The Canary Island options

[Ric0shay]

I was talking to a lad over the weekend that used to go to the Canarys game fishing back in the 80's.Id love to try this but like most people these days the cost of such adventures just isn't reachable at the moment but this sounds like a cheap and easier alternative.I love to hear if anyone has any experience with going here for some fishing and what their pros and cost and maybe a ball park figure on cost would be.

I know it would be time of year pending so I was thinking around February.
Cheers lads.

[PaddyB]

I was talking to a lad over the weekend that used to go to the Canarys game fishing back in the 80's.Id love to try this but like most people these days the cost of such adventures just isn't reachable at the moment but this sounds like a cheap and easier alternative.I love to hear if anyone has any experience with going here for some fishing and what their pros and cost and maybe a ball park figure on cost would be.

I know it would be time of year pending so I was thinking around February.
Cheers lads.

What sounds like a cheap and easy alternative?

[chenz116]

I was there last december and went out on one of the boats.

Cost aroun €55-60 and your out for 6 hours. Everyone on board caught something i managed the biggest fish a 25lb sting ray.

a few things to take note of though.

1. DONT DRINK TOO MUCH THE NIGHT BEFORE
(i was dying all day long and it gets very hot out on that boat)

2. Try get a English speaking captain. Mine was Spanish. he was a nice lad but he had very few words and because one else on the boat spoke English i felt like a mute for the day.

[hugo]

What island/port was that out of?

[chenz116]

puerto rico

[Ric0shay]

I was talking to a lad over the weekend that used to go to the Canarys game fishing back in the 80's.Id love to try this but like most people these days the cost of such adventures just isn't reachable at the moment but this sounds like a cheap and easier alternative.I love to hear if anyone has any experience with going here for some fishing and what their pros and cost and maybe a ball park figure on cost would be.

I know it would be time of year pending so I was thinking around February.
Cheers lads.

What sounds like a cheap and easy alternative?

Sorry I didnt word that properly.I ment that its a cheaper alternative then going somewhere outside of the EU

[Ric0shay]

I was there last december and went out on one of the boats.

Cost aroun €55-60 and your out for 6 hours. Everyone on board caught something i managed the biggest fish a 25lb sting ray.

a few things to take note of though.

1. DONT DRINK TOO MUCH THE NIGHT BEFORE
(i was dying all day long and it gets very hot out on that boat)

2. Try get a English speaking captain. Mine was Spanish. he was a nice lad but he had very few words and because one else on the boat spoke English i felt like a mute for the day.

Cheers for that.Did you go to a fishing charter or did you just go down to the pier and ask around ?

[chenz116]

i looked online before i went and asked a few lads on here

but if you just walk along the harbour there are loads of small stalls with lads trying to get you on there charter

[samo]

when i was over in the Canarys around 3 years ago we went out game fishing. we got the contact details from our Hotel. the fishing was shite and a waste of money. the owner of the boat basically just drove us around for 8 hours. we caught two tiny tuna and saw a whale. complete waste of money. if you are going over make sure you put a lot of research into who is taking you out because a lot of them are just after your money and dont really care if you catch any thing.

[chenz116]

to avoid what happened to samo go down to harbour around 3 o'clock

all the boats are coming back in then and have there catch on show on the back of the boat

gives you an idea of who's catching and who isnt

[Ric0shay]

Cheer for all the advice lads.Ill keep it i mind if I ever get it together.

[Preston]

If its sizeable fish your after Norway is supposed to be great with salmon close to 80lb and fjords stuffed with massive cod and halibut .My dad actually went on a charter while in the canaries and caught shark but he did say it wwas geared more towards tourists than actual specemin hunters .

[Preston]

I just had a quick look for some packages myself and the blue marlin fishing is best May to October in the canaries

[Ric0shay]

If its sizeable fish your after Norway is supposed to be great with salmon close to 80lb and fjords stuffed with massive cod and halibut .My dad actually went on a charter while in the canaries and caught shark but he did say it wwas geared more towards tourists than actual specemin hunters .

I was thinking about that but its just so expensive .Norway/Sweden isn't the cheapest place in the world either.I was there last year (Sweden) and it was dearer then Dublin.

Here did you see the packages ? I found board for €40 a night for 2 people sharing .

[barney]

Hi There,


February is not a good time for big game fishing, i was out there last august did 6 trips got a white marlin and a 25 kg albacore, you would want to be targeting june through september or the game fish wont be about, its all reef fishing they do that time of year there..........maybe the odd wahoo caught trolling rapalas on the way out to the reef ..............


Have a look at the details i posted on similar post earlier in the year, you can get an idea fron the fish reports videos photos etc, :


http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/bull ... 13&t=40035



If you want more specifics pm me



Tight Lines

[donal murphy]

I've been keeping a close eye on this thread as i've fished once over there years ago and blanked...what Chenz and samo were saying was true. You would want to do your research before you go, have a look at different charter boat websites and check their photo galleries to see what they're catching.

Alot of the boats do be full and you have maybe 1 rod so your chances of catching is quite small, so maybe think about buying more rod space or a full charter ( which is expensive )

While i think the canaries is the best location for big game fishing thats close to home i dont feel, gran canaria is the best place to go... there is an island west of gran canaria called " la gomera " this place seems to throw up loads of marlin and big tuna every year and infact a couple of the more proffesional boats on gran canaria even offer charters to la gomera, but obviously you will pay a premium for this. So maybe think about tenerife for this option as its closer.

Another place worth checking out would be lanzarote... i was reading an article where competition boats would head north east of lanzarote to a pinnacle that rises from several thousand feet to a couple of hundred feet, and they reported catching numerous big blues... check http://www.navionics.com for reference

Hope this helps you make your decision, and good luck

[Rob Millard]

Myself and my fishing mates have been travelling to the Caribbean for the last 4 years to do this type of fishing. It's very hit and miss, when you catch it's amazing, when you don't it's really disappointing, and VERY expensive. I have been researching venues closer to home and from what I can gather Madeira & the Azores are probably the top eastern Atlantic venues for Blue Marlin. August/September this year was outstanding in the Azores apparently, but Madeira did not fish so well this summer. Who's to know what next year will be like? We're thinking of waiting till next summer to see where the 'bite' is hot and then getting out there on short notice. The good boats seem to be about €1,000 per day. My advice would be to research a lot, and book with an experienced captain & crew, even if they're not the cheapest.

Everybody should try and do this fishing at least once. A charging Marlin is a sight to behold. Just be prepared for long periods of extreme boredom. It's not unusual to go a couple of days without even seeing a fish.