Where to fish in Andalusia

Andalusia is a very attractive place to go fishing. In particular, the Spanish barbel lives in the waters of the Guadalquivir river, a native fish that is often mistakenly confused with the European barbel. There are two very popular competition areas for fishing in Andalusia. The first is called La Barqueta and is located near Seville, in southern Andalusia. It is renowned throughout Spain and is popular with both feeder anglers and still fishing with roubasienne. The second, on the other hand, is located near Bornos and is also in southern Andalusia. As for La Barqueta you will find large fish, while in Bornos you can catch medium sized ones.

The race field of La Barqueta

The first stop on our fishing itinerary in Andalusia, as mentioned, is La Barqueta. In this competition area there is no room for "good manners". What does it mean? You simply can't go too thin with the size of the terminals. This is because we are dealing with large fishes that have a lot of strength. Once attacked, these predators put a strain on fishing reels, rods and lines. It is recommended to keep at around 0.22mm in diameter for the terminals. As for the hooks, the size does not matter so much although the strength does. The strength of the Guadalquivir barbs, in fact, is enough to open the hooks. Despite all these considerations, the hook must be small. To avoid fishing for carp, you can use a very common trigger in this river: boiled hemp seeds. In this competition area the fish are used to stick close to the shore, mainly due to the fact that it is popular with roubasienne fishermen. It is therefore best to set the feeder catch no more than twelve meters away. Finally, as regards the baits and the groundbait, we can also use the glued cagnotti, always appreciated by barbs. The groundbait, on the other hand, is particularly appreciated, if flavored with cheese.

The Arcos de La Frontera competition area

Let's now move on to the second fishing itinerary in Andalusia, the Arcos de La Frontera competition area. In this case we slightly decrease the size of the terminal, stopping at 0.16 mm. Also as regards the hooks, it is better to use smaller ones in order not to risk too much, given the size of the barbs. As in the previous case, a mix can be used for groundbait. It is recommended to make it darker so that it resembles the bottom of the river. As a trigger, however, the live or dead maggot is a fine choice, and a favourite bait of the barbel. A very important addition is chrysalis flour, which always guarantees excellent results. A final suggestion before concluding the fishing itinerary in Andalusia, is to look for fish on the opposite bank of the river, as they tend to stick to areas rich in vegetation.