Fishing in Spain 2008

**Beachcomber_Bar_Mojacar** · 05-03-2008, 21:32

Extremadura (Orellana) 2008. (Warts and all)

Saturday.

I was looking to expand the waters I fished in Spain when Matt from http://www.fatanglingspain.com invited me to fish with him for a week. I talked my mate “Ebroangler” Dan into joining me although he would bivvie up while I kept warm at night at one of Matt’s houses in town. (Well that was the plan!)

Dan drove 6 hours to meet me in Mojacar in Almeria where we piled everything into my Chrysler Voyager and sometimes metal bivvie and we headed the 7 hour drive to Extremadura and the town of Talarubius. This town has streets narrower than my vehicle it appeared and we had a little trouble getting to the Los Naranjas Bar where Matt was to meet us. We managed in the end and after pleasantries and a coffee we headed for a swim Matt has private access to. Dan and I had hoped to fish mainly for barbel which go to 46lbs on a particular local water. Water authorities had not let any water into this lake and so the barbel would have been hard to find. New water coming in sends them crowding into a spot Matt knows.
We instead fished a swim on the Orellana where we could target carp and tench and there are a few barbel too but hard to catch. There are also pike, zander and black bass to be had plus sun perch. The latter, excited neither Dan nor I although it would have added another species to my catch list for 2008. They are surprisingly good to eat as we found out in Morocco last year.

We settled Dan into his swim and even though he had brought his own tackle, Matt knew there would be little time to set up and had three rods ready for him and these were boated out to spots up to 300 yards in 30 odd feet of water. The previous day Matt had deposited 120 kilos of particles and boilie chops over various spots and left markers.
High viz pop us were the order of the night on 360 rigs. A small amount of bait was thrown over the rigs after they were lowered by hand to the lake bed. Rig Marole safety clips, which I later fell in love with, were used and they ditch the lead on every take but usually stay on for a retrieval. Matt and I headed for the bar and left Dan for the night.

Sleeping on the bank is ok with the police 99% of the time but night fishing is a no-no. Dan fished every night as Matt knows and gets on well with the local Guardia but of course it’s up to each individual angler to make the call. There is talk in Extremadura of night fishing becoming legal this May and if it happens it will put the area on the Carp anglers map even more.
Talking of being put on the map, a few days before Dan and I set off on our trip a new Spanish carp record hit the news and at 77lbs it was a corker. A wild common, it was caught just down the road from us on the Jucar River by anglers that have been pulling out quite a few whoppers just lately.

See photo of the 77.

At Matt’s house I met Dave and his wife Heather who were staying there while their new house was being finished. Dave’s an angler and is looking forward to living in the area and taking in visiting anglers. I also met Matt’s dad Brian, another angler and a character, he would be joining us some days.

We were up early before first light and after a coffee and breakfast (Spain’s famous “Tostada”) in Matt’s favourite bar, we headed off to see how Dan had done during the night, armed with his breakfast.

Dan had seen no action and I slowly started to organise myself. Matt commented that seeing me set up was like watching paint dry. Now he didn’t know that my first day’s fishing usually starts with a few disasters like tying a rig with no hook attached and so “slowly slowly catchy the monkey” is my best approach. I made no obvious mistakes getting all three of my rods out.

Matt is the expert in the area and although I’m not one to disagree with one I thought that as Dan had three rods out with 360 rigs and pop ups I had to do some things a little different. How many times has a new angler bought a syndicate ticket and quickly caught one of, if not the best fish in the lake. Exactly, more times than regulars on the lake would like to admit. Also Matt had the intention of putting out up to 9 more rods. With pop ups, for himself, Brian and Tony, an angler I have spoken to before but never met. He lives near Cadiz on the Costa de la Luz and is such a laugh he had us in stitches and in tears.

My right hand rod followed Matt’s recommendation and had a 360 rig and Hi viz pop up on a table top island at 200 yards in 9 feet of water.

My middle rod was put out about 300 yards in 35 foot of water and had a single glugged 24m “Moon Spice” boilie I was trying out for the first time.

My left hand rod had one and a half glugged 24mm “Crab and Squid” boilies that brought me my last three PB carp in 2007. The half was covered in an almost identical paste to the make up of the boilies.

My strategy was to put out a bit more groundbait than the others were using and many different ingredients. Too many to list, but included several powders, about 5 or 6 kilos each time a rod was put out. Matt thought this was not a good idea but if the others started bagging up I would quickly change tack.

The weather the week before was rubbish and had sent fish into a quiet period (just our luck) and it wasn’t looking any better for our week. It was freezing cold, wet and windy and it isn’t Cassien and fishes best in warm, sunny and calm conditions, much like the Ebro. Matt said other than one time, he nor his clients had ever gone 48 hours without one catching so we still had high hopes.

I think it was around midday when Matt received a phone call from Andy McGregor, the assistant editor of Carp Diem Magazine. (Spain’s only carp magazine) he said that one of the Carp Diem Team had just caught a 53lb mirror. They were fishing a three day competition and until then were struggling a bit. Well done Raul another great capture from Spain’s Mecca waters.

