Dave Lewis explains why the Brits’ favourite summer holiday destination is his top choice for short haul, affordable, overseas fishing adventures
It is a belief commonly held amongst the British sea angling community that the Mediterranean is all but devoid of fish. So many anglers I speak to are convinced of this, an opinion probably based on what they have seen – or more likely not seen – during holidays to the various Costas. Some have actually fished aboard various ‘tourist boats’ booked from harbour side kiosks advertising sea angling. Rarely will these produce much in the way of sport, with most sailing with far too many anglers to offer anything like a reasonable chance that you will be the one who actually gets to play an occasional fish, should one be hooked. Then, of course, there is the strongly held opinion that the Spanish kill everything they catch, no doubt reinforced when viewing the size of fish commonly offered for sale in Spanish markets and restaurants. I have fished offshore at variouslocations throughout the Spanish mainland and her various islands on numerous occasions over the past three decades, trips during which I have experienced some truly wonderful sport and have caught a wide variety of fish including some of the great sport fishing species. Indeed, I would go so far as to say that on some of these days I have had sport the equal to or even better than that which I have found after travelling to some of the world’s best known angling destinations. This is something which to me is increasingly agreeable given the short and supremely more affordable two-hour flight down to Spain, than the increasingly expensive long haul flights required to access other destinations. Many anglers I talk with are surprised when I tell them some of the species and size of fish I have caught in Spain.
TUNA
Bluefin tuna are abundant at some time at all Spanish locations; the trick is to identify exactly when is the optimum time to fish. Unlike here in the UK, where many of the bluefin tuna that are caught weigh well in excess of 100lb, fish of all sizes are found in Spanish waters. During the late spring and summer months an increasing number of good quality charter operations target the smaller and more modest size tuna, fish of 50-100lb, using popping and spinning tackle. This provides excellent sport, certainly equal to anything I have experienced in the tropics.
Larger bluefin tuna in the 400-800lb, and even 1000lb class, are caught from several destinations on the Spanish mainland, notably the coast of Catalonia south of Barcelona in the vicinity of the mouth of the River Ebro. Big tuna are caught around the Balaeric Islands, too, especially off the port of Alcudia on the north-east coast of Majorca. The Straights of Gibraltar and the Canary Islands have long been recognised as being a world class destinat
