Fishing is both relaxing and fun, no more so than in Georgia! Surrounded by natural beauty, what better way to soak it all in than sitting by a lake with friends, downing chacha (grape vodka) and waiting to reel in your catch? If you don’t have any equipment, Tbilisi has many shops for you to stock up in, such as the Fishing Club, Metevze, Calibre and many more in between. And these four fishing spots are not the only ones available; there are dozens of spots where you can enjoy fishing as well as camping: try Samegrelo, Svaneti, the Pechora river and of course the Black Sea itself, or even book yourself on a fishing tour!

KUMISI LAKE

Source: am.geoview.info

Starting near the Azerbaijani border, on the bank of the River Mtkvari between the Teleti slope and Yagluja highland, is the hamlet of Kumisi – a health resort noted for its medicinal mud. The therapeutic mud is extracted from an artificial lake in the southeastern part of the village, the bed of which is covered with pseudo-volcanic-origin mud.

The depth of Kumisi Lake, according to the changing level of water, is from 4 to 6 meters. The lakeside is covered with sedge grass and reeds which make good refuge for water birds. There are lots of mullet, silver carp, common carp, cat-fish, minnows, barbell and other species of fish. Nearby, there is a fish farm that is very popular with fishing-lovers.

LISI LAKE

Source: wikipedia

This is an exceptional lake in Tbilisi surrounded by a natural reserve and lush green mountains. It is great for a stroll around as well as for fishing. Part of the great city Tbilisi, if you’re short on time and don’t want to travel too far, this is the perfect place to catch a fish or two.

MTKVARI RIVER

The 1,515 km (941 mi) long Mtkvari river originates in Turkey where it is called Kura, and flows through the broad valley between the Greater Caucasus and Lesser Caucasus mountains and down into the Caspian Sea. People in the South Caucasus region have been sustained by the Mtkvari river for at least 7,000 years and it remains a great river, interweaving Georgia’s rich history and culture, including in fishing. For a more family-friendly fishing experience, you may want to go to Vardzia in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region where one of the greatest trout fishing farms awaits! The river itself is home to fish such as carp, truce, sheat and khramuli.

PALIASTOMI LAKE

Source: blog.turebi.ge

Located in Kolkheti National Park, Lake Paliastomi has an important recreational function for the region. The maximum depth of the Lake is no more than 3m while its bed is covered with peat. It used to be home to more than 40 species of fish, however, in 1924, Lake Paliastomi was connected with the Black Sea via a water channel and as a result, the lake water became salty. Because of this, many of the fish species disappeared. In spite of this, even today the Lake is a habitat of such rare species of Georgian fish fauna as pike perch and black cat-fish. There is a lot of pickerel, bream, common carp, European chub and others. Anyone can fish there, so long you have a permit from the Park Administration.

By Shawn Wayne

Main photo source: carmeloportal.com