I've had the luck to strike gold several times this year. Let me run you through some of the highlights starting now and going backwards. I'll start with the latest events.
I took my main man Bo boating a couple of times just up to the lake trout closed season. It was a lake trout fiest of historical dimensions. Let me explain: These lake trouts are in fact brown trout using the lakes of jutland as sea trout use the sea as a foraging grounds. They grow fat on minnows and sticklebacks and to be honest, the chance of a 5 kilo plus trout is now bigger in my backyard than in any river or on any coast in Denmark. The most explosive fishing in Denmark right now. And I'm happy to say, that I've guided my best friends to some of the most sensational fish I've ever seen this season. Here are some of the fish I and I caught:
A "standard fish" of 64 centimetres. caught on a small trolled deadbeat. impressive belly.
This fish took a small rotating deadbait with a wallop! And what a whopping whacker of a fish! look at the kype on it. It looks like a fish on steroids, crack heroine and angel dust. That's why we named it Rob Ford after the notorious Canadian mayor. around 70 centimetres of stickleback-drugged brute.
...And so Bo had to go and catch Rob Ford's wife the weekend after.
74 centimetres and 5,4 kilos. I was over the moon. What a feat. I really hadn't expected to crack the code of late season lake trouting. But I did.
That was the icing on the trout season on the lakes this season.
- A trout season on the lakes that started in the spring, when Stefan and I went surveying. The trout were eating like starving madmen let loose in a KFC all-you-can eat mayhem. They were simply gorging themselves We caught some massive lake trout, topped by a 70 centimetre lake built like a brick house. Stev caught that fish from the shore on a 7 foot rod.
But before that, I fulfilled a lifelong ambition. I have had a 12 year long break from the carpfishing addiction, I was a slave to as a young angler. I might bore you with the deatails later. Actually, Ive written half a book with my musings on the adventure. But more of that later. For now, I think You'll appreciate the images of these 30+ year old carp from a pristine water.
This fish was the absolute orgasm of a year-long quest which started last year, when I took up carping againg after the long break. The water in question is really "tough" and the fish are wary and shy. It was the fish of a lifetime. Look at the fins of this fightin' machine.
- But an hour later this fish topped it and the scale was pulled down a further four kilos. I'm proud to have broken the 35 pound barrier (and then some) with a Danish carp.
In the late spring, I struggled to get a reaction from the carp. I lost a really heavy fish, but was also lucky enough to land this 11.2 kilo grass carp. The same weight as my PR common at that time. A've caught three more carp besides these. One more over 10 kilos.
Printmania
I gave my pupils the assignement to make a linolium-print based on a frame from Frank Miller's Sin City. I did one as well. Maybe You've seen that on my Instagram-thing.
But what got me going was the intricacy and finesse in the cutting and printing technique. I love it. One thing is to draw a sketchy B/W piece. It's quite another to turn that into a negative on a piece of flooring material.
This is what I came up with. The pike is a B/W version of a pike painting I did for Flyfish Europe. The Carp is in memory of my personal best common carp of 12.1 kilos. The trout is...well, just because I like trout.
And of course you can buy these. 500,- ddk. a piece including freight. Is that reasonable for a very limited, handcrafted edition print with all the flaws, thumbmarks and a little signature? I hope you think so. PM me please
Bomber salmon
A lucky guy and a fine gentleman fishes the atlantic salmon of Gaspé every year. He wanted a piece to celebrate the fantastic sight fishing with bombers. I happily obliged, even though I was red hot with envy for every brushstroke it took to paint this pice. I've been fortunate to fish the clearest salmon rivers in the world on a couple of occasions and hope to get the chance next year. You can see some shots of the magical rivers in the photography section
Rooster
This rooster is a commission for Robin Birch. A tricky assignment since I've never actually held a rooster myself - not even the kind with feathers.
