Carp fishing in Portugal
Most of the reservoirs where we take our clients hold carp to 34.5kg (76.05Lbs)! So there is agood chance of you catching a fish of a lifetime in Portugal. The mirror carp are not that unlike those caught in the UK. The common carp, on the other hand, are rather different to those found in the UK! The main difference in these commons is their length. They seem to be far more streamlined and longer than those found in the UK and other European countries (Some seem so long that they are often thought to be barbel at first glance!). In some ways they resemble giant wild carp. There are also some good size wildies to be had too. The one in the carp gallery, which was caught in October 2001, weighed 6.1kg (13.42Lbs). It was caught with a single 18mm fish-meal boilie, which had been in a dip for a few weeks, on a staight-forward bolt-rig. There had been no pre-baiting and there were no free offerings either. Andy Little was over here during October 2006, to read what his what he wrote in one of two articles for the Angler''s Mail go here
Fishing for Carp
Any good carp rod with a 2.5Lb test curve, fitted with a good strong and reliable reel, will do. But, due to the size of most of these waters in Portugal, rods and reels that will enable you to cast big distances (although not always necessary) might be a good idea. As for what type of line to use, any decent mono will do. Mind you, braid really works well here in Portugal!
When it comes to what type of rigs to use in Portugal, you do not need to worry. Because most of these Portuguese carp have never been caught, you do not have to worry about fancy rigs/hook links in Portugal.Straight forward braid or mono hook links are just the job. A basic bolt-rig with a bottom or poped-up bait will get the results. When it comes to what hooks to use, well, just remember that these carp are a lot tougher than their British cousins, so good strong carp hooks are a must. Something like Fox''s "Series 2XS" in the following sizes will do: #4, #6 and #8. It would be a good idea if you were to use barbless hooks due to the fact that these fish have very tough mouths and lips! One thing that you will not have to worry about is too much weed in the waters. The only weed that we seem to come across is nice and small, just covering some of the lake''s bed.
Baits!
Now this is easy. As mentioned above, most of these carp have never seen a hook, let alone a bait! Sweet corn, luncheon meat, pellets and even paste all work well. But, by far, the boilie is the best! What''s more, the Portuguese carp take to them straight away without having to do loads of pre-baiting. All types of boilies work, but for the best results, fish-meals are a better choice, they are rather partial to them. We have found that Nutrabaits "Big Fish Mix" range do really well! By the way, the "Method" does extremely well over in Portugal!
There are two things that might be worth taking into consideration. Although we do not have to contend with "Poison Chat" here in Portugal, we do have two terrors to deal with. Red-Signal Crayfish and Terrapins! Once these find your hook-bait they will destroy it. Sometimes, if you are using smallish baits, you might even end up with a terrapin actually on your hook! So if you are going to use boilies, we recommend that you use sizes from 18mm up and really hard ones. Air-dried boilies would be a safe bet.
If you are now wondering as to what tackle to bring over, don't worry too much. The same as you would use in the UK will do for carping over here in Portugal.
Night Fishing
At long last, some fantastic news. As of the 1st of January, 2018, the laws surrounding night fishing have been lifted, but not on all waters. Please go to our FAQ pages to find out more.