Mystic
Pollença, Mallorca (ES)
Fishing in Spain is big! Spain is Europe's fourth largest country offering fantastic sport fishing possibilities. All over its vast mainland and it’s mountai...
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Fishing in Spain is big! Spain is Europe's fourth largest country offering fantastic sport fishing possibilities. All over its vast mainland and it’s mountainous country, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and it’s archipelagos both locals and visitors go freshwater or deep sea fishing.
Thousands of anglers head to the peninsula for their yearly fishing holidays. Here is all you need to know about fishing in Spain.
Freshwater fishing in Spain
Mainland Spain is a mountainous country, dominated by high plateaus and mountain chains. Small rivers cross the Pyrenees, the Cordillera Cantábrica in northern Spain, Sistema Ibérico and Central Spain. These small streams and rivers with cold water are home to trout.
There are several major rivers for fishing in Spain such as the Tagus (Tajo), Ebro, Guadiana, Douro (Duero), Guadalquivir, Júcar, Segura, Turia and Minho (Miño). They all hold carp, barbel, silver fish, black bass , sander and catfish. The colder river like upper Ebro, Doura and Turia for example also hold pike.
The Ebro - the most important river in Spain in terms of length, 928 kilometres - has several well known reservoirs. Caspe, Mequinenza, Flix, Ribaroja are all popular destinations for course fishing, carp fishing and catfish fishing.
The Ebro Delta, in the Province of Tarragona, Catalonia, is at 340 square kilometres, one of the largest wetland areas in the western Mediterranean region. It is believed that deforestation of areas like “los Monegros” in Aragon caused large scale erosion which brought large quantities of sediment into the Ebro. The delta has expanded rapidly on soils washed downriver into the Mediterranean Sea.
The Ebro Delta is one of the best places to go fishing in Spain along the Catalan Coast, not to mention, the Spanish Mediterranean. The rich waters of the River Ebro empty into the Mediterranean, bringing food for all types of fish, birds, and mammals alike. Besides the freshwater species like carp, black bass, sander and catfish (wels catfish), large salt water predators such as the bluefish, amberjack, leerfish, and the sea bass, inhabit these waters.
The colder mountain rivers like those of the Pyrenees are excellent for trout fishing and flyfishing.
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).
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).
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.
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).
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.
The leerfish (Lichia amia) is known by anglers as being a fast, aggressive and strong fish of the Mediterranean Sea and the coastal waters from Western Africa to south Africa. Leerfish are generally found in small and loose groups rather than large schools of fish. They can grow up to 1,70m (5.5ft) and weigh up to 25kg (55lb).
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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 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 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 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.
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 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+).
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 tope shark or school shark (Galeorhinus galeus) is a type of ground shark found worldwide in temperate seas. Tope can grow up to two meters in length. This shark is a critically endangered species.
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).
Cod is a common name for a number of other fish species, like the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and the Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus). Cod are caught in colder and fairly deep waters, close to rocky areas, wrecks and drop-offs. Cod can weigh over 50kg.
The horse mackerle (Trachurus trachurus) is a common species found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean off Europe from Norway to South Africa and into the south-eastern Indian Ocean to Mozambique. They are normally between 20 and 30 cm, although the larger fish can grow up to 70 cm and weigh around 2-3kg.
The the European barracuda (Sphyraena sphyraena) is also known as the Mediterranean barracuda. This predator is common in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. They can grow up to 1,65m and weigh over 3,5kg.
Black bass (Micropterus) is a common name for several species like the largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and spotted bass for example. Famous for its great fighting skills, they are a very sought after game fish. Black bass are found in fresh water in the Canada, United States, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and France. Black bass are mostly caught spinfishing. They can grow up to 60 cm / 25 in.
Catfish are a diverse group of fish which have one thing in common: their barbels. They exist in all kinds of colours and sizes, ranging from the Mekong giant catfish in Asia, the wels catfish in Eurasia to the piraiba in South America. Catfish are the largest freshwater fish and they can grow up to 5m and weigh over 300kg!!
Pike (Esox) are a fresh water predator found in the Northern Hemisphere. Several subspecies are distributed in Canada, North America, Europe and Asia. Pike can grow up to 1,5m (59 inch) and weigh over 25kg (55lbs). Trolling, spinfishing, life or dead bait fishing and fly fishing are the best techniques to fish for this fish.
