Fishing the River Ebro Spain.

[dace]

Wow if i was single. i would be asking to come with you lads. Looks fantastic.
What a great holiday and the weather to go with it.
I,m getting a divorce . 

[Andrew Burgess]

Budgie what is the best time to go?

[BUDGIE]

I have been as early as March and late as October but out of preferenc would say between April and mid June.

I prefer this time of year (a lot of the Germans prefer the Winter) as it suits me both weather and fishing wise.

The area of Spain is often said to be the hottest in Europe.There are in deed times when the heat is unbearable.In the early part of the year (and winter for that matter you can have heavy frosts in the morning but still wont need much more than a fleece jackey untill the sun is up properly.Later in the year (I once took a party in August as that was the only time they could all get off work!) it can be too hot even for the fishing!

One good thing is that the water in the tributaries is from the mountains so is always cold.

With the heat you have to be really sensible and make sure you dont get burnt or dehydrated.The local beer is very nice but getting ratted and sitting out in this kind of sun dont go well together.

The cats normally spawn around April at this time they can become difficult to catch but the added agression does make lure fishing a good option.A lot of the early day German pioneers only lure fished so chose April for their visit.

[BUDGIE]

Dace,in the early days it was more than a great holiday! It may sound a bit daft but it was an "adventure"! The drive down (two days) was all part of the experience.It is sad that many of both my customers and friends who later accompanied me hated the journey,seeing it merely as a nesassary evil.I would out of preference keep of the boring toll routes and see a lot of France and Northern Spain.Taking the route over the Pyrennes via Andora you got to see some breath taking scenery.Having to speak two (err three if you count the Catalunyian dialect of Spannish!) different languages and seeing other countries at a "grass routes" level was all part of it for me and Rob.I realised though that for many a trip to Spain means only one thing.......a photo of a hundred pound fish.They have no interest or desire for the "adventure" or the fish itself.Ah well each to their own....

[BUDGIE]

THE JOURNEY DOWN

A I have previously mentioned when I first started going to the Ebro there were no guiding services other than the German fishing camps that had just set up there. Using these wouldn’t have been an option in those days as they killed most of what they caught and didn’t really encourage anglers of other nationalities. Flying although even then quite cheap was obviously not an option due to the amount of equipment needed. The good old estate car with a boat on the roof and towing a trailer was the only viable option. I will give you all the details of doing it this way as if you go with a guiding service or tour company they will do every thing for you!



On the initial trips Rob and me went in an old Ford Cortina estate, no trailer and boat on the roof. We were so overloaded that you couldn’t get your hand up the wheel arch! With two this is okay but I have decided the best number is four people, keep the boat on the roof but take a trailor. Enough room and the cost splits down nicely. It is also a good number for the fishing, which is very much a team event!



As previously mentioned it is a long drive (nearly 900miles if memory serves me right) taking the best part of two days. There is no escaping it! It doesn’t really matter what route you do or if you pay to use toll roads or not its still a long way. With this in mind you really need to accept it and try to enjoy the drive. I much prefer to keep of the toll roads as much as possible and enjoy a bit of France as you drive through. I will go into more details about the journey in a separate section.

Many guiding services now arrange flights down to Spain and will pick you up from the airport. They will also supply all the equipment you need. Although you pay dearly for this it is for many the only practical way.

ADMINISTRATION

Well a few words now about the unexciting but very important part of a Spanish Cat trip. Getting the administration right is one of the most important things about a trip like this believe you me. You will obviously require a passport and a signed and stamped form E111 which you can get from your local post office. This will entitle you to basic medical cover whilst you are away. As well as these obvious documents you will require several fishing licences and insurance, once more I will go into detail about these later. I mention them now as I can not stress enough how important it is to get it right and have all the correct paper work. This documentation WILL be checked by a variety of non-English speaking, gun carrying officials! who have had to deal with far to many English anglers who have just taken the piss! It’s a long way to go to spend the “holiday” in a Spanish nick! Do not be fooled into thinking that going with a guide or tour operator will automatically save you from any grief. As I said before some are good others not. Several times I have had to bail out English lads because their “guide” had dropped them in it by not sticking to the rules or having the correct documents! Don’t be put off though, as so long as you have got it all right the Spanish officials are more than pleasant.

