Puerto de Vueltas, Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera, Canary Islands
View Of Vueltas From The Sea Wall
During a weeks break in the sun on the beautiful Canary Island of La Gomera I had planned to do a day or two of big game fishing, for many reasons things didn't go to plan. My location was very remote and would have required getting to the other side of the island to the bigger port of San Sebastian, which would of added almost 120 euros to the all ready expensive cost of chartering a boat. I Also had to bear in mind that this was a break for me and the misses, and due to the very rough sea and high winds during the week of my visit It could of been disaster for both of us, as we both suffer from sea sickness. As I realised that going big game fishing wasn't on the agenda this holiday, I very happily settled for some Lure fishing for Barracuda, during my stay I had been chatting to other fisherman who were all telling me stories of Barracuda being caught on lures off the harbour wall, I had tried during the day without success until a German fisherman called Khosro, Informed me that if I wanted to catch a Barracuda That I needed to be fishing at dusk or dawn. Now, I'm not the best lure fisherman, and to my memory, despite weeks trying I have never caught a fish on a plug, only a few small pike on spinners and a lucky Pollock on a soft sand eel, So to catch a Barracuda on a plug would be dream.
Alluring Attraction! Lets Hope So!
I set my alarm for 4.30am and planned to be fishing by 5.30am, but as this was the first time I had even looked at the clock whilst on holiday, And I failed to realise that the time on my alarm clock application on my phone was confused and was 2 hours out, resulting in me eating breakfast having a coffee and ready to leave at 3.00am with 2 hours to wait DOH!!!. It didn't happen! I feel back asleep and woke up way to late with the dawn well and truly over, double DOH!!!. I had missed the morning session, but nothing would stop me missing the evening one. I arrived about 1 hour before dusk, I was totally set up for this type of fishing, an ultra light fast action "Snowbee, Sea Bass Special, 10gm - 50gm" a superb 4 piece spinning rod matched with a "Shimano, Stradic FJ 5000" spooled with "PowerPro, 9kg braid", a brilliant outfit, and one that I'm definitely going to put to use back home for Bass, Pike and Perch. Rather than using a wire trace, I opted for a 40lb fluorocarbon trace to help increase takes, and I made this 7' long, because if I did hook a fish I would be able to lift it by the 40lb trace up the sea wall. which was a concern as I could not pack a nets in my suitcases. There was a another few options that I had considered If I was to hook a really big fish, firstly of climbing down a wall ladder to the sea level and use a fish gripper, which would of been very dangerous and left me with one arm to climb back up the vertical ladder with a angry flapping fish and lure hanging off the other arm, or the more plausible second option of playing the fish 100m back to the beginning of the wall, where a ramp dropped down towards the sea getting closer to the water, but this would involve playing a fish for longer and getting it around approximately 8 very large tyres used as buffers for ships dotted along the sea wall. But the main thing was to get a fish hooked first!
Light! Camera! Action! Garfish Is Pure Entertainment
Well my first session was exactly like all my other lure fishing trips, not a bite and no fish, I had slowly worked my way from the beginning of the wall and back down over the two hours, I had tried all of my lures at one point and my only success was to learn how to make my red head popper pop across the surface like they're designed to, as I had never used one before. It was dark and raining! I had given up, I sat on the ramp looking out towards the water, wondering if I was doing something wrong, or if the strong winds had forced the fish to move elsewhere, and then reflecting off the harbour wall lights I saw glimmers of silver flashing across the surface about 60m out. I rubbed my eyes and again I watched at least 10 fish come clear out of the water. a shoal of Garfish!! I grabbed my rod, I knew straight away that the "Yo-Zuri, Floating Crystal Minnow Lure" would not reach the shoal as it was too light, and in less than 5 seconds with the quick link attachment I had switched the my lure to a "Tronix, Blue Casting Lure", which is designed for distance casting, I cast out to the spot, and as the lure hit the water it exploded! maybe a hundred fish, bait fish and Garfish instantaneously startled by the lure. And immediately I was was on, The hooked Garfish spectacularly tail walked across the surface of the water for at least 10 meters at a ferocious speed. It even jumped a few times, What a show! This was exciting! This is what lure fishing is about! although the fighting fish put on a magnificent display during the fight, it wasn't long before I had landed my first ever Garfish! A skinny torpedo, with a reptilian beak, It made my night!
"Great Barracuda" Released To Become A Monster
With the excitement of the night before, I returned the following evening to continue my pursuit of a Barracuda, I found Khosro fishing the wall, he had given me advise earlier on in the week about catching Barracuda, and as we passed on the wall we compared lures, tactics and wished each other good luck, If there were any Barracuda about, surly one of us would get one! I had been fishing for about an hour and the sun was setting now, and it was prime time for a fish, I decided to try my "Rapala, X-Rap Saltwater Lure, 14cm, Silver". I hadn't used it as of yet, believing it to be to big. But Khosro with good advise convinced me that it wasn't, just how big are the Barracuda here I thought? I hadn't even asked that question! With the third cast with the X-Rap, I had my first hit, I didn't hook up, but it was action! and proved by the teeth marks left in the lure! It then went quite for a bit and I needed a rest, so I gave the rod to Sarah who continued to fish, she even had a hit bringing the fish to the surface before losing it! Like an excited school boy I took the rod back, and cast out. Straight away a hit, I stopped reeling in, nothing! I gave the lure a twitch, and again bang the fish hit it, but I still didn't hook up. I let it float to the surface and nothing, I twitched and nothing then I started to reel in and Bang the fish hit the lure again, but third time lucky! it was hooked! It didn't put up too much of a fight due to its size, but its speed and angry ferocity was amazing, just like most of the fish I had caught here, when it surfaced I thought for a split second that it was a Garfish, But It wasn't, no long beak, This was my Barracuda! And fowl hoked! I worried that the hook would pull, but maybe luckily for me, the fish was quite small and it lifted straight out the sea and up the wall easily.
Fish Hooked Only Condones Celebratory Good Quality Cigars!
I didn't catch anything else that night, I packed up whilst smoking a celebration cigar that Sarah had given me for catching my Barracuda, but to be honest it was the Garfish that left more of an impression with its fighting acrobatic display, god knows whats it like to have 1000lb Marlin jumping about on the end of your line! The Barracuda wasn't a big fish, but a new species for me! and the fact that I had caught in on a hard lure, especially with my poor track record of lure fishing, has given me a bit of faith to go more often, being mobile, hunting the fish, spotting them and then trying to trick them into taking the lure, and then watching the water explode as a fish takes the lure on or just below the surface is magical, its a visual thing you just don't get with bait fishing, and it's what makes lure fishing so exciting!
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