Pike print
250,- Including freight (in Denmark)
This print measures 39,5 x 29,5 cm
Printed on the best 200 gr. quality paper by the best printer in Denmark
Signed and numbered, limited batch of 200
Festival time
I'll be there when the new salmon festival at Skarrild opens the 24-25th of may. The festival poster is of course drawn by me. Here's the original, which is for sale. look under originals
I'm on your back
If you go ahead and buy one of the Simms/Weiergang Tees, that is. I'm proud to say that Flyfishing Europe has chosen me to decorate a couple more Tees. You can now find a grayling and a brown on a shirt near you.
Salmon magic
I had the incredible luck to hook up a fine salmon on the opening day of the Danish salmon season. A 102 centimetre long and 10,1 kilo heavy silver bar that gave me a scrap to remember on my spinning rod.
The funny thing is that I'd just started a painting with a salmon in focus the day before. The real deal turned out to match the proportions of the head-portrait shown here. I guess it was a case of visualization.
It's not quite done yet, but close enough for you to see it. And yes, it's for sale. Write me if you want to know what the salmon of my life will cost you, or if you want me to portray your own...;)
And here's the real deal:
A series
I've had time to do a little doodling with pen and coloured pencils in the winter and christmas break. I think it's time I show it off to someone like you.
Old school
I've had an urge to return to pen and ink for a long time and browsing through some of my old drawings like this one, which was published in Jens Bursell's epic book "Specimen Mede", gave me the push to go on and return to my old mode of meditation.
- The jumping carp drawing contains some interesting lines and curves. It was only natural to evolve my style from there.
At this point in my "career" as a penman, I'm interested in intertwining, unreal and almost etheral curves and undulations. I explored that in the first new piece right here. It marks the beginning of something I think I'll investigate further in the future.
I've also had a motiv in my head for a very long time involving curvy lines and lots of dots. A leaping salmon entering the water just after a jump. I know - that's impossible to depict you might say. But hey - that's why I want to draw it.
One thing leads to another, so I thought i'd might as well dig out some old abandoned drawings and give them some curves. For example this grayling.
Fall trout
This fall trout was just begging to get painted....
Silver seatrout
A Morten Valeur photo suddenly came to life...
Click on the bigger Image
Brownie beauty...
Just finished this comission. A Morten Valeur photo that turned into a quite satisfying piece...
Danish Fly Festival 2013, Kolding
I'd like to thank all the fly fishers who dropped by my booth at the festival this weekend to say hello. I had a truly cozy time there. I shared my booth with Daniel Holm from Blue Dot Media Shop and we had a great time with lots of laughs, lots of fly material, wet paint and metal music.
Thanks, see you out there
Double Grand Slam for John Petermann
I just finished this fish trophy solution for John Petermann. Check out this and more fish trophy paintings over at Fishtrophy.dk
Sold out!
- Or very damn near.
The Flyfish Europe/NASF T-shirt with my salmon painting on the back is almost sold out, I'm told. This means that Flyfish Europe has raised just under 7ooo € for North Atlantic Salmon Fund
Flymage
The new edition of Flymage is out now. The opening article is one of mine: Chile DIY - Pitfalls and Snakes in Paradise.
I'll also be exhibiting at the festival. You can find me and my mates from BlueDotMedia. We will be signing books, tying flies and I'll be painting some new stuff. Come along and bring your mates.
Nothing like a good round of flu...
There's nothing quite like a week of illness to get creativity started. Once I was well enough to sit at my worktable, I had time to paint a couple of motivs that I had been thinking about for some time now.
I had an old drawing laying around that I wanted to improve a bit. A sea trout about to grab the bait. But I know - the bait's not there. That's because I'll let the potential buyer decide what the lure should be.
The other painting is taken from a photo by Nikolaj Korsholm and Christian Flinker on their great New Zealand blog right here
Kassow giant salmon version 2
Some months ago, I was talking with Zpey boss Henrik Kassow Andersen. The occasion to meet was Henrik Mortensen's birthday. When he saw what I had presented mr. Mortensen. I could see a twinkle in the corner of his eye, saying something along the lines of: I'd really like a painting like that. See below what painting I am talking about.
