Charter Cayman
Huelva, Spain (ES)
The sleepy port city known as Huelva is located in the southwestern area of Spain. Both the mouth of the Odiel and Tinto rivers are located here and run into the Gulf ...
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The sleepy port city known as Huelva is located in the southwestern area of Spain. Both the mouth of the Odiel and Tinto rivers are located here and run into the Gulf of Cadiz, which is home to a relatively unknown paradise of excellent fishing in Europe. The fishing here is great all year round and a variety of sought after species can be caught.
Dentex, pink dentex, grouper, large snapper and the famous meagre can be caught all year round jigging, spinning or bait fishing. Between April and October pelagic species such as tuna, mahi-mahi & marlin can be caught trolling.
The fishing on offer can vary to each different person's wants and desires. The Gulf of Cadiz is quite a shallow region of water thanks largely to the huge amount of sediment that is pushed out from the rivers of Guadiana, Rio Tinto and Guadalquivir. Its from these rivers and this sediment combined with the currents of the Atlantic Ocean that the enormous amount of nutrients in the water are formed. This brings in species of bait fish including sardines, anchovies, horse mackerel and mackerel.
These nutrient filled waters produce an extremely rich fishing resource that attracts a large number of professional fisherman. The waterways continue to remain at a very healthy level though as the area continues to be unknown paradise in Europe for sport fishing.
The various techniques available here include bottom fishing inshore with natural baits like sardines, squid, worms or crab in search of species such as sea bass, big bluefish, gilt-head seabream (dorada) and massive “corvina” or meagre. The latter is an impressive fish that can grow up to 2m long and reach a weight of 55kg.
Then there is the offshore fishing that is just as impressive and not overly deep, 50m is the average depth at 12 miles out. Here you can target pelagic species such as skipjack tuna, albacore, bluefin tuna, dorado, white marlin and blue marlin. This is done by trolling artificial lures. Some of the locals also love to target the marlin with pitch bait fishing. In these parts you can also opt to try drifting and chumming in search of sharks or land one trolling also, they love to attack the marlin lures as well.
The White Marlin (Kajikia albida) is a very nice predator which can be caught off shore in warmer waters. This powerful fighter usually feeds during day time on fish, octopuses and squids. They can be caught trolling with artificial lures or with dead bait (bonito, mackerel...).
The Little tunny or False Albacore (Euthynnus alletteratus) is easily identified by the dark spots under its pectoral fins. They like warm temperate and tropical waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The larger Little Tunny weigh up to 35lb and can reach 1,2m.
The Albacore (Thunnus alalunga) has large eyes and long pectoral fins. This is why this species is also known as longfin tuna. The largest Albacore can reach up to 140 cm (4.6ft) and weigh up to 40 kg (90lb).
The skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) have a strong body with black stripes on the side. The largest skipjack tuna can reach up to 100 cm (40 inch) and weigh up to 10 kg (22 lb). Skipjack are mainly caught trolling lures.
Atlantic Bonito (Sarda sarda) is a rapid fish species known for being great hunters. They have striping on their backs with silver-coloured undersides and they grow up to 30 inches long. They have a hydrodynamic body shape, even more so than larger tuna.
Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) or simply mackerel have a great back with irregular black bands. They're very common and like the temperate waters of the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and the northern Atlantic Ocean. Mackerel are typically between 25-35cm.
Mahi Mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) are also commonly referred to as dorado, dolphin or dolphinfish. They are recognizable by their bluntly shaped heads, long dorsal fin and their bright colouring, dark blue and green on their dorsal side and yellow on their sides and underside.
The blue shark (Prionace glauca) is a migratory, live-bearing shark that feeds mainly on smaller fish and squid. They can be found in all the oceans and sees around the world.
The Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans) is probably the most wanted fish in the sport fishing world. The magnificent fighter usually feeds during day time on fish, octopuses and squids. Blue Marlin is mainly caught trolling with artificial lures or with dead bait (bonito, mackerel...).
Bigeye Tuna (Thunnus obesus) belong to the tuna family just like Bluefin Tuna, Albacore or Yellowfin Tuna. They can grow up to 200kg (450lb) and over 2 meters long. These pelagic fish are found in temperate and tropical waters (off shore) and are targetted mainly trolling.
The Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) is known by anglers as being a fast, aggressive and strong fish of the ocean. They are fun to target and give a real challenge to anyone who comes across them while fishing. They inhabit temperate and subtropical waters around the world. Bluefish have extremely powerful jaws with razor sharp teeth. They can grow over a meter and weigh over 10kg.
The sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) is for many sport fishermen a trophy fish because of the nice fight they offer but also because they're an excellent eating fish. Sea bass, also known as European bass, are found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, from northern Norway to Senegal, the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. They can grow up to 1 metre and weigh up to 12kg.
The Amberjack species are a game fish that are found both in the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Jigging and live bait fishing are the best techniques to target these magnificent fighters. Greater Amberjack can weigh up to 170 lb (80 kg).
Gilt-head Bream (Sparus aurata) is a common species in the Mediterranean Sea and also in the Atlantic Ocean from Britain to Cape Verde. Popular in the Mediterranean cuisine, the fish is easily recognized by the gold bar marking between its eyes. The largest gilt-head bream are 1 metre long and can weigh up to 7kg (15lb).
