The north coast of Algarve is a scenic area: impressive
cliffs are set with beautiful beaches. A destination for surfers and sun-bathers. Beaches like Arrifana and del Clerigo are fantastic and renowned places.
Playa Amoreira was one of these jewel beaches, until, during winter 2019, the marine streams and the waves have eroded it almost completely.
In Playa Amoreira there is the mouth of river Aljezur, a short stream that runs for about 10 kilometers from its source in the homonymous village. The Atlantic ocean is
here rough, the water cold and subject to strong tides.
The beach is well known and very popular. Hence, the best hours for the fly fishers are either the very early morning or when the sun starts to set.
When the tide rises the current in the river reverses and it gets so strong that the impression is that the stream runs
towards the spring. Groups of small mullet station in the river.
One day, and it was when I did not have the rod with me, I could
observe numerous sea bass eating something from the bottom, close to the river bank. I could not understand what they were picking up from the sand,
a phenomenon that I have never seen again.
Hence, the day after I was here with my fly rod, ready for sea bass fishing. After trying different streamers, the right color was chartreuse.
Small sea bass strike. The first moment gives the thrill of having something bigger on the other end of the line.
Farther down the river there is a large pool. Here the current slows down. I cast a good 20 meters, in the middle of the lagoon and start stripping a
chartreuse/white Clouser. When the fly is five meters from me, I see a big shadow following it. It is almost an arm long. I speed up the stripping
and the bass seems to go for it, but the strike is void!
The fish is gone, my next attempts do not manage to lure the big guy back.
What a fish! It would have done my day! At a point in time, the current reverses again. The stream starts to run towards the ocean. I follow and start walking toward the ocean. I mount
streamer with a chartreuse fur strip I manage to catch some more small sea bass.
Nothing big, fish around 20-25 cm. It seems that I missed my opportunity to catch the big one earlier today.
When the tide falls I have no more bites. Fifteen meters above, a rock angler is still trying his luck. I attempt some more casts in the open ocean. The
water is so cold with short trousers that after a short while I have to give up. The day ends with a superb sunset.
Even if I gave other colors a try, the chartreuse had a clear edge. Above the two flies that caught all the fish.