I will post details of the route and documents you require soon. For now here is a picture of one of my customers with his PB cat.

[Andrew Burgess]

BUDGIE said:

As previously mentioned it is a long drive (nearly 900miles if memory serves me right) taking the best part of two days. There is no escaping it!

Well I am sure Carpy don't fancy driving all the way to spain but I would might have a go ;D

The trouble is Budgie would you prepared to lend me your trailer if maybe decided if we did on our own? And it look like maybe me heading into the sunset ;D ;D ;D ;D

[BUDGIE]

Yes trailer,boat,rods,reels,landingnet,tackle,livebait gear the lot! and no it wont cost you anything!

[Carpy]

Well i cant belieave, how detailed you are putting it budgie. We cant go wrong with all this info. I understand the weather and spanish law of this area, because i lived in Majorca for 3 years. And you are totally right documentation must be right. and the weather in august is unbearable.
And to the question Andrew would i drive to spain the answer is yes and with the kind offer from Budgie it would make things much easyier. i would pay you for the kind offer Budgie.
So what do you think Andrew.

[Andrew Burgess]

Carpy said:

I understand the weather and spanish law of this area, because i lived in Majorca for 3 years. And you are totally right documentation must be right. and the weather in august is unbearable.

I would pay you for the kind offer Budgie.

So what do you think Andrew.

Carpy I did not know that you lived out there for 3 years - now I do remember where I seen your face before we met - were'nt you Manuel in Fawlty Towers.
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D (Sorry mate could'nt resist it)

Me pay Budgie? No way he still owe me money ;D No only joking!!! No I don't mind either.

What about this then WHY don't we hire Budgie for the spanish trip so he can have a holiday, and we got ourselves a fishing guide and the tackle as well?

[Carpy]

Andrew said:

Carpy I did not know that you lived out there for 3 years - now I do remember where I seen your face before we met - were'nt you Manuel in Fawlty Towers.
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D (Sorry mate could'nt resist it)

Ha Ha
Well we have to find out if Budgie can come first.
and then arrange a date for the trip.
If Budgie is suppying all the tackle and the being the guide. we can come to some agreement.

[BUDGIE]

Hi guys thanks for the kind offer but as Ive already got two French carp trips booked this year and I’m committed to two guiding sessions in the US it might be difficult. I will look at the possibility though.

That said I will crack on with some more information on doing the trip for your selves and anyone else who is interested.

TRANSPORT
As Ive said before a good sized estate car is the best bet. The smallest practical size for four guys and the gear is a Peugeot 405 or Vauxhall Astra at the smallest. Diesel is much better if possible due to both fuel costs (the major expense on this sort of trip) and the lack of having to fill up all the time. This isn’t so bad until you reach the mountains in the evening and every where is shutting! Always take some spare oil,water, bulbs and fuses. If you have an unusual car then taking spare belts and the likes is recommended. The AA can rent you a full spares pack for your vehicle that you can return after your trip /pay for anything you’ve used. It goes without saying to make sure your car is well serviced and up for such a trip!
One tip is to take your spare wheel out of the well (if stored in one) and keep it some where more accessible. It’s a real pain unloading all of your gear from the car at the side of a busy road to chance a flat tyre!
No matter how good your car is it is absolutely crazy to do this journey without adequate break down cover. Despite having had a major fall out with the AA once over their service (or should I say lack of it in this instance) the one I would have to recommend is the AA “Five Star” policy. Won’t get you out of all situations satisfactorily but will at least get you and your vehicle back home. Remember to tell them when purchasing your cover that you will be towing a trailer and have a roof rack with boat.
A car alarm is worth having, as you will be in some remote places where theft is rife. Make sure the car is loaded safely so nothing can fly about in case of sudden braking. Quite a lot of stuff can be carried on the roof rack underneath the boat.