Well, at that point I had to make a confession to Kassow. I had painted his giant Alta salmon some months back and I knew he was really pleased with it. But I wasn't. I don't know if it's a genetic flaw, or just a process of time, but the pieces I make seem to lose their initial lustre and appeal after a while for me. Luckily, the guys who have the paintings on the wall are generally overwhelmingly fond of their paintings. I't a bit like a passing crush. You are madly in love at first, but then the object of your love seems to fade a bit. But I can see why it's completely different for the persons who order the trophy 1-1 painting. What they see is a moment of glory, and passionate feelings. I see a painting, because I haven't caught the fish.
So - to make a long story a bit shorter, I told Henrik Kassow that I would like to try and make a second version of the fish. This time in a more natural setting, and in acrylics in stead of mixed media with watercolour. The acrylics allow me to paint in layers and repaint bits I'm not pleased with. I also find the colours more solid and tangible as opposed to the opaque quality of watercolour.
I halfway wish I hadn't said what I did to Kassow, because boy! What a task!
This time I'm more pleased with the result. let's see how long my crush on this painting lasts. Here it is on the last stage of the painting process, still on the easel.
Merry chistmas everybody
Right now you can download a full definition copy of two of my latest paintings for free!
Use the hi-res file to print your very own Thomas Weiergang print, poster, T-shirt or coffee mug...Whatever. You decide.
All you have to do is to sign up for the BlueDotMedia newsletter, and you get a download code. That's it! All free, and no freakin' strings!
So go ahead and get yourself a print of your own at your local printer.
Here's your choise of prints:
Congratulations Henrik Mortensen
Film review
Read my thoughts on art and salmon fishing in Daniel Göz' latest film "Gaula - River of Silver and Gold
Can a film on salmon fishing be art? A tough question, because not everything is art. I say that as an MA in art history. I have watched Daniel Göz and Anton Hamachers’ fantastic tribute to the river Gaula with that point of view and my conclusion is: if these guys are behind the cameras, it can fall into no other category.
The epicentre and the real main character of the film is the Gaula salmon. We follow the life-cycle of salmon and through that perspective get an insight into the ecosystem, and, just as importantly the people who care for the river and the salmon personified by environmentalist, salmon angler and founder of The Norwegian Salmon Fisher’s Club Manfred Ragusa. There is lots of salmon fishing action as well of course, as we follow our second protagonist, the salmon angler hook, fight and land silver dreams.
This could have been just another story about how to catch salmon in a river. But it isn’t. it’s so much more than that. And the reason is that the film is able to spellbind you with stunning images. We literally fly along the river and dive into the golden waters of the river to swim with the salmon. I have never in my life felt so close to the king of fish. This is no mere chance on the part of the filmmaker. Göz and Hamacher are hugely talented photographers with a visual concept entirely their own. So, in that way, the visual aspect, the narration and the execution of the movie coagulates into what can, in my eyes, only be seen as art. It is simply a thrill to watch and as slave to fishhy photography and painting, I am inspired and moved.
This film will make you pick up your calendar and start planning a salmon fishing trip to Gaula immediately and I, for my part, will be bringing camera and paintbrush.
Follow Daniel Here
Please check out the latest paintings here
It's turbot time....Look left
A Big Congrats!
-To all of those who've caught their dream salmon this spring.
You might want to consider having the image you have on your computer turned into a one-to-one trophy painting. Like this one:
Check out the website here
Check out my springer right here
New Folder about Danish Salmon and Seatrout
This salmon is getting pretty famour soon.
But you can also get it as an an art print.
Buy one for 500,- dkk and support DSF work with young anglers. 300,- will go directly to DSF youngsters
Sign up - contact me here or through: thomas.weiergang@gmail.comWhen I have enough orders, and we can start making money for youngsters who would like to go fishing, the print machine will start rolling
Notice: The water on the actual drawing is not as green as seen here - it is a photoshop error.
