Sport fishing and nature in Extremadura
Do you want to come to Extremadura and don't know where to start? Find here the keys to face your fishing days!
Physical and online store located in Villanueva de la Serena.
Sale of articles of all kind of fishing
Sale of articles of all kind of fishing
Decathlon Villanueva de la 
Serena
Sale of articles of all kind of fishing
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Bastien Nicolay left his home country (France) to come to Extremadura to work as a fishing guide a few years ago. He has won 2 Euro Nitro Cups and guided hundreds of clients since then, with magnificent results.
Daniel Martín Contreras Professional fishing guide in Extremadura, more than ten years of experience as a guide, we have one of the best boats for predator fishing, equipped with the latest in sonar technology. Today we hold the official EUROPA record for black bass competition.
Carlos Díaz Domingo, a guide with years of experience in the reservoirs of Extremadura, specializing in the reservoirs of Alcántara, Orellana, García de Sola, La Serena and Zújar. Specialist in fly fishing.
Although he moves around Castilla y León, my good friend Marcos is one of the best guides you can hire in the Iberian Peninsula. Detailed, meticulous and very versatile, whatever species you are looking for with him your possibilities will grow exponentially.
This newly built house offers accommodation by rooms in a familiar and cosy atmosphere. https://www.casaruraleln
Great bar / restaurant with new apartments on the top floor. Quality food at an economical price, variety of drinks, good music…
Manolo and Paqui will make you feel at home in an atmosphere where fishing is everywhere.
If you manage an accommodation or a restaurant in the community, do not hesitate to contact us to advertise here.
With a flooded area of 776 hectares, Almaraz lake is very peculiar, because its main function is to cool the turbines of the Almaraz nuclear power plant. It is located in the east of the province of Cáceres and its level is stable throughout the year. The reservoir collects water from the River Tajo, this water is propelled to the nuclear power plant itself (channelled through walls located in the centre of the reservoir) and is returned to the River Tajo after a long journey in which it loses temperature.
Due to its peculiar characteristics it has become, in addition to sport fishing, a reference for the observation of waterfowl, housing very important populations of some endangered species.
The area in which the water has not yet reached the plant is called the “cold” area and the rest of the reservoir is considered the “hot” area. The water has a temperature several degrees higher than that of the surrounding reservoirs, due to this cooling function. This fact added to the high level of eutrophication means that they are always turbid, to a greater or lesser extent.
The bottom of the reservoir is practically flat, as it has been built by excavating in a similar way to a gravel pit and only in some areas do we find the bottom full of small rounded stones and pebbles. Most of the reservoir’s bottom is covered with silt and mud, from the decomposition produced by the abundant reeds and cattails that surround it.
The only anthropic structures we find are the slopes of some surrounding roads and the aforementioned wall in the “center” of the reservoir, which is practically impossible to reach from the shore with our lures.
The reservoir is almost entirely surrounded by cattails, reeds and other plants linked to wetland ecosystems. This vegetation is very dense, especially in the warmer months, making the reservoir practically inaccessible from most of its banks, except for the accesses “built” by fishermen.
In this tangle of vegetation, most of the fish find shelter and food, so we must prepare ourselves to fish in what we call “heavy cover”, although the currents present in the most central areas of the reservoir will also allow us to fish in “open water” with other types of lures.
It is a reference reservoir for black bass fishing in winter, since the higher temperature of its waters contributes to the fish maintaining high levels of activity, even in the coldest months.
The crawfish has always been the main prey, although in recent years bleak have also come in from the Tajo. There is also presence of mosquitofish, sunfish and some frogs.
Navigation is forbidden in Almaraz reservoir, so fishing is only possible from the shore. We must bear in mind that a large part of the reservoir is closed from March 1 to August 1 because it is an SPA area. The sections highlighted in orange are those where no fishing is allowed during this period.
Due to the enormous density of vegetation and the fairly uniform depths of the shores, the use of the wader is practically indispensable. It is important to locate the accesses to the reservoir beforehand, since sometimes there are stretches of bank several hundred meters long that are impassable due to the thickness of the cattails.
With a capacity of 1505hm3 and an area of 6565 hectares, Cíjara lake is another of the best known reservoirs for sport fishing. It is a clear water reservoir, although usually not as much as its neighbours García Sola and Orellana, and can find areas with more turbid waters than others in different parts of the reservoir.
Its main uses are electricity production, supply and irrigation, and level changes are relatively frequent, ranging from 700 to 1200 hm3 in a “normal” year. Do you want to know the level in real time? Click here.
The bottom of the reservoir is made up of very varied rocks that alternate in different areas: slate, schist, quartzite, greywacke, sandstone… with different levels of degradation.
