ANGLING TIMES CARP FISHING IN SPAIN ARTICLE

CARPING’S NEW MECCA?

Has Richard Wilby from the Anglingtimes discovered carpings new mecca. Keep on reading to find out more. Below you will find a download to the actual article from the anglingtimes. Or alternatively, a bit further down you can read the whole of the text from the article.

Angling times Article

This week UKCarp’s RICHARD WILBY visits one of Spain’s hidden carp fishing gems

Despite sweat pouring off my face and a bruised backside from one of the bumpiest tracks I have ever been down, my anticipation was sky high when I finally got my first glimpse of the great Orellana Reservoir in Spain.

Everything I had read about this mammouth lake system became reality as I gazed across thousands of acres of untouched water in a remote landscape. Not another angler in sight and thousands of big, hungry wild carp just waiting to be caught – I had definitely arrived in paradise.

Carp fishing in Spain is not new, but while the herds of Brits and other European anglers head to the popular Mequinenza area to fish the River Ebro and Segre, this forgotten region in the west remains a well kept secret.

My guide, Matt Whistlecraft from FAT Angling Tours, has been based in the Extramadura province of Spain for the last two years. He has spent days on end driving around these waters searching for carp, which is no easy feat considering this area holds the biggest mass of water in any area of Europe. My appetite was well and truly whetted when he showed me a picture of a 381b 15oz ‘Royal Mirror’ he’d banked five days earlier from the spot we were heading to.

RODS OUT

When I eventually made my first cast into the unknown I was buzzing with excitement, as we had seen several carp rolling close to the area. Matt and one of the other guides, Rich, had been baiting this spot for the last couple of weeks to try and keep the carp in the area. The team spent days locating fish, in fact, coming to a place like this for a long weekend without a guide would be a waste of time.

There was no need for the latest, complex rigs for naïve, wild fish, so I kept things simple and strong. I also followed the lads’ advice to fish snowman style hookbaits.

For the record, I used 251b mainline, 451b ESP leadcore, 251b SuffixCamoSkin and size 4 Nash Fang X hooks. With a 3oz sea lead clipped on, I made my first cast into the unknown.

I was fishing alongside Iain Macmillan, who was out doing a feature for UKCarp magazine. We were casting no more than 20yds to a ledge in 20ft of water. This area was in front of the old river bed where the depth was around 60ft. It really was simple fishing , I could even put my feet up while the FAT lads went out in the boat and scattered bait over our rods – sorted !

FINGERS BURNT

Iain had the first take of the day, an absolutely blitzing run that nearly pulled the rod pod over. The fish fought like a tiger , and considering it was ‘only’ an upper double, I was dreading what a big fish would do.

It was a couple of hours before I had my first Orellana carp. The reel’s clutch struggled to keep up with the speed of the run, and the lads laughed as I scrambled over the rocks like a drunken monkey to get to the rods.

My fingers burned as I tried to slow the line down, but, unfortunately, disaster struck. As the rod took on a healthy bend the line suddenly broke for no apparent reason. Before I could dwell on my bad luck, the middle rod tore off and I was in again. This time the fish, thankfully, stayed on and I soon had an immaculate 19lb common in the net. We finished up with eight fish on the first day, but only one had scraped over 201b, despite several ‘lumps’ crashing out over the bait.

The following days’ plans were made over a couple of ice cold lagers and mouth-watering tapas in the local bar. Something else caught my eye as we enjoyed the beer – and it wasn’t wearing a skirt.

Above the fruit machine was a massive stuffed common carp of 601b, caught in 1999 by the barman himself. When he saw me pull the camera he smiled and started to wave his hands about, reliving his epic battle with the fish.

CHANGING ATTITUDES

Unfortunately, catch-and-release in this region is not a common practice. Matt did tell me how the youngsters were being educated to release their prize fish, and how carp fishing was becoming increasingly popular with them.

The second day started well, with several powerful commons and two beautiful tench also making an appearance.

But apart from a turtle swimming into the line, my left-hand rod saw no action. As I was thinking of recasting, the clutch started to melt, and as soon as I picked up the rod I knew something special was on the end.

I was soon hopping over the rocks in an attempt to keep up as it made its way around the corner of the small cliff face I had hooked it from. I couldn’t believe what I was doing – it reminded me of the Go Fishing show where John Wilson clambers down the rocks to keep up with a giant Indian mahseer.

As the line pinged off the rocks I eventually made direct contact with the fish, and after a few nervous moments I guided a very long common over the net.

At 3ft long , and with a big set of shoulders, it looked every bit of 301b, but it was empty after spawning and the scales read out a respectable 261b of Spanish gold.

Iain’s turn came next and he managed a couple of fish also weighing 261b. Several more carp came before we packed up and headed back into the town to recount our success.

LAST CHANCE

For two days Matt had been telling me about another massive reservoir in the area that also held monster fish, and was kept very quiet by those in the know.

He was talking about the Sierra Brava, which has reputedly done carp to over 701b. He gave us the choice of staying where we were or heading over to a snaggy spot he knew held some fish on the Sierra Brava. It took seconds to decide. Neither Iain nor I could resist having a go – even if it was just for four hours.

Making our way down another bumpy track we were faced with a sunken forest. Matt pointed out the area where he thought we stood the best chance of getting a bite.

After making our casts we scattered 100 boilies over three rods with the throwing stick. Clutches were done up tight and we hovered over the rods waiting for one more bite.

With just five minutes left my alarm bleeped and I was on it like a flash. I tried to hold the fish away from the snags and walk backwards, but it tried to drag me into the lake. I had never felt anything so powerful, and my heart sank as the line went slack and the fish was gone. My hooklink had snapped like cotton.

Looking back, I should have used 401b hooklinks, but I had only one chance and I made a mistake – gutted!

God knows what was on the end, but it has certainly left me hungry to return to this untapped region of Spain as soon as I can.

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