Ebro Catfish Excursions
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General Information
Nearly all of our catfishing is from a boat. We currently have two, one for up to two anglers and one for up to three. Boat fishing is essential for our section of river because of the very limited bank space and even those are not that wonderful. The banks can be very steep with erosion and access through private land often is impossible. Boat fishing is the only real effective way to get to the fish.
We generally fish an eight hour day and the most popular times with clients is fishing till dusk. We often have evening trips in the summer but that is subject to full day bookings. We do get requests to fish odd times and sometimes do.
We generally fish an eight hour day and the most popular times with clients is fishing till dusk. We often have evening trips in the summer but that is subject to full day bookings. We do get requests to fish odd times and sometimes do.
We have a catch rate average well in excess of 1.5 fish per day so it would be reasonable to assume seven or eight fish in a five day session and you would be very very unlucky not to catch a few over the magic ton.
We usually fish between Tivenys and Amposta. In this area of about 25k the river varies so much, some areas its wide and even paced and some areas more like real river, full of bends with a massive fluctuations in depth. We have caught in three feet of water and we have caught in over thirty. The varing depth helps because we can pinpoint probable fish lies in varing water conditions and it can rise one or two meters overnight and with an average depth of about two meters it can kill the fishing stone dead.......but you can also have a red letter day. Local knowledge is of paramount importance, fish move, they dont feed in the same areas the season through. Swims that produce fish the year before often dont hold fish the year after. My theory is that the riverbed is constantly changing, therfor the food source, Roach, Carp, Mullet etc move to find their food source so the predators follow.
Our guides fish the river as often as possible, learning and locating fish and new swims and once located are only fished buy paying guests. Ensuring the best possible opportunities for our customers. As an example, Eight fish landed this year from late February and March were from swims that did not produce or we never fished last year will be fished again by us for runs and not necessarly catching will then be reserved.
This realy does ensure our catch rate and gives you the best possible opportunities.
Methods and baits vary according to conditions and time of year, even from swim to swim. We dont fish boilies or pellet for the cats. In or part of the river it does not work as well as the methods currently used but we are often trying new methods and baits during our pleasure sessions.
We are often asked the best time of year for the cats. Well, I think if ten good river guides were sat down in a pub discussing this point you would probably have ten different points of view. What I can say for definate is that sometime usually in mid December the water temprature drops below 12c and then the fishing gets tough. A good experienced guide will spend two days for a run, on average. Then sometime in February the water levels rise, significantly, rain and snow water from the mountains way up river but oddly the temprature rises back to 12c again and the good sized cats are on the prowl again. The percentage of good sized fish until the end of April is superb, last year of our first 33 fish 19 were over 100 lbs and then it was mid April before we had a fish under 80 lbs. By mid April the water temp has risen another 3 to 5 degrees and the smaller fish, the 30 to 60s have woken up as well.
July and August the water temps can be higher than a heated swimming pool, in the morning and by day the fish can often be lethargic and wont feed till late aftenoon or early evenings.
The late Autumn, October and November The Mullet shoal very tightly and the cats attacking them can be better that watching David Attenborough on the telly with the killer whales. With their very bad eysight the simply attack the whole shoal with their mouths wide open and its then pot luck. Many guides avoid these areas because the fish are preoccupied and become very difficult to tempt. Last year My friend and I developed a technique and in six trips never failed, our best day was seven fish to 162 lbs. We have not yet taken customers to these areas because of the reputed difficulty but I am looking forward to the Autumn this year.
My favourite times are from mid February to June but booking in Feb and early March can be taking a chance on the weather, in can be very cold and windy. Dont forget we live here and can pick our days. From the end of March its normally settled.
Then again from September right up till some time in December. August is normally the hottest by day but last year it was July and 100 degrees every day and uncomfortably hot at night.
I hope this information help you to choose the best time of year for you........
Although we dont offer bivvies we can offer a complete set of Carp tackle for a maximum of three anglers. We can also prepare and prebait swims and supply pre prepared maize on your arrival. Occasionally some anglers staying for a week have two or three days on the carp and the rest on the cats. Or sea fishing in the estuary, Sea Bass, Black Bass, Zander, Dorada etc.
A new town can be sometimes daunting to find your way around and if you are trying to find us simply give us a call from one of the supermarket car parks and you will be met within 15 minutes. Its worth checking if your mobile phone will work in Spain, most do.
Reminders
You must have a Catalonian fishing licence here, it runs from a full twelve months and costs only 15 euros. We can arrange this for you, all we need is a good photocopy of the back two pages of your passport.
Things to bring.