It is a really extensive reservoir and we can find all kinds of structures. There are miles of creeks, huge beaches, but there are also multiple cuts and small boxed creeks, as it is in a fairly rugged area. We have quite interesting moderate slopes, so we can fish at a certain depth in a good number of areas.
Cut and “textbook” points, rip rap areas, large stone areas, submerged islands… we can find practically all kinds of structures, as long as we know the reservoir, that is.
The submerged vegetation, in the form of old trees, bushes, etc., is not notable for its abundance, although in rainy years, when the water level reaches the highest levels, a good number of bushes and some trees will be submerged, providing then a good amount of wood cover.
The underwater vegetation is quite abundant, we find extensive areas with interesting weeds, although sometimes the marked changes in level leave this vegetation too deep or even out of the water, and a significant percentage of it dries out.
Cíjara is one of the reference reservoirs in the world of sport fishing. Although it is not at its best either, the black bass and pike populations are starting to recover after several bad years.
It is no coincidence that the Euro Nitro Cup (one of the most important competitions at European level in the world of black bass) have been held in this lake most of the times.
The bleak is the main species of bait fish and its densities are growing today. After the initial explosion during which we could see endless shoals of bleak, came a time of drastic reduction, due in part to the entry of the zander. Today their populations are growing, and some interesting “balls” can be found again.
The crawfish is very abundant too, providing an interesting food source, especially in areas where there are not too many bleaks.Finally, we should also mention the sunfish,carp barbel and zander fry as a source of food for predatory species.
Navigation is allowed in a large part of the Cíjara reservoir, except for some sections in spring, to preserve the reproduction of protected birds.
Most of the banks are easily passable, although we must be careful with the cut-off areas, where fishing from the shore is not recommended due to their dangerous nature. There are quite a few areas that are difficult to reach from the shore, because there are not too many roads leading to the water.
For fishing with float tube or pontoon, no permit is required, because if they are less than 2.50m long, they are considered to be a complement to bathing according to the current legislation (2024).
With a capacity of 924 hm3 and a flooded area of 4683 hectares, Gabriel y Galán lake is of considerable size, and is located in the north of the province of Cáceres. Its main use is the production of hydroelectric energy, but it is also used for irrigation and drinking water supply. Level changes are frequent and marked. Its average level is between 300 and 700 hm3 although it is relatively frequent that its level goes out of these ranges, especially in very dry or very rainy years. Do you want to know the level in real time? Click here. The waters are very clear most of the year.
In addition to sport fishing, we can do other activities such as hiking, cycling, photography and birdwatching, as it is included in an SPA (Special Protection Area for Birds).
The main rocks that make up the bottom of the reservoir are slate and to a lesser extent granite in areas near the dam. The slopes are moderate, and we can find both large beaches and deeper areas, although these are usually far from the shore, which makes fishing from the shore difficult at certain times.
It is not a reservoir that is characterized by the presence of very marked structures, although we find several stone ones in certain areas: mainly walls and remains of old submerged buildings.
We occasionally find submerged vegetation: small trees and bushes but the vegetation cover is rather scarce.
We have an interesting variety of sport species, which although they do not usually reach record sizes, their densities are significant.
The bleak and the crawfish are the most abundant species in the Gabriel y Galán reservoir, but we also have the presence of sunfish, nase and crucian carp.
It is a moderately accessible reservoir on the shore since we can access it through a good number of roads, mainly in the area closest to the dam. The main creek area is more inaccessible from the shore and except in specific areas, it is more advisable to fish them from a boat.
Both motorised and non-motorised navigation is permitted on application to the CHT.
With a capacity of 554 hm3 and an area of 3550 hectares, García Sola lake is a reservoir on the Guadiana River well known to sport fishermen. Despite the fact that it is not in its best moment, its waters still shelter specimens of great quality. Like its neighbor Orellana, is characterized by the clarity of its waters (except for occasional episodes of flooding) and by the difficulty of its fish. This is largely due to the high fishing pressure to which it has been subjected in recent years.
It has a hydroelectric plant, although it also has other uses such as irrigation and supply. Its level is quite stable and usually varies between 250 and 400 hm3, rarely rising above these 400. Do you want to know the level in real time? Click here.
We can find very diverse structures, in a bottom covered mostly with schist and quartzite. We discover cut areas, mainly as we approach the dam, but also in the main riverbed of Guadiana. On the other hand, we also find extensive creeks and long stretches of laid shore.
We can also highlight extensive areas of rip rap, dotted with large quartzite rocks, where crawfish abound. There are several small islands and as far as anthropic structures are concerned we can highlight stone walls in some creeks, submerged roads, some old cass and the bridge of the N-502 road that goes from Castilblanco to Herrera del Duque.
There are not many areas where we can find submerged trees or wood, although near the Guadiana riverbed we can locate some. However, the coverage originated by the underwater vegetation is very important, and is expanding in recent years.
