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Embalse de la Conception

Embalse de las Conception is a steep banked reservoir offering free fishing for barbel and carp. Situated just seven kilometres from Marbella, near the village of Istan, this water offers good fishing to simple tactics and baits.

Boat hire for fishing is available on this water  from the Istan Country Club, situated on the water. Dawn and dusk are the best times to fish. Avoid the middle of the day during the summer months.

Species and methods

• Barbel. Try ledgered corn or luncheon meat for barbel. A simple running ledger or paternoster will score. Loose feed hook samples along with hemp and particles to keep the fish interested. Mornings and evenings throughout the year are good, but autumn and winter are best.
• Carp. The standard boilie and buzzer approach will score here. Best baits are corn or boilies over maize. Try popped up sweet or fruit boilies in summer, and fish based boilies in winter. Green lipped mussel is particularly effective.

From Marbella go east on the N340 . At the junction with MA-427 go north towards Istan.The water is to  the left of the road before you reach Istan. Try any of the public roads to the water that exist along it’s length.

Instituto Ocenaografico

Embalse las Medranas

A  very clean and tidy fishery with free fishing for carp. This is a shallow water with depths between .5 metres and 5 metres (1.64 to 16.4 feet).

Species and methods

• Carp. Carp range from 2kg to 5kg (4.4 to 11lb). They can be caught on the ledger using maize or luncheon meat as bait. Boilies do well here. Fish can also be caught up in the water on the pole, loose feeding little and often to keep the fish interested.

Head west from Marbella on the N340 twards San Pedro De Alcantara.  Just before San Pedro turn inland onto the A376. The fishery will very quickly be on your left, before you reach the E15.

Playa del Molino

Embalse de la Vinuela

Embalse de la Vinuela is a productive day ticket fishery fishery to the east of Malaga.  Hard fighting carp and barbel, along with pike, eels, tench and bass, make for an exciting fishery. Dawn and dusk are the best times to fish. Avoid the middle of the day during the summer months.

Species and methods

• Carp. Carp average 1.5 to 3kg (3.3 to 6.6lb) on this water. Running ledger  tactics with maize over groundbait will produce. Lots of small carp can be caught during July/August, with some very big fish possible.
• Barbel. Barbel to 63cm can be caught on maize and luncheon meat on the ledger.
• Pike. This water can produce lots of pike to lures and spinners. Try a medium sized rapala for fish to 7kg (15.4lb).
• Eels. A lot of good eels come out of Embalse de la Vinuela during Spring especially. Fish to 80cm (31.5 inches) can be caught on small dead fish or worms. Make sure to use a wire trace due to the pike population!
• Bass. Lots of small black bass can be caught here – but the fishing is not easy. Lures and spinners produce the goods.
• Tench. These are quite hard to catch, and tend to be caught unintentionally by carp anglers. Despite this, try bread, corn or naturals over groundbait at dawn and dusk. Swimfeeder tactics tend to score best.

From Malaga go east on the N340 for about 33 kms. At Torre del Mar drive north on the C335 past Velez-Malaga.  After a few more kms, turn left onto the A356 towards Riogordo. The fishery and the dam wall will appear very quickly on your right.

Pantano el Chorro - Embalse del Conde el Guadalhorce

This is the third of three reservoirs that make up the El Chorro reservoir system. Free fishing is available on this very snaggy but easily accessible water.

Species and methods

• Bass. Without doubt, black bass are the main quarry here. Lots of fish are taken on spoons and spinners. American style jigs and spinner baits are also very effective. Try bumping these slowly along the bottom and near the snags to locate the fish.
• Carp. The lake has a good stock of mostly mirror carp in the 1.5kg to 2kg (3.3 to 4.4lb) region. Fish are generally caught off the bottom on corn and natural baits. Boilies can also be very productive. Floating crust and dog biscuits fished close to snags will pick out the better fish.
• Pike. This is an excellent pike water with fish to 7kg (15.4lb). They are taken primarily on artificials, and average 3kg to 5kg (6.6 to 11lb). Float fished deadbaits can also produce fish, especially in winter.

Take the A357 east and then north from Malaga. After 38 kms turn right onto the A343 for Pizarra. Pass Pizarra then turn left to Alora on the MA-441. Continue along this road until you reach El Chorro. Pass El Chorro and continue until you reach a T-junction. Keep right here. Access is very easy at the recreation and camping zone that will appear on your left. Further on, the road crosses the dam wall. Access is very good here also, and it has lots of services at this point. Fish any of the inlets along the shoreline.

