With shopping well out the way and a temperamental Range Rover loaded with some 10,000 tea bags amongst some essential fishing tackle, I found myself boarding a ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao. With a drop off at Mequinenza during the hours of darkness, it was not too long before I was headed in search of bigger and better things. Last year I fished a carp match on Sierra Brava in Extremadura, a lake considered to be Spain’s equivalent stock wise to the best the French have to offer. With some 9 hours drive under my belt I was past Brava and Orellana, finding myself on the banks of a lake that I will spend most of this winter, for sure. Historically producing carp to near 80lb this new venue for me presents the challenge I have been craving for, just a stone’s throw away are some of Spain’s most undiscovered waters, also home to carp of potential world record proportions.

I have been lucky enough to have witnessed a large percentage of the monster catfish from the Ebro at Mequinenza on the bank, duly cared for and returned safe for another days fishing. When I arrived there was little procedure in place for handling and returning these fish and had the foresight to change even the most longest standing guides outlook on fish care and return. In addition my fishing methods and technique soon saw more fish to my rods than any other working these waters and some adopted my ways of thinking which in turn upped their catch rate and average weight of fish in size.

I started out mid 2004 working for another guiding service, after six weeks work I handed in my notice due to personal differences and worked a further three of four weeks before leaving. Since then, despite the back bite I have worked alone, securing bookings through a network of word of mouth and building a reputation that soon surpassed all expectations. My catch records went from strength to strength and my rig development and bait strategies soon saw all eyes upon me, some eyes were green and some tongues were forked, but having a famous fishing father and many words of wisdom I locked myself into fishing’s effort as opposed to its politics.

With 5 years under my belt, hailed as one of the most successful guides on the river, my network of Spanish contacts soon grew beyond all proportions. On my way back up to the Ebro I stopped off at the mirror pools of La Mancha just several hours drive from Madrid, a series of crystal clear lagoons connected by small stream and fantasy waterfall. Previously I had spent many weeks in a near back yard after the not so illusive 30lb+ barbel and on the winding road down into the village the water levels were high just like my enthusiasm to meet and speak about my next round of adventure. For the last 5 years the waterfalls have been dry and this year the levels were brimming, a true sight for sore eyes.

http://www.carpandcatbussters.com/