Fly Fishing in Portugal: Wild carp and bass at the mighty Alqueva Lake
This month we take a look at one of Europe’s most underrated gems for those who enjoy varied fly fishing for carp, bass and many other species: Portugal! Turrall’s Jamie Sandford reports on a trip in search of sun, carp and anything with fins!
Having not been to Portugal since the last blog I shared with you all, a week off work at the end of September seemed like the perfect excuse for an exploratory DIY fishing trip. Well, my good friend and guide with whom I've fished previously was sadly unavailable, so it was 'solo' or no-go!
With that, flights were booked, hotel and car hire information acquired, and with a handful of *pins on Google maps from memory, (and friends in the know- thanks guys) a selection of rods, tackle and freshly tied marabou creatures were packed into a rucksack.
Once on Portuguese soil I made my way to a small family run hotel in 'Reguengos'. This required a pleasant two hour drive through some stunning rural areas, a far cry from the hustle and bustle of Lisbon airport. For anyone who may be yet to drive abroad, I’d highly recommend Portugal for your maiden voyage. The roads here are wide, smooth and considerably quiet, making it perfect for those less experienced on Continental roads.
Destination fish! Fly fishing the mighty Alqueva Lake
I reached my destination in good time, (late afternoon) and decided to head straight to a my pin drop! It’s incredibly useful to use phone technology to create key points on your journey. In this case the pin marked a bridge that linked one huge shore line to another, connecting the monstrous expanse of Alqueva Lake, thus allowing for easy car travel.
For those who don’t know it, Alqueva is Europe's largest artificial lake. There is much to explore, so it always helps to pick the brains of a local guide or someone who has knowledge from previous trips. In this case, I had some knowledge of where to head- and I had no issues parking 'off the beaten track', I was just conscious of doing so with courtesy and common sense towards farmers and locals.
But where to go fishing on such a vast place? Like any well known body of water, there are certain areas of shoreline that you assume are fished to death by a plethora of anglers and styles, whereas others are in stark contrast others and only ever disturbed by the feet of egrets, hoopoe and flamingo!
Being later in the day the light levels weren't in my favour; not to worry- said remaining daylight would make for a good recce regardless. Water level: check, fish present: check, weed bed thickness: check, cattle and livestock presence...hellfire, I found one hellishly big bull having a drink!
Tackling up for carp fly fishing in Portugal
I set up up with what would be a recurring theme through the coming days: 8wt rod, Cortland Fly line, leader and tippet, weighted headstand-style nymphs with a change in colour depending on the area fished or time of day. (Grizzle olive and/or burnt orange colours seemed to be the most consistent catchers and promote the best response)
Gear details:
•8wt rod: Fast
•Cortland Nylon leader 15lb
•Cortland Nylon Tippet 12lb
•Cortland Tropic Plus All Purpose Taper Fly Line
I didn't land any carp on those first few hours but I spooked several that were tailing and mooching amongst a band of weed that seemed to start around 6' from the bank, with a width of around 12'. I had resigned myself that this trip was going to be difficult due to the water level and weed but we can only play with the hand we are dealt!
It's important to note here that in years previous I've fished in Portugal around the month of June. Hence, a different year, different season and different mood of fish could be a challenge. It would also become apparent that the aforementioned weed was evident just about everywhere, with such a hot summer just gone.
I made a mental note of the areas I'd seen fish feeding and retired for dinner and some much needed sleep before a fresh start the following morning!
Carp fishing for wild fish in Portugal
I was up and at 'em and fishing for just gone 9am. The shorter days would only give me a specific time window of 'light' for sight-fishing. A word of warning here: if you can't see the fish, AND be able to see the fly when 'drag & dropped' clearly you just won't catch. Granted, the occasional fish can be 'led on' via a short retrieve but that mood wasn't evident on this trip, such was the need for pinpoint 'cup saucer' accuracy to which the carp would leisurely inhale the fly, in it's own time!
As the days went by I caught fish ranging from 3lb to 'low double' size. Bear in mind, this kind of carp fishing in Portugal isn't about playing the numbers game, or about chasing monsters specifically. These carp are not boilie fed barrells- they 'wild', wily and incredibly spooky. In fact, a double figure fish is a real prize catch ESPECIALLY when you look at the sheer vastness of water your 'stalking'.
The water level and weed made for challenging conditions but with a lot of searching, patience and the odd decent cast (phew) and I had not only great success but, as always, fantastic fun!
Further notes on fishing: Fishing licences and alternative species
•Large Mouth Bass are another species you can catch. Small ones provided great sport thieving the fly from underneath the carps’ noses! Said species were plentiful and made a fantastic change of pace utilising 'UL gear' when the overcast rainy weather didn't allow for sight fishing for the carp! On this basis, it’s well worth taking some alternative gear and lure tackle- and I even managed a couple of crackers on spinnerbaits!
• A good guide is always worth their salt- and I’d like to give a big shout out to Russell Hoad, a British gentleman who also guides in Portugal. (search for his FB page: “Wild Fishing Portugal”). His services come highly recommended and Russell can acquire all the necessary licences and permits one might need for a trip and post them to you prior- payment can be made to him directly.
• Should you wish to fly solo, however, do be aware that you need a licence to fish in Portugal. More information can be found at: https://www.dgrm.pt/en/pesca-pl-licenciamento
•Portugal also offers fly fishing for a wide range of other species, including brown and rainbow and trout, not to mention five species of barbel, and saltwater sport for various predatory fish. For further starting points, check out https://intoflyfishing.com/fly-fishing-portugal/
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