INTERNATIONAL CARPER - The world’s hottest carp destination

Below is an article by Peter Christensen covering a trip to the Sierra Brava. You can either download the full PDF file from the original article below, or you can read the full text from the article which is also below.

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The world’s hottest carp destination - By Peter Christensen

When the global carp fishing scene was established in the 80s and 90s, France was the centre of attention. Its southern neighbour Spain was hugely left to itself, with the exception of the Ebro. Despite consistent rumours of monstrous cyprinids, Spain drifted into oblivion, as France kept producing one giant carp after the other. This is about to change. During just two months this past winter, lakes in the Extremadura region produced two 75lbs+ commons, both truly wild, immaculate specimens. Add to that the fact that many of the lakes in the area can match Cassien and the mighty Orient in size and we may very well be looking at the biggest extension of the carp fishing scene in decades. Follow Peter Christensen as he investigates the potential in this new carp Mecca.

Uncharted territory. Fenced in on all sides by snow-capped mountain ranges, intercepted only by big, slow-flowing rivers and a minimum of roads, Extremadura is one of the wildest regions of Europe. Interesting for the carp angler, a great number of unexplored lakes are scattered over the windswept plains along with several huge reservoirs. With over 100 km of bank, Lake Orellana is one of the biggest, and it is quite possible that this serious expanse of water hides a world-record carp in its depths. In March ’08, a Spanish carp angler banked a mind-blowing 76 lbs. common – one of the largest unknown carp to come out in Europe in a very long time. The fact that it is a wild fish that has grown big on natural food sources only makes it even more impressive. While such a fish, appearing out of the blue, is a disturbing piece of information for the adventurous carper, it could be a sort of natural wonder. The sceptical angler may neglect it as a rare biological abnormality that can happen only once? However, the fact that another well-documented common weighing 77 lbs., has come out of another lake in the region is proof to the carp community that something quite unique is emerging.

Sierra Brava. The official story is the 77lbs common was caught in Lake Zujar, which is right next to Orellana, but rumour has it that isn’t the case. The fact is a number of lakes in Extremadura could have produced the 77. During my recent visit I had the pleasure of fishing another jewel of the area, the Sierra Brava. Quite simply, this is one of the most ideal big carp waters I have ever seen. As Andy, editor of CarpDiem magazine and my fishing buddy for the week, and I drive down winding old gravel roads towards the lake a feeling of total awe and carp fever takes hold of me. In the distant horizon the Guadalupe Mountains provide a breathtaking backdrop to the lake, which is nestled in rolling, lush green hills dotted by old trees. While we bump along, the gravel road quickly changes into a hardly visible rocky track until finally it is gone, leaving the last mile to the lake a rugged, bare plain marked by nothing but purple flowers. An impressive welcome committee of vultures soar high above us as we step out of the car to have a first glimpse of our swim. On the bank we join Matt and his two clients Steve and Paul. Matt has a wealth of knowledge on the big lakes of Extremadura and runs FAT Angling Tours, the only guiding company in the area dedicated to the pursuit of big carp.

We have chosen to concentrate our efforts on a big bay in the eastern corner of the lake that looks like a hotspot for carp in early spring. Andy, who has fished the lake a handful of times before, has warned me about it being quite snaggy. What he didn’t tell me is that we are going to fish in a forest! Many of the lakes in Spain are dammed rivers, so the lake beds quite often consist of trees and other “interesting” features. This case is extreme though, with very few fishable areas. The water level is down by around 10 feet, and trees show virtually everywhere. After plumming around a bit we manage to find a few spots where it seems likely that we can bully out the carp without risking their safety. It quickly becomes clear that “conversion rate” will be the central challenge if we shall succeed in wresting a lump from the depths of Sierra Brava.

Give it some stick! Our first run of the session can only be referred to as a one-toner. My left alarm simply lets out a constant, high-pitched beeeeep that seems to go on forever before I get to the rod. Given the snaggy swim there is no room for messing about. The only option is to put relentless pressure on the fish, walk away from the water slowly and hope the hookhold is good enough to take the stress of the rod’s brute force. With about seven big trees showing right in front of me I know the carp is bound to be close to treacherous branches and within seconds I feel the well-known, much feared, stomach-churning grinding sensation down the line. I lower the rod, in the hope that it will trick it closer to the surface - a tactic that luckily pays off. A little while later I can admire my first Sierra Brava carp in the safety of the landing net.
It is no monster, and as I wonder if it is worth the while to shoot a few photos, I hear another alarm going off at full speed. Down the bank, Steve and Paul have joined the action and I quickly release my carp to get a look at their quarry. Steve is clearly into a better fish, and with Paul cheering, he staggers backwards with an alarming bend on his rod.
Meanwhile, I get my camera ready and shoot a few pics of the epic struggle. Suddenly the carp shifts into its 5th gear, heading directly for the biggest tree out there in a desperate leap for freedom. Steve quickly reacts by putting his hand on the madly turning spool and manages to stop the run at the last possible moment. The line sings out the shrill song that often precedes the moment it snaps in two, leaving the carp to itself and the carper with a lifelong trauma. Fortunately, in this case the intense pressure from Steve’s extreme fighting tactic pays off and a few minutes later the fish is ready for netting. Paul takes off his boots, picks up the landing net and wades into the clear margins of Sierra Brava, focusing on the dark shadow of the price, circling a few feet below the surface a rod’s length from the shore.
“C’mon. Give it some stick mate – it could be a 40!”, Paul screams at the top of his voice. Steve’s face shows a paradoxical mix of excitement and terror – we are clearly looking at a new PB for him. Finally the carp slides over the brim of the landing net and we all let go a sigh of relief. Not quite a 40, but at 36 lbs. it still isn’t bad for a totally wild, stunning mirror that has most likely never seen a hook before…

Info. Extremadura is rich on lakes and there are plenty of options for the adventurous carp angler. If you are the type that likes casting into the unknown and fishing for uncaught, beautiful wild carp, Spain is the place to go right now. However, most of the lakes are huge and some local advice can really make the difference. For this reason it is advisable to contact a local outfitter like FAT Angling Tours to make sure you don’t waste precious time searching the massive water expanses for carp that can be nearly impossible to find. With FAT you’ll be fishing in seriously pre-baited swims and the company has a proven big fish record.

Web : www.fatanglingtours.com
Phone : (+34) 676926895

If you do plan your own adventure you’ll need plenty of time, a strong urge for pioneering and some really good fish location skills. In addition to a minimum of 50-100 kilos of bait a week speaking at least a little Spanish will be a major advantage. Obviously, do some serious research well before the trip.

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