Category: Other scenarios

Characteristics of Almendra lake

Practically as big as unknown,  Almendra lake is the third largest in the country, only surpassed in capacity by the Alcántara and La Serena reservoirs. It has 2649 hm3 and a floodable area of 8650 hectares and is located on the Tormes River in the province of Salamanca.

Its main use is hydroelectric, although a good part of the municipalities in the west of Salamanca are supplied by its waters. Of course bathing and fishing in the summer months are activities that also take place in its waters. It is located in a very unpopulated environment in which human presence is practically imperceptible… Most of the villages that bathe its waters have barely a few hundred inhabitants.

Bottom composition and structures

If we talk about Almendra lake, we have to talk about the granite. Kilometres and kilometres of granite, with its typical more or less large “pebbles” and endless beaches of sand, coming from the degradation of these granites. In few reservoirs the granite is such a typical rock as in Almendra, where practically 100% of the bottom of the reservoir is formed by it.

Of course there are differences between the different areas, both in terms of slopes and in terms of size or state of degradation of the rocks. In general it is a reservoir with medium slopes, in which we can find really great depths, over 50 meters in the riverbed. However, there are also many areas with slight slopes where we can move tens of metres away from the bank without reaching much depth. There are also a number of large creeks on both the Zamora (northern) and Salamanca (southern) slopes.

The greatest handicap of this reservoir, from the point of view of predator fishing, is that the soil is very sandy and hardly contains any organic matter. This absence of organic matter means that the density of “prey” species is low and therefore the population of predators is also low.

Vegetation and cover

Normally it is a reservoir that is between 50 and 75% capacity, which makes the proliferation of vegetation in the streams that flow into it complicated. Some rainy years, in which the level remains high and stable during the spring months, there is a lot of underwater vegetation, especially in the main streams. However, in most years there is hardly any vegetation, except seasonally at these points and in small quantities.

On the other hand, there was a part of the floodable surface that was not cut down at the time, and we found areas with quite a few wood, mainly holm oaks. There are also some ash trees on creek bottoms when the reservoir is very low, but the holm oak is the dominant tree. In this case, the years in which the level is low are the best, as there is a greater percentage of trees submerged at a certain depth, and they come to the surface especially when the level drops. As it is a reservoir with little coverage of any kind, these areas of holm oaks are usually very important points to take into account.

Main fish species

The Almendra reservoir has never stood out for having high densities of predators. Due to its large size and what was said before about the bottoms, many times we will find kilometres and kilometres of shore not very productive… Even so, if we have the opportunity to frequent it we will end up finding fish.

Today the zander is the “queen” of the reservoir, although we can still find some pikes and black bass of good size.

• Pike. In the past Almendra was famous for its great pikes. Practically every year, several specimens came out above two figures, some of them well above. Today it is very difficult to find them, although some still remain. Their main handicap is the lack of food, since the bleak has been scarce for several years.

  

• Black bass. Almendra lake has never stood out for its density of black bass nor for its size, but it has had times when pulling out a good handful of medium sized specimens was not complicated. The positive side is that it has a very low fishing pressure, and when you find them they usually bite quite well.

Another interesting species

• Zander. In recent years its population has grown exponentially, and is now stabilized or even slightly declining… It adapted really well to the reservoir and today we can catch very interesting specimens above 4 even 5 kg in weight. At certain times we can find interesting concentrations in which we can catch quite a few medium sized specimens. Its presence has had a very negative influence on the bleak population.

  

• Common barbel. The barbel in this reservoir has predatory behavior, especially in years when the level is low and there is not much food on the banks. In these cases, the small fish are part of their diet and become more aggressive towards the lures. The average size is very interesting (between 2 and 3 kg), and fish over 4 kg can be caught.

Prey species in Almendra lake

One of the main limiting factors in the development of predator populations in Almendra has always been the shortage of food. The bleak has been in the reservoir for tens of years, although its population never exploded. With the arrival of the zander, its population has been greatly reduced, and it is really difficult to find any bleak in the reservoir.

In addition to the bleak, the crawfish and the sunfish have always been present, although in rather low densities. And finally we would have the carp, crucian carp and barbel fry which, especially in spring, are a supplementary source of food.

