By Dick Handscombe,  Our gardening columnist.

However one enjoys gardening and however long the list of jobs to do a break is required from time to time. Over the past twenty five years that has meant for me a few days walking or fishing but until recently the fishing has been enjoyable but mediocre in terms in terms of size of fish. The turning point was going to Riba Roja del Ebre (on the River Ebro in English), a small town that was at the centre of the harsh hundred day Battle of the Ebro during the civil war , to give a gardening talk and meeting up with a local fishing guide and coach Nick Shaddock.

Having driven along the wide Ebro river , often in deep gorges, for an hour from the coastal AP7 motorway at Amposta I had realized that it would take a lifetime to get to know the river and discover good accessible fishing spots. Being now 74 it therefore made sense to hire Nick to take me fishing for a few days in March and April using his excellent rods and reeels. The two days fishing in March were great, but the three days in May were awesome. 16 fish totaling 630 pounds were landed including personal best carp of 36 and 34.5 lbs and a catfish of 11Olbs!! Awesome for me as before discovering Nick and the Ebro my largest carp had been ten pounds with most just a pound or two. I’m caught so go back again in June! As my wife Clodagh said ‘Life is too short not to’.

Dick and his 36lb carp

Dick and his 110lb catfish

No way can one catch such monsters in local waters and Riba Roja is very easily accessible by car for a few days break  or when travelling to or from France en route to the UK or your Spanish home. If you visit Nick’s website www.ebrocarpfishing.com you will see that he is even willing to take you fishing for just a day with a pickup from the coast while you leave the family in a southern Cataluña beach resort. Best way to first contact Nick Shattock  is by telephoning him on 680820728. There is a good chance he is on the river bank fishing. Perhaps even at the time landing a monster fish.

© Dick Handscombe  www.gardeninginspain.com May 2011.