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This particular article looks solely at tackling one particular
water, this being lake Embalse de Chira, so if you are considering a
trip to the Canary Islands to fish the above lake (one of a number
that exist on Gran Canaria) then this article is aimed at assisting
you in achieving success on the lake.
If you are a regular reader of Carp Fisher, you may remember my
first ever article in the magazine, which was about this particular
lake. Since that article, i have been continually asked by anglers
for advice on how to tackle the fishing in Gran Canaria. The obvious
questions are "How to get there" and "How to fish
Lake Chira?" With this in mind i have decided to pass on some
of my experience on how to successfully organize and fish this lake.
I hope it will be informative and also helpful. My decision to pass
on this information was brought about while i was fishing in France,
in the World Cup Classic on lake Madine. It was an event that is
open to all nationalities, British, French, Dutch, German etc. One
of the less well known carping nations (Czechoslovakia) was
represented by just one team of anglers. On the night before the
match was due to take place, I was standing listening to the group
playing with all the other anglers from the different countries and
while eating a hot dog, the two Czechoslovakian carp anglers came
over to me, they both shook my hand and said, "thank you for
writing the article in Carp Fisher on Lake Chira, as we are members
of the Czech Carp Society, we recieve Carp Fisher and after reading
you article on Chira it inspired us to go and fish there. Before
reading your article we did not know that that country even
contained carp". They went on to tell me that they had had a
most enjoyable trip and they also must have spent at least half an
hour asking me questions on certain aspects of fishing in the
Canaries. So hopefully some of the points I will now cover will not
only answer their questions, but also the many other anglers that
have asked me the same questions of how to tackle Lake Chira.
The lake itself, is in fact, a reservoir and is used for irrigation
purposes as well as supplying water to the holiday resorts lower
down on the island. It was formed about thirty years ago by damming
a ravine in the mountains to trap the rainfall. Eventually, weed
growth became a problem and carp were introduced in order to keep
the weed in check. Although the carp were introduced to control the
weed, they have now given the locals a byproduct of some extra
income from all the foreign anglers that visit the lake to fish
there.
To have a successful trip to the lake I believe there are several
important factors to take into account when planning your venture,
such as:
Tackle:
This is an area that you will definitely need to work out well in
advance. The reason for this is because of the stringent baggage
allowance exercised by the airlines, You must be within the 22 kilos
luggage limit plus a maximum of 5 kilos for hand luggage. Certainly,
the 'Everything bar the kitchen sink' is way out of the question.
Excess baggage charges are high and it would be a costly business if
you attempt to take too much. In fact, if the plane is fully loaded,
the airline can and will refuse excess baggage anyway. But if
approached correctly, all necessary items of tackle you require to
fish the lake can be taken without a problem, i can assure you. I
have been to Chira on ten occasions and never had to pay a penny
excess baggage. Pre-weigh all your tackle so that you don't get
caught out at the check-in desk at the airport. You will find that
you will have to make some sacrifices to your normal set-up, which
you would use in this country, in order to obtain the correct
weight. Extra protection for your rods is vital and I would strongly
advise that you take them in a protective tube. I appreciate that a
tube would be extra weight but is of the utmost importance in order
that you rods arrive undamaged. I have seen anglers who have not
took the correct precautions to protect their rods and have paid the
price!
Rod tube protection.
Flight & Car Hire:
The kind of holiday you envisage will, of course, have a bearing on
the way you need to arrange it. Some anglers fish during the day
only, returning to pre-booked accommodation at night. Obviously, if
you follow this course then a package (with or without car hire) can
be arranged through your local travel agent. But if you decide to
book your car hire on arrival at the island, it is usually cheaper,
you just need to shop around a bit for the best price.
The second option is for anglers who wish to stay at the lake day
and night, which is my own choice. In this respect you you only have
to book a flight-only (no accommodation is required). My own
personal choice regarding car hire is to book through the travel
agent as I book my flight, I personally find it is essential to ask
for a roof rack to be fitted. Normally, this is provided at no extra
cost. Certainly, it is necessary in order that my rod tube can be
strapped on, to give much more room inside the car. I find that
advance booking is a far better option, as you really need the car
to be available on arrival at the airport, in order for you to load
up and drive straight to the lake with no problems of trying to find
a car.
The third option includes a bit of both of the first two. You may
wish to contemplate a small apartment close to the lake. This would
give you the choice of staying close to the lakeside, whether or not
you fish any or all of the nights. If this option is preferred then
accommodation can be booked in advance through Augustin Cabera ( I
will give you his contact numbers a bit further on ).
Finally the last choice is for the angler who wishes to sit back ,
leaving all the arrangements for someone else to sort out. If this
is what you are looking for then a 'phone call to my old mate Mick
Hall will give you this option. He fishes and runs organised
excursions to the lake on a regular basis. His telephone number is
01992 7672525 or mobile 0956 229148. He has a lot of experience of
fishing the lake and is more than capable of taking care of all your
needs.
