National Park area, which must be remembered before coming to Rügen. In some zones of the bays angling is absolutely prohibited. The zones where angling is prohibited are marked exclusively on nautical charts, and so the possession of such charts is the precondition of angling at Rügen. In spite of the presence of numerous no-angling zones, Rügen has hundreds of kilometres of water where angling is allowed. I think that everyone will find there something for him- or herself. It is true that not all of the bays offer full variety of conditions, as the bottom shape is very similar in case of all of them, yet with experience it is possible to find many differences in each bay making fish group at some places and stay absolutely away from the others. Not all bays look the same. Each of them is different. Some characterise with little variety, while others form sophisticated fishing grounds with significant depth differences. Some bays are long and wide, while some are narrow and enclosed by brad shallows. There are bays with average water depth of 2 m, as well as such with average water depth of 3-4 metres, or even 6-7 metres. There are also some bays where water is much deeper with the depth reaching even a dozen or so metres.

At Rügen, we can find all the species living in the Baltic Sea, such as: cod, flounder, turbot, herring and the King of the Baltic Sea – salmon. The salmons in this part of the Baltic Sea are one of the largest. On good days, when salmons feed, many fish longer than one meter are caught. Each year anglers catch many salmons, but I am attracted to this place by something completely different. Huge pikes! Rügen is famous in Europe for the largest pikes ever caught. There is no other place in Europe where so many over a metre long pikes are caught during a single season. Each year anglers catch fish measuring more than 120 centimetres and it does no happen rarely, such as, e.g. in case of the fishing grounds in Sweden. But it is not the end of the story, as each year anglers catch over 130 cm long pikes at Rügen, which is virtually impossible at other pike fishing grounds. At Rügen it can happen at any time and I am not exaggerating! Where and how can we catch such big pikes at Rügen? Unfortunately the path to such successes is long and difficult, and it requires gaining experience for years. The extent of water at Rügen is huge, and many places are very similar to each other. Consequently, finding a place where really big pikes can be caught is not an easy task. In fact, I think that one would need the whole life to “work out” the entire Rügen region and to familiarise with and to verify all the shades and secrets of local waters. After a few years of angling at some bays, solid conclusions can be drawn on where and why large pikes occur in particular times of year. Consequently, gained experience and continuous search for new pitches will finally make us successful. We can angle for pikes at Rügen using a variety of baits, but the basic baits used at those fishing grounds are large rubber baits – mainly rippers and twisters. At Rügen mainly large rubber baits (15 cm and longer) prove to be effective. There is no limit of the size to the bait and even 30 or 40 cm long rubber baits can be used. The experts coming to Rügen for large pikes use exclusively baits longer than 25 cm. In our case, large – longer than 15 cm – rippers and large “kopyto” baits proved effective. We catch large pikes using over 20 and 30 cm long rippers and huge twisters usually used for sea angling, other over 20 and 30 cm long baits and various original fish imitations, i.e. 20 to 40 cm long Bulldowg baits. On water, which is up to 5 metres deep, also very large spinners (sizes from #8 to #15) with long tails prove effective. At shallower up to 3 metres deep places, large jerk baits and wobblers that do not go too deep are effective too. However, these types of baits are useful only when it is possible to find pikes on shallows and during the intensive feeding periods. Of course, the tackle used for fishing is the pike standard. From boats we usually use 1.8 to 2.4 long fishing rods with good quality braided lines with minimum capacity of 12 kg as the basis. The line should be terminated with a solid lead with minimum capacity of 12 kg. It is important that the lead is as long as possible – minimum 40 cm. As at this fishing ground a huge pike can be expected at any time, it is worth the have the tackle well prepared in order not to get an unpleasant surprise from any of its parts when fighting with the fish.