See photo.

Back to us and we were struggling ourselves with only wind bites to make us jump. I rarely fish my rods beachcaster style and getting wind bites but after already doing a couple of things against the norm I thought I would just stick to it. None of us could believe we were getting no bites because big fish were crashing right on top of our baits. On top of two of our markers, seagulls were crashing around too. It seems Dan didn’t wet the cat food enough that he introduced to the groundbait and some was floating to the surface.

Tony arrived but as the weather was so atrocious he decided he would spend his first night in a bed. Our first 24 hours was up and Matt, Tony and I left Dan to it and went for an excellent entrecote steak meal at the bar and ordered a takeaway too for Dan. We drove back down to the lake to deliver it to him, he was well pleased.
Only Dan’s rods were left out this night although there was next to no chance of any police turning up in the rain (they don’t like it) he might have too much to do if a big shoal of fish moved in.

Monday.

Dan moved one of his rods left to a spot, roughly where a marker had previously disappeared and where Matt had been fishing with lots of bait over the spot the week before. At 2pm the sun came out for the first time and within 10 minutes this same rod went off. After a 25 to 30 minute fight Matt netted a common weighing 36.1/2lbs, a new PB for Dan, if only by 8 ounces. This fish had a flat belly and would normally have gone 40+ we thought.

See photo of a very committed Matt in his underpants in near freezing conditions.

See photo also of Dan and his prize.

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Matt was right about the 48 hour rule and we were all now confident about the rest of the week.
By 7pm nothing else had happened and so me and Matt headed for town while Tony, who now had the bit between his teeth, stayed to keep Dan company and fished my three rods.

Tuesday.

Matt, Brian and I were down on the bank early but as we had not received any texts during the night. We were a little surprised but very happy to find Dan and Tony with a fish each sacked. Both weighed 19lbs and were caught within 10 minutes of each other although the pick ups were 500 yards apart. Tony’s fish on my rod came on the on the pop up 360 rig and I would have been stupid not to change one more rod to this method. My middle rod with the 24mm Moon Spice bottom bait was swapped for a pop up of the same type. My left hand rod was brought in and the Crab and Squid Boilie was covered in Belachan paste just to try something different. At least we had one rod out of 12 without a pop up on.

Tony had put out three rods for himself off to the left of Dan and Matt had put out three more to the left of Tony.

It was still raining this morning but the water temperature had changed greatly, the top 6 inches was 6c up at 48c. The air temperature was also warmer but I wasn’t for taking any clothes off just yet. Starting from the top I was wearing a woolly hat with a baseball cap on top. A teeshirt and two jumpers, one with a hood that was over my head. A woolly coat and a bigger fleece lined one too, again with the hood over my head. Pants and two pairs of trousers. One pair of thin socks and two pairs of thick ones to make my Wellington boots fit snugly. I was still cold.

My usual pebble rig was not working well because the elastic band sometimes wouldn’t come off the rough stones that I had found on the bank. I hadn’t brought any beach pebbles with me as I should have done. Anyway by spending more time searching for smooth pebbles and using the Rig Marole safety clips I mentioned before, I was able to carry on using the rig and never again had the problem with newly put out rigs. Even when a rough stone was used the clip always dumped it.

Tony’s rods were over the far side of the 45 foot deep river bed and in 35 foot of water and midmorning he was into a fish which weighed in at 27.1/4lbs.

See photo.

The sun came out today and with next to no wind you might think it was perfect conditions on the Orellana? Well maybe for Dan because he bagged 8 or 9 pike to 4lbs and had some fun spinning. I decided I would stay the night because it looked perfect for a result.
My metal bivvie was on a slant on the bank and in an ideal position to allow me to put my front seat back and be horizontal. Perfect I thought and I didn’t take off one single item of the clothing I mentioned earlier. In fact I put an opened out sleeping bag over the top of me. I FROZE like you wouldn’t believe and my mates put it down to having too many clothes on. I was awake most of the night and continually woke myself up snoring. It was 6am when I decided to put the seat up and tilt my head against the window on something soft. It did the trick and I slept for 90 minutes.
The night was muted (apart from my snoring) and we received no action on 12 rods which was a surprise to us all.

Wednesday.

At 11.30am I got a run and landed a new PB, a 7lb 14oz Tench. Was I happy? I hadn’t caught one since the 1960s and that was a respectable 4.1/4lbs then. What pleased me most of all was I caught it on a one year old glugged crab and squid boilie bottom bait covered in Belachan.

See Photo.

Mid afternoon I had a drop back while 20 yards from my rods and when I got there it all went quiet. Being used to this sort of thing, fishing pebble rigs on the Ebro, I picked up the rod and tightened up a little to feel for a fish being on. My mates were shouting “hit it, hit it” and although I knew it was wrong, I did and of course there was nothing there. I’m sure it was a tench and it had got away with picking up my bait and moving my pebble. If I had put the rod down as I would normally there was a chance the fish would have picked up the bait again. Hitting nothing is something I see other anglers do but it’s not something I generally do.

