Saltwater fly fishing in Abu Dhabi

**Dry Fly** · 01-12-2007, 16:39

Just arrived in Abu Dhabi from Scotland and wondered whether there was anyone out here into saltwater flyfishing?

**altenetf4** · 04-12-2007, 21:58

hi Dry Fly. Im in Abu Dhabi. i have no idea about flyfishing activites in here but i am interested to know about it from u if u r willing to share. BTW, how long u will be in here?

**dabcatcher** · 06-12-2007, 12:04

welcome to the site to you both

there is an international forum here that might have someone who could help you.

**PanamaJack** · 06-12-2007, 12:44

Yes, to reiterate Dabcatcher's greeting, Welcome to the site!

Not certain about Abu Dhabi itself but there certainly opportunities at Dubai. Trying clicking on this link - http://www.worldseafishing.com/forum...ad.php?t=53817 - it might well be of use for the general area.
Dave

**Dry Fly** · 06-12-2007, 18:54

Hi guys, great to get such a quick response - thanks! Deep sea fishing is great but it takes a lot of time and effort to get to Oman and Dubai and I fancied something a little bit different. I think it was Billy Connolly (who's he?) floating about in a boat in the shallows in the Carribean catching fish with a fly rod that set my mind to thinking that the shallow waters around the mangrove swamps in Abu Dhabi may also be productive (apart from mudskippers!). Apparently some areas have good tidal runs at certain periods in the tides and this environment may produce fish. I have been fly fishing Scottish mountain streams for decades but wouldn't have a clue where to start on such a venture - any suggestions?

**marktheshark** · 10-12-2007, 14:42

Ullo Dry Fly
Don't know if it's any use but if you can get to the Indian Ocean side of UAE, there is the Fujairah Salt Water Fly Fishing Academy, run out of Le Meridien hotel at Al Aqah. It's been set by by a Brit expat, Martin James, and they run skiffs inshore and offshore looking for dorado, tuna, kingfish, snappers and the usual suspects. They also run three-day courses including tuition and accommodation at Le Meridien. I don't have a website (this info is from an article in Weekend magazine, Nov 17-23 2006) but Google might.
I didn't fish with them, but did take some charters from Muttrah farther down the coast; the waters there are full of tuna, dorado etc, and I caught several small blackfin tuna on the fly, as well as dorados on conventional lures.
Hope it's of some use. Good luck and if you get out, let us know how things go.
Mark

PS: while in Oman I was scanning through some brochures and there were a number of pictures of very interesting-looking beaches near Abu Dhabi with what looked like flats, channels and sandbars ... extremely fishy-looking!

**Dry Fly** · 12-12-2007, 16:57

Mark,
Thanks. The stretch of coast to the south west of Abu Dhabi is protected by offshore islands between which there are some pretty fierce tidal runs and that's where I guess the fish will lie. The area appears unexplored in SWFF terms [no fly rods in shops!] and that's why I fancy learning how to go about it. I fished for brown trout for years in Scotland but this is different!

**marktheshark** · 12-12-2007, 23:56

Oh yes ... I fish for trout too and I'd say that SWFF can be very different; a lot more brutal in approach, tackle and fight.
Just by the way, another thing that the article on Fujairah mentioned was that strong winds made fly fishing in some parts of the UAE difficult for parts of the year, and that the Indian Ocean side was much calmer ... which was true: the sea was like a mill-pond on the days I fished.
Let us know how you get on. I'd like to go back one day and places like Mussandam look extremely interesting and unexplored.
Mark

**yellowsub** · 24-02-2008, 05:25

Hello Dry Fly,

How have you been getting on in Abu?

Including myself, I know of two other people here who SWFF.

When I first came here two years ago I waded the flats on the new corniche just past the power station. It was hard fishing but I never had any problems heading out for a few hours in the very warm water, I caught a few Golden Trevally and a few other smaller species. Access is the key and I was relying on taxis.

Things have moved on a fair bit now and we regularly catch Queenfish, Trevally and the odd Spanish Mack on the fly. The fishing can be very good at times, it's the 'peak' season now however there has been a lot on onshore winds (Shamal) and the water has been dirty and I believe at 18-19c too cold for the predators who have made themselves scarce for the last few weeks (where I fish anyway).

All my gear has to be purchased outside of the UAE. As far as I know there are no flyfishing retail outlets here. It is a pain but nice also as it just shows how new it is here. The post can be awful, I have had many a painful wait for bits of kit.

The Gulf of Oman has the reputation as the better fishing area. I am only just starting to explore out there, it's about 4hrs from Abu and worth a look. I have tried twice to make Martin James school but work has always interferred. The Meridian at Al Aqah is where he bases himself and they will be able to sort you out a boat. The Dorado are in good supply from what I've heard. We were there a week ago and there wern't many, we caught one. I think it's a bit 'cold'

Just as well your down here making fat cash?! you'll need a 10 & 12wt, floating, sinking & inter warm water lines and new sage reels and spools of course!

Like you said DF, plenty of space to explore but a lot of it is closed off if your not a Sheikh. Boat is the way forward, better still one with a trailer.........

Regards

Yellowsub

**Dry Fly** · 01-03-2008, 18:49

Yellow Sub - great to hear from you! You sound a lot more experienced than me so thanks for the tips. My rod arrived [AFTM 8/9] two weeks ago by plane so I have only been out twice - first time to Mussafah bridge where I discovered you are not allowed to fish below the bridge - pity since I guess there must be some nice fish waiting in an around the bridge piers! Second time was today to the culvert at Marina Mall - fished a fast sinking line with a heavy leader and using a Cat's Whisker [clousers are on the way courtesy of my fishing club - Walton AC.com in Scotland!] and caught 5 Trevallys - great since nobody else was catching! Caused quite a stir and they couldn't believe I wasn't using bait! Sounds as though there are four of us now in Abu Dhabi - lets get together so I can pick your brains!!