A weeks holiday in Malta

[bodger]

Hello everyone.
I've never been to your beautiful island before but my wife and I will be rectifying this in March.

Whenever we go on holiday, I insist that I be allowed to take some seafishing gear with me and this year, is not an exception.
We have booked to stay in an area of Malta called St Pauls and so, to be perfectly honest I've joined the forum in order to pick your brains.
My wife is going to be perfectly happy reading her books in the sun and to allow me to fish to my hearts content from harbour walls, jetties and rocks. I've got a couple of telescopic rods that I should be able to get on the plane, so could folks kindly let me know what sort of species I can expect in March, what sort of end tackle I should employ, bait to use and without giving to many trade secrets away, which spots I should try?
Thanks in advance for your help and advice.
Its been bitterly cold here in the UK and to say that I'm looking forward to my week in Malta is very much an understatement.

[robby017]

first and formost, welcome to the forum.

Secondly, at that time of year definatley do NOT bring any heavy tackle with you. Focus on light and ultra light tackle for the likes of bream, mullet, wrasses & bouge. you should be covered with lines ranging from 0.10mm-0.25mm and hooks ranging from size 6 up to size 16. some splitshot leads (small) and a variety of floats and wagglers.

Will you be using a pole or a rod and reel combo?

robby

[bodger]

Thanks Robby.
I'll be using a telescopic rod with a reel. Those species look as though float fishing is going to be the order of the day. I've caught all those fish from the rocks and in the boat near where I live but I haven't heard of a bouge What are they like?

[robby017]

http://renotonna.yolasite.com/vopa.php
 here's the bogue.....

you can also try fishing on the bottom using a running ledger rig or a paternoster rig. RE : bait, always use the freshest available worms or shrimps or even snails. you can also use bread.

[bodger]

What are the tides like in Malta? Will I get away with freshwater ledgers ?

I'm from North Wales where the tides rip quite a bit. Fishing from the shore, I'm casting four to six ounce weights with 12 foot beachcasters, which certainly wont be coming on the plane with me.

[robby017]

tide..... if we can call it a tide is minimal in malta and i don't think it varies more than 2-3feet at most....... freshwater ledgers.... what do they consist of?

[bodger]

Either drilled lead or with a swivel fitted in the top. Very light when compared with the 4 to 6 oz that I use in the sea.

[robby017]

if you're fishing light...... i use from 5g-30g leads, either drilled or with swievel.

[bodger]

This is all the Mrs saw of me on our last holiday. We went to Greek island called Paxos. The fish weren't very big but boy were they colourful :)Just about everyone one of them would have looked great in a sea aquarium.

[The_Gaffer]

I do hope you threw those small fish back into the sea, they are way too small according to our minimum catch size guidelines here in Malta.  You can catch them, but you'll have to put them back. 

[bodger]

I certainly did, what else could I have done with them? I like fishfingers but fingernails ? No thanks

[The_Gaffer]

Well put Bodger.  and BTW, welcome to the forum!!

[bodger]

Cheers Mate.

I'm just looking forward to a nice relaxing week.

Last year my youngest son (21years) had a great time in Malta with his university team on a cricket tour. He's told us old folks where all the night life is so that we can stay away from it. I don't know about you but I'm a firm believer that quiet is good.