MAC'S

“Captain (Brian) Cuba” took me, “Farmer Rory” and “Spectrum Radio Carmel” who I should rename “Two at a time Carmel” and I’ll leave it to you to ask her why! out fishing on his Garrucha moored boat. I know I’ve been making excuses lately but the water temperature is about 60 degrees and still too cold but we caught a few anyway, combers, pandoras and blue mouths with a new species of the year for me, a pickerel. It was Carmel’s first time out fishing in the Med, she said she enjoyed herself. Maybe she will start a new trend, girls that fish”.

 See photo of Carmel with a pandora (Top) and a blue mouthed, rose bellied rockfish!

 Brian took “Squiddly Sid” and three of his mates out a few days later. They didn’t capture many fish but the catch included some big combers weighing well over a pound. They also caught  pandoras, weavers and an unusual lizardfish. The latter look like the dreaded weaver but do not have the poisonous spines.

 As far as I know neither “Captain (Duncan) Sunshine” nor “Captain (Graham) Gnome” have been out on their boats.

 Our resident expert mullet basher “Ham radio Kevin” is due to receive his NIE document in a few days and our Girl Friday will be going for the next batch of beach and boat licenses around mid April so call in to see me quickly if you want to be included.

“London Bill” says although the dorada bonanza in Garrucha marina is over, he is still catching a few bream and mullet there. The rocks between the big hotels and Garrucha are also producing a few fish, mainly bream with striped, doradas and cow bream being the main catch. Razor clam meat is still the best bait from the shore he says. Macenas is not fishing well and it seems smaller pelagic shoals, probably blue fin tuna included, is the reason smaller predators are not coming closer in.

 There will be another fishing meeting at the Beachcomber on Tuesday 27th April between 7 and 9pm. I hope to organise a questions and answers panel of four anglers covering coarse, shore, boat and game fishing and I’ll be there to answer questions about fishing licenses. I hope that our resident fly tiers will attend again and also it will be an opportunity to have a bring and buy sale of fishing tackle. “Inflatable Andy” will no doubt bring his collection of British design sea leads for sale too.

 I have some bad and good news, Uncle Albert, president, chairman and secretary of the “Grumpy old men of Los Gallardos” broke his leg and arm in an accident on his motor scooter. He was on his way to attend the last Beachcomber’s fishing meeting when his front wheel decided it didn’t like some gravel on the road. The good news is Dave is on the mend and I heard from a spy at the watering hole they will be cutting down their beer order this week.

 “Baza Barry” tells me Lake Negrating is still fishing slow but thinks it will be a bumper year for tiddler bashing as the lake has so much water in. He says he can’t wait for the finish of the snow melt as there will be a few weeks when trout fishing on the rivers north of Negratin will be at their best.

 It´s the end of an era for the “Rochdale Cowboy” (Dave Thomas). He´s selling his boat after many years afloat. The five-metre Quicksilver Commander has raised laughs among the Spanish after he called it Giggy (which apparently has naughty connotations). Actually, Dave named it after the Yorkshire Dales village of Giggleswick. Still, he aims to use the local Capitanos to carry on fishing, even though his back is knackered! (Just like mine Dave)

For your info: the boat is less than 3 years old, is a walk-around, seats 6, with mariner 80hp and 6 standby, all like new, on roller trailer with winch. See me for more details. Just for the record “Paul The Boat’s” Garrucha moored fishing boat with mooring is still for sale.

 Checkout Mojacar’s weather and sea conditions here on the Beachcomber’s webcam.

 www.almeriafreeads.com/webcam

 For further information on any of the above or to find out about beach, boat or coarse fishing licenses, see John at the Beachcomber Bar Restaurant on Mojacar Playa or tel 950 473 099. In case of difficulty reaching me (Probably out fishing) ask staff for my mobile number.

 Tight lines.