CFCarp
Busy Little Bees
S
tories of the fabulous fishing
on the River Ebro in Spain had
alerted me to the possibility of
visiting the country for fishing,
thanks in part to the cheap airfares
being touted by budget airlines such as
Easy Jet.
But as some friends found out, when
we visited Ireland for a spot of salmon
fishing in 2005, there is a nasty sting
in the tail with additional charges for
sporting goods. Fortunately, I had my
travel rod in my main bag.
Please Boss!
No such issues arose when, out of the
blue, I received an invitation to try fishing
in the Extremadura region of Spain in
June. With literally hours to respond, it
was a no-brainer. Just cancel a dental
appointment and persuade the boss to
let me have an extra day off from one
already planned.
The Wednesday saw me rush to work
early and then leave early to fish an
evening match at Charts Plain, where I
was lucky enough to finish second. Then
it was a dash back home to throw my
things in a bag before ensuring I caught
the last tube train to Heathrow.
The flight to Lisbon was uneventful,
and it was at the airport I met with my
trip colleagues and tourist guide Yadira
Chaparro, who has recently returned to
her homeland after a stint working in
London.
We trooped aboard our minibus and
had a fairly long journey to our lunchtime
76 |Coarse Fisherman |October 2007
Viva España
meeting with Craig Reid, our fishing By the time we reached the hotel, I was Trevor King, of Kings Angling Holidays, Alex Perrin of Angling International
guide, at the Rio La Alacena restaurant shattered and passed on having another The bait left over was in a blue barrel Rob Worrall, of World Sport Fishing Ltd, converted nine of his 18 runs and
in Badajoz. meal. and included boilies, maize, tiger nuts and I were to fish a bit closer to the car. included an 18lb 8oz Mirror and
Craig is based at Talarrubias and it was The next morning I was not very and other goodies, a far cry from pellets, Now casting to the far side of the Commons to 22lb, as well as Crucian
clear he knew his patch well. Apart from popular as, unsurprisingly, the paste and maggots that I usually catch Thames at Wallingford or Chertsey for carp and tench.
carp fishing, several of the lakes offer anaesthetic had worked well. Rather too my fish on! This was a whole new chub in the old days may seem a long I managed to land an 18lb Common
good barbel fishing in winter. well, as I delayed our first day’s sport. But experience for me, a wannabe match way for some, but the distance we from four runs, though one fish actually
Just look at Craig’s web gallery at the lads didn’t rub it in too much. angler confronted with a three-rod carp needed to cast was at least 80 yards straightened my hook – perhaps too
www.extremafishingspain.com to see Our bus dropped us at Talasrubias, set-up. and Craig resorted to using finger much pressure!
what I mean! So now is the time to book where we transferred to four-wheel drive For the record, Craig’s gear that he protection for his casting on our behalf. But I was pleased for Rob, who was
up for a good winter trip. vehicles for the final leg of our journey to supplies to his customers is top quality, He cast towards an island and new to it, who landed two Commons
Below: There was
a prepared area of the lake. By prepared, such as 3lb test curve 12’ Fox Warriers explained that, if we cast too short, the to 16lb, though poor old Trevor didn’t
Stunning Views plenty of bait to go I mean 200 kilos of prebaiting, covering and Zeus Grauvell V5000 reels, along terminal tackle went down a gully and have a run and chose to stay in his swim
Because we were behind schedule, around. our swims, over a fortnight. with the associated pods and bite could easily be lost. Mind you, how he rather than fish amongst us.
we were taken to Craig’s town, a alarms. generally avoided cracking off left me
real traditional part of Spain, not The three more experienced anglers, scratching my head. Tired Little Soldiers
commercialised like the popular resorts, Ian Hunt, Paul Russell and Alex Perrin, The business end of the tackle Inevitably, things quietened down in the
and it was quite hair-raising to go trooped off as directed by Craig, while consisted of using a three-ounce lead, scorching sun, and so the group left tired
up the hill to Puebla de Alcocer lead core leader and hair-rigged boilies but happy to head off to Hotel Ah Agora,
Castle. or tiger nuts. And it soon emerged Caceres for the night.
But what a stunning that not only the fish were there, but in Before turning in, we had a very
view of the Serena and some quantity. pleasant tour of the old town and a nice
Orellana Lakes there The morning sport was drink with our guide, and a meal in the
was, and I spent hectic, to put it mildly. Restaurant La Parilla de Galarza.
some time taking Between us we had Our second day fishing was to be
several shots – 41 runs, with 20 on Sierra Brava Lake and once again it
you just could not fish landed, the was a bumpy journey, in the 4x4s, from
take it all in. best being Zorita to another beautiful-looking lake.
On the way a 24 lb To cut a long story short, nobody had
to our Hotel This was a whole new Common a single run. I even tried using a light
Hospederia de falling rig with pellets that I had brought with
Orellana for experience for me, a to me from the UK, though waggler and
the night, we
stopped at part
wannabe match angler Ian. maggots would have caught fish of
some sort. If nothing else, it showed
of Lake Orellana confronted with a three- how vital a prebaiting campaign is.
to look at it We called time early and travelled
close up for the rod carp set-up. to Trujillo, preferring to miss out on
first time. Cancho Fresno Lake at Canamero.
October 2007 |Coarse Fisherman |77