This article is less on catches but more about the organisation of the trip in Extramadura. What to do/undo ? Is it worth it ?
If you want to read more about bass fishing or zander fishing, click on the below articles:
You will find the stories of our three days of fishing in Extremadura here:
Read also: A big 54 cm bass in the midst of the zander euphoria! Story of my fishing trip in Extremadura.
Indeed, if there is one region and, more specifically, one city known in Spain for sport fishing, it's Orellana la Vieja in Extremadura.
It's the prime region for breaking your predator fishing records, where Black Bass of 50+, large zanders, and meter-long pikes are common occurrences.
Our Trip:
For our part (and for the first time in Extremadura), we stayed for 3 days in the company of a guide, Jayson Couderc (very good, super professional... and incredibly funny and friendly). You can go by your own also and fish near the borders. The issue: the lake is huge.
"Extremadura has an impressive number of reservoirs, and in this very special and, above all, vast environment, the knowledge of a guide is almost indispensable."
We went fishing at the beginning of April during Semana Santa, a week off for the Spanish people who take the opportunity to celebrate and enjoy the beauty of the lake while fishing. Honestly, it's not the best week because the locals are on vacation, and the lake's banks are occupied by carp anglers. It's not easy to approach the tree-lined shores where the bass hide.
Contrary to what I would have imagined, in April, the nature is still beautiful and lush, and the plants haven't suffered too much from the stifling heat of southern Spain.
Read also: A big 54 cm bass in the midst of the zander euphoria! Story of my fishing trip in Extremadura.
An amazing landscape and an extremely typical village.
Orellana is a beautiful little village with a typically Spanish town center, located on the shores of the reservoir lake of the same name. During Semana Santa, the issue is the number of carp anglers. However, the village is bustling and highly typical. It's really postcard Spain. But since you're there to fish, avoid this week...
The lake shores are truly magnificent and very easy to access, with a great bar called "Velero," perfect for a drink after a good day of fishing (my dad loved it).
"The lake shores are truly magnificent and very easy to access. However, shore fishing is quite challenging, which is why it's essential to hire a guide. Since the lake is vast, having a good Nitro (fishing boat) is really useful."
As for the fishing days, they start at 8 AM, and around 12 PM to 1 PM, we take a lunch break to seek shelter from the heat, rest, and discuss our catches. We finish the day around 6 PM after a good 5-hour afternoon of fishing. It's quite intense, and by the evening, we were exhausted.
The benefits...
The quantity of fish (zander and bass).
The guide, Jayson. I recommend him.
The organization: no time wasted. You arrive, go to the spot, and start fishing. Efficient.
The equipment: ultra-fast bass boat, fishing rods (Illex), and fish finder (note: not all guides have it), which is very practical and quickly becomes addictive.
The downsides...
The price, according to my father.
You have numbers of alternatives to catch blackbass in Spain as there are a lot of dam's lakes. Near Valencia, where I live, there is also a lake full of bass which is my playground. It is free as you can fish from the shore but you are not in the Mecca of the blackbass in Spain...
The strong sun from April onwards (sunscreen, sunglasses, and a cap are ESSENTIAL if you want to make it through the week).
Carp anglers during Semana Santa.
And most importantly, make sure to set the hook properly because there's no forgiveness with the bass!!!
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