| WORLD´S
SENSATION -44.88 lb LANDLOCKED ATLANTIC SALMON  |
| Denna artikel på svenska |
| By
Peter Prag and Jan Olsson. Photo copyright Björn Blomqvist. Sunday the 21 December 1997 dawned grey and cold over Sweden´s second largest lake, Vättern. As in the past, Dennis Gustavsson and his brother stood once again on Lake Vättern´s rocky shore, casting out over the deep, 4 degree Celcius -cold water. Both spin- and flyfishing over the 30+ dropoffs for the giant Swedish landlocked Atlantic during its´winter surface-feeding frenzy, has become as popular in recent years as it is unique. Commonly, their sleek silver shadow can be seen breaking the surface during the chase, and such was the case on Sunday when Dennis Gustavsson whipped his casting-dubb and tubefly 30 meters offshore to land neatly ahead of the hunting salmon. The hook-up was immediated the brute choosing a surface-fight, it rushed outwards, ripping layer after layer of 0,28 mm line from Dennis´Calcutta reel and 11 ft rod. Fishermen nearby stopped casting and gathered to watch the fight as it rippled across the wind-still water. The tension and drama suspended time for the half-hour battle. The footing was poor.. temperatures were below freezing on the icy cliffs: even the rings on the rod were icing up, complicating reel-brake adjustments ! As the "moment of truth", the drama culminated when the monster destroyed the net, forcing Dennis´ brother to grip the salmon with his bare hands, lifting it onshore. "... And so it came to pass, in the Land of Sagas, that on 21 Dec 1997, 24 year old Dennis Gustavsson took a 20.4 kg (44.88 lb) landlocked salmon with a length of 110 cm and a girth of 79 cm, with his own two hands and on 11 foot rod..." and in so doing, broke two records: the Official Swedish Record for Landlocked Atlantic Salmon. and the unofficial World´s Record for Landlocked Atlantic Salmon. Have a look at
the special article about Lindström´s heavy
catch. |