Size: app. 30 x 45 cm
printed on heavy duty acid free paper.
New gear recommendations over at the great gear section
Never seen before:
Atlantic salmon and seatrout. in all their stages.
Patagonia journey
Turn off, tune in
Sometimes I just get that feeling in my body. it's like a tinge in the back of my brain. It's like I can hear the zander calling me. get out of the house and into the night. Log off Facebook, Twitter, be antisocial.
Shut off the TV (or throw it out)
Tune in - listen to the voices inside your head.
Go ahead.
Go fishing
See how I catch zander like this 4,9 hen in the
great gear section
James Prosek
I'd like to introduce James Prosek and his art to you. If you are a flyfisher you problaby already know his name and his art.
James Prosek paints fish like no other, exept perhaps like his role model Audobon who painted "The Birds of America"
The line is subtle, exquisite, charming and honest. In Prosek's art, I see the same honesty and openmindedness that we have as children, when we marvel at the fabulous creatures we catch on a hook baited with a single worm. The images transcend ages and silly barries like flyfishing and bait fishing. In Prosek's world, there is only fishing, and fishing is life. He turns that life into art. We have to thank him for that. Support James Prosek for example by buying this movie, if you can get your hands on it.
Please go to his website.
Here
Need to pimp your ride? Four zander stickers for sale left.
Orders for this seatrout sticker are now accepted. I will start a print if I receive enough orders.
250,- a piece plus transport.
Order before december 11th, and your christmas present for your car, boat, clubhouse, window is on it's way...
Measurements: app. 50 cm x 25 cm. Printed on high quality sticker folio for outdoor use.
New book out now, by Bo Frier
This book will change the way we read about flyfishing for good...
A couple of new shots here:
News to your left....
Dream destination. Now online
This is a simple question: How do you think it feels to click "buy" and print out tickets for Balmaceda, Chile. Three weeks of insanely exciting fishing in deep Patagonia? Silly question, I Know. But try this one then; how do you think it feels to send an email to your frind in far-off Villa O'Higgins to ask if he could help us get access to the great fishing down there and then get a positive reply within 24 hours?
I am going with the Frier Family to patagonia once again. And our friend Alejandro, that we've met the previous two times we were there, has promised to help us on to the most wicked flyfishing on the planet. Did you read the article "Rainbow Rock" I wrote for Chasing Silver Magazine? In that article I drew a portrait of a lake holding the most outrageous fishing for rainbow trout you're likely to find anywhere in South America. I'll have three days on that lake, thank you! We have booked a cabin for a total of 12 days in Villa O'Higgins...Insane. And on top of that, there's all the other fantastic fishing in the area. Aquarium pool in Cochrane, Lago Cochrane, lakebound king salmon so bright that you'll hurt your eyes, lake trout, giant kings and all the other stuff...
WellI won't go on ranting about my dream trip. I bet you know the feeling when you're planning a great fishing trip. Click on the link or picture below to see Alejandros site about Villa O'Higgins. Do you recognize anybody;-)
The winter season has begun, and the show goes on....
Last winter, Jakob Soerensen and I toured the country with our show celebrating the launch of our book "Skælsætninger". Now, we had more or less agreed to put an and to that kind of silliness, but request about shows just kept popping up.
We just held the first of a small series of this-is-the-last-time-we'll-do-this shows. In Horsens. And it was a blast! Great hosts, great people. We'll come back any time you want. Now that's backbone for you...
I'm pretty sure that everybody at the club will agree with me on one thing: if a seatrout sees one of the funny looking foam thingies on the photo below, there's only one thing going through it's tiny brain....Worm!
New fish trophy painting under way.
This time for Anders Holmer
And the countdown for the new website for fish trophy paintings has begun. Much overdue...
The Treble-king in action....
I really hadn't anticipated this: This weekend I had to throw in everything I've got in the pride and preconception department and break all rules...The result was spectacular.
