
La Graciosa
Orzola, La Graciosa (ES)
La Graciosa boasts virtually untouched sea beds, full of life. The amount of grouper, abae, huge amberjack, dentex, bluefish, tuna and marlin that inhabit these waters, is just staggering. This is a sport fishing paradise because it's part of a Marine Reserve and fishing in La Graciosa is strictly regulated.
Along with the islets of the Chinijo Archipelago, La Graciosa is part of the Chinijo Archipelago Natural Park. The Natural Park together with the La Graciosa Marine Reserve - which extends from the North of Lanzarote, La Graciosa, Montaña Clara, Roque Oeste, Roque Este to Alegranza - form a huge protected area both on land and in the Atlantic Ocean.
With its 30 square kilometers, La Graciosa is tranquility personified. Proud of its outstanding natural beauty, the island has one of the last unspoilt beaches in Europe. The combination of the volcanic landscape, the turquoise waters and the white houses give La Graciosa a unique beauty you will never forget.
The waters of La Gomera feature rocky and abrupt bottoms with abundant caves, crevices and tunnels. There is also an area with a wide marine platform, exceptional in the Canary archipelago.
Due to the outcrop of cold marine currents - which come from the African coast - species such as sea bream, sea bass or róbalo and dentex can be found in La Graciosa. In deeper waters there are also abundant hake.
Other typical species of this well-protected area are grouper, abade and hogfish. Pelagic species such as european barracuda, amberjack also abound.
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).
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 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...).
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 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.
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).
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.
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 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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda), often referred to as barracuda, is a long predator that can be found in tropical and subtropical waters where they like to patroll mangroves, reefs and drop-offs. Record barracuda can grow to 1,5m and weigh over 45kg (100lb+).
Redbanded seabream (Pagrus auriga) is a fish of the bream family Sparidae, just like gilt-head bream, red porgy and dentex. Redbanded seabream are found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the south western Mediterranean Sea. They mainly feed on shellfish and cephalopods. This wonderful fish species can grow up to 1 meter long and weigh more than 12kg.
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 every caught was 780kg (1496lb). These great fighters can be caught trolling, jigging, casting or drifting; mainly off-shore.
Fishing in La Graciosa is good all year round. Being north of Lanzarote, La Graciosa is pretty windy as it is exposed to the trade winds (July and August can be tough months). It is convenient to plan the fishing trip in La Graciosa closely observing the weather, because on windy days fishing in La Graciosa isn't possible.
Throughout the year you can fish for grouper, amberjack, abae, dentex, big bluefish, bonito, barracuda and horse mackerel.
Although there are tuna throughout the year, from March onwards the tunas begin to appear in larger numbers: bluefin tuna, albacore, bigeye tuna ... For other pelagic fish such as blue marlin or white marlin you have to wait until June or July. The best time to fish for marlin in La Graciosa however, is from September to November.
The months of October and November are excellent for fishing for large amberjack. This time of the year, they visit this area to feed on the dorado.
In the months of March, April and May the waters begin to warm up and squid arrive from Africa. ... and with them come predators including big sama (pink dentex), grouper and dentex.
La Graciosa is one of the authentic redoubts of peace and tranquility that remain in Europe. You can come from Lanzarote to spend the day (the journey from Orzola is less than 30 minutes) or you can stay in a little house in the town of Caleta de Sebo.
Visit the beaches such as Playa de La Laja, Playa La Francesa, Playa de la Cocina or Playa de Las Conchas. Here you can swim and snorkel in turquoise waters.
Discover its sensational cuisine and try the fried moray eel, limpets, fried octopus, cherne, fish broth, and impressive rice with red prawns.
It is worth doing a mountain bike route and touring La Graciosa on your own. Hiking, trail running and cycling are all available across the isle. Because of its protected status, it’s best to stick to the paths.
Fishing in La Graciosa is strictly regulated. As the island is part of a very important Marine Reserve - the largest in Europe - one needs the necessary licenses to be able to fish in La Graciosa.
From land, the national Spanish license is enough to be able to fish in La Graciosa (spinning, casting, bait fishing...). But to fish from a boat in inland waters you need a permit from the Marine Reserve. Only locals are able to get these scarce licenses. There is a fishing charter in Orzola that has this permit to fish La Graciosa up to Alegranza. The locals of Orzola can fish in La Graciosa in a restricted area of the marine reserve, only for their own use.
The other fishing charters in Lanzarote usually have the fishing permit for offshore fishing in La Graciosa (not inshore).