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Reviews — 4
As a keen and experienced fly fisher, I can honestly say this was hard. Really hard.
There is a certain level of masochism to this style of fishing. The set up is, head out in the boat, one guide and 2 guests. In May it needs to be 6am. We foolishly ended up going out at 1030 (should have been 12, but was arranged to go earlier). They give 2 daily slots, but it has to be the earlier one. Completely forget the afternoon. To be honest they shouldn’t even advertise it.
Once the boat is on the water the guide is spotting for birds, to show were the fish are feeding, hitting shoals of sand eels. None of this explained by the guide. But it was easy enough to twig after a few goes.
We spend 4 hours on boat, maybe an hour fishing and other 3 hours were motoring about looking for fish. We went from Jumeriah beach down to the far side of Jebel Ali port, up the shipping channel, back to Jumeriah beach and then up to the Dry dock. Then circumnavigated the entire world breakwater (on the outside). The waves were 2ft ish. It felt like my spine was trying to escape via my skull. If you have any type of a sore back, this will kill it. No comfort other than one arse cheek perched on a cooler.
The fishing technique is guide spots the birds, park up next the feeding fishing. Guide casts a hookless epoxy surface lure, cranks it back in to get the fish to chase to the boat. Fly fisher casts over the spinned lures (when close enough) and then strip like crazy. Again not really explained well, but we twigged it.
The rods are 10wt 9ft with a floating WF lead eye clouser minnow. Character building stuff, double hauling on a pitching boat bow and in 40deg heat. The queen fish are crazy strong, I got 3 largest maybe 2lb. Lost 3 also. They dive down and barrel about. A large fish must be bonkers.
But in May your only real chance is very very early. Really need to be fishing a few months earlier.
You need to be really physically fit to do this and must, must, must go earlier. The guide spent the whole time reminding us of this “you came too late in the day guys, need to come earlier”. Fair enough, but why offer fishing tours if you know this.
We spent ages looking for fish and covered maybe 30miles. The fish switch off as soon as the sun was high. This was apparent after the first hour, it was done and basically over. Even when we found a few feeders, after a couple of casts they cleared off or wouldn’t chase the lure.
My mate was spinning, he caught nothing at all. Same epoxy lure as the guide with a single hook. I was surprised by this, I thought he’d do better than the fly fisher.
Guide thought the fish being caught were small, he alluded the need to travel so far, was to find “big fish”. I’d have happily fished for the smaller fish and not have a bruised spine.
I was very surprised we didn’t try a different method or target a different species. Something deeper, not on the surface. Fish go deep when the sun is out. Would have rather spent time fishing for something different, with much less motoring about/looking.
Anyhow interesting, challenging and character building. It is an endurance and not sure it is something I would repeat.
As they say it’s called fishing not catching. But this was fishing masochism (paying a lot to be banged about), with minimal to show for it.
Another odd moment was the guide
never offered us to get a photo with the fish caught. He unhooked them and then fired them back in water. Good for fish welfare, rubbish for the photo album. But I think it was because he thought they were small and not photo worthy.
There is a certain level of masochism to this style of fishing. The set up is, head out in the boat, one guide and 2 guests. In May it needs to be 6am. We foolishly ended up going out at 1030 (should have been 12, but was arranged to go earlier). They give 2 daily slots, but it has to be the earlier one. Completely forget the afternoon. To be honest they shouldn’t even advertise it.
Once the boat is on the water the guide is spotting for birds, to show were the fish are feeding, hitting shoals of sand eels. None of this explained by the guide. But it was easy enough to twig after a few goes.
We spend 4 hours on boat, maybe an hour fishing and other 3 hours were motoring about looking for fish. We went from Jumeriah beach down to the far side of Jebel Ali port, up the shipping channel, back to Jumeriah beach and then up to the Dry dock. Then circumnavigated the entire world breakwater (on the outside). The waves were 2ft ish. It felt like my spine was trying to escape via my skull. If you have any type of a sore back, this will kill it. No comfort other than one arse cheek perched on a cooler.
The fishing technique is guide spots the birds, park up next the feeding fishing. Guide casts a hookless epoxy surface lure, cranks it back in to get the fish to chase to the boat. Fly fisher casts over the spinned lures (when close enough) and then strip like crazy. Again not really explained well, but we twigged it.
The rods are 10wt 9ft with a floating WF lead eye clouser minnow. Character building stuff, double hauling on a pitching boat bow and in 40deg heat. The queen fish are crazy strong, I got 3 largest maybe 2lb. Lost 3 also. They dive down and barrel about. A large fish must be bonkers.
But in May your only real chance is very very early. Really need to be fishing a few months earlier.
You need to be really physically fit to do this and must, must, must go earlier. The guide spent the whole time reminding us of this “you came too late in the day guys, need to come earlier”. Fair enough, but why offer fishing tours if you know this.
We spent ages looking for fish and covered maybe 30miles. The fish switch off as soon as the sun was high. This was apparent after the first hour, it was done and basically over. Even when we found a few feeders, after a couple of casts they cleared off or wouldn’t chase the lure.
My mate was spinning, he caught nothing at all. Same epoxy lure as the guide with a single hook. I was surprised by this, I thought he’d do better than the fly fisher.
Guide thought the fish being caught were small, he alluded the need to travel so far, was to find “big fish”. I’d have happily fished for the smaller fish and not have a bruised spine.
I was very surprised we didn’t try a different method or target a different species. Something deeper, not on the surface. Fish go deep when the sun is out. Would have rather spent time fishing for something different, with much less motoring about/looking.
Anyhow interesting, challenging and character building. It is an endurance and not sure it is something I would repeat.
As they say it’s called fishing not catching. But this was fishing masochism (paying a lot to be banged about), with minimal to show for it.
Another odd moment was the guide
never offered us to get a photo with the fish caught. He unhooked them and then fired them back in water. Good for fish welfare, rubbish for the photo album. But I think it was because he thought they were small and not photo worthy.
Ramesh is the best guide in Dubai.
He got us on Queenies. We boated some nice ones.
He got us on Queenies. We boated some nice ones.
Amazing experience. The staff were so friendly and kept moving to the best fishing spots
We arranged for a day of fishing with Ocean Active, as a group we couldn't be more pleased. They took care of us 100% from the time we stepped off the airplane until we where back at the hotel. Professional, knowledgeable and helpful. This was one of the best guide services I have ever used anywhere in the world. Don't hesitate to book a day of fishing with Ocean Active, they are great!