There are really extensive and dense “algueros” (like forests of weeds), which extend from the shore itself to areas where we are 8 meters deep or even more.
We must bear them in mind when fishing, as these algueros provide shelter and food for the different species of predatory fish, and are already spread over many areas of the lake.
Although it is not at its best, the García de Sola reservoir has always stood out for the enormous quality of its catches, mainly black bass, but also for pike or carp.
The bleak is the main source of food for predators, but its populations suffered a significant decline several years ago, coinciding with the arrival of the zander. This decline has influenced the morphology of the black bass, much more stylized than in the neighboring reservoir of Orellana.
Today the bleak is starting to recover, big schools of fish are beginning to be seen. The crawfish is quite abundant, as well as the sunfish. Large school of zander fries are also a good source of food in spring.
Sailing is permitted at the García de Sola reservoir, where several ramps have also been built to facilitate access for motor boats.
There are accessible stretches of shore, but there are not many roads leading to the water so we must be prepared to walk a lot if we want to reach some areas. Some shores are also quite steep, or are full of loose stones, which makes them uncomfortable to walk on.
For fishing from a float tube or a pontoon, it is not necessary to apply for any navigation permit, because if they are less than 2.50m long they are considered as complements to bathing according to the current legislation (2024).
The Horno Tejero reservoir has a capacity of 24 hm3 and a flooded area of 283 hectares. Boquerón is smaller, with a capacity of 6 hm3 and 124 hectares. Despite being small, Horno Tejero and Boquerón lakes are famous for the size of their catches. They are reservoirs for the supply of the population, so they do not usually have sudden changes of level. Generally we will find them near their maximum capacity, between 20 and 22 hm3 Horno Tejero and between 4 and 5 Boquerón. Its waters are very clear except for occasional moments of heavy rain and large floods in the streams. Do you want to know the level in real time? Click here and here.
Currently both are fishing preserves, managed by a local society of fishermen, but we can get permits in Budiex store in the municipality of Cordobilla de Lácara itself.
They are characterized by very gentle slopes and hardly any rocky structures. Except for a couple of areas where there is a little more unevenness, it is very difficult to access great depths fishing from the shore, an important factor to take into account when we face our fishing days.
The structures are practically reduced to the walls and their surroundings. In Horno Tejero there is also an old road, its slope and some very long points, but hardly steep, with a rocky bottom formed by schists and quartzite.
In Horno Tejero we have large areas of dry eucalyptus trees surrounding some banks of the reservoir, most of them remain standing although there are some lying down. These areas are only interesting when the reservoir is practically at 100% of its capacity, since as soon as the level drops to 21 or 22 hm3, most of them stay out of the water or in very shallow areas.
There are also remains of bush, mainly rockrose, which in rainy years can provide some cover for fish, although there are fewer and fewer of them and they deteriorate over the years.
The Boquerón reservoir, on the other hand, is almost entirely surrounded by reeds and cattails. This vegetation offers a very interesting cover, especially in years when it is at a high level. There are also some submerged holm oaks.
In the mouths of the creeks we have presence of underwater vegetation and some weeds, although they are not very significant.
In spite of being two rather small reservoirs, both are famous for the enormous sizes that their black bass and carp reach. Their crystalline waters and low slopes make it a real challenge, however.
They are one of the few reservoirs in which the bleak has not yet made an appearance. This does not prevent the predators from having a practically “unlimited” source of food with the crawfish, whose densities are very high.
The sunfish is also abundant in both reservoirs and we can find some tench.
Nowadays, navigation is allowed in both, so float tubes, pontoons and small boats can be used. A good part of the banks are easily accessible, due to the “flatness” of the banks. However, in order to access certain areas we will have to walk several kilometres as there are not many roads leading to the water.
Since May 2024 it is not navigable by any flotation device as a measure to avoid the propagation of Ludwigia sp and also one of its tails is a breeding area of Bonellí’s eagle.
With 13949 hectares and a maximum capacity of 3219 hm3, La Serena lake is the largest in the country and the second largest in the peninsula, only behind Alqueva, which is mostly in Portugal. It is located on the River Zújar, one of the rivers with the most irregular flows in Spain. One of the main reasons for its construction was to regulate this flow as the capacity of Zújar lake wasn’t enough to do it.
Currently its uses are also electricity production, supply and irrigation, being a reservoir generally without major fluctuations except in very rainy years. Its average level is between 2000 and 2500 hm3, although in the last 3 years it has been really low. Do you want to know its level in real time? Click here.
The reservoir is located in an environment of great plains with little trees. These lands were used for extensive cattle raising before the construction of the reservoir. The reservoir is a continuous succession of peaks and creeks with gentle slopes and many islands that become peninsulas when the level drops.
