Fishing guide in Extremadura

Why hiring a fishing guide? Why do it in Extremadura? Here I am going to give you a series of tips on how to do it. Whether it is the first time for you hiring a fishing guide or if you have already done it more than once, I hope this article will help you.

Hiring a fishing guide Why?

At this point I will try to answer the first question. I can think of several excellent reasons for doing so, and I will describe them below. Although I am currently working as a fishing guide (of course, if you are interested in hiring my services, go ahead), the aim of this article is to give you a better understanding of the advantages of this service. Whether you decide to hiring Top Fishing as if you decide to hire another guide, I hope that the experience will be satisfactory and that you will want to repeat it.

First of all, you have to be clear about your objective: what species do you want to fish for, do you prefer quantity or quality, do you have a preference for a specific reservoir, are you flexible with your dates? It is very important that you are clear about all this before you start in order to be able to focus the shot and enjoy the experience to the maximum.

It is not the same to try a 3000 in Orellana in February as it is to enjoy a multi-species day in April in Alcántara.

In the first case you will probably have very few bites during the day and the zero is a real possibility. In the second case you will enjoy a day with multiple bites of different species but you will hardly be able to catch a really big fish.

Which do I choose first: the lake or the guide?

Once you have decided this, you can choose either the lake or the guide. There are guides who have a good knowledge of several lakes and others who are very specialised in one in particular. For me it is important to have several “controlled” lakes in order to be able to adapt as well as possible to the client’s needs at any given moment. The lakes undergo cycles and there are even times of the year in which, in a particular reservoir, it is really difficult to enjoy. In my case, I work in Orellana, García Sola, Zújar, Alcántara and Alqueva. Of course there are guides today who have a better knowledge of some of these reservoirs than I do. However, I have preferred to differentiate myself by my versatility, both in terms of lakes and species.

The best guide for you

If we want to fish in a particular place, either because we want or because we know that there are huge specimens of a certain species in its waters, it is probably best to hire a specialised guide. If there is a guide who gives us a good vibe, a good feeling or we believe that we can learn a lot from him in a day, we will also be right if we choose him.

It does not mean that a more “versatile” guide will not control the lake, all the guides know the best spots of each lake. Simply if a person fishes all year round in X lake and fishes there for 150 days, for example, the chances of “catching more fish” may be a little higher than hiring a guide who fishes in 3 different scenarios, 60 or 70 days in each one. But fishing is not an exact science, you have to make decisions and there are days when no matter how well the guide does his job, the fish just don’t bite and the results may not be what you expected.

Best areas and times

First of all I am going to talk about Extremadura. Today there are specific spots on the Iberian Peninsula where you can probably catch more or bigger fish. However, at a regional level, Extremadura is still by far the region with the highest number of quality venues both in qualitative and quantitative terms. You have lakes in which you can catch really big pike, reservoirs in which you can do numbers…. And the same goes for black bass, barbel or zander. Extremadura is the region with the largest number of km of fresh coastline, but also the region with the largest surface area of navigable reservoirs in km2.

If you want more information on which are the best scenarios for each species you can click on the article fishing in Extremadura. In this one I prefer to focus on the advantages of hiring a guide. A guide will offer you personalised advice on which are the best areas at any given moment. They will also advise you on the best lures to use depending on the conditions. Of course, I’m the first person who likes to investigate, explore and discover… But there are times when our time availability is limited, we don’t have a boat with which to access less pressured areas? Or we simply want to enjoy a day without pressure and learn with a great fisherman.

Hiring a guide, an experience

For me, fishing with a guide is a learning experience. Of course the chances of having excellent results will increase exponentially but seeing how he goes into the positions, what lures he uses and why are very enriching details.

I remember one day in January when I fished together with Dani from Entrerríos Boats in which the target was black bass. It was going to be very difficult to catch any that year, but I still decided to choose that date. I know that he is a very good guide, that he knows a lot about Orellana and that I could learn a lot too. In the end we didn’t catch any black bass (we caught a handful of pike and zander and had fun) but I considered the trip more than satisfactory, as I learned a lot about winter black bass fishing, which at that time was not my speciality.

Another interesting option if we hire a guide is the possibility of fishing with him, especially if we go alone. For me, fishing with a guide will always be an enriching experience. However, the most logical thing to do is to hire between 2 or 3 people to make it more economical and in this case the guide will just take us to the best spots and give us the best indications.

Conclusions: list of advantages of hiring a fishing guide in Extremadura

If you still have any doubts, I hope this list will clear them up for you.

1. You will be able to fish in a region with an incredible biodiversity, as well as enjoy a great day of fishing. If you like wildlife and nature in general, the scenery in Extremadura is simply spectacular.
2. Extremadura is the region with the largest offer of fishing guides in the whole peninsula. We are currently more than 40 guides in the region, I am sure you will find what you are looking for here.
3. Extremadura has been, is and will continue to be a reference for predator fishing. Black bass, pike, barbel, pike-perch, catfish… whatever your favourite species, you will find incredible scenery here.

   

4. If you are looking for really big black bass, few communities will offer you this. Orellana, García Sola, Cíjara, Alqueva… in all these reservoirs you will have a real chance of catching a +3000. And if you are looking for a fun day with multiple catches between 1.5kg and 2.5kg, there are few places like Alcántara.
5. Extremadura is the region with the best barbels on the peninsula. Due to the large number of bait fish, the barbel is practically just another predator here. You can find the Common, Iberian, Andalusian or Small-headed. Reservoirs such as Cíjara, Alqueva, Alcántarta, Alange, Zújar or La Serena will make for an unforgettable day out.
6. If you want big pike you have a great offer again: Cíjara, García sola, Orellana or la Serena have been, are and will continue to be reference reservoirs for the fishing of these predators.
7. Fishing is not just about fishing, it is also about enjoying the landscapes, the villages and the gastronomy. Extremadura is one of the regions with the richest and most varied gastronomy, and why not say it, at a very good price. In several lakes there are restaurants on the shores of the lake where you can have breakfast, lunch or even dinner while your boat is parked just a few metres away.

If you have any questions, I’m here to help you with whatever you need. Whether it is to hire myself or to ask me for advice about other guides or reservoirs, this is still an informative website where we will try to help you as much as possible. Cheers and good fishing!