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TACKLING EMBALSE DE CHIRA
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This particular article looks solely at tackling one
particular water, this being, lake( EMBALSE DE CHIRA ), so If you are
considering a trip to the Canary Islands to fish the above lake, (one of a
number that exist on Gran Canaria) then this article is aimed at assisting you
in achieving success on the lake.
If you are a regular reader of Carp Fisher, you may
remember my first ever article in the magazine, which was on this particular
lake. Since that article,
I have been continually asked by anglers for advice on how to tackle the
fishing in Gran Canaria. The
obvious questions are “How to get there” and “How to fish Lake Chira?”
With this in mind I have decided to pass on some of my
experience, on how to successfully organize and fish this lake . I hope it will
be informative and also helpful. My decision to pass on this information was
brought about while I was fishing in France, in the World Cup Classic on lake
Madine, it was an event that is open to all nationalities, British, French,
Dutch, German ect. One of the less
well known Carping nations ( Czechoslovakia ) was represented by just one team
of anglers. On the night before the match was due to take place, I was standing
listening to the group playing with all the other anglers from the different
countries and while eating a hot dog, the two Czechoslovakian Carp anglers came
over to me, they both shook my hand and said, thank you for writing the article
in Carp Fisher on Lake Chira, as we are members of the Czech Carp society, we
receive Carp fisher and after reading your article on Chira, it inspired us to
go and fish there, before reading your article we did not know that, that
country even contained Carp. They went on to tell me that they had had a most
enjoyable trip and they also must have spent at least half an hour asking me
questions on certain aspects of fishing in the Canaries.
So hopefully some of the points I will now cover will not
only answer their questions, but also the many other anglers that have asked me
the same questions of how to tackle lake Chira.
The lake its self, is in fact, a reservoir and is used for
irrigation purposes as well as supplying water to holiday resorts lower down on
the island. It was formed
about thirty years ago by damming a ravine in the mountains to trap the
rainfall. Eventually, weed
growth became a problem and carp were introduced in order to keep the weed in
check. Although the Carp were
introduced to control the weed, they have now given the locals a byproduct of
some extra income from all the foreign anglers that visit the lake to fish
there.
To have a successful trip to the lake, I believe there are
several important facts to take into account when planning your venture, such as
:
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Tackle:
This is an area that you will definitely need to work out
well in advance. The reason
for this is because of the stringent baggage allowance exercised by the
airlines. You must be within
the 22 kilos luggage limit plus a maximum of 5 kilos for hand luggage.
Certainly, the ‘Everything bar the kitchen sink’ is way out of the
question. Excess baggage
charges are high and it would be a costly business if you attempt to take too
much. In fact, if the plane is
fully loaded, the airline can and will refuse excess baggage anyway. But if
approached correctly, all necessary
items of tackle you require to fish the lake can be taken without a problem, I
can assure you. I have been to
Chira on ten occasions and have never had to pay a penny for excess baggage.
Pre-weigh all your tackle so that you don’t get caught out at the
check-in desk at the airport. You will find that you will have to make some
sacrifices to your normal set up, which you would use in this country, in order
to obtain the correct weight. Extra
protection for your rods is vital and I would strongly advise that you take them
in a protective tube. I
appreciate that a tube would be extra weight but it is of the utmost importance
in order that your rods arrive undamaged. I
have seen anglers who have not took the correct precautions to protect their
rods and have paid the price, how would you fish with the rods shown in the
insert, the result of not using the correct protection.
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Flight & Car Hire:
The kind of holiday you envisage will, of course, have a
bearing on the way you need to arrange it.
Some anglers fish during the day only, returning to pre-booked
accommodation at night. Obviously,
if you follow this course then a package (with or without car hire) can be
arranged through your local travel agent. But if you decide to book your car
hire on arrival at the island, it is usually cheaper, you just need to shop
around a bit for the best price.
The second option is for anglers who wish to stay at the
lake day and night, which is my own choice.
In this respect you only have to book a flight only (no accommodation is
required). My own personal
choice regarding car hire is to book through the travel agent as I book my
flight, I personally find it is essential to ask for a roof rack to be fitted.
Normally, this is provided at no extra cost.
Certainly, it is necessary in order that my rod tube can be strapped on,
to give much more room inside the car. I find that advance booking is far better
option, as you really need the car to be available on arrival at the airport, in
order for you to load up and drive straight to the lake with no problems of
trying to find a car. The
third option includes a bit of both of the First two.
You may wish to contemplate a small apartment close to the lake.
This would give the choice of staying close to the lake side, whether or
not you fish any or all of the nights.
If this option is preferred then accommodation can be booked in advance
through Augustin Cabera ( I will give you his contact numbers a bit further on
). Finally the
last choice is for the angler who wishes to sit back, leaving all the
arrangements for someone else to sort out.
