We are still out pleasure fishing and today 28th December were invited to test fish what is the 1st  day ticket water in the South of Portugal.

The weather was great with temperatures near 20ºC and we managed to catch 6 carp. The fish were only small, but clearly shown by the shape of the fish, that this water has good potential for the future.

This water was stocked with doubles 12 years ago and again in 2011 with mirror carp to 15lbs.  The long term plan is for this dam to be the match water with good mixed fishing. Access roads have been dug out and fishing pegs made from staging allowing on normal pegs for the water levels to rise by 4ft with this winters rain.

Just home from trip to our local river seeking out the monsters we have reported on losing in some of my previous reports in 2011.

We have uprated our gear to 45lb braid mainline and 35lb hooklinks - this probably sounds very strong, but we have all hooked and lost some very big fish on many of these trips, when fishing with regular specimen tackle. Extremely powerful fish that we could not extract on 25lb line.

We have found these fish are across the river close to some BIG snags - on this trip we did not hook any of these particular monsters, but had carp out into doubles, best 18lb 4oz, these fish were in beautiful condition, having probably never seen a hook in their lives.

These fish were no problem to extract from the area, so the jury is still out on what we have been losing 30lb+ carp or 20lb+ barbel? Specimens of which we have seen in the area in the past.

Watch this space as I'll report on them when we catch them!

John.

Had a call from Paul Golds who had phoned to me ask where he could catch some carp over 20lbs in Portugal - now I wouldn't normally provide information about where I take my customers as it has cost me thousands of pounds in fuel and 18 years hard work looking / fishing around the Algarve, South of Portugal.

But as a local Paul had already been trying hard to find bigger fish on his own, but as I have found, many of the more accessible waters currently only have carp to around 17-18lbs and having been catching these,  he was looking for something bigger.
He is also a good bass angler as well, taking fish to 14lbs on the west coast of the Algarve.

Joy: Paul had a one day trip to the small water I recommended and in poor weather had 3 good runs on single day trip in winter, not to be sniffed at, resulting in this nice fish of 26lbs which is just average for this water.

Despair:  - one other fish felt very good but came off during playing it to the net!.

Overall a good result for a day trip on a new water.

I have secured a great new accommodation package, to be available for now and the 2012 season here in the Algarve for Tightlines-Portugals customers.

This package consists of a fully self contained home, out in the country with your own swimming pool and all the necessary features to make the trip a very pleasant experience.

Price from £350.00 each, per week for 4 anglers, everything is included in the package!

Accommodation, All the tackle and bait is supplied, everything you need close to some good dams, and only 1 hr from great river fishing with BIG comizo barbel on offer! If that's not enough to tempt you, it gets better as you have your own private fishing in a water next to your accommodation, with +20lb fish waiting to be caught!

ALL you have to pay for is your flights and evening meal! Now that can't be bad!

If this appeals to you then do get in touch and make an enquiry here for more detail by using our Contact/Booking Enquiries page and I'll get back to you.

John Bate