The coastline of Crete is over 1000 kilometres long and in ancient times fishing off these coastal waters was a traditional occupation of many civilisations that inhabited the island. Through environmental changes that have occurred in the Med over more recent times, the fishing flotilla of small and larger boats in Crete is no longer what it used to be.
There are still fisher men in Crete but not in such great numbers these days. This, however, does not mean that the amateur fisherman who wants to enjoy a beautiful peaceful days fishing off one of the most idyllic islands that can be found in the Mediterranean Sea, will not be able to satisfy their love of sea fishing. The catch may not be as big as in the olden days but the taste of the fresh fish he catches will be as delicious as it ever was in days gone by.
Cretans have their own techniques when it comes to the sort of fishing lines and system of hooks they use to catch these tasty fish and are experts when it comes to choosing the right bait.
Worms, shrimp (peeled) and a paste of bread and cheese are some types that Cretan fishermen favour the most. The tasty mixture of bread and cheese paste is used to tempt the fish into the area where he is fishing.
You may often spy these experts relaxing on a dock or a rock patiently waiting for the fish to bite. There are mullet, bream (boops), saddled bream, bass and many other species of fish to be caught from these locations and they all make a very tasty meal indeed.
Many fisherman dive deep in to the sea, up
to 20 meters down, in order to go spear fishing.
They go this deep so they not scare the fish, because if the fish spot a fisherman with a spear gun they swim off very fast to get away from him.
The waters are crystal clear and are a sheer delight to dive in, going deep to explore and discover all the marine life that can be found in the seas around Crete.
The coastline of Crete is simply glorious, with bays and coves along the stretches of sand and rocky inlets, all of which are ideal to fish off. Discovering new places and relaxing whilst fishing in these beautiful settings is paradise for the traveller is passionate about sea angling. At the end of a day’s fishing there is nothing more pleasant than returning home with your catch and cooking a meal that will be one of the best dishes that you would ever eat. And if you return with an empty bag then there is always tomorrow to go out to explore and discover another gorgeous place to try your luck out again.