Coastal flyfishing at it's best ...
left:
The best book on salmon fishing...Ever
Is more or less what Charles Gaines says of "Atlantic Salmon Magic" In his reviev in "Atlantic salmon Journal.
Read a few passages of the lavish praise he lashes on Topher Browne and Wild River Press here
Trophy fish solutions expanding...
Why not put your trophy fish painting up against a more interesting beckground?
Imagine painting in the fly, the rod and reel. Or imagine the trophy brown trout from your last trip on background of golden burnt siena, or a great looking grayling up against a bluish-grey backdrop. Limitless opportunities...
Canada update
Bomber salmon
A new painting is ready now. I was thinking of bomber fishing for atlantic salmon all the time while I painted this one.
Night fishing for seatrout, Storå salmon and more...Left
122 centimetre trophy painting for Henrik Kassow...
All that's missing now is the text: Alta River, Norway. june 12th 2009. 47 lbs, 122 cm. Caught by Henrik Kassow Andersen.
...Way to go buddy. Here it is, the fish of any salmon angler's dreams:
The fish is painted with watercolour and acrylic on paper. The fish has app. 120 scales along the sideline. Alta fish are incredibly deep and muscular...
And what a paddle...
More trophy salmon painting...
Left
This is what I am reading right now: Atlantic Salmon Magic, by Topher Browne. Fantastic...More here
Fly Fair poster print now for sale
I need space!
With all the new tropy paintings coming along, I urgently need space in my studio. I therefore sell four limited edition prints at a reduced price.
The prints are framed, but have been used for exhibition, so they might have a small dent in the frame.
Therefore: These four signed, numbered and blessed limited edition prints go for 500 dkk. a piece
And the same goes for these two A2 beauties: 1000 dkk. a piece
mail me at: thomas.weiergang@gmail.com
Zander season...
The zander season has started...At last...More
left
The Danica hatch is on...
How do you improve the perfect fishing boat? By pimpin' it with a zander sticker like this:
Lake trout fishing.....
The year of the perch
Is this going to be the year of the perch for me?
I can tell you one thing; I'll do my very best. Perch are finickly, crafty moody, and they don't bite everything coming their way. Much unlike salmon really, those stupid herring (yes you sense a tinge of frustration, there).
So, this year, I'm aiming to improve my perch-fishing skills. which is a good thing, because perch can be caught in a huge variety of ways, none of which are boring: dropshotting, vertical, livebait and deadbait trolling, worm trolling, casting tiny lures and crankbaits...the list is endless..
I think I'll start by re-re-re-re-reading Chris Yates' unbeatable classic: "How to fish" in which he dedicates most of a season to the elusive perch in his home rivers. I'll do more or less the same thing: dedicate my spare time to the perch of my home lakes. I can't wait to get started, or actually I already have:
here's me with a fine perch caught on the ever-green Brown and green motoroil 2" relax
A worm hangin' out....what's that now?
What's this?
Fish portraits....More left
Post festival Fun
Thanks to all the good guys at the FFF-Fine Festival. Good one!
I had a ball both days. Loads of good times. People got around to see the true stuff.
Let me tell you one thing: Fishtrophy.dk, or in my own knotted tongue, fisketrofæ.dk is goin' to be a blast, I can tell you. I'll work day and night and keep you posted as soon as I'm set with the webpage. I have to thank the good people who believe so firmly in my talent, that they've already ordered the fish of their dreams on paper. Nice one guys. I owe you one......
What can I tell you: well how would you like to have the perfect portrait drawn of the fish of your dreams....Well quite a few good guys already hooked onto the idea.....but let me know if you catch the fish of your dreams this spring, and I'll supply the braggin' rights
Fishtrophy.dk - You've got the braggin' rights....sounds good, right?
Apart from that, I had the pleasure to donate a poster print to FFF, and they sold quite a few. I'm so pleased that I can contribute to their environmental work in my own little way.