Sensible clothing for the time of year. In the spring and autumn when it rains it realy can rain heavy. It can also be cold as well as being very hot. Sunglasses, hat, suncream, mosquiteo repelant and afterbite if you react badly to mossie bites.
Passport, driving licence and if renting a car you will need a credit card. Mobile phone.
We reccommend you have an E111 or similar. This entitles you to free emergengy hospital treatment anywhere in europe. Free from the Post Office. Consider holiday insurance.
Dont forget to pack your camera.
We usually fish between Tivenys and Amposta. In this area of about 25k the river varies so much, some areas its wide and even paced and some areas more like real river, full of bends with a massive fluctuations in depth. We have caught in three feet of water and we have caught in over thirty. The varing depth helps because we can pinpoint probable fish lies in varing water conditions and it can rise one or two meters overnight and with an average depth of about two meters it can kill the fishing stone dead.......but you can also have a red letter day. Local knowledge is of paramount importance, fish move, they dont feed in the same areas the season through. Swims that produce fish the year before often dont hold fish the year after. My theory is that the riverbed is constantly changing, therfor the food source, Roach, Carp, Mullet etc move to find their food source so the predators follow.
Our guides fish the river as often as possible, learning and locating fish and new swims and once located are only fished buy paying guests. Ensuring the best possible opportunities for our customers. As an example, Eight fish landed this year from late February and March were from swims that did not produce or we never fished last year will be fished again by us for runs and not necessarly catching will then be reserved.
This realy does ensure our catch rate and gives you the best possible opportunities.
Methods and baits vary according to conditions and time of year, even from swim to swim. We dont fish boilies or pellet for the cats. In or part of the river it does not work as well as the methods currently used but we are often trying new methods and baits during our pleasure sessions.
We are often asked the best time of year for the cats. Well, I think if ten good river guides were sat down in a pub discussing this point you would probably have ten different points of view. What I can say for definate is that sometime usually in mid December the water temprature drops below 12c and then the fishing gets tough. A good experienced guide will spend two days for a run, on average. Then sometime in February the water levels rise, significantly, rain and snow water from the mountains way up river but oddly the temprature rises back to 12c again and the good sized cats are on the prowl again. The percentage of good sized fish until the end of April is superb, last year of our first 33 fish 19 were over 100 lbs and then it was mid April before we had a fish under 80 lbs. By mid April the water temp has risen another 3 to 5 degrees and the smaller fish, the 30 to 60s have woken up as well.
July and August the water temps can be higher than a heated swimming pool, in the morning and by day the fish can often be lethargic and wont feed till late aftenoon or early evenings.
The late Autumn, October and November The Mullet shoal very tightly and the cats attacking them can be better that watching David Attenborough on the telly with the killer whales. With their very bad eysight the simply attack the whole shoal with their mouths wide open and its then pot luck. Many guides avoid these areas because the fish are preoccupied and become very difficult to tempt. Last year My friend and I developed a technique and in six trips never failed, our best day was seven fish to 162 lbs. We have not yet taken customers to these areas because of the reputed difficulty but I am looking forward to the Autumn this year.
My favourite times are from mid February to June but booking in Feb and early March can be taking a chance on the weather, in can be very cold and windy. Dont forget we live here and can pick our days. From the end of March its normally settled.
Then again from September right up till some time in December. August is normally the hottest by day but last year it was July and 100 degrees every day and uncomfortably hot at night.
I hope this information help you to choose the best time of year for you........
Although we dont offer bivvies we can offer a complete set of Carp tackle for a maximum of three anglers. We can also prepare and prebait swims and supply pre prepared maize on your arrival. Occasionally some anglers staying for a week have two or three days on the carp and the rest on the cats. Or sea fishing in the estuary, Sea Bass, Black Bass, Zander, Dorada etc.
A new town can be sometimes daunting to find your way around and if you are trying to find us simply give us a call from one of the supermarket car parks and you will be met within 15 minutes. Its worth checking if your mobile phone will work in Spain, most do.
Reminders
You must have a Catalonian fishing licence here, it runs from a full twelve months and costs only 15 euros. We can arrange this for you, all we need is a good photocopy of the back two pages of your passport.
Things to bring.
Sensible clothing for the time of year. In the spring and autumn when it rains it realy can rain heavy. It can also be cold as well as being very hot. Sunglasses, hat, suncream, mosquiteo repelant and afterbite if you react badly to mossie bites.
Passport, driving licence and if renting a car you will need a credit card. Mobile phone.
We reccommend you have an E111 or similar. This entitles you to free emergengy hospital treatment anywhere in europe. Free from the Post Office. Consider holiday insurance.
Dont forget to pack your camera.