Europe Trip, Is it worth taking a rod?

[OvaR8ed]

I'm planning a trip to Europe for 3 weeks End of March / Beginning April.

I'll be staying in Coastal towns near Nice (France), La Spezia (Italy) and Positano (Italy). All I notice in the tourist photos on Google is how nice the water is working in the background...

Is it worth taking a 7-8ft light setup to scratch for species similar to Blacktail/Hotties? Which species can I expect to catch in these areas and how do I go to work regarding licences/bait?

 

[sharkbuddy]

I'd take a small rod if I were you, even though I must say the Med does not have a lot of life inshore, very few molluscs and other natural baits. I have snorkeled in the southern Med around Nice and seen some blacktail and strepie, exactly the same ones as we have and they seem to hang around the seagrass beds -the dark patches in the clear water. loof for a rocky point to access deeper water.
For permission go to the tourist info to find
the nearest municipal office -there's usually French flag outside and ask for a "permit de peche" pronounced "pairmee de pesh", very big fines for illegal fishing there.

good luck!

 

[OvaR8ed]

Thanx for the info.

I think I might pack my 2 piece 7ft Heavy pistol grip bass rod in a 50mm PVC Pipe, a Baitcaster, an assortment of 1/8oz to 3/4oz dropshot jigs and a few packs of gulp camo worm...

 

[Lu]

Hi OvaR8ed

The gear you mention will work. On the channel side there are nice cod, sea bass and mackeral runs. You on the south side so I would target sea bass. Similar to elf in design and predatory behaviour. Spoons are your best bet. Most of the tackle shops stock a variety of fresh worms. Ask for lugworm, bloodworm and ragworm ( my favourite, but beware of the pincers...lol) They normally kept alive and sold in newspaper mixed with soil. This will be your best bait for targeting the reef species. Also worthwhile taking mackeral rigs or get them there. Use it from the shore like your spinning a spoon and you could hook up 2 to 3 mackeral at a time if the shoal is inshore. Other than that, chatting to locals will send you in the right direction.

Enjoy and have safe journey.

 

[Lu]

Ps. While in Spain, it might be worthile getting a spot on a charter boat and target conger eel. They give an awsome fight. Drop a flapper bait close to wrecks and structures. The cost are normally not too expensive if you part of a group and they usually supply the gear and bait as well.