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Sitges

With the boat recently back from its annual scrub, paint & maintenance this morning seemed like the perfect opportunity to take the first proper trip of the year.

As always, we start the year with high hopes, big dreams and even bigger lures but unfortunatedly – although not unexpectedly as it is early February afterall – the theme of today became dawningly clear the moment I left Vila this morning and set off on the drive to Sitges – a little display in the car was smiling (laughing) at me showing it was 4 degree C outside. Oh boy, was it cold out there…

Started out from the port around 09:00 into a horrible lumpy sea which thankfully calmed down late morning but the waves weren´t disgusing anything – no gulls were dancing on the surface anywhere and it seems that I tried just a little bit too early – there is being nothing big here yet.

In the depths I found the usual culprits prowling the sea bed though, some Blotched Pickarel, a cool looking Lizardfish and huge shoals of the ever present Scad…

In anticipation of the weeks ahead, some photos of the fish finder show that there is plenty of life and food down there, all waiting for when that big stuff arrives… Won´t be long, can´t wait…

Sitges

Enjoyed a really calm morning out at sea today. Pulled the usual small trolling lures and a little past the drop off three rods arched over at the same time and I landed these two..

Was on the lookout for debris in order to cast for them but spotted nothing. I did see splashes everywhere – several small Whales, not sure what type, and dozens of Dolphins, many of them coming to ride the bow wave… all is well out there…

Sitges

Sneaked out this morning as it was all a bit of a calm before the storm moment… Found lots and lots of these small Tuna everywhere from 3 miles out to the horizon but sadly not the Dorado I was looking for.

Offshore I found plenty of debris in the water but only baby Amberjack beneath it. Fishing small jigs and surface plugs was good fun… for a short while.

Seems like the weather is cooling down nicely again right now though and hopefully weed-beds will soon start gather on the surface. As always, that´s when we´ll meet our arch nemesis again…

Tuna Tour

Not exactly fishing but swimming with them, so “fishy “all the same… http://www.tuna-tour.com is an amazing experience I would recommend to anyone.

Is now an annual pilgrimage and for a brief hour is worlds apart from anything else you´ll ever do this year. Is like entering an alien world, floating in space, being surrounded but monsters, each with the grace of a ballerina, passing inches by you, with hardly a flex of their muscles.

Sitges Harbour Wall

On Friday night I had a few spare hours so took a walk down the harbour wall before the sun went down and was fortunate to get a small Bluefish.

Looking for more I had an early start this morning, well before the sun started to rise.

First cast with a Lucky Craft Gunfish and this guy crashed into it on the surface. As per usual, a great fight and lots of leaps skywards.

Sitges

October. By far the best month for both the weather and the fishing here in the Western side of the Meditteranean.

Slipped out for a quick session this morning (work in the afternoon) and just lost count. As I recall… Amberjack no more than 500m from the harbour entrance, a substantial 6lb Dorado next around the 1km mark then out at sea too many small Tuna to remember. Bonito, Little Tuna, Small BFT everywhere.

Easy. Just like this…

Tomorrow is not a half day at work. Its a full day off work. Lets see what comes…

Sitges

Summer is drawing to a close over here, its mid September now but the fishing is hopefully coming to a peak. Took a ride out this morning and along with a couple of small Tuna the Dorado are here – not big yet but as we get to the end of October they should be twice the size. All on the same lure today – a multi coloured Williamson…

Cuba

We made our way back to Sata Lucia again and it was still the same wonderful place we left two years ago. After the first taxi ride up to La Boca it took Kate just 10 minutes to land our first big Barracuda of the trip. We next had a trip out on the catamarans running from the hotel beach and quite soon it was 2/0 with an even bigger fish…!

Across the week I launched most of my lures towards the far bank of the estuary and lost count of the casts I made. Loira’s dad had just one cast and launched himself to the far bank too… In the end I was finally rewarded with the one you see on the rocks in the pictures below.

It’s not only about fishing here though, it’s the experience of being somewhere hearbreakingly special.

Sitges

Coming along for the ride…

We found this little guy way out at sea today, a hell of a lot further from home that he should have been. He took a rest with us for a while, tagged along for the ride back then left, laving a little luck my way in the form of this Bonito. First proper fish of the year and we’ll eat well tonight…

Sitges

Back out this Friday morning after some great days over these last few weeks.

Was neither cloudy or sunny and it felt like a final day before the season here finishes, winter draws in and we have that long wait till Easter.

Had several small Tuna along the way… also had another Dorado casting at floating debris… missed something big that arched a rod over as we passed more debris (likely another late season Dorado)… but all is well…

Bullet Tuna
Heading home
Follow the arrow
Little Tuna
Big Stella

Childs play right now…

Sitges – End of the summer

Daytime temperatures have dropped from the madness of August, its a little cloudy too but offshore the water temperatures usually peak at this time of year. Warm water means only one thing – Dorado – so I took a long anticipated run out this morning.

Sweetest spot was finding a floating log in the sea – fish lurk underneath floating debris like this. I just knew that as soon as I passed it one of the trolling lures would be hit and sure enough, the nearest rod arched over and the first Dorado of the day was on and soon in the boat.

Circled back and cast a small, silver Halco Twisty past the log, pulled it back fast and sure enough, first cast, I was on with the second one..!

Ended the day with three Dorado and dozens of Little Tuna and baby Bluefin Tuna – so many I lost count – and there ain´t many days I can say that…!

Sitges

Was windy and quite choppy today but on the basis that “if it’s blowing we’re going” set out to see what I could find… Tuna, Mackerel and 7 baby Amberjack all taking on small trolling lures. Arch Nemesis was nowhere to be seen but I suspect he’s around, laughing …

Amberjack
Little Tuna
Sunny August
Spanish Mackerel