You need a trailer in the region of 6’ x 4’. Make sure it has a proper axle and decent sized wheels unlike these silly little stub axle things from Halfords. You will be driving a lot of miles so it must be up for it. Same as the car make sure the trailers spare wheel is easily accessible and that you have the correct size wrench for the wheel nuts. Trailers have some strange sized wheels/nuts on them! A good place to store both the spares is on the tow bar. You will need to make sure you have a separate (not vehicle registration) trailer identification number plate attached to the trailer. The AA will advise you on this and issue a number, Note this is in addition to the normal vehicle number plate you will obviously have on the rear of the trailer. When loading the trailer ensure it is balanced with the bulk of the weight being over the axle and not all weighing down on the tow ball of the car. It will be heavy and difficult to man handle when loaded so make sure you know how to reverse it! A locking device for the towing hitch is cheap and secures the trailer against theft.

FERRY CROSSING
Ive looked into and tried a couple of different crossings but think the Dover-Calais is the best. Crossings like the Santander crossing look appealing at first but when you look at the price, the fact that they are 24hour and then you’ve still got a long drive across Spain! Don’t really know about going to other French ports but by all means look into it. I have always used Sea France when possible. Two main reasons, one they are normally the cheapest and secondly due to this have access to an account with them from my old guiding days, Shop around though as prices vary all the time with different seasonal promotions. When you book your ferry you will also have to book, and pay for, the trailer. You will also have to request “high load” space for the boat on the roof! This doesn’t cost though. The crossing takes just under two hours and goes quit quickly whilst you are having breakfast. Get your French up a bit as although the crew speak English you will get much better service and a better breakfast if you can order it in French! I always book a ferry around 0100 in the morning as this means I get the cheaper tariff and can get past Paris before the morning rush hour.

DRIVE DOWN.
Once of the ferry at Calais I take the main route to Paris. It is well signposted. It is a toll road but it isn’t expensive (maybe Andrew can remember how much it is?) after trying several other routes and despite my dislike of toll roads this is the best way for this initial stage of the journey. Once at Paris I join the Periphique. This road s Paris and is often refered to as Frances version of the M25! I would say a better description is the old London North or South Circulars! But with multiple lanes and at break neck speeds! It is one feckin crazy road you need to keep your wits about you. On the subject of keeping your wits about you make sure you get plenty of sleep before the drive down, especially if you are getting the early ferry. It is advisable to have all the guys who can drive on the trip put on the insurance so the driving can be shared. Good policy to always have a “co-driver” awake in the front at all times to. Helps the driver and also can keep an eye on the route card/map. Mentioning that it is always good to make one out before you leave. (Er no matter how many times you’ve done the journey hey Andrew!) You can down load routes from the PC or get the excellent ones from the AA.
Once on the Periphique you head round till you can come off to join the RN20. This is a non toll road and takes you more or less all the way to your destination. As it travels through many towns and villages you can stop of when you want to get some thing to eat at local supermarkets. Most people in rural France will not speak English so take a good phrase book. Once you have travelled south through France you have the option of getting on to the toll roads and skirting around the coast in to Spain or my preferred route of crossing the Pyrennees by going through the small independent state of Andorra. A brilliant drive climbing the mountains and even in the summer there is often snow still. Andorra’s whole economy revolves around skiing and tax-free sales! A good place to stop for a bit and get your f*gs and booze! Be warned though as you leave Andorra and enter Spain you will be stopped and searched but not when returning into France! Once you are at Andorra your journey is nearly over. As you drop down from the moutons you notice the rise in temperature and the windows open and the jumpers come off! Depending on the time your journey has taken you will need to decide wether you go straight to Mequinenza or to Llerida. I will explain this in the next section about licences.

Sorry there is no pictures to break it up a bit but my “scenic” album is buried in a packing case some where in this tip I call home!

[BUDGIE]

LICENCES
You will require two fishing licences whilst on your trip. The first one shown below is a “Regional “ licence appropriate to the region you are in. One thing that causes problems for a lot of anglers visiting the Ebro in the Mequinenza area is that you are right on the border of two regions Aragon and Catalunya. This boundary falls smack bang in the middle of a very popular area. The officials will give you no leeway so make sure you have the right ones.