Tony went into town this morning for a shower and a shop. He came back with a few goodies and set about cooking a meal. Tony turned out to be a good cook and is my sort of person, he loves his food as much as his fishing. He cooked prawns in garlic and a chicken dish with lots more garlic and loads of spices. He burnt my pots and pans something rotten, food was glorious though!

That evening Matt, Brian and I went to Matt’s favourite watering hole to watch footie. Barcelona was playing Celtic, obviously of great interest to the Real Madrid supporting locals. The bar did however put another telly on so we could watch Dave’s team Man U play. Dave’s a Geordie and his wife Heather, a Newcastle supporter, recipe for trouble there eh?
We were joined by Steve Howard and his wife, Mrs Howard, who had both come fishing for a week. Steve is the editor of UK’s Carp Addict magazine and does a regular piece on the area called “Howard’s Way”. Nice couple and a good night was had by all.

Thursday.

On arrival at the lake early next morning we found Dan into a fish and it was the pike rod we had put out to share. A 12lber was the result and apparently this is just a tiddler for the lake. It took a whole sardine presented on a pair of small treble hooks.

See photo.

10am and the “Howards” joined us on a point to our left. Dan, shortly after, went into town for a shower at Matt’s place. Not long after, one of his rods went off and Matt’s dad, Brian took it and we landed a 27.1/4lber. Dan obviously was not a happy bunny on his return and we took a photo of them both with the fish.

See photo.

Worse was to come because a short time later when Dan was boating baits out for me, another of his rods bent over and Matt had to bring in a tench for him. Luckily it was no PB at about 6lbs but I felt guilty all the same. Dan really wanted to catch a tench from the lake.

The lake is full of crayfish and I was surprised to see so many in a pot Matt retrieved. It is winter and I wasn’t expecting to see them active at this time of year. Matt puts out pots to collect them for barbell bait but I couldn’t resist nicking a few. I’m not sure Matt was impressed now I think about it but I enjoyed a few fried with chopped onions in garlic butter and olive oil. Dan relished the sauce if not the skinny “Ronnie and Reggies”

Time was running out for me to go home with a carp and so I decided to stay another night. The weather had warmed and by this time I think I had forgotten just how bad Tuesday night had been. Tony had left us today and headed back to the Costa Del Luz. He left a bottle or two (or was it three?) of wine behind and I had a few glasses, glugs actually as we had no glasses. Now I wouldn’t normally drink and fish but Dan doesn’t often touch the stuff and I felt confident he would be there for me if I needed him.

15 minutes after I crashed out I had a run and even though the back door of my metal bivvie was wide open, I never heard it, I was in a coma. Dan did luckily and after not getting any response from shouting me he ran over and picked up the rod. In the end I heard him but it took me a while to come round and get into my wellies. Dan just stood there with my rod held high until I took over.

My fish went 25.1/2lbs but I wasn’t in the mood for photos and it was sacked safely until the morning.

Friday.

Early next morning Dan received a run and landed a scraper 20. This, with my fish gave us a two fish photo.

See photo.

Later that morning Dan shouted me that our pike rod was bending over and for a few seconds I could feel I had a fish on. I was soon snagged and a trip in the boat found I was attached to a lost pike rig. My fish had by this time shook the hook and a pike on my 2008 fish list was not to be.

Friday and our last day.

Not a lot happened during our last day and the “Howards” too were still having no luck. Matt, while doing a little supermarket shopping for Dan and I bumped into the Guardia Capitano who let it be known he knew we were there at night. It was thought a good idea to take notice of what may have been a warning and so we packed up just before dark.

Another good evening was had by all at Matt’s second home. (Bar Los Naranjas) Not that Matt drinks a lot and dad, Brian doesn’t touch the evil elixir. But the food, football coverage and hosts are great. It was good to meet such nice people as the ones already mentioned, Matt’s children, who are right little characters, and their mum who is of course related to angels. Tony, Dave, Heather, Steve and Mrs Howard also helped to make Dan’s and my week and although catching a few more fish would have made it better, how bad is it to each get a new PB.

Special thanks go to Matt who loves fishing with a vengeance and loves just as much helping his clients to catch fish. The whole thing is a passion to him and I can just imagine him going home after 18 hours on the bank talking to his wife about fishing.

Matt has spent 6 years fishing the local waters and I guarantee nobody knows them better than him. Most local Spanish anglers didn’t know there were fish in their waters so big until Matt started to show them photos. Matt also has his ears firmly on the ground and there is not much caught without him knowing what and where it came out from.

Thank you Matt at http://www.fatanglingtours.com and I hope you will allow me to fish with you again. (Sorry I ate your Barbel bait)

See photo.

Lastly I would like to thank Dan for your company, friendship and help and your experience contradicts your young age.

The end.

Beachcomber John.