Till to the end of the Second World War fishing and olive culture were the main proceeds of Lake Garda. At the beginning of the “sixties” (1960) tourism set in, which changed the way of life in this territories, guaranteeing much more receipts. Fishing automatically reset. Nowadays there are only 100 fishermen at Lake Garda, there is a fishing-cooperative at Garda, another one is at Peschiera.
The fish, which was the base for the pastime, was the “Alse” (May fish), better known as “Sardèna”. Earlier these fishes were caught by big nets, formed like large basins, named “remat”. These nets were 400m long and 40m large- today they don’t use the “Remat”, but simple nets. These May fishes spawn in springtime, on the sea ground, where is sand and fine gravel. Such special “spawn- places” are to find at “Vò”, an underwater mountain, in the middle of the lake, about 4 km distant of Bardolino. Round the borders there are many algae, the ideal “ambiente” for pikes, a sort of fish, to find more in the southern part of the lake. You must have a special net, similar the “Remat” for fishing the “Alborelle”, little fishes (sardines). This “Remattino” is not so large and always today the fishermen use this net for fishing “alborelle”. When spring time is ending, at the beginning of summer, these littles fishes use to spawn, nearby the coast. Then the fishermen catch them with net stripes (0,80m x 25,0 m), which they lay out next to the coast and early in the morning, “after having made love” the “alborelle” finding themselves prisoners of the nets.
The most famous fish of Lake Garda is called “Carpione” (salmon trout), these species reproduce themselves in the depths of the middle of the lake. They spawn on a clear and find gravel bed, passed by cold currents. Once this fish was caught by the “Tirlindana”. These are little copper chains connected with nylon files, at the end you find a little piece of brightening metal, which seems like a moving sardine. These cords are fixed at the fisher boot with a little anchor and can be involved. Always rarer to find is the “blue trout”, which takes its place to spawn nearby the Sarca River. This fish was caught by diverse manners. A very good fish, indeed is the eel, which will be caught by special conic nets. Not to forget the carps, which don’t very much on the market. At least let’s tell about the “Lavarello”, a special fish and very, very good. During the last years these species have found their habitat in Lake Garda. Therefore it has become a precious receipt for our fishermen of today.
