Anyone visiting Tiago Vitorino's Fishsurfing profile will quickly notice an impressive collection of carp catches. Curious about the story behind his success, we sat down to get to know him better.
Tiago Vitorino is 27 years old. Fishing has fascinated him since childhood, but it was only about five years ago that he discovered carp fishing. Since then, he has focused exclusively on targeting carp, which has become his greatest passion.
How did it all begin?
It all started when Tiago was a young boy, going fishing with his grandfather. Even then, they were targeting carp. His passion for fishing only grew stronger over the years and about five years ago, he decided to fully commit to carp fishing and continuously improve his skills. That dedication has made him the angler he is today.
What's the carp fishing scene like in Portugal?
Carp fishing is quite popular in Portugal, but carp fishing as a dedicated discipline is still relatively unknown. Many anglers are not yet familiar with, or don't fully respect the principles of catch & release and other key aspects of modern carp fishing. However, Tiago believes that awareness is growing and that the sport will become much more widely recognised in the years to come.
Where does he usually fish?
Most of the time, Tiago fishes at private lakes, although he also regularly visits reservoirs and wild rivers across Portugal. Unfortunately, current regulations do little to support the development of carp fishing, which is why he more often chooses commercial venues. Wild waters hold relatively few carp, and the fish that are there often lack the genetics needed to produce truly exceptional specimens. For Tiago, private venues simply offer far better opportunities.
What gear does he use for carp fishing?
Tiago is currently a member of the CC Moore and Fox teams. In his opinion, these are two of the best brands in the world of carp fishing. He relies on CC Moore for bait and groundbait, while Fox provides his rods, reels, terminal tackle, bivvy, chair and a wide range of other high-quality carp fishing equipment.
He told us about his latest Legend catch
The fish that recently earned Tiago Legend status was caught at a lake managed by APCF (the Portuguese Carpfishing Association). Although it's a challenging venue, it is home to some truly remarkable carp. APCF is dedicated to promoting authentic carp fishing and developing waters designed specifically for the sport, giving anglers the opportunity to enjoy their sessions in a well-managed environment with minimal restrictions.
What did he catch it on?
Tiago caught the carp on a new pineapple flavoured pop up from CC Moore, presented on a Spinner Rig tied with a size 6 Fox hook. Although the Spinner Rig isn't his favourite presentation, he uses it very often. His go-to rig, however, is still the D-Rig. For baiting, Tiago relies on a proven combination of particles, pellets, and boilies, creating an attractive feeding area that consistently produces results.
His advice for fellow anglers
Tiago believes that every angler starts with challenges. At first, everything may seem difficult or even impossible to achieve, but if you're patient, stay consistent and do things the right way, the results will come with time.
His second piece of advice is simple: don't rush into buying everything at once. Instead, save up and invest in the equipment you really want. In the long run, it's better to buy quality gear once than to spend money on several cheaper alternatives before eventually upgrading to your dream setup.
