Galicia, the northwestern most part of the Iberian Penninsula is an anglers' paradise with wild beaches, calm coves, rich estuaries, vibrant rivers, lush mountains and amazing culture. It is the perfect place to combine a bit of sea and fresh water fishing with some simple enjoyment of life through the local cuisine, peaceful country side and wonderful towns.
Fly-fishing in the Galicia rivers
As for the fishing, well, Galicia has everything! The region is known as the land of rivers, and these are rivers rich with native brown trout, some of them also have Sea trout and Atlantic. The best part is that you get to pick from a number of nearby locations regardless of where you chose to go. You can fish in a different river every couple of hours and go after some amazing fish. This is definitely a great place for fly-fishing fans with many catch and release locations around the region.
Sea-fishing in the Galician coastline
The Galician coast on the other hand is as rich as it is diverse. Known for its seafood, the Galician inlets or Rías, as well as the beaches and coves are great for those who want to go sea fishing. From catching octopus, to mackerel seabass or crabs, there is something for everyone in the Galician coastline. It's the perfect region to combine a little bit of sea and rivers and enjoy fishing all year long due to its benign weather and diverse landscape.
Fishing license and rules
In order to fish in rivers or the coast you need to obtain a license from the local authorities. There are also fish quotas depending on the species, the body of water and the time of the year. As always, check with the local authorties or contact a fishing guides to help you sort this out. ;)
Other things to do in Galicia
Galicia is known for the pilgrims walking to Santiago de Compostella, it's seafood, stews, cheeses, lush forests and celtic music. While in Galicia you can walk along pilgrims towards Santiago, hike some of its beautiful mountains, do water sports like kayaking, visit its music festivals, go to microbreweries and eat some of the most delicious dishes in Spanish cuisine. It all depends on how tired you are after your fishing sessions.
Places to visit in Galicia
There are many beautiful spots to see and the good thing is they're no more than a couple of hours away from each other. For instance you can go to the Playa de las Catedrales a beautiful beach, where the ocean has sculpted caves in the rock which ressemble cathedrals. Visit the Finisterre lighthouse, take a walk along the water, try some local seafood and enjoy the views from "the end of the land". Given that it has the longest coastline of Spanish regions, it is known for its lighthouses. One lighthouse you must visit is the Torre de Hercules, a structure from Roman times which is now a UNESCO world heritage site. Really worth the ocean views!
Have you visited Galicia? Have you gone fishing in the Galician rivers or its coastline? Share your photos and stories with all of us on Fishsurfing.
Photos by: sara5110, Omar Sanmartin,Alberto Doc Holliday , Alejandro Piñero,Tom Marchal , locuig