Access and navigation

Almendra lake is navigable but you need to get a permit from the Duero River Basin, even to fish it from float tube or pontoon. As it is a reservoir with great changes of level and does not have a ramp, if we want to put our boat there we must know the accesses very well as it is not easy to find suitable areas.

It is a very extensive reservoir and although the banks are not excessively steep, there are not too many paths that end at the shore either, so we will have to walk a lot if we want to fish from the shore.

Finally, if you want to get an idea of which lures to use, I recommend that you read this excellent post from blog Pescade. Good catch!!

Characteristics of El Vellón lake

El Vellón lake, also known as Pedrezuela or Guadalix reservoir, has a capacity of 41 hm3 and a flooded area of 393 hectares. Despite being a small reservoir, the great density of pike and carp that populate it makes it one of the references of the Community of Madrid. It is located at an altitude of 780 metres, and its waters are not as clear as in other reservoirs in the mountains. In fact in summer the waters get really murky which at certain times facilitates fishing for predators.

It is currently a fishing reserve, managed by the fishing society of Vellón. We can get day permits in their website, or in the Sol bar in Guadalix or the Luna bar in El Molar. We can also get the permits telematically in the Madrid region’s website.

The reservoir is located in a medium sized area, however access is easy and there are many paths along the shore. These paths are very “followed” due to the large number of fishermen who frequent it. It is important to note that a good percentage of the shores are forbidden (red areas on the map). We must be very sure of which areas we are going to fish before we go to avoid unpleasant surprises. It is also very important to park the vehicle in the areas prepared for this purpose to avoid possible sanctions.

Bottom composition and structures

In this reservoir we will find both cut areas with steep slopes and abundant rocks, as well as large beaches. The cut areas will allow us to reach good depths a few meters from the shore. However, we must bear in mind that because of the type of rock there is (mainly schist), the hook-ups will be frequent.

The area of Guadalix de la sierra is generally a low-slope, shallow area. This area is especially interesting in spring, as the pike and carp use these large beaches to spawn and aso in autumn. The area closest to the dam has steeper slopes, with alternating peaks, cuts, areas of loose rocks… There are also several small streams that flow into the reservoir, which can be interesting at certain times.

Vegetation and cover

Both at the mouth of the Albalá stream and at the mouth of the Guadalix river itself we will find underwater vegetation. When we have rainy years and the level of the reservoir is high, the abundance of this vegetation will be much greater. In addition to this underwater vegetation, there is also riverbank vegetation, mainly reeds and small trees or bushes, which also remain semi-submerged in rainy years.

In addition to this vegetation, there are a good number of fallen trees that are found at the highest levels of the reservoir. Again, rainy years such as this 2020 will allow the level of the reservoir to rise enough that a large percentage of these trees will be under water.  In dry years the vegetation cover is scarce but in rainy years we will have multiple positions with covers on which the numerous pike that populate the reservoir will be placed.

Main fish species

Unlike Atazar lake, here the pike is the only predator. It is probably the Madrid reservoir with the highest density, which makes it one of the best destinations for pike fishing within the Community. We can also highlight the size of its carp.

Despite its high fishing pressure, El Vellón stands out for the great density of pike that inhabits it.

• Pike. Although the density is high, if we are looking for a really big pike then it is not our reservoir. We rarely catch specimens over 5 kg of fish and very exceptionally specimens over 90 cm are caught. However, small and medium-sized specimens are abundant, with catches of between 1 and 3 kg being very frequent.
• Carp. This reservoir is also a reference for carpfishing fishermen. It is not a record carp reservoir, but for the average size of this species present in the community, it is a very interesting reservoir, in which we can get carp over 15 kg.

Prey species in El Vellón lake

The sunfish is probably the most abundant species of grass fish in the reservoir. The sunfish finds in this reservoir an excellent environment in which to carry out its laying and there is practically no stretch of shore in which we do not see them. In addition to the sunfish there are carp fry, crucian carp, some tench and common rudd. The common rudd is a rare fish in the Community, but in this reservoir we can observe it moving in small groups, offering a very appetizing snack for pike.

Finally, the presence of frogs and a good density of crawfish, which serve as food for both pike and large carp, should also be noted.

Access an navigation

It is a reservoir in which navigation for fishing activity is prohibited, being also forbidden for bait. Therefore carpfishing fishermen will need to use bait boats if they want to bait far from the shore.

As I indicated above, it is very important to take into account the areas that are closed, since the ranger visits the reservoir every day to ask for the corresponding permits.

