Captain Andrea Giardina

Quick Q & A with Our Captain

Tell us a bit about yourself and about your passion?
I’m a certified tour and fishing guide, with a crazy passion for shore fishing, travel design, and exploration. I chose to make my passion my life. When I have time, I like to travel with friends and try to find extreme fishing shores around the world, making documentaries and testing new equipment for some famous fishing tackle brands.

Why should people come fish in Sicily?
Sicily is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea and surrounded by lots of small and wild islands. If you go fishing in Sicily you’ll have lot’s of varieties for fishing spots and fishing techniques. Visitors can experience a full fishing adventure and some extreme fishing. Moreover, Sicily is of full of wild nature, history, food, volcanic attractions and much more…

Where are the best fishing spots in Sicily?
There are many hotspots to go fishing in Sicily, from east to the west! In these places, it is possible to fish all year round and in every weather condition. It depends also on the technique you like. Fishing from shore, we take advantage of the shore structural that help attracts almost all Mediterranean game fish.

What is the best way to arrive in Sicily?
By airplane, landing on one of the six island’s Airports. The biggest and most famous is the Catania (Bellini) international airport. Trapani-Birgi and Palermo-Punta Raisi are also served by low-cost airline companies.

What type of fish a person can expect to catch in Sicily? And what is the best fishing season?
Fishing in Sicily is amazing! Here we have many kinds of fish such as bluefin tuna, amberjack, sea bass, barracuda, bluefish, Mediterranean snapper, swordfish, grouper, and many others. From the boat, the best is bluefin tuna (also called ”Tonno Rosso”). Amberjack or a big barracuda fight off the rocks can also give you a shot of adrenaline!

What other activities you can do in Sicily?
In addition to fishing, we organize many other activities. Relaxing on a volcanic natural heated jacuzzi in winter or on a white beach in summer always make our guests happy. There are many things to do in this amazing island such as:

• Exploring lost limestone quarry to find big fossils
• Find a natural sauna cave by walking through the woods
• Visit or hike the top of Etna volcano
• Taste typical sweet wines and al Sicilian specialties
• Enjoy some of the old towns and the crystal clear salt lakes
• Visit the old ”Tonnara’‘ building guided by old fisherman telling Tunas and ”Mattanza” stories
• Staying at a local lodge
• Eat local fresh seafood and watch how old woman work it
• Visit pre-historic caves and tombs
• Guided trekking and snorkeling on hides natural paradises

There are so many things to do if you joined one of my trips.

What type of fishing technique do you use? What type of rods and bait/lures/jigs do you use? Should a customer bring with him his own equipment or it’s provided?
All the technique possible in the Mediterranean Sea; from bluefin tuna drifting and popping to live bait trolling for Amberjack, dentex, and swordfish. But jigging and shore fishing are my favorites: the striking moment is complicated to explain! About the equipment, I tend to take the best equipment in the market. Shimano is the main choice for rods and reels. The customer can bring his/her own tackle if they want, but our equipment is always provided.

If someone books a trip with you, how much it will cost? And what’s included?
A guided 4-day fishing trip in Sicily for 3 passengers could cost around 480€ a day. It includes transfer from all Sicilian Airports, internal airplane/ferries, lodge, off-road car on site, fishing licenses, fishing guide, and extreme sessions equipment, refreshments, action cameras, and a guide to exploration and activities.

Where the customer will be staying? What about the meals and food?
Visitors will stay in a nice local accommodation with all comforts, like wi-fi, barbecue, full kitchen. The locations of the lodges are close to fishing spots. Meals can be added to the package on request. Sicilian food and wines of Mediterranean cuisine are always available around and I know where to go!

Any last thoughts to tell our readers?
Yes, I’d like to tell them that we can build and customize each trip, we can focus the package on other activities more or focus on fishing only. We just want you to enjoy your trip, immerse into the Sicilian culture and have fun!