The zander (Sander lucioperca) is a sought after game fish in Europe and western Asia. It's a common fresh water fish distributed from Spain to Finland and from Britain to Kazakhstan. They can be caught with spinfishing, dead bait and live bait fishing. Zander can grow bigger than 1 meter and weigh up to 15kg.
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.
Gurnard - from the Triglidae family - are also known as sea robins due to their large pectoral fins which mimic bird’s wings in appearance. Sea robins can be caught by dropping a variety of baits and lures to the seafloor. There are three different types of gurnard - red, grey and tub - which vary in shape, size and colour but rarely exceed 40cm in length.
The Red Scorpionfish (Scorpaena scrofa) live in sandy and rocky areas from 20 to 180 meters deep. They are found in the Mediterranean Sea and in the eastern Atlantic Ocean between the British Isles to Senegal, the Canary Islands, and Cape Verde. The species can grow to a maximum length of 50 cm (20 in) and weigh up to 3 kg (6.6 lb). Red scorpion fish feed on small fish, as well as crustaceans and molluscs.
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).
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.
Black marlin (Istiompax indica) grows to be as big or bigger than blue marlin, with males reaching lengths of 4.65 meters and weighing up to 750 kilograms (1500lb), females larger. They are part of a group of fish called billfish, which includes varieties of marlin, swordfish, and spearfish.
Carp (Cyprinus carpio) originally come from Asia, but since ages they are native to Europe. In the Middle Ages, monks introduced carp into ponds and lakes for food. Carp thrive in virtually any environment and can grow up to 80lb! Carp fishing is extremely popular in the U.K. and in Western Europe.
Frigate tuna or frigate mackerel (Auxis thazard) is a smaller tuna species and can be caught in the tropical oceans and the Mediterranean Sea. They are normally caught trolling small lures and feathers. Frigate tuna can grow up to 65 cm (26 in) and weigh up to 2 kg (5lb).
The Crevalle Jack or Jack Crevalle (Caranx hippos) is a very popular sport fish that belongs to the Carangidae fish species. Horse mackerel, amberjack and giant trevally also belong to this family. Jack Crevalle can grow to a length of 120 cm and a weight of 30 kg.
Just by looking at a roosterfish (Nematistius pectoralis), you can immediately tell how they got their name. Their trademark dorsal fin resembles a giant mohawk or the comb of a rooster. Beyond the dorsal fins, the rest of the roosterfish body is unique as well. The biggest roosters weigh more than 60lb.
Pollock (Pollachius pollachius) is a common fish from the North Atlantic. They are a popular species caught around the British Isles, Norway, Island, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France. Pollock can grow up to 1 meter long and weigh 20 kg (44lb).
The sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus) is a round gray silvery fish with dark vertical bars on the side. They are found in coastal waters along the western Atlantic, from Nova Scotia to Brazil. Southwest Florida is one of the best places to catch this species. Sheepshead can grow to 76 cm (30 in).
A Flounder is a flatfish and several species are distinguished. They camouflage themself by lying on the bottom of the ocean floor to ambush their prey and also as protection against predators.
Flounder are very good eating fish and can grow up to 60 centimeters (20 inch).
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.
The Canaries are an archipelago located just off the southern coast of Morocco. We're not always aware but they are Europe's n° 1 for sport fishing only 4 hours flying from London, Paris or Düsseldorf. The Canary Islands are famous for their subtropical waters with plenty of sport fishing possibilities. They attract anglers from all around the world to practice big game fishing, jigging and spinning around these beautiful Islands. Some islands even have carp fishing lakes!
Situated on a marine bottom with over 3000 meters of depth, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro are constantly nourished by the currents of the Atlantic Ocean. There are plenty of off shore seamounts that rise thousands of meters form the ocean floor and stop short of the surface. The marine nutritional chain is formed by its huge variety and quantity of species of sedentary and migratory fish, sharks and cetaceans.
The Canaries are a privileged place for big game fishing. The Blue Marlin, the king of the ocean, visits the islands from June to September chasing the huge supply of pelagic baitfish such as mackerel, tuna and bonito. During the high season, several blue marlin up to an estimated 500 pounds are released every week. The bigger billfish can weigh up to 1100 pounds in these waters!
