Ebro River (Mequinenza / Caspe) cheat sheet
Every fish, the split licence and the kill rule, the rigs and the box of tackle. One page to take to the water.
Ebro River (Mequinenza / Caspe)
Catfish best in the warm months (roughly May to October). Carp fish much of the year. Zander prefer the cooler, lower-light spells. The strip shows the broad arc, not legal open seasons.
Licence
A regional freshwater licence, valid only in its own region. Aragón (Mequinenza, Caspe) and Catalonia (Flix, Benifallet) are separate. Catalan licence, online: about €4.50/day, €18/15 days, €18.50/year (2026). Aragón licence bought separately (INAGA), about €11.51/year. Controlled stretches (cotos) may need an extra daily permit. Most guides include the licence. Confirm with the Aragón and Catalonia authorities.
The kill rule
Wels catfish and zander are legally classed as invasive in Spain (Real Decreto 630/2013; Catalan Resolution ARP/259/2025) and, by law, must be killed on capture, not returned. In practice most guided trips photograph and release. This is the one fact most worth carrying. Ask your operator and check the current regional regulation.
Carp and handling
Carp are not invasive; the keep rules differ by region, so check the local size and bag limits before keeping one. Handle every fish in wet hands. Clean and dry your kit between waters so you do not move invasive species or disease.
Bank vs boat · season · time → rig
| Fish | From the bank | From a boat | Best time | Rig |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wels catfish | Possible where deep water comes in close | Yes, the standard, and how the big ones are caught | Warm months; early, late and through the night in the heat | Catfish rig |
| Carp | Yes, the main bank fish | Yes | Much of the year; early and late in summer heat | Carp hair rig |
| Zander | Possible on a drop shot in low light | Yes, the real edge over the shoals | Cooler, low-light conditions; dawn and dusk | Vertical jig or drop shot |
A giant catfish is a guided boat trip. Carp are the realistic self-guided bank fish. Zander come from a boat over the shoals, or a drop shot from the bank in low light. In the heat, fish dawn, dusk and the night.
The rigs
Strong trace (heavy mono ~25–45 lb, coated braid or soft-strand wire) → a heavy running leger on the bottom, or a float paternoster off it. The strong trace is the one thing you never skimp on
Palomar · snell on the single hookMain line → method or open-end feeder, or a running lead → coated/soft braid hooklink → a boilie (15–20 mm) or corn on a short hair off the bend of the hook
Palomar · snell on the hookPE braid → fluoro leader → a jighead and a bigger soft plastic dropped straight down, worked with a lift-and-drop over a holding shoal
Palomar · non-slip loopPE braid → low-vis fluoro leader → a bigger soft plastic on a dropper hovering off the bottom, weight on the tag, worked slowly
PalomarWhat you need
A guided catfish trip needs only clothing, sun protection and a camera. Self-guided: one carp/feeder outfit, one strong catfish outfit and one lure outfit, with a small terminal box.
The knots
| Knot | Ties | Used by |
|---|---|---|
| Palomar | The workhorse, swivels, jigheads and leader joins. | Every rig |
| Snell knot | A strong hold straight onto a single hook. | Catfish and carp rigs |
Learn the Palomar first. Wet every knot before you pull it tight. Each rig page links the exact knots it needs.
This one page is the printable I take to the water.
Give me an email and I will show it to you, ready to print. A one-page reference: what's on by month, the licence and rules, a rig for every fish, the shared tackle box and the knots.
I'll send you the cheat sheet, and email you when I add a new place to fish. Nothing else.