Hooked: Sports fishing in Lanzarote

Catch Marlin in Lanzarote (photo: Lanzaroteguidebook.com)

Tuesday, 30, Oct 2007 12:25

There are few better buzzes. Sun glistening off the water, beers chilling in the fridge below decks, and the prospect of a serious days fishing off the coast of the volcanic island of Lanzarote, under the tutelage of one of the best anglers around.

While sun-starved northern Europe shivers through the winter months the sun still shines just a four-hour flight away in the Canaries, where temperatures rarely fall below 21 degrees centigrade, even in December and January.

You could be forgiven for thinking that the islanders here would all be natural fishermen, casting off lines for fun and catching fresh fish daily for cena (dinner).

But in fact that could not be further from the truth. The Lanzaroteños are descended from an ancient aboriginal island race called the Guanche - who were notoriously poor at harvesting the fruits of the sea, and who relied instead on a diet of goat and rabbit - both still staples on the island today.

While the island used to boast the biggest fishing fleet in the Canaries, the vast majority of their nets were cast some 70 miles away off the coast of the Western Sahara, thanks to the fact the conditions for commercial fishing are far from ideal around the island.

But fortunately the same cannot be said for sport fishing in Lanzarote. With the waters off the islands south-eastern coast in particular providing the perfect hunting ground for both the serious and amateur angler alike. Populated by more than 350 species of fish, 1,200 different types of invertebrates have been recorded in the waters of the Canary Islands.

Most of the action takes place out of the marina of Puerto Calero, just five minutes away from the island's main resort of Puerto del Carmen. This luxurious sports harbour provides berths for some seriously expensive yachts.

It is also home to a number of highly professional and personable sports fishing skippers, all of whom offer boats bedecked with the latest fishing gadgetry and equipment.

Amongst the best of these operators is locally born expert Tino Garcia - who has been fishing these waters for decades. Tino, and his three-strong fleet of vessels (all named Mizu), have been hosting holiday makers for many years, offering a selection of different angling experiences, including bottom fishing, trawling and shark fishing.

The waters around the island reach a depth of around 3,500 metres and being the Atlantic this is one of the biggest swimming pools in the world making it an ideal location for deep sea fishing.

Guests on board Mizu can expect to encounter wahoo, marlin and the big daddy of the tuna family, the Bluefin, which can weight in at anything up to a whopping 1,000 lbs (450 kilos). From April onwards these species are further augmented by the arrival in Lanzarote's waters of hammerhead sharks, amberjacks and dorada.

A typical fishing excursion on board Mizu kicks off at around 9.30 to 10:00 with a return time of around 14:00, and costs a very reasonable ?75 per angler, who can also be accompanied by one non-fishing guest.

This charge also includes lunch, refreshments and collection and return from your accommodation in any of the three main resorts on the island. And who knows, you might even be heading home with your very own fish supper too.

Nick Ball, editor of www.lanzaroteguidebook.com