Yes the country. Yes, in the Middle East and uh, yeh, right next to Yemen…Got invited for the season opener at No Boundaries Lodge. It is a yearly right of passage for those luck enough to beg, borrow or stow away on this trip. This year provided additional challenges as the harbor and boat ramp had been destroyed during the monsoon season. Quick thinking and a ton of money had us launching from the beach using a large front end loader along a jetty and then running through the waves to get out.
The fishing consists of a series of 5 islands from 30-50 miles offshore. The weather had not quite turned. It was actually a bit cool at the time(beginning of October). The inshore islands are loaded with big bluefish this time of year. As you move offshore from island to island the species change. The main goal for most is just the diversity but Oman is known as the motherland for big GT, those over 50kg. These were my target. The rest of the crews had a blast with the yellow spot trevally, black tip trevally, bonito, sharie, amberjack and other reef species. I pretty much threw the heavy lumber for 6 days looking for big GT.
I had my chances. I got reefed/owned/ass handed to me on 2 occasions. Lost a good fish on another and then landed a smallish 25 kg fish after changing some lures over to flying fish pattern once we saw some flyers on one of the bommies. The biggest GT of the trip was a 42kg.
I was with a South African, Slovanian, a UK transplant living in Bali and a group from the Nehterlands that included a Olympic medalist in Judo. The captains there are from Kenya and the crew from Bangladesh. The owner is a guy from the UK that grew up in Abu Dhabi that started the lodge 6 years ago. What other sport puts that type of crew around the same dinner table?
Check another one off the list… although I am going to leave it on for a possible return in April when the big fish are a bit thicker.
Dang Cortland, the places you go! Do you take your own ammo or rely on the local Warlords, to sell it to you? Also that place looks like it’s really hopping, at night!
That’s pretty darn Cool! Thanks for sharing. Got some pics of the launch? What a diverse Crew! Did they all speak English or y’all point and smile a lot?
“If Bruce Jenner can keep his wiener and be called a woman, I can keep my firearms and be considered disarmed.”
That’s pretty darn Cool! Thanks for sharing. Got some pics of the launch? What a diverse Crew! Did they all speak English or y’all point and smile a lot?
“If Bruce Jenner can keep his wiener and be called a woman, I can keep my firearms and be considered disarmed.”
We all spoke English although the Dutchies had the benefit of a common language to themselves. I have video of the launch. Maybe I’ll put something together.
A guide buddy told me a long time ago, “to do amazing things, you have to put yourself in amazing places, with amazing people.” Looks like you got it down!
“Those who have the ability to make a difference have the responsibility to do so.” Thomas Jefferson
Man that’s some list you have. Nice fish, but dang. To many people that hate us over there. The thought of being beheaded keeps me fishing the Winyah Scarp…ha ha.