In general, there are not very marked changes in depth and at the bottom there are areas of sand with other areas where the mother rock appears (shales and sandstones), also finding some areas of loose stones. We found many submerged anthropic structures, due to the great extension that was flooded by its construction, getting to flood entire villages. Therefore, in some areas we can find remains of buildings, stone walls and other structures.
Due to its extension we find several bridges that offer very interesting shade spaces, especially in summer.
There is a good part of the reservoir that is “bare” but we can find several areas with dry submerged bushes, isolated trees and some small forests of oaks and eucalyptus.
These submerged forests are really famous for being frequented by really big pike. Some of the biggest pike in Spain have been taken here!
Although it does not usually have very sudden changes in level, variations can be quite a few meters in the vertical from one year to another. This makes it difficult for underwater vegetation to proliferate, which is only found at creek mouths in small strips.
La Serena is a huge reservoir in which we can find fish of all sizes. It’s famous for its big pike although we can also find very good specimens of black bass, barbel or catfish.
In addition to the bleak we find large schools of other small fish among which we can highlight barbels, carp, crucian carp, channel catfish … and there are still some nase. It is a reservoir with a very large population of cyprinids. There is also crawfish and sunfish.
Sailing is allowed, both with explosion and electric engines and of course also with kayaks, float tubes or pontoons.
The shores are generally very comfortable to walk on, although there will be days when we have to walk quite a few kilometres until we find the fish.
There are many paths around the reservoir, most of which end in cattle sheds… So we must be prepared to walk a few hundred meters to reach the shore in most areas.
With a capacity of 808 hm3 and a surface area of 5084 hectares, Orellana lake is one of the European references for predator fishing. Its high quality and crystalline waters make it one of the most difficult reservoirs to fish. Another factor that also influences this difficulty is the great density of baitfish and crawfish, providing almost unlimited feeding possibilities for the fish that live here.
Speak about Orellana is to speak about a reference lake at European level in the fishing of black bass, carp and pike but also for birdwatching.
Electricity production, supply and irrigation are its main uses. We can also highlight the river beach present in the town of Orellana la Vieja, the only freshwater beach with blue flag certification. Its level is relatively stable, there are usually no abrupt changes and it tends to oscillate between 550 and 700 hm3. Do you want to know the level in real time? Click here.
It is a reservoir in which we can find all types of slopes and structures although moderate slopes predominate. The predominant rock at the bottom is slate. Except in some very specific areas, the slopes are not usually too steep so we can walk along the bank without problems in almost all its contour.
Here we can find large beaches with little slope, really long points (very characteristic of the reservoir), islands, cut areas, rip rap, areas with large rocks… In addition, in some specific points there are remains of old buildings and some stone walls, although they are not very common structures. The presence of two large bridges should be highlighted: Cogolludo and Casas de don Pedro in which there is usually a very good concentration of predators.
The reservoir is not characterised by an abundance of wood, although we can find submerged holm oaks in some areas of the reservoir.
For several years now, the main cover has been algae. There are large seaweed beds, the size of which varies according to the changes in level and the time of year, but in general they are very abundant. On the other hand, there are reeds and small bushes that are only covered by the water when the water level is really high.
This large amount of seaweed is going to be fundamental when choosing our lures, as many times we will not be able to use lures with trebles because it is impossible to cast without hooking into them.
Orellana lake is especially famous for the size of its black bass and carp, as well as for the abundance of pike, which also reaches very good sizes.
Zander. Present in the reservoir in the last few years, populations of this benthic predator have soared. Really large catches are still not frequent, but nowadays we can already catch some good sized ones. Also we can already enjoy days with several dozens of small and medium size catches in a single day.
The bleak has been present in the reservoir for many years. In the beginning it was common to see huge balls of bleak in the main watercourses as well as in the water inlets. In the last 2 years their population has been drastically reduced with the arrival zander. Now in 2024 we start to see shoals again and it is expected that their populations will recover quite a lot in the future.
The crawfish is also incredibly abundant, which is why we are in a reservoir where the fish have plenty of food in all the water layers.
Finally, it is worth mentioning the sunfish, also abundant and together with the fry of the predators themselves, it complements their diet.
Navigation is permitted in most of the Orellana reservoir, except for a section at the main tail. This section is forbidden because it is considered a sensitive area for the reproduction of protected birds. Since July 2024, motorized navigation has also been prohibited in the area near the dam, indicated on the map below (to the left of the red line).
Most of the banks are easily accessible for shore fishing, but we must bear in mind that access is limited, with areas of several kilometres that cannot be reached by any local road. If you want to avoid the trek and have a better chance of catching a record fish, don’t hesitate to contact the guides we collaborate with.
For fishing from float tube or pontoon, no permit is required, because if they are less than 2.50m long, they are considered to be a complement to bathing according to the current legislation (2024). If you want to use an electric motor you would need a licence.
