Dean Macey samples the sun, culture and amazing carp fishing of the remarkable Spanish Canary Islands.

But he’s not here for the coastal tourist delights – he’s heading inland to a 160-acre dam that seems to be holding some kind of underwater beauty contest for carp.

He’s a guest of Keith Gladdon from the Canary Carp Crew – a man who fell in love with the fishing here so passionately, he persuaded his family to move there lock, stock and barrel to start up a fishing holiday company.

Lake Chira was stocked with some 4,000 carp in the 1960s to keep the mosquito population down, and the result is an amazing population of specimen carp that look like no others in the world.

In blazing temperatures Dean learns that when the sun is high, the fish can keep a low profile. And he takes the opportunity to learn about the island’s fascinating history before returning to his pre-baited spot as the light values and mercury begins to fall… to bag the first of many gorgeous Canary Islands near-fully-scaled mirror carp to over 32lb.

WATCH CANARIES CARPING