The banks of El Vellón lake are quite accessible and we have several points where we can park our vehicle, so we will never have to walk more than 2 or 3 kilometers to access the area we want to fish. However, it is important to wear suitable footwear, especially in the area near the dam to avoid falls.

Characteristics of Guadiana tables

In this post I’m going to refer to all the Guadiana tables (also called ponds). I’m also going to refer to those formed in its different tributaries in the province of Badajoz. The main tributaries that have interesting tables are: Zújar, Gargáligas, Ruecas, Guadámez, Matachel, Guerrero, Gévora and Zapatón. From the height of the walls of Orellana and Zújar lakes, up to the end of the Alqueva reservoir, there are hundreds of tables, some better, some worse but in all of them we will find a diversity of predators.

The Guadiana River, due to its flow regime and the abundant dams that regulate it, has numerous tables in which there is hardly any current. The scarce current present is usually found at the entrance and exit of these elongated pools.

A little over a decade ago, these scenarios were true paradises where we could obtain dozens of catches in a single day practically just by throwing a lure into the water.

The overpressure of fishing (the arrival of google maps made them much more accessible), and the arrival of the water hyacinth and the Mexican waterlily are their main threats today. However if we know the river well and invest the necessary time we can still enjoy entertaining days, not only in terms of quantity but also in quality of the catches.

Bottom composition and structures

Because the area we are talking about is more than 100 kilometers long, the geological diversity that exists is important. However, as in all river ecosystems, we will find bottoms with gravel, sediments, etc.

In some areas, the least, we will find at the bottom the mother rock forming some structures, generally rounded by erosion. There are areas of granite, areas of slate, areas of schist… but in most of the tables at the bottom we will only find sand, silt and clay among which some gravel is splashed. Occasionally we will also find bridges, mills and other interesting anthropic structures, in addition to the constructed dams themselves.

Vegetation and cover

If there is one thing that makes these ecosystems stand out, it is the abundance of coverage. A large part of these rivers are home to eucalyptus, poplars, ashes and other typical riverbank trees. In a good number of cases these trees are “thrown” in the middle of the river due to various causes. These semi-submerged trees offer excellent cover for black bass, pike and barbel…

On the other hand, the riverside vegetation right on the shore also offers extraordinary coverage. The levels of these ponds are usually quite stable (except during the winter floods), so the trees, bushes, brambles etc. will offer shadows that are excellent bets.

Finally, I would like to highlight the tables in which rushes, reeds and cattails abound… but also the areas of water lilies and other aquatic plants. All this vegetation that is partially submerged also serves as a refuge for predators and allows them to both rest and hunt. These tables will also allow us to do a “heavy cover” fishing, very technical and entertaining and that we will not have the opportunity to practice in most of the reservoirs.

Main fishing species

These river ecosystems offer an interesting biodiversity of ichthyofauna, among which I will highlight the following predators.

• Black Bass. You could say that black bass is “the king of the river”. All these rivers offer you an excellent ecosystem in which to complete all its biological stages in a favorable environment. The density is very high and the average size rather small, but in certain tables with enough food and depth we can find large specimens, some even above 3 kg.
• Pike. We can also find pike in practically all these ecosystems. However, their populations will proliferate more in those ponds with colder and oxygenated waters, in the larger ones and in those with more current.

  

• Iberian barbel. The iberian barbel is the great native predator of these waters. Despite the fact that not all specimens show a predatory behaviour and that there are times of the year when they take the lures better than others, it is a species to be taken into account. Since bleak populations are stable in most of the river sections, a higher percentage of barbels have predatory habits. We can find very good specimens, being not uncommon the catches over 5 kg.
• Carp. The carp is very abundant in the river as the ecosystem it offers is also ideal for it. The carp of medium size are very abundant but in certain ponds we can capture big specimens, even exceeding 15 kg of weight.

Prey species of Guadiana tables

The bleak and the crawfish are the main prey of the predators that inhabit these waters. Both species are truly abundant, offering a virtually unlimited food source in most cases.