If this is what you are looking for then a ‘phone call to my old mate
Mick Hall will give you this option. He
fishes and runs organised excursions to the lake on a regular basis.
His telephone number is 01992 767252 or mobile 0956 229 148.
He has a lot of experience of fishing the lake and is more than capable
of taking care of all your needs.
Route to the Lake:
Embalse de Chira, along with several of the lakes which are
on the island, is in the centre of Gran Canaria, one of the Canary Islands.
To get to Chira, if your not with Mick on a guided trip to the lake, is
first turn left out of Las Palmas airport on the 812 towards Playa del Ingles.
Stay on this road until you have passed through San Augustin and are
entering Playa del Ingles. From
here, leave the 812 and head towards Fatiga.
Follow this road until you reach San Bartoleme, a small town in the
centre of the island. Go
through the town Centre and make for La Plata.
After this, there will be a turning on the left signposted Embalse de
Chira. Follow this to the
lake. Just a word of warning
that the drive to the lake can be a bit scary so be careful if it is your first
time!
Camping & Fishing
Permits:
Fishing Permits used to be available from the Icona Office
in Las Palmas. This has now
changed and you have to obtain your permit from Cabildo de Gran Canaria, 1-3
35002 Las Palmas, de Gran Canaria, Tel: 928 38 50 03.
There is also a Fax. which is 928 36 71 24.
Make sure you obtain the special fishing permit as this allows you to
fish with more than one rod. If you wish to camp at the lake on an area that is
privately owned, then you must negotiate with the local land owner for
permission.
But if you wish to avoid the hassle of a trip to Las Palmas
for a licence, or searching out the relevant land owners, then Augustin Cabera (
who I mentioned earlier ) can obtain this for you in advance.
His address is 129, Presa de Irana, San Bartoleme, Tirajana, Gran Canaria.
Tel: 928 12 90 60 or Fax. 928 71 22 39.
He does, by the way, speak perfect English.
Fishing the Lake:
There are an abundance of features around the lake, all of
which will need investigating. You
must fish to these features if you wish to do well.
The depth varies greatly from three to four feet close in to the edge
dropping of quickly in some areas to thirty or forty feet only a couple of rod
lengths out, and up to one hundred feet at the dam end of the lake ( remember
that the lake is a dammed of ravine ) if you wish to get some idea of how deep
the lake is, just take a walk up to and along the dam, then look over the other
side of it away from the lake. There
are many different types of swims including several on the road side.
Here it is possible to drive straight up to the lakeside and fish, more
or less, out of the back of the car. There
are also several swims on the far side of the lake where a boat is required for
access. These swims are
probably more for the adventurous type ( like myself ).
Personally, I have tackled all the different types of swims and have had
good bags of carp and decent sized fish from most of them.
You can tackle most of them by ether fishing on the bottom or on the
surface. When fishing on the bottom,
I like to fish close in, in depths of between six to fifteen feet, I have had
carp from up to thirty five feet in depth, but this is not normally the best
depth to contact feeding fish, I
have found that carp can be caught off the top quite easily, both in the margins
and at distance with the aid of a small boat.
The fish will take most floating baits e.g. bread, dog biscuits, chum
mixer etc. When fishing in the
Canaries, I tend to step up the specification of all my tackle and I would
advise you to do the same. Certainly,
the use of snag leaders is a must because of the bottom being extremely rocky.
I also take a waterproof covering for my bedchair.
This comes in handy as I regularly sleep under the stars and it also
converts my bedchair into an unhooking mat when required, this not only provides
good protection for the fish, but also helps in reducing the weight of my
gear, with no bivy and large unhooking mat needed, re my earlier advice
about baggage allowance. Another of the ways I reduce the weight of the tackle I
take with me, is by not including any cooking equipment or cooker,
my own personal preference is to eat and drink at the local bar /
restaurants with are situated only a few minutes walk from the lake. This not
only provides you with a break each day from the very hot conditions of fishing
on the lake, but also helps you meet the local villagers who use the bars, I
find them to be very friendly even though there is a language barrier.
But if you are
the sort of angler who must have his cup of earl gray each day and cook your own
food, then you can purchase all the
supplies you will require, even a camping gas cooker, as you are on your way to
the lake , after you have drove through the town of San Bartoleme and stating to
enter La Plata you will see on your right hand side a large supermarket which
lies back just of the road, this supermarket not only will sell you all the
provisions you will need but also a variety of things you can use as bait on the
lake, i.e maze, chick peas, sweet corn ect, this is another good way of keeping
your weight down for the plane and believe me I have caught more carp in Chira
on baits like sweet corn, than I ever have on boilies.
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If you are thinking of a trip to Chira then I hope some of
the information
contained in this article will have helped you.
have not covered and you would like an answer for,I attend
all the Carp society conferences, so just walk up
Good luck and tight lines till next time.
Big, Ron Woodward