Big perches are another attraction of this fishing ground. And I am not talking about 30 centimetre fish, but about real big ones exceeding 40 and 50 centimetres. The record perch ever caught with an angle at Rügen measured 68 centimetres! It is worth to try to catch a perch here, but finding a good place with large fish isn’t easy. If we want to catch large perches, the experience gained at local waters is of core importance. One must simply know when and where large perches are and there are no any out-of-the-box solutions. Obviously, it is possible to catch a big perch also when angling for pikes. Most often big perches bite on large rippers and large spinners. There aren’t too large baits for a perches exceeding 40 or 50 cm. Of course, various rubber baits, such as rippers or twisters, also prove effective in case of perch fishing. It is not worth to use any the so-called micro baits or drop shots when fishing for perches. Well selected large rubber bait or medium size spinners will do the thing.

There are also pike-perches (zanders) at Rügen, and they are quire big, as each year over 90 cm or even over a metre long fish are caught. Pike-perches do not live there in large shoals, as the ones known for example from our local dammed reservoirs or rivers. If we find a good place for fishing for pike-perches, we may expect maximum several bites at one pitch, but average size may surprise every angler. Pike-perches live only in a few regions of Rügen and it is not easy to find them. However, in this case experience is also of core importance, as every year they can be found at the same places. For pike-perches standard methods are the best, like 7 to 15 cm long “kopyto” baits and rippers. Heads must be selected suitably to the depth of given fishing ground, having in mind the fact that pike-perches can go really deep – much below 10 metres. Most often pike-perches are caught using the “fall” technique, but vertical jigging method can also be used, as it is permitted in Germany.

I would like to mention several important issues concerning angling at Rügen. The fishing ground is difficult in technical respect due to huge areas of water for potential angling. Finding a good place isn’t easy as many places are similar to each other. The knowledge of the waters is o huge importance here.  The basic thing is to observe the regulations concerning angling and maritime navigation (the huge bays that cut into the island are treated as maritime waters and seaways). Angling in no-angling zones is strictly prohibited. All no-angling zones are marked on good nautical charts. When navigating, we must follow marked water lanes. Going beyond the water lanes often means entering the prohibited areas. Trolling is prohibited everywhere at Rügen, except for open sea where it is permitted. Also anchoring and drifting on the water lanes are prohibited. Since 2010, angling in drift outside marked water lanes has been permitted. The precondition of angling in the huge bays is the possession of a large boat with high sides and a powerful engine. It is a safety related condition. The bays are huge and winds are capable of forming huge waves. Besides, it is necessary to take into consideration the fact that weather conditions may change there at any time and it might be necessary to come back to the harbour immediately. The size of the boat and the speed with which we can travel several dozen kilometres by water to escape the coming front is very important. Of course, the bout should also be equipped in a good echo sounder and necessarily in a GPS (with good nautical charts), which is in fact indispensable for navigation across such a big water area and to find good fishing grounds. It is good to have a marine VHF radio enabling us to listen to weather forecasts and to communicate with other boats, or to call for help in case of trouble with the boat. The must also have the top light and side lights (green and red). It is worth to have an anchor too, as it may be useful when fishing on deeper waters. I don’t think I have to mention that boat safety equipment (such as life jackets, hauling lines, first-aid kits, a survival kit, and etc.) is obligatory. Of course, such waters require remembering about suitable clothes and footwear protecting against rain and wind.

It is also worth to mention the unwritten law at Rügen, according to which caught pikes, especially the big ones, should be released back to the sea. The number of anglers who take their catch home for consumption is really small. Perches are cared for especially, and nearly no one kills them. At Rügen perch is a “Sacred Fish”. Thanks to such attitude, the number of pikes beautiful perches and other large fish is really big.

This is the only pike fishing ground in this region of Europe that makes me so excited. I simply know that I can find huge pikes there, which attracts me to that fishing ground like a magnet. When angling from a boat, the feeling is all around that soon the moment will come when a huge fish is going to be caught. It is worth to experience it! I highly recommend you this place and invite you to joint expeditions!

Sebastian „rognis_oko” Kalkowski, 10.2013

Photos: Mateusz Kalkowski, Sebastian Kalkowski