And on that note, I would like to thank everybody I've met at the Fair and send out a big Conrats! - to the incredibly skilled fly tiers who've got to take the drawings I've made home. Congrats the boys on the podium in general of course and to Dennis Hynkemeyer and Jonas Rygaard especially, you're really something! Nice one guys, keep rockin'
See you soon.
Peace
Fly Festival Fun!
The coming weekend IS epic, it's time for the biannual FFF Fly Festival
Time for silver.
Goin' digital
I really love to paint and draw fish on paper, but lately I've been given a challenge: Digital drawings!
I now use a Wacom tablet to solve specific drawing assignments for magazines. Keep an eye on Sportsfiskeren. Within the next couple of months, some of my stuff will crop up in unexpected places. But not only that, the tablet also offers great fun and entertainment, and completely new opportunities.... More
left
What an honour!
Topher Browne's upcoming book "Atlantic Salmon Magic" is going to be
the salmon book of a generation. I've done the artwork for the book. It is due release this summer through Wild River Press. More
here:
Pike...
Absolutely better than nothing and infinitely more fun than staring at a screen...
An eye for eyes
Chilean eyes are a sight for sore eyes....I'm just saying...I Think I'll better book a flight bound for Balmaceda Airport, Chile next winter...
Longing for may...
You probably know the feeling...you're looking out the window, and contemplate the fact that sweet may is months away. You're longing for the long, warm spring nights and the dance of mayflies over the meadows...The only thing I can do right now is draw the images in my head....
Let the show begin...
Jakob and I are touring the country right now with our book-promo shows. What a pleasure it is to meet all the enthusiastic readers out there. To tell you the truth it's quite a show, actually, and a once-in a lifetime experience on top of that: One hour of top grade shots and tales about salmon fishing in river Skjern and another hour with my shots and tales about sea trout dry fly fishing. Hope to see you there, keep a keen eye on the
website, for updates about upcoming shows.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Here's a status update at the brink of a new promising year:
I'm just back from a i
cefishing session. My arms and back hurt from all the ice-drilling. But boy was it fun!
When I scroll back through the news updates this past year, I can't believe I had the time to do all that fishing! But I did. And as usual my fishing calendar has been booked with very varied fishing. Everything from dry fly fishing, hitching for Quebec salmon, Danish Salmon, Perch and pike to specialized zander jigging. I've enjoyed myself. I hope you had time to read a bit of it, and a great big thank you goes out to you guys who have followed me here.
The fish drawing side of things has been rather hectic as well. A load of drawings are currently being layouted for Topher Brownes new book. A couple of new prints have seen the light of day, and so on and so forth. Thank you to all of you who have supported this side of business. I truly appreciate it, and I am humbled by your praise.
The articles have been cranked out as well. Not only to "Sportsfiskeren" but to Chasing Silver as well. The next year will be very interesting, and new stuff will appear in unexpected places.
Last but not least, a big thank you to all of you who have bought the new book. What a reception it has had. It's overwhelming, to say the least. If you've also had time to see Jakob and I in action in one of our shows, let me tell you that it really warms our hearts to see you there. We are looking forward like kids about to go fishing to the following shows.
I hope you'll have a prosperous, slimy, wet new year with lots of bent rods and happy moments.
I'll paraphrase my friend Niels Aage Skovbo here: Take a momont to appreciate how lucky we are, to count ourselves amongst those, who find intense pleasure in such a primitive thing as fishing.
I wish you all a Happy New Year with this newly completed piece. I thought it was about time I let loose some colour on the paper;-)
Thomas
Mountains...
Pointing to the sky, leading to your soul.
With this new photo gallery, I would like to share with you a photographic passion for capturing the essence of mountains. Maybe it's a silly thing, but when you come from a country flat as a pancake, your camera-lense is automatically drawn to the peaks. Due to global warming, many of the glaciers you'll see on the images are fast disappearing as we speak. It's a sad fact that the glaciers of the Andes mountains are amongst the fastest mel