Embalse del Limonero

North of Malaga, Embalse del Limonero is a free fishery with lots of small carp and some barbel and bass.

Species and methods

• Carp. Lots of small carp can be caught on both float and ledger here. Best baits are corn, maize and luncheon meat. Loose feeding little and often will bring the fish up in the water. Try floating crust or dog biscuits for the better fish.
• Barbel. As with the carp, normal methods work here, with ledgered corn scoring best. Try fishing over a bed of hemp or particles for better sport.
• Bass. Black bass go to 1kg (2.2lb) on this water. Lures and spinners are the favoured baits. Try American style plastic lures and jigs for good sport.

 
The water lies to the north of Malaga, directly to the east of the E26 (A-45). It can be accessed via the MA-431 from the village of Casabermeja is a few kms further north on the E26.

Pantano el Chorro -
Embalse del Guadalteba and Embalse del Guadalhorce

Two of three reservoirs that make up the El Chorro reservoir system. These two waters are very productive big carp and barbel waters. They lie to the north of Malaga and the fishing is free. Depths go from 2 metres (6.5 feet) along the stony shore to much deeper in the centre. These clean waters are very popular with anglers.

Although Autumn and winter offer the best fishing, these waters are quite clear in April making them quite easy to fish. During summer there are lots of small carp – use big boilies to avoid these. Guadalteba is a good lake for beginners. This lake can get can get very windy at times, when ledgering is the only realistic method.

Species and methods

• Barbel. Both reservoirs hold large barbel. Autumn and winter are best with fish responding to luncheon meat, corn and paste. Fish over a bed of hemp or groundbait for best results.
• Carp. There is a large head of carp in these waters, with fish to 10 kg (22lb) from the Gobantes area. All the normal baits will result in fish, with beans and potatoes the best. Fish with ledgered baits for best results. Lots of small fish can be had in summer, with spring producing the best fish.
• Black Bass. As with the carp, black bass are abundant in these waters. The Gobantes area is probably the most productive, with fish responding to spinners, spoons and small plugs.
• Nase. While summer can be slow for nase, the rest of the year can be very productive. They are caught on simple waggler and maggot tactics. Spray a small pouch of maggots consistently to get the fish feeding.
• Pike. Very large pike lurk in these waters, with a 16kg (35.2lb) fish recorded in 1999. Most anglers fish for these fish with lures, spoons and jerk baits. However, dead freshwater and sea fish can be very productive also.

Take the A357 east and then north from Malaga. After 38 kms turn right onto the A343 for Pizarra. Pass Pizarra then turn left to Alora on the MA-441. Continue along this road until you reach El Chorro. Pass El Chorro and continue until you reach a T-junction. Keep right here. Drive until you pass Embalse del Conde el Gualdhorce. You will soon arrive at Embalse del Guadalteba.  You can fish the left hand side of the dam (looking west). Access is easy, with swims available right around the dam wall until you reach the water tower. Past the water tower is another dam wall, with Embalse del Guadalhorce  on your right. There is some access here. Embalse del Guadalhorce can be fished from Estacion de Gobantes. Get here by continuing along the A343 from Pizarra. Turn left towards Estacion de Gobantes after a few kms. This road will  take you directly to the water.

Rio Grande

This is a small river that flows into the larger Rio Guadalhorce. The river is surrounded by woodland and dries up completely during summer, coming into its own after the first autumn rains. Fishing is free.

Apart from the fish, the Rio Grande has two other very common residents – fresh water clams and terrapins. While the clams make excellent eating for the angler, the terrapins think the same about our baits! Beware!

Species and methods

• Barbel. Barbel average 750grams to 1kg (1.65 to 2.2lb), with fish to 5kg (11lb) possible. Standard ledger tactics succeed here, using corn and luncheon meat as bait. Surprisingly, the barbel also respond well to fly fished gold head nymphs. Dramatic sport can be had on this method.
• Eels. Eels are abundant in this river, with fish coming to all the standard baits and methods, with small dead fish the bait of choice.
• Nase. Nase are best caught on trotted maggot, under a waggler or stick float.

Take the A366 from Malaga towards Coin. 13 kms past Coin, the road crosses the river at the San Agusto power station. Access is very easy on both sides of the bridge, but the best fishing can be had either up or down stream on the bank just over the bridge. The banks are clean here – ideal for fly fishing.

Playamar

Puerto de Málaga

Rio Turon

This is a very popular day ticket fishery for brown trout. It is a clean, mountain stream near El Burgo.

