22.FEB.2012

The last day of my middle east trip, I got up quite early and again headed to the same north
beach early in the morning. After passing through the modern business buildings in the city,
there were a few Muslim mosques at the roadside which were beautifully lit up. Same as other
Muslim courtiers in Asia, every day and night at particular time I could hear the sections of
Koran from these Muslim mosques, even in westernized cosmopolitan city like Dubai



After one