Skjern diaries Part 1. Breaking stereotypes

Before this trip, I heard opinions that river is ugly, looks like artifical channel, water always dirty-brown, too much fishing pressure and low numbers of fish.

Most of this not true. River is beautiful, especially in upper part. Water is clear, and in sunny day you can see many details on the bottom. It is deceptive, because bottom consist of brownish-orange mix of sand and clay, and when you see through the water to the sand without any structures, you think it is color of the water, or river is bottomless. Conditions was low and clear at the moment.

Fishing pressure is high, that's true. More popular places are always busy, but there's always alternatives... most people are lazy and fish near the bridges or parking access spots . If you not afraid of walking distance, you can find a solitude.

In the first day I got a guiding session from Svend Erik Øgendahl at Gjaldbæk bridge. This is the most heavily fished section. I fished mostly right bank, because there was strong wind, and it helped the cast in this case. On the left side I constantly fought with the wind and it was a disaster.

There I met a man who hooked the first salmon I saw on this river - Henrik Møller Andersen. After quick photo session fish was released.

Then I moved to Borriskrog Bro (Borris bridge), where traps for salmon smolts installed. I fished section called Skobæk upstream from the bridge. 

And after that I checked area called Pumpen (it is actually water pump, which draws water from the river for irrigation) near Ahlergaard farm.