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Angling In Extremadura

Over the last year I have tried to visit as many venues throughout Spain as possible to find those special waters for anglers to go on my trips. The waters in the Extremadura region are possibly the best I have found. The River Guadiana feeds these exciting waters. This untapped river incorporating its lakes includes the Legendary Orellana, the Serena and Cijara, these lakes have been created by dams dating from the early 1960's and boast some of the finest Carp, Barbel and Pike fishing in Spain. The very special wild Comizo Barbel, native to Spain, thrives in the Guadiana river system and grow in excess of 40lb. Pursuing the Comizo Barbel is an awesome experience for even the most accomplished angler. The scene is then set, some of the largest, wildest fish in Europe just waiting to be caught……..just a wonderful experience.

Craig Reid, expert guide, moved down south from the Ebro to explore the area some time ago and immediately realised the potential of the angling to be gained there. I met up with Craig at the La Codorniz Hotel in Puebla De Alcocer, a sleepy hillside oasis which was to be my base for a few days. Even the proprietors son is a Black Bass champion and to find two in a tank in the bar was really no surprise. Jaime is obsessed with lure fishing for these fish along with giant Pike and has a collection of lures second to none. The bar has a small display selling some of the best examples he has come across. After discussing the pro’s and con’s of the fishing in the area over a delicious meal in the restaurant Craig and I arranged to meet up in the morning and go to Garcia, a water at the far end of Orellana. Some time ago my good friend and angling associate Peter Hampshire once remarked to me on arrival at a lake that he could smell the fish. These waters gave me the same feeling, it did not just look good it looked fantastic.

It is of the greatest importance, as with the Ebro, to have the correct equipment to fish for large wild species. Thirty pound braid coupled to one hundred pound braid leaders on large fixed spool reels and three pound test curve rods was what I had come armed with thankfully as Craig related some horror stories of rods and even anglers being dragged off the banks. This also displayed the importance of having a guide who knows the waters and the fish you are likely to catch. It makes no sense to try and catch fish such as these with tackle you would use locally here in our region. The end result is not only going to be expensive for you but could leave a fish damaged unnecessarily. The weather was scorching hot and although fish were topping all over I was happy to take advice and go for distance. Craig produced his Bait Boat and he also has an inflatable for pre-baiting. It was decided to send one line out on the boat with a full load of beans which would match the hook bait and drop it around two hundred metres away. The other line I would cast out and then use a spod rocket to provide the ground bait, reloading regularly. The boat set off with Craig at the controls and it disappeared into the distance, meanwhile I loaded the spod and sent out a mixture of nuts and beans. I lined my sights with a large tree on the other side to get some accuracy involved. After surfcasting so much I enjoyed the action of the spod rod which I have not used much down in our region. After several rocket loads were deposited on the lake bed I left the spod rocket as a marker and cast out the hook bait. It landed very near so I was happy. Craig had deposited the other hook bait a lot further out with the Bait Boat and as the heat of the day was nearing it’s worst we decided to just leave that one for the duration. The other I would reload and re spod every half hour or so. The rod pod alarms were set and we sat back to talk about the area more. I kept as close as possible to the rods as a two pound Carp or Barbel down in the waters of Murcia can have a vicious take so what these monsters would be capable of was something I would have to wait to experience. Over the next hour a couple of knocks on the nearest rod was encouraging but the heat was now nearing forty degrees in the shade and I knew it was really the wrong time of day. I should have known that starting to relax and sit back a little in my chair instead of the crouched stance I had held before was a mistake. The rod out furthest shot forward pulling the rod pod over, I grabbed the butt and the baitrunner set. This is the rear clutch that allows free line to be taken until the reel handle is turned, the drag was then on the front clutch which I had set fairly slack so a fish could take line. This was screaming, until I realized that so much line had been taken that only thirty metres or so remained on the spool. The fight began and I had to steer the fish back towards me, playing it, letting it take line at times when another powerful run began but being forceful enough by having confidence in the my equipment to retrieve line back onto the spool. After several minutes of a tug and war episode I gained the upper hand. The fish was coming to me and despite several more runs a fifteen pound Carp was landed, I was breathless but very happy. The power in these fish is awesome and so different to handling a fish from a stocked water in the UK. He was laid on the unhooking mat, photographed, weighed and then returned for another day. Proper experienced anglers who come fishing with me have all said the same thing – every time they go fishing they learn something new. This time I had learnt that with the radio controlled Bait Boat taking the line so far out I had not thought that only a small amount would be left on the spool. Bigger spools that hold more line will be introduced for the next visit. This had been my first Extremadura fish and the one I will always remember no doubt. Over the next few days several more electrifying fishing incidents occurred and I was also at night whisked off like a newcomer to the fold to several local towns to meet the undoubted angling stars of the area, especially Sergio who upon my arrival at a bar, ran off at high speed home returning with video’s and pictures for me of his exploits from childhood to the present day, very impressive I can tell you.

The Black Bass fishing is something that is fascinating, very similar to the American scene and I already have a party coming out to sample this exciting form of fishing. I was presented with some “special” lures by Jaime as I left to try out on my next visit. The fly also is going to be very productive and again some top fly anglers are coming to try it out. Through these pages I will be able to relay the stories over the coming months and maybe encourage you to come along and land the personal best of your life. These waters and the Ebro are really something special and an anglers paradise probably providing the most exciting angling in Europe.