Frequently Asked Questions
Read our FAQs first before making a reservation
No. The license is the one that the boat has.
Full day trips are 6 hours, and 1/2 day are 3 hours.
Kids are welcome on all of our charter boats. We generally recommend that kids be at least 7 years old to go on an offshore charter. For kids under 7, the near shore bottom fishing trips are more appropriate unless they have previous offshore experience. The boats do rock around offshore, so kids need to be old enough to be aware of the movement and be able to hang on and get around the boat without falling. Many times kids tend to get bored quickly, so we recommend bringing a hand held game or portable DVD player or something for them to do when the action is slow.
Shares are for anglers who don’t have the inclination to book a private charter and would like to go fishing without paying some 600.00 euros or so. The advantage, of course, is lower cost, but there are several disadvantages. First, share trips generally do not go unless the boat is able to get four or more passengers to go along. So, if you are on a tight schedule, there is a possibility the trip might not happen on the day you wanted to go fishing. It’s also difficult to go on the specific boat you wanted because private charters tend to take priority.
Second, when fishing is slow, there are times when only one or two fish are hooked up. With rotational watches on the rods, it may mean you won’t get to fight the giant Marlin or big tuna that strikes the lures, and you may feel a little bit left out if this happens. Still, a day on the water and witnessing the catching of a big fish firsthand is pretty exciting, too.
Third, personalities at sea tend to differ greatly. Some people may become ill and want to go home just as the bite picks up, creating a tension on board between those who want to stay out and those who want to go home.
Definitely yes. The port of Pasito Blanco has a steep ledge very close that tends to produce a lot of Wahoo, Dorado and smaller Skipjack Tuna, however, we believe the hunt for a big Marlin should be done as a full day event. The seas are calm and concentration should be pretty good for the whole day. Current and trash lines run through the South of Gran Canaria frequently, and bait schools come in very close. So while longer trips always increase the odds of catching something memorable, 4 hours trips are better than not going at all.
It is a simple fact of life that all fishing places, no matter how good or how many stories have been written about them, sometimes don’t produce fish on a given day. Some people feel there should be a guarantee in chartering a boat, however, what customers are paying for is the opportunity to be on a boat with an opportunity to catch a large fish and the story of a lifetime. We believe our angling customers should enjoy the beautiful scenery, the colour of the water and the sky, the camaraderie with the crew, and the good fortune they have for being on the water in Gran Canaria.
The boat provides tackle, bait, ice and fresh water unless otherwise noted. However, if you have a favourite lure or rod you would like to bring, it will be more than welcome.
Dress as though you were going to work in the garden on a hot summer day. T-shirts and shorts, a light baseball type hat, polarized sunglasses, and preferably deck type shoes are perfect for your day on the water.
We offer food in our boat, different kind of sandwiches, salads and drinks, but you can bring your own. Cans are better than glass for drinks, and snacks like Cheetos and Doritos for some reason seem to go down well at sea. It’s tough to please everyone’s appetite especially at sea, but we´ll have different things to cover all tastes.
If you are at all prone to motion sickness, here’s pseudo-doctor recipe for a more enjoyable trip:
Seasickness tends to be accentuated by lack of sleep and poor nutrition, so start with a healthy (non-greasy) dinner the evening before the trip.
Next, do some math on the number of hours to get about eight hours of sleep. If you have a 30 minute drive to the port and it takes 30 minutes to get up, shower and eat breakfast, you need to be up at about 7:00 for a 8:00 departure.
Third, just before you go to bed, take one of the commercially available motion sickness medications such as Biodramina. This helps your body begin to get used to the medication before you need it. If you wait until you are on the boat and feeling queasy before taking the medication, you can kiss the rest of the day goodbye.
When you get up in the morning, take another Biodramine and have a light breakfast (again, non-greasy). Be alert and awake when the boat leaves the dock so you adapt quickly to the movement. It is fine to nap later when you have your sea legs, but don’t go on board and immediately head back to sleep. This again spells trouble.
Take along ginger ale and/or ginger snaps to snack on. Keep your mind active by asking questions, focusing on the horizon, looking for fish, and involving yourself in the process.
The trick to combating seasickness is to be pro-active instead of reactive. Don’t wait until you feel ill to do something about it, take steps to stop it before it starts. Don’t fear your day on the water….enjoy it!!!
You will also want to bring sunscreen. We recommend a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher as the Canary sun is very strong, especially on the water. Select a brand that doesn’t run into your eyes as you sweat; this makes for a terrible time when you are angling a fish for a few hours.
Other things to bring along for the trip include a hat to shade your head and face, sunglasses with a restraint (polarized are best to see debris and fish in the water), an extra t-shirt, and closed toe boating shoes to keep you from slipping and to protect your feet from flying hooks, etc. when the action gets good.
Important tip on driving to the port early in the morning?
You can either drive to the port yourself, take a taxi, or be driven by us. If you choose to take a taxi, we recommend calling the taxi company the evening before and setting up your ride. If you are going to be driving your rental car from the hotel you´ll need to confirm us on time so we advice the security man at the door of the port.
Fish On! has more than 25 years of experience in fishing these waters, we know the grounds very well, and if you trust us, be sure we’ll always take you the right spot.
LINKS
Port of Pasito Blanco, San Bartolome de Tirajana
Gran Canaria, Spain, 35106
+34 660 41 16 61
info@fishonbluemarlin.com