Just a few months back I was asking people on this blog if Spain would produce an 80lb plus carp. You can see the results of the pole still here. Since that time actually in the last month 2 unknown common carp have been caught well over the 70lb bracket. It's no suprise that world class specimen carp Anglers like Andy Chambers are coming to see what there is here in Spain.

Take a look at the photo and think about it, unknown, un-caught fish. One of the key motivators of fishing is that element of the uknown.Fishing, is the most popular recreational sporting pastime in the United Kingdom. More people go fishing each week than play football and over here the scene is exploding!!!

Why?

The reality is that fishing is pure, experience. It's a pursuit based on contemplation and solitude that involves an appreciation of the elements; it is a game of chance, hope, escapism; especially in Spain. We look out into the clear waters this side into the unknown. Fishing in the abundancy that is here alongside nature, hoping for greatness, but settling for battle flash and splash with the gold and power that lives beneath the surface.

The philosophical nature of fishing is represented in a wealth of literature that often gets overlooked due to titles that read more like practical manuals. King of these is Richard Brautigan's Trout Fishing In America, a 1967 novel built on surreal non sequitur stories concerned with an endless search for the perfect fishing spot. Brautigan used fishing as a metaphor for the changing face of America and managed to define the late 60s zeitgeist of a generation of Huck Finn-reared hippies striving for something simpler from life. It sold a staggering two million copies - and a fair few novice rods.

More recently, angling journalist and contributor to The Idler Chris Yates has captured the utopian allure of angling in the equally understated-sounding 'How to Fish'. Published in paperback sometime ago, the book you might expect contains a near-perfect mix of poetic insight, boyish enthusiasm, typical of Yates, written as I understand direct from a damp English riverbank to you. Fishing creativity..live and direct....

Ernest Hemingway famously reeled in some monstrous whoppers from the Florida Keys. Indeed, sea fishing and the communities built around it have their own place in literature. But sea fishing requires boats, money, organisation and, in Hemingway's case, the ability to stretch the truth. They say that the written word adds a couple of pounds to any fish ...

No, fresh water fishing is simpler and definitely for the layman; it is the haiku of the sporting world and its writings are rich, diverse and passionate. After all, what other outdoor sport can you be on it and have a wee tipple social and smoke whilst being creative?

Spain is similarly teeming with fishing tales, and a future beyond dreams. With no close season and the whole year ahead of us. Are you up for it? I am and I will be writing about it too in my magazine CARPdiem, maybe it's time you check it out!!

See you bankside.

ARGGH

Andy Mackrel

Well, it's nearly 80lb and it's an unknown fish!

Spain is set to become the new hot-spot for big fish. If this fish had come out 2 years ago it would be the new world record Common. That German fish has since of course put on weight, due to the amount of bait going in on a small water. This Spanish fish however is another thing of it's own. A wild, unknown beast, and there are plenty more where it came from. Actually the boys that caught this one have had many fish over 25kg. and another fish topping 30kg.

We have a full feature in the next issue of CARPdiem about these boys and this capture.

Right, none stop this side. The year is flowing well as far as the Spanish carp fishing goes. Plenty of fish on the bank and a good draw in our last football fishing or Fútbol Fishing match against Hugo Fishing Cordoba.

We hit Sierra Brava for the match and after a bumpy start with the law, it turned out to be a stunner! We has 2 fish a piece but our CARPdiem man Raúl González came up trumps with a stunning 50lb plus Spanish Royal Mirror Carp. Really a special moment for us all. You can read more about the session in our magazine CARPdiem, but if you dont speak Spanish, then it might be time to start, or you could just buy the mag and look in awe, at the awesome design and pictures. If you dont fancy that then I have made just the thing for you. I have uploaded a video of the match which gives a sneak preview into what we goto upto and the fish caught.



May the fish be with you and us!

Last weekend just gone, some filming was done in Extremadura Spain on the Mighty Orellana!

Matt at Fat Angling wanted a promotional video made so my good camera man Andy Ferns and recently famed Dave Edgerton or Vida, came over from the UK to haul fish, and we of course managed to grab some of them on film. You can see the video below.



We had 2 days to get the job done, so a shirt 48hr. winter Session was on. It was no mean feat, and as always when you’re trying to do film the stars don’t always co-operate!

In between the periods of wait, we had many a laugh; the general atmosphere bank side was excellent, really a very high quality session.
Actually in final we were quite a motley crew as my mate Tony Myres from Madrid and another UK Angler David Highe decided to join us on the banks.

Mission accomplished we can firmly say with lot’s of personal bests and records broken including two by Tony. You can see in these photos some of the lovely fish we caught.



The sun blazed and the pop-ups wafted under the nose of fish at 250m range in about 35-37ft of water. We took fish up to the early 30lb mark, and what stunners they were. In the video here you can get a taster of what it's like to fish this side, but your better off giving it a go, Matt has some belting swims at hand.

Sadly no Pike were caught, but my mate Andy Ferns took hold of the rod at one stage and managed to bank a lovely 9.5lb Tench, this was the best ‘specimen’, of the weekend without doubt. It was great to see him with rod and fish in hand after so many years off the gear.



I know my mate Dave Edgerton, so much so that I think Dave might give up fishing in the UK and just do 10 sessions here, why not, it's about as good as it get's and let's face it Extremadura is the new mecca of carp fishing. Tony is well and truly hooked on the Spanish carp fishing; I wonder if Andy Ferns will go the same way?

Anyhow, watch this space for more info about the full promotional video that's being made for FAT. It's sure to be a winner and who knows, maybe that 'tuna', or 90lb carp that lurks will put in a show...



Enjoying deep and hearty laugh at a lake in Spain

Andy Mac

It’s been a rather bumpy start to the year, but that goes with the terrain, I cannot say it’s been bad, but it has been with movement.

Fish and session wise, there has been some, none of any size, but plenty. Sadly however when-ever I catch a carp for one reason or another the person on the other end of the camera has not the eye for making/taking shots, so those photos wont be appearing here or for that matter anywhere. Nevertheless, plenty of fun and learning has been had, and I have had several opportunity’s to play camera man and so thus far I have been able to snap some of the first years carp photos as you will see here.

We have fished 3 waters to date, and on all 3 sessions we have had success. Tony Myers (bottom photo), one of the Ex-pats living in Madrid also managed to winkle his first carp from Valdemayor close to Madrid, on a recomended Fluro Pop-up, nice one matey!

Since spending time in the UK over Christmass with my mate Dave Edgerton all the team here have gone floro pop-up a go-go!

Those little and large floro’s are seriously in! I have to state and doing the business. The baits working for us are of the Dynamite Baits range and also the smaller 10mm sort from Solar.

Until recently I’d never imagine a pop-up would out fish a maggot, but now I am convinced it will and can, and does. So sure am I of pop-ups that if I have not caught a fish within 1 hr. of the bait being in a spot (in winter), I will move it.

I think there simply irresistible at this time of year, and almost sure to provoke a bite! The question is will the floro change our winter fishing from being a quiet one too something with much more action as it seems to be going now??

To date in 3 sessions this year myself and the CARPdiem Team have managed no less than 22 Fish. The best of which being 2 scraper 20’s as seen here, one a fully scalled fish, and the other just a lovley looking fish.

All in all not bad for the 22nd of Jan. 2008. We have basically had a fish for every day, sofar!






Let’s see what the year brings in. As of now movement, come on!