Big eye tuna, yellowfin tuna, wahoo and dolphin fish are few of many species that can be captured in the Canary Islands.
The archipelago is also a paradise for jigging and spinning. The mixed bottoms with sand or other rocky zones give shelter to fascinating species, such as the Moroccan dentex, the amberjack and the grouper, among others.
A good option to fish on this breathtaking Island is to contact a fishing charter, commanded by guides with expertise and knowledge of the area.
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Gibraltar and Peninsular Spain in Europe from Morocco and Ceuta in Africa. The straight used to be known (respectively) as the Columns of Melkart, later as the Columns of Hercules. According to Greek mythology, it was Hercules who separated the Rock of Gibraltar from Monte Hacho (Ceuta) and installed two pillars to commemorate his battles against the massive giant named Geryon. In reality, the Greeks considered the Strait of Gibraltar as the end of the known world although they knew the Mediterranean very well; it symbolized the end of the known world and they feared it. The current name of the Strait of Gibraltar comes from the Arabic invasions, Gibraltar means ‘rock of the General Tarek’ (Gibr-al-Tarek).
The Strait of Gibraltar is a mandatory step for migratory marine species such as the bluefin tuna; and definitely one of the best places to go fishing in Spain.
The prevailing strong currents around here sometimes reach 5 knots. On the one hand, it makes fishing difficult, but on the other, it provides a great amount of food for small fish, which in turn attracts our preferred prey. The depths vary drastically. The depths, huge boulders, rocky and sandy areas provide shelter to many large predators such as the Moroccan dentex, grouper, red porgy, black spot sea bream, Atlantic wreckfish, and amberjack. The threshold of Camarinal situated next to Banco de Majuán, has a depth of 280 meters, while just outside the Bay of Algeciras there are depths of 1000 meters. Other interesting spots for fishing are Punta Carnero, Guadalmesi, Punta de Oliveros, the ‘bajo de la Aceitera,’ the ‘bajo de Los Cabezos’ in front of Punta Paloma, Bolonia, Perejil Island, etc.
You can practice coastal and deep sea trolling; big game trolling catches giant tuna, swordfish, and marlin; deep sea fishing can also be done by, jigging, spinning and more.
The Strait is a haven for jigging lovers. There are plenty of boulders and stones abundant with large predators. It is best to fish in sea bottoms of 30-50-80 meters; greater depths can also be fished, but the strong currents force us to use heavy jigs 350 grams and 500 grams. Spinning is also successful in this area. We have caught many nice Atlantic bonitos, amberjacks, and bluefish with poppers and other top water bait.
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. It consists of large islands called Majorca or Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera and several minor islands like Cabrera, Dragonera and S'Espalmador. They feature a rocky sea floor rich in fauna and flora, very interesting for fishing. Main species are grouper, scorpion fish, red scorpion fish, conger, sea bass, gilthead and dentex. Off shore sport fishermen target bluefin tuna, albacore, swordfish, shortbill spearfish and dolphin-fish.
The Bay of Biscay washes the shores of the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and part of Galicia where the most popular fishing techniques is bottom fishing targeting seabream, pinto, wrasse, sea bass, mackerel, etc… Off shore you can catch albacore and bluefin tuna during the summer months.
The 450 kilometers of coastline that separate Vinaros from Torrevieja offer so much to fish. However, the epicenter of fishing in Valencia is Cabo San Antonio. The respective fishing ports of Denia and Javea are strategically placed for big game fishing, deep sea fishing, sport fishing and deep sea trolling. If you want to go fishing in Spain and combine this with you family vacation, the Costa Blanca is a great place to go!
During your fishing holidays in Spain, you can also dedicate some time to other activities.
Diving, hiking, horse riding, cycling, nature parks & wildlife, theme parkes like Port Aventura in Salou (Costa Dorada), wine tasting, birdwatching, surfing, kite surfing, wind surfing, sailing, football, shopping.
Visit the extensive National Parcs of like for example Doñana, Teide in Tenerife, Picos de Europa, the parcs in the Pyrenées or the Ebro Delta.
You need a fishing license to fish in fresh water and salt water. The fishing charters and fishing guides in Spain normally have the fishing license included in the price, so you don't need to buy one if you're chartering a boat. Before you book your fishing holidays in Spain make sure you know where you can purchase your fishing license.