Coarse fishing in Portugal
BLACK BASS: The Portuguese mainly spin for them using plugs, Rapala's and spinner baits. Anglers experienced in fly-fishing can take great catches on the fly; white flies are reported as good takers. Rubber baits imitating worms have been reported to take some large fish when trolled from a boat. Small live baits work well. The fish can grow to 10 lbs but the more normal size is more like 2 lbs, the Portuguese eat practically all the fish that they catch, I must admit they are rather nice on the barbecue.
BARBEL: can be found in all the rivers and some dams. There are 5 different types of barbel, 4 grow to a 20lbs plus but the 5th, the Iberian Barbel, (barbus comizo) can grow to 40 lbs. They can be found in most rivers and a few dams, The big fish are elusive, but we have seen pictures of fish to 36lbs and a picture of an angler with two fish over 20lbs, one in each hand!
PIKE: we have no record fish list in Portugal so cannot be sure just how large the fish can grow but see no reason not to expect fish over 40 lbs to be possible in our large dams full of Carp for the Pike to eat.
NB: There are very few pike to be found in the Southern region of Portugal!
CARP:
In hot countries like Spain and Portugal carp to over breed, this can leave us with waters stuffed with fish. This is great for pleasure fishing with lots of carp around 3lbs on the float and a few bigger fish to 20lbs on a sleeper rod baited with boilies.
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Super sport with big carp
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For bigger carp we have to fish waters with poor spawning conditions, typically steep sided dams or where there is a large predator population of Black bass, pike and perhaps the best of our predator, the catfish.
We have a few waters like this, with a few, if any small fish, these would normally be in wild and hilly country! These provide for slow fishing with days without a run, but the fish we eventually catch are big commons that have never seen a hook before.
Angling magazines in Portugal report fish in excess of 70lbs, I have personally seen fish in excess of 50lbs.
Freshwater fishing in the Algarve
Although the fishing in the Algarve holds many special memories for me, like the 1st 100lb bag of carp and my first multiple catch of double figure carp, 5 fish to 17lbs, most of my fishing is now into the north of Portugal where I still have in excess of 100 waters to explore!
The Algarve is an ideal base for a family holiday where you can get a few days freshwater fishing and possibly a days sea fishing after those big marlin and still spend time with the family and also get in a round of golf if you like.
Other species:
There are a number of smaller species but of no great angling merit but there are rumors of large fish on one river that could be Sturgeon, Catfish are becoming evident in some of the rivers and we have vast shoals of mullet in all tidal rivers, harbours and marinas.
COARSE FISHING CLOSED SEASON IN PORTUGAL
This time of the year offers the opportunity for a change Shark fishing — 10 miles out for instance
*. Why not try river fishing or cliff, harbour and beach fishing for sea bass or mullet, etc. All offer plenty of new challenges.
Email me:j.bate@clix.pt