The licence shown above is for fishing in the Aragon area. An additional licence is also required for your boat. Both of these can be obtained in a small office of the Departament d’Agricultura located in the high street in Mequinenza. You can obtain these there and then on production of your passport and the correct fee. If you are planning to fish in the Catalunya area you can also buy the correct fishing and boat licence here as well. The problem is that the application and copies of your passport have to be sent away to the main office at the Departament d’Agricultura based in Llerida. It takes up to a week to come back and you can no longer fish with out physically having it in your possession.



Shown above are the fishing and boat licences required for Catalunya. Due to the delay it is often the better option to go yourself directly to the Departament d’Agricultura in Llerida your self. If you get there early in the morning (0900) they will some times, work load dependent, issue your licence there and then. You can pay there with a credit card but not with cash! If you wish to pay by cash you have to take the forms they will give you to a bank, pay it in and get a receipt to take back! It’s a right performance and who says us guides don’t earn our money! Some times though all you will here is “Manyana”! (Tomorrow) a favourite Spanish phrase! This is a right pain as it means you will have to come all the way back to collect your licences the next day! Due to this I always try to call in to Llerida at 0900 on the drive down before carrying on to Mequinenza. Hence what I said about in the info on the drive down. With such a long drive though when you arrive is very much in the hands of the gods no matter how much you try and arrange it! If the timing of your arrival doesn’t fit in with this you just have to accept it and resign yourself to getting the licences another day.

I have always got my Catalonian licences from the office in Llerida for some time now as there is another item you need that as far as I know you can only get at an office there to. This is compulsory “public liability” type insurance that visiting anglers must have. It is called a Responsabilidad Civil del Pescador and is shown below.



This is available from the AXA Insurance offices in the town. Try contacting AXA in this country you may be able to sort it through them I don’t know. The office isn’t far away from the licence office. It is pointless me trying to give directions as Llerida is a big town! Get yourself a street map and ask directions. Once you have the regional licence and insurance the last thing you need is a local “club card” once again shown below.



The one shown is for the Catalunya are of Mequinenza and is available across the counter from Bar la Creu, a small bar found in the main square of the small river side town of Granja de Escarpe which is a few miles upstream on the Ribarroja from Mequinenza. A club card for the Aragon part can be purchased from several places in Mequinenza including the tackle shop.

The last bit of red tape is for your boat. At this point I best stress that a boat is essential regardless of how or where you intend to fish. All boats in Spain must carry an identification number with the relevant paper work to back up this identity. The easiest way around this is to register your boat with the Small Ships Register here in the UK. They will issue a registration number, which you must put on the boat and a certificate of registration. One is shown below.



Well that’s all the paper work. It’s a bit of messing around and can get you down in the heat of the day after a long drive BUT believe you me its all worth while when the local gun toting Guardia de Civil asks to see it all! I will leave you with that lot for now as usual any questions just ask. Next I will talk about your arrival in Mequinenza and the various facilities there.

[Andrew Burgess]

That a lot of paperwork that we might have to sort it out

[Carpy]

Right i,m up for this, hope you are to Andrew.
I have two weeks fixed company shut down.
30th April to 3rd May and 1st August to 5th Aug
i also have 11 floating days, so i can book a holiday any time.
We will have to set a meeting date to discuss things.
ps top marks Budgie the time, effort and infomation you have put into this topic, is top class.
everything involved in planning a angling trip to Spain, been covered. Im sure you get more up your sleeve.
I am still hoping you can make the trip Budgie.

[Andrew Burgess]

Carpy said:

Right i,m up for this, hope you are to Andrew.
I have two weeks fixed company shut down.
30th May to 3rd May and 1st August to 5th Aug
i also have 11 floating days, so i can book a holiday any time.

You mean 30th April - 3rd May? Otherwise is a nearly a good long year off Carpy ;D ;D

Carpy I really need to think about this, I would dearly love to go as Budgie might not be up to it, will have to check the holiday dates as are load of workers at my job factory have started booking the holidays!

Will let you know by Monday Evening or Tuesday Morning mate.