The pink dentex (Dentex gibbosus) is a saltwater fish distributed from Portugal to Angola, Canary Islands and the warmer areas of the Mediterranean Sea such as southern Spain and the Gibraltar Strait area, Morocco, southern Italy, Tunisia and Algeria. The larger fish are 1,2 m long and can weigh up to 18 kg (40 lb).
The dentex (Dentex dentex) is a common saltwater fish in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and sometimes they appear in the Canary Islands, Morocco and Senegal. They have very strong teeth to feed on fish, squid and mollusca. Dentex are a great species for sportfishing and are targetted mainly trolling or jigging. The larger fish are 1m long and can weigh up to 15 kg (35 lb).
Spearfish (Tetrapturus) are a generic name for several species such as the shortbill spearfish and longbill spearfish. These billfish are found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world: Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean.
Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) are probably the most sought after sport fish in the world. They live in the sub-tropical and tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean. Swordfish can grow over 3 meters in length and weigh more than 600 kg (1350lb).
This fish is of the Balistidae family. There are about 40 species of triggerfish. The largest trigger triggerfish can grow up to 75 cm (30 inch).
The meagre (Argyrosomus regius) - also known as croaker or corvina in Spanish - is a great silver colored sport fish found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Meagre use to feed on squid, crustaceans, sardines and mullet in inshore waters like estuaries and coastal lagoons. This species can become huge! Meagre can grow to 2m (80 in) in length and 50 kg (110 lb) in weight.
Wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri), also known as Ono (meaning “delicious” in Hawaiian), are found in many subtropical and tropical waters. They’re identifiable by their blue-green upper body which shifts into silver towards their belly. They also have blue vertical striping along their sides. These predators are torpedo-shaped and have long and largemouths with teeth.
Yellowfin tuna grow fast, up to 400 pounds (180kg) in about a 7-year lifespan, and they range in length from 59 inches to 88 inches long. They’re known for their torpedo shape, with a pointed nose and a sickle-shaped tail, and have dark blue backs with yellow sides (thus their name) with a silver underside.
The northern red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is a popular fish often caught reef fishing in the Atlantic waters of Florida, Gulf of Mexico and also the Caribbean. This sought-after game fish can reach 1 m and weight up to 50lb.
Grouper is common name for all the bass-looking-fish from the Epinephelinae Family. This family also includes sea bass by the way. Grouper are colorful predators who like to live in rocky areas, reefs, wrecks where they can hide.
The common pandora (Pagellus erythrinus) is a type of snapper, common in the Meditarranea Sea, but is also present in the eastern Atlantic coastal areas from Cape Verde to Scandinavia. The biggest pandora can grow up to 50cm (20 inch).
The Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is a pelagic fish that can grow up to 500kg (1000lb). The biggest Bluefin Tuna ever caught was 780kg (1496lb). These great fighters can be caught trolling, jigging, casting or drifting; mainly off-shore.
Spring: The water begins to warm up during this time of year and offers some exciting opportunities inshore. You can target fish like sea bass and meagre in the shallow, warm waters with live baits. There is also the possibility to land amberjack and Pink Dentex as well. Offshore, the tuna begin to migrate for spawning season from the Gibraltar Strait to the Mediterranean Sea.
Summer: Summer has mainly trolling, both inshore and offshore, on offer. Inshore you can troll for smaller pelagic fish such as bonito, frigate tuna, bluefish, while offshore skipjack tuna, albacore, bluefin tuna, bigeye tuna, dorado, white marlin and blue marlin will be the most sought after species available.
Autumn: Fishing is much the same to the summer methods mentioned above. It is again a great time to troll both inshore and offshore for variations species. Inshore trolling will target smaller pelagic fish like bonito, frigate tuna, bluefish, little tunny and offshore will again be about landing bigger fish such as skipjack tuna, albacore, bluefin tuna, dorado, white marlin and blue marlin.
Winter - Use methods such as jigging or spinning to chase sea bass and meagre. Opt to bait fish (on the bottom) for dorada, snapper, black spot sea bream, pink dentex. The option to fish with live bait is also rewarding and you can target huge meagre (up to 50kg), amberjack (up to 50kg+), pink dentex (15kg+) etc using live cuttlefish or squid. This is done while you fish near or over a rocky bottom.
Apart from fishing in Huelva you can also go cycling, kite surfing, wind surfing, mountain biking, wine tasting experience, snorkelling & diving, sailing, hiking, horse riding and much much more.
Visit the Natural park "Parque Doñana" or the Parque Natural Marismas de Odiel. The Parque Doñana is the the largest nature reserve in Europe. It's an area of marshes, shallow streams, and sand dunes in Las Marismas, the delta where the Guadalquivir River flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The park has a great variety of ecosystems and shelters wildlife including thousands of European and African migratory birds, fallow deer, Spanish red deer, wild boars, European badgers, Egyptian mongooses, and endangered species such as the Spanish imperial eagle and the Iberian lynx.
Enjoy the local food (Huelva has the world's best ham!) in the hundreds of bars & restaurants of the area.
You need a fishing license to fish in fresh water and salt water. The fishing charters in Huelva normally have the fishing license included in the price, so you don't need to buy one if you're chartering a boat.