Victoria Sponge
Well-Known Member
We've tried, unsuccessfully, to catch fish from the boat in the area around Orhaniye bay. Does anyone have any tips for us as I'd love to catch some fish and cook it on the boat.
Fishing from the boat in Turkey
- Thread starter Victoria Sponge
- Start date
Norman_E
Well-Known Member
You may now need a licence to do so. A new law has come in requiring all who fish in Turkish waters to have licences, though over 65's seem to be exempt.
Duster
N/A
PM me Steph and I'll give you my phone number.
I can tell you more that way and lend you a bit of gear if you need it.
In very simple, general terms, you need the boat to be stationary, or slowly drifting, but in a reasonable depth of water, sufficient weight to get down to the bottom, then either a few prawns as bait or a string of flashy / feathery lures.
I keep a few fish for the table but return most of the bigger ones. Here is one I caught earlier.
The only reason that this one was not returned was because the place where I was staying were having a fundraising banquet for the local infant school and said that if one of us would donate a fish for the meal, they would put its value in the fund.
I can tell you more that way and lend you a bit of gear if you need it.
In very simple, general terms, you need the boat to be stationary, or slowly drifting, but in a reasonable depth of water, sufficient weight to get down to the bottom, then either a few prawns as bait or a string of flashy / feathery lures.
I keep a few fish for the table but return most of the bigger ones. Here is one I caught earlier.
The only reason that this one was not returned was because the place where I was staying were having a fundraising banquet for the local infant school and said that if one of us would donate a fish for the meal, they would put its value in the fund.
Victoria Sponge
Well-Known Member
Flip, the Turkish are getting very officious...
Edit: I'd best check this out Mike before I go borrowing any gear.
Last edited:
Victoria Sponge
Well-Known Member
Duster
N/A
Could I just add, if you or anyone else here does decide to have a go at fishing from their boat.
PLEASE check on the web and ensure that you can recognise a "weever fish" they really do have a nasty and potentially harmfull stings in the fins and gill covers.
I have regularly caught them when fishing for smaller species off of Wales, Portugal and Spain.
A quick check if there are any hazardous species in your location, what they look like and how to deal with, them may prevent a nice day being spoilt.
Regards Mikej
PLEASE check on the web and ensure that you can recognise a "weever fish" they really do have a nasty and potentially harmfull stings in the fins and gill covers.
I have regularly caught them when fishing for smaller species off of Wales, Portugal and Spain.
A quick check if there are any hazardous species in your location, what they look like and how to deal with, them may prevent a nice day being spoilt.
Regards Mikej
akyaka
Well-Known Member
At this time of year you need to be out very early. My friends who fish are coming back in at 9.00 am. In addition to the potential need for licences there are a number of designated local areas and bays within Mugla Province, and maybe elsewhere,where fishing is prohibited. There is usually a poster up at your local fishing cooperative showing where.
demonboy
Well-Known Member
Fishing in Turkey is more problematic than many other places we've fished in, so don't feel bad about not catching anything! Unless you're trolling most of what you catch will be bass or bream, about a foot or so long. Anything else is just cat food, or can be used as bait if you're feeling adventurous. Sunrise and sunset are the best times. Use a thin line, pointless using extra-thick lines that the fish will spot, especially if the lure isn't moving and if the largest fish are no bigger than this. Bread rolled up into little balls on the hook works well. Make a chum bag (a bag with holes in it) and hang it off the side of the boat, upstream. Put anything smelly in it (used toilet paper, old food, old meat, dog/cat food). Leave it there all the time you're stationary so the fish know where to look. Add a little lead weight ball well above the hook so it stays under the water. When you fish chuck little crumbs and stuff around the line to attract the fish.
The other tip is to watch the locals and see what works for them. In Bodrum I've seen them make a bread ball squidged around a stone with 7-8 hooks attached to it. We tried it with varying degrees of success. Our rigger, after rigging our ketch in Yacht Marina, spent an hour on our boat in the marina with a line, a hook and a piece of bread. He was pulling up fish every five minutes, much to Millie's delight (she's a cat, by the way).
If you troll, you should be doing 5 knots plus. Normally the faster you're sailing, the better. Get a line out about 30m from the boat. Lures are a dark art unto themselves but we found the red and white Rapala types are good. I know people who catch large fish with bent forks or strips of tin can, so it really does depend, and on what, I've never been able to work out!