On some tables we also have an abundance of carp, barbel and carp fry, and more and more channel catfish. Channel catfish in some areas reach really big sizes and we can even catch them with lures. In some sub-basins we also find some native species that are logically threatened among such a biodiversity of predators. The cacho, the pardilla, the pejerrey, the colmilleja, the calandino or the fraile are some of them…

Access and navigation

In the Guadiana River basin, the float tube is considered to be a complementary element to bathing. We can use both float tube and kayak or pontoon to navigate the different sections, all according to the current legislation. In most of the tables to have a floating vehicle is essential, since without it we will hardly be able to access most of the fishing areas. The vegetation on the banks usually forms an inaccessible tangle so we must locate the points where we can introduce our means of flotation in the water.

In some places we can fish from the shore, some gravel pits near the river or some ponds near the cities of Merida or Badajoz have better access. Nevertheless I recommend the use of the float tube in 95% of the cases since we will be able to have much better results.

Characteristics of Atazar lake

With a capacity of 426hm3 and a surface area of 1070 hectares, Atazar lake is the largest in the Community of Madrid. Located at an altitude of more than 800 metres, it is characterised by its very clear and cold waters, which are discharged directly from rivers and streams in the mountains.

The reservoir is located in a really beautiful environment, rich in fauna and vegetation and is one of the areas of the community with less human impact at the level of infrastructure, buildings, etc. Its main uses are supply, irrigation and electricity, although it also has recreational uses in terms of fishing and sailing (there is a sailing club in Cervera de Buitrago).

Bottom composition and structures

At the bottom of the reservoir there are sandy areas where the mother rock is granite or quartzite alternate with other areas where the bottom is composed of shales and schist. We find naked rock in a very important percentage of the bottom of the reservoir, which limits the accumulation of organic matter and food.

The area of Berrueco and Cervera is very sandy and there are large beaches dotted with rounded rocks and some cutting areas. Towards the dam, however, we find much more cut and boxed areas, in which we find some points and where slates and schists predominate.

In general it is a very boxed and deep reservoir so the “living” area for the fish is certainly reduced for a reservoir of its size.

Vegetation and cover

We can find several areas with submerged trees that appear according to the level of the reservoir. As the reservoir is so enclosed, the variations in height are very large, which makes the proliferation of underwater vegetation very difficult. Only at the mouth of the Riato river and in some streams can we find some underwater plants.

The submerged trees are mainly holm oaks and offer good cover for the pike and black bass that live there. However, in general it is a fairly “bare” reservoir in which there is not much cover of plant origin.

Main fish species

Atazar lake is not noted for its abundance of predators. Although the bleak has been in the reservoir for several years now and its densities are important, the configuration of its banks and the fact that the water is really cold in winter make it difficult for them to proliferate. The significant changes in level during the spawning season do not favour good results either.

However, despite its low density, it is a reservoir famous for its large Black bass and pike

• Pike. The reservoir was built in 1972 and pike have been inhabiting its waters for decades. There is not a great density of them, although a large percentage of the shores are inaccessible or impassable so it is not easy to know their true potential either. However, very large pike have been caught well beyond the meter barrier.
• Black bass. There is not a high density, although it is a relatively common fish in the reservoir and its average size is rather small,

  

  below half a kilo. The catch of fish over one kilogram is already commendable, although sometimes fish weighing well over 2 kilograms are caught.

• Trout. Its catches are occasional and it is by no means an abundant predator in the reservoir.
• Barbel. The barbel has a very low predatory behavior, despite the abundance of bleaks. However, there are large specimens and sporadically we can catch some with artificial lure.

Prey species in Atazar lake

For only a few years now, the bleak has made its presence felt and its explosion has been incredible. During the spring and summer months it is difficult to find any area of the reservoir where we do not see bleak…

We also have a very large density of barbels of all sizes. Banks of small barbels abound and are one of the main prey of the large pike that inhabit these waters. There are carps, some eels, and finally, we should also mention the sunfish and the crawfish, whose populations, although not spectacular, also complement the diet of black bass and pike.

Access and navigation

The reservoir is navigable but not motorized, according to the Tajo Hydrographic Confederation. In fact there is a sailing club in Cervera de Buitrago, however it is not entirely clear whether you can use a float tube or a pontoon for fishing, so I do not dare to say.

The accesses are the great limitation of this reservoir. We can access the shore by only 4 or 5 accesses, some of them quite far away from it so most of its banks are “virgin”. If we want to discover new areas, we will have no choice but to walk long stretches along the banks in general quite steep and sloping … It is essential to come with adequate footwear to avoid frights.