Route to the lake:
Embalse de Chira, along with several of the lakes on the island, is
in the centre of Gran Canaria, one of the Canary Islands. To get to
Chira, if your not with Mick on a guided trip to the lake, is first
turn left out of Las Palmas airport on the 812 towards Playa del
Ingles. Stay on this road until you have passed through San Augustin
and are entering Playa del Ingles. From here, leave the 812 and head
towards Fatiga. Follow this road until you reach San Bartoleme, a
small town in the centre of the island. Go through the town centre
and make for La Plata. After this, there will be a turning on the
left signposted Embalse de Chira. Follow this to the lake. Just a
word of warning that the drive to the lake can be a bit scary so be
careful if it is your first tim!
Camping & Fishing Permits:
Fishing permits used to be available from the Icona Office in Las
Palmas. This has now changed and you have to obtain your permit from
Cabildo de Gran Canaria, 1-3 35002 Las Palmas, de Gran Canaria, Tel:
928 38 50 03. There is also a fax which is 928 36 71 24. Make sure
you obtain the special fishing permit as this allows you to fish
with more than one rod. If you wish to camp at the lake on an area
that is privately owned, then you must negotiate with the local land
owner for permission. But if you wish to avoid the hassle of a trip
to Las Palmas for a licence, or searching out the relevant land
owners, the Augustin Cabera (who Imentioned earlier) can obtain this
for you in advance. His address is 129, Presa de Irana, San
Bartoleme, Tirajana, Gran Canaria. Tel: 928 12 90 60 or fax: 928 71
22 39. He does, by the way, speak perfect English.
Fishing the Lake:
There are an abundance of features around the lake, all of which
will need investigating. You must fish to these features if you wish
to do well. The depth varies greatly from three to four feet close
in to the edge, dropping off quickly in some areas to thirty or
forty feet only a couple of rod lengths out, and up to one hundred
feet at the dam end of the lake ( remember that the lake is a dammed
off ravine ). If you wish to get some idea of how deep the lake is,
just walk up to and along the dam, then look over the other side of
it away from the lake. There are many different types of swims
ancluding several on the road side. Here it is possible to drive
straight up to the lakeside and fish, more or less, out of the back
of the car. There are also several swims on the far side of the lake
where a boat is required for access. These swims are probably more
for the adventurous type ( like myself ). Personally, I have tackled
all the different types of swims and have had good bags of carp and
decent sized fish from most of them. You can tackle most of them by
either fishing on the bottom or on the surface. When fishing on the
bottom, I like to fish close in, in depths of between six to fifteen
feet, I have had carp from upto thirty five feet in depth, but this
is not normally the best depth to contact feeding fish. I have found
that carp can be caught off the top quite easily, both in the
margins and at distance with the aid of a small boat. The fish will
take most floating baits e.g. bread, dog biscuits, chum mixer etc.
When fishing in the Canaries, I tend to step up the specification of
all my tackle and I would advise you to do the same. Certainly, the
use of snag leaders is a must because of the bottom being extremely
rocky. I also take a waterproof covering for my bedchair. This come
in handy as I regularly sleep under the stars and it also converts
my bedchair into an unhooking mat when required, this not only
provides good protection for the fish, but also helps in reducing
the weight of my gear, with no bivvy and large unhooking mat needed,
re my earliar advice aboutbaggage allowance. Another of the ways I
reduce the weight of the tackle I take with me, is by not including
any cooking equipment or cooker, my own personal preference is to
eat and drink at the local bars and restaurants which are situated
only a few minutes walk from the lake. This not only provides you
with a break each day from the very hot conditions of fishing the
lake, but also helps you meet the local villagers who use the bars,
I find them to be very friendly even though there is a language
barrier. But if you are the sort of angler who must have his cup of
Earl Gray each day and cook your own food, then you can purchase all
the supplies you will require, even a camping gas cooker, as you are
on the way to the lake, after you have driven through the town of
San Bartoleme and starting to enter La Plata you will see on your
right hand side a large supermarket which lies back just off the
road. This supermarket not only will sell you all the provisions you
will need but also a variety of things you can use as bait on the
lake, i.e. maize, chick peas, sweetcorn etc. This is another good
way of keeping your weight down for the plane and believe me I have
caught more carp in Chira on baits like sweetcorn, than I ever have
on boilies.
If you are thinking of a trip to Chira then I hope some of the
information contained in this article will have helped you. If there
is a question I have not covered and you would like an answer for, I
attend all the Carp Society conferences, so just walk up to me and
ask, I will be only too happy to help you.
Good luck and tight lines till next time.
Big Ron Woodward
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