Day tickets can be purchased from the Medio Ambiente agent on the bank. The lower reaches of this river has the best fishing.

Species and methods

• Brown Trout. This is a fly and artificial only water. A four fish limit exists, with the size limit set at 22cm (8.6 inches). Fishing is from the 3rd Sunday in March to the 31st August. Try upstream nymphing or a small 3cm rapala for best results.

Take the A366 from Malaga towards Coin and Alozaina. At Aloziana take the A358 to El Burgos. The river flows through the centre of town.  Best access is along the MA-445 north west of the town. The river will be on your left.

Rio Guadalhorce

The Rio Guadalhorce is a small river stretching from Antequera to the coast south of Malaga. En route it feeds the El Chorro reservoir system. The river is relatively shallow and rarely exceeds 30 metres in width. The stretch south of Villafranco holds water all year round except during periods of severe drought, and tends to offer the best fishing opportunities. Fishing here is free.

The smell from the sewage works near the villages of Penon and Zapata can be really bad – especially during those hot days of summer.

Species and methods

• Barbel. Barbel thrive throughout the river, with fishing at its best   from Villafranco to the sewage works near the villages of Penon and Zapata. Light tackle is a must, either free lining or link ledgering luncheon meat and sweetcorn. The fish go to 1kg at Villafranco, up to close to double figures at Cartama.
• Carp. Common carp are prolific in this river, with numbers tending to increase from the village of Aljaima. Methods are similar to those used for barbel, with luncheon meat, sweetcorn and potato the favoured baits. Try floating or ledgered crust for the larger fish. The carp are not huge in the river. Fish up to low double figures are possible, but smaller fish are the norm.
• Mullet.  Mullet make an appearance from the weir at Cortijo Mestanza. The best area is below the sewage works on the tidal section near the villages of Penon and Zapata. Light float tackle and breadcrust will score, although the fishing can be tricky!
• Eels. Try the stretch at Cartama for very big eels. Standard ledgering is sufficient using worms or small dead fish as bait.

Access is easy at Aljaima and Estacion de Cartama. Take the A357 east from Malaga. After 24 kms, turn right to Estacion de Cartama on the A355. The road will cross the river after a short while. There is a recreation zone and parking just over the bridge on the left hand side. To fish near Aljaima, continue into Estacion de Cartama and turn left onto the MA-402 towards Alora. There is easy access to the river via a level crossing at Aljaima. The Cortijo Mestanza weir can be reached by taking the A357 east from Malaga. Turn left onto the ‘Camino de las Pencas’ towards Mestanza and the river. The effluent part of the river mentioned above point is very near Malaga airport. Take the N340 east out of Malaga. The road crosses the river just before the airport. Park under the bridge.

Rio Fungirola

This is a small scenic river just 2km inland from Fuengirola. Fishing is free for barbel, carp, nase and eels. Fish can be hard to locate, so travel light.

Species and methods

• Barbel. These fish can be spotted and individual fish specifically targeted. Try free lined corn or meat for good results.
• Carp. The carp can be quite wary on this little river. Float fish or ledger corn or meat in the slacks and eddies for best results.
• Nase. Fish maggot, pinkie or worm under a waggler for some easy fishing.  Use some cloud bait or liquidized bread to keep the fish in your swim.
• Eels. Small dead fish work well here at dawn and dusk. Fish these tight to features such as weed rafts or sunken logs.

Drive along the A-3108 inland from Fuengirola. The river will be on your left. Fish from above the motorway bridge down to the sea.

Rio Genal

This is a small river with a very fast current not far from Casares. Andalucian barbel are the prime quarry here, along with brown trout. The trout fishing is by day ticket, with the rest free.

Species and methods

• Gypsy Barbel. Fish in the faster glides for gypsy  barbel. Quiver tipping with corn as bait is the best tactic.
• Brown Trout. Brown trout can be taken by fly and artificial only. There is a four fish limit, with a size limit of 22cm (8.6 inches). The season runs from the 3rd Sunday in March through to the 31st August.

Drive east on the N340 from Estepona. At San Luis de Sabinillas turn right onto the A377. Drive for about 25 kms, past Casares. The road will cross the river here. Fish from this point down to where the river meets the Rio Guadario.

Playa de Torremolinos

Playa Las Tubalitas

Valle Niza

Other Waters in Malaga

• Embalse Tajo de la Encantada.   
  Free fishing for carp and barbel. Near the town of Ardales.