A stretch of coast with sand bottom and scattered rocks covered in bladder wrack is often called leopard bottom, because it resembles the pattern found in the leopard’s fur. These bottom conditions are always important to fish, since the sea trout often hunts above the sand between seaweed bushes and rocks. The contrast between the sand and the food options along the bladder wrack provides the sea trout with an advantage during the hunt.
In many fishing spots, large areas of the bottom are covered in sand, and often the coastal angler will skip these areas since they don’t seem like much. However, it’s worth considering that many small fish like sand eel and sprat often migrate across the sand bottom, and they have sea trout and other predatory fish chasing them. On days with waves, unclear water, or dimmed lighting, you’ll likely find predatory fish in these areas. The sandy areas along the deeper water or close to dark areas can be true sea trout magnets.
Along with the eelgrass, bladder wrack is the most prevalent aquatic plant along the Danish shores. This seaweed attaches itself to smooth surfaces such as rocks, gravel, and other variations on the bottom. The bladder wrack is a good hiding place for food options and fish. Bottom conditions with bladder wrack are good indicators of fish being nearby.