CKB
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2020
- Messages
- 246
- Reaction score
- 1,577
- Points
- 93
- Location
- Channel Islands
- Favourite Fishing
- Shore
I recently had the opportunity to head out to Fuerteventura on a fishing expedition. A good friend, Shaun Conlane, has just moved out to Dubai, and couldn't go on the trip, and very kindly offered me his flight tickets. I gratefully jumped at the chance to get away and see somewhere new and exciting. I was away in the USA for Autumn 23, fishing in red drum tournaments in the magical Outer Banks, USA, and to be honest, I have been missing the sun and warmth ever since. It feels like we have had 5 or 6 months of October weather. The winds have been roaring here in the Channel Islands, and the skies have been opening.
I packed a short rod tube as Auringy limited me to 6 feet, and one holdall, with the usual hand luggage that burns any ordinary man's shoulders, full of camera gear. I had the usual stress of stormy seas and getting a ferry to meet my flight. I was green as a turtle after leg one and sat in St Peter Port, yomping down a fish and chips in Christie's, after a good soaking navigating the high street. I was glad to get the first couple of legs of the journey out of the way, and to be up in Manchester meeting Liam and Richard at T1. We stayed in a hotel for the night near the airport, my brother, Mike, also happened to be in Manchester, so he popped in to say hello and meet the lads for an hour.
We were off very early the next morning and full of excitement. I'd been to the Island back in 1998 with family, but I had never wet a line there. Fuerteventura was, as I expected, arid, with a rugged coastline that you'd expect on many of these volcanic Atlantic islands. After grabbing the second car (the first wouldn't accommodate rod tubes), we headed off to the digs in Tarajalejo, which were perfect for Liam and I. Richard's girlfriend, Helene was arriving from Switzerland on the same day, and he was staying with her in separate accommodation.
We unpacked the gear and started prepping for a session. I had intended to diarise each day or write some words when freshly back from the trip, but it has been a month of work and obligations for me since my return, and I'll be honest, most of the rest of the trip is a blur in my mind with some notable highlights. The photos are finally organised, but we still have hours of GoPro footage that hasn't been looked at or edited yet. I am going give you the highlights.
We had what I think was the toughest week of fishing in my life. So many casts, for so few takes during those long night sessions. Liam and I were broken on a daily basis by the wind, occasional rainstorms, and lack of fish activity. We probably slept 4 hours per night, with our only thing to look forward to being those 3am cook ups of some really good supermarket food. It was a consolation that other groups were suffering the same fate, the large equinox tides being one possible factor, but there could be others. I know I am making this sound a real drag, it just felt that way, it was tough. Yes, we did have some lovely fish, most notably the multiple butterfly rays over 100lb for Liam and Rich. They were majestic creatures, fighting well and them rising from the greenish abyss was a sight for sore eyes. The stinger fishing was very poor, but we all got into them, Rich having the largest of just around 100lb (guestimate), I had over 50lb and another of perhaps 20-30lb, Liam had one too. It was very exciting hooking up and having a bit of a scrap, and one giant fish took off on me on the penultimate night, I had the drag up high, but I was facing being cut off on an obstruction to my right and had to open the bail arm and reposition. I fully expected the fish to still be there, but there was nothing, it was gone, gutted. It was perhaps better than a fish traipsing around with my trace and leader attached if I had been cut off. I reset and was over it too quickly, I had a lot of apathy on the trip, external things weighing on my mind. Liam and I chatted it through one night whilst enjoying a couple bottles of Rioja. Rich had a couple of Angel sharks whilst fishing for other things, which were promptly released, probably in the twenties. They were very impressive-looking creatures. The biggest low point of the trip was Liam losing an angel on my LRF rod, one took his jig, but it was only lightly hooked, and I had totally inappropriate footwear on for getting down the rocks, and he handed me the rod after an aborted attempt. Heartbreakingly the fish was heading around this point, it was probably 25lb, on a 5-20g rated Daiwa HRF rod, and nothing could be done to change its direction. Liam had one shot as he skipped over the slippy rocks and managed to get a hand on the fish's tail, but it slipped free, and it was gone; the hook had pulled. Silence. This was just one of the most awful moments I can remember in fishing. There is nothing that could be said or done, it was almost a world of capture for Liam, and it was gone in the cruellest of ways. I felt awful and questioned what I could have done better in my mind Liam couldn't speak; he was so cut up by the injustice of it all; it was terrible. I guess we get used to landing lots of fish, and we forget the pain of a lost PB, haunting.
If that wasn't bad enough, something equally awful happened during one evening. Liam hooked a huge barracuda on his light spinning rod using a surface lure at night and it just took off, cutting his braid. Again, silence, nothing could be said. The fish was just too powerful and obstructions to his left meant it was over quickly.
In contrast to the big bait fishing, the lure fishing was absolutely fantastic. I loved those sunny afternoons pottering around on the rocks jigging. Liam was in his element. Some kind locals were keen to show us a couple of tricks too. It was very enjoyable, and I think I liked the sardine fishing with small metals the best, it was truly addictive, and I lost all concept of time. As a group we managed 28 species, with Liam having the best tally. One of the most enthralling things was trying to coax a moray eel out of a hole, we spent ages trying, getting one out, but a larger one kept outdoing us.
Filefish
Moray eel
Angel shark
Butterfly ray
Common stingray
Rough tail
Damsel
Sharpnose Pufferfish
Comber
Palmetto
Boga
Blenny
Ornate Wrasse
Parrot fish
Round sardine
Lizard fish
Greater weever
Auxiliary bream
Grunt
Cow Bream
White bream
Cardinal fish
Sea scorpion
2 banded bream
Smoothound
Golden grey mullet
Pandora bream
Saddled bream
On reflection, the trip was great, it was just very hard having such little sleep, and doing such long hours. I was exhausted when I got home, and genuinely could have done with another holiday. I say home, it took me two days to get back to Sark, spending a night in Wirral at Rich's place. What I'll take from this trip is; if we'd had the wrong personalities on the trip, it would have blown up catastrophically. The precious value of this adventure was the laughs. There was so much mick taking and silly behaviour. It was all we could do to lighten the mood and take our minds off how tired we were. I had thought at 42 that I was too old for drawing on people's faces while they were asleep. Not the case. I drew a cracking heart on Liam's cheek as he snoozed on the flight, and it wasn't easy, as I knew he'd be pretty angry if he woke while I was doing it. The stewardess (or whatever they call them now) was creasing up when she served us, and the row behind found it very funny too. Maybe this is the secret to life, not losing connection with your inner child and ability to laugh. Anyway, I'll certainly go back to Fuerteventura. Sorry, I haven't made the usual writing effort, I thought I would do a brief overview.
Thanks to Liam, Rich and Helene for making it a great trip. Thanks to Shaun for making it all possible. It's a big shame you weren't there.
PS. Thanks for reading. Posted in the incorrect section, as this is where I usually post. If the moderators need to move it, that's fine.
I packed a short rod tube as Auringy limited me to 6 feet, and one holdall, with the usual hand luggage that burns any ordinary man's shoulders, full of camera gear. I had the usual stress of stormy seas and getting a ferry to meet my flight. I was green as a turtle after leg one and sat in St Peter Port, yomping down a fish and chips in Christie's, after a good soaking navigating the high street. I was glad to get the first couple of legs of the journey out of the way, and to be up in Manchester meeting Liam and Richard at T1. We stayed in a hotel for the night near the airport, my brother, Mike, also happened to be in Manchester, so he popped in to say hello and meet the lads for an hour.
We were off very early the next morning and full of excitement. I'd been to the Island back in 1998 with family, but I had never wet a line there. Fuerteventura was, as I expected, arid, with a rugged coastline that you'd expect on many of these volcanic Atlantic islands. After grabbing the second car (the first wouldn't accommodate rod tubes), we headed off to the digs in Tarajalejo, which were perfect for Liam and I. Richard's girlfriend, Helene was arriving from Switzerland on the same day, and he was staying with her in separate accommodation.
We unpacked the gear and started prepping for a session. I had intended to diarise each day or write some words when freshly back from the trip, but it has been a month of work and obligations for me since my return, and I'll be honest, most of the rest of the trip is a blur in my mind with some notable highlights. The photos are finally organised, but we still have hours of GoPro footage that hasn't been looked at or edited yet. I am going give you the highlights.
We had what I think was the toughest week of fishing in my life. So many casts, for so few takes during those long night sessions. Liam and I were broken on a daily basis by the wind, occasional rainstorms, and lack of fish activity. We probably slept 4 hours per night, with our only thing to look forward to being those 3am cook ups of some really good supermarket food. It was a consolation that other groups were suffering the same fate, the large equinox tides being one possible factor, but there could be others. I know I am making this sound a real drag, it just felt that way, it was tough. Yes, we did have some lovely fish, most notably the multiple butterfly rays over 100lb for Liam and Rich. They were majestic creatures, fighting well and them rising from the greenish abyss was a sight for sore eyes. The stinger fishing was very poor, but we all got into them, Rich having the largest of just around 100lb (guestimate), I had over 50lb and another of perhaps 20-30lb, Liam had one too. It was very exciting hooking up and having a bit of a scrap, and one giant fish took off on me on the penultimate night, I had the drag up high, but I was facing being cut off on an obstruction to my right and had to open the bail arm and reposition. I fully expected the fish to still be there, but there was nothing, it was gone, gutted. It was perhaps better than a fish traipsing around with my trace and leader attached if I had been cut off. I reset and was over it too quickly, I had a lot of apathy on the trip, external things weighing on my mind. Liam and I chatted it through one night whilst enjoying a couple bottles of Rioja. Rich had a couple of Angel sharks whilst fishing for other things, which were promptly released, probably in the twenties. They were very impressive-looking creatures. The biggest low point of the trip was Liam losing an angel on my LRF rod, one took his jig, but it was only lightly hooked, and I had totally inappropriate footwear on for getting down the rocks, and he handed me the rod after an aborted attempt. Heartbreakingly the fish was heading around this point, it was probably 25lb, on a 5-20g rated Daiwa HRF rod, and nothing could be done to change its direction. Liam had one shot as he skipped over the slippy rocks and managed to get a hand on the fish's tail, but it slipped free, and it was gone; the hook had pulled. Silence. This was just one of the most awful moments I can remember in fishing. There is nothing that could be said or done, it was almost a world of capture for Liam, and it was gone in the cruellest of ways. I felt awful and questioned what I could have done better in my mind Liam couldn't speak; he was so cut up by the injustice of it all; it was terrible. I guess we get used to landing lots of fish, and we forget the pain of a lost PB, haunting.
If that wasn't bad enough, something equally awful happened during one evening. Liam hooked a huge barracuda on his light spinning rod using a surface lure at night and it just took off, cutting his braid. Again, silence, nothing could be said. The fish was just too powerful and obstructions to his left meant it was over quickly.
In contrast to the big bait fishing, the lure fishing was absolutely fantastic. I loved those sunny afternoons pottering around on the rocks jigging. Liam was in his element. Some kind locals were keen to show us a couple of tricks too. It was very enjoyable, and I think I liked the sardine fishing with small metals the best, it was truly addictive, and I lost all concept of time. As a group we managed 28 species, with Liam having the best tally. One of the most enthralling things was trying to coax a moray eel out of a hole, we spent ages trying, getting one out, but a larger one kept outdoing us.
Filefish
Moray eel
Angel shark
Butterfly ray
Common stingray
Rough tail
Damsel
Sharpnose Pufferfish
Comber
Palmetto
Boga
Blenny
Ornate Wrasse
Parrot fish
Round sardine
Lizard fish
Greater weever
Auxiliary bream
Grunt
Cow Bream
White bream
Cardinal fish
Sea scorpion
2 banded bream
Smoothound
Golden grey mullet
Pandora bream
Saddled bream
On reflection, the trip was great, it was just very hard having such little sleep, and doing such long hours. I was exhausted when I got home, and genuinely could have done with another holiday. I say home, it took me two days to get back to Sark, spending a night in Wirral at Rich's place. What I'll take from this trip is; if we'd had the wrong personalities on the trip, it would have blown up catastrophically. The precious value of this adventure was the laughs. There was so much mick taking and silly behaviour. It was all we could do to lighten the mood and take our minds off how tired we were. I had thought at 42 that I was too old for drawing on people's faces while they were asleep. Not the case. I drew a cracking heart on Liam's cheek as he snoozed on the flight, and it wasn't easy, as I knew he'd be pretty angry if he woke while I was doing it. The stewardess (or whatever they call them now) was creasing up when she served us, and the row behind found it very funny too. Maybe this is the secret to life, not losing connection with your inner child and ability to laugh. Anyway, I'll certainly go back to Fuerteventura. Sorry, I haven't made the usual writing effort, I thought I would do a brief overview.
Thanks to Liam, Rich and Helene for making it a great trip. Thanks to Shaun for making it all possible. It's a big shame you weren't there.
PS. Thanks for reading. Posted in the incorrect section, as this is where I usually post. If the moderators need to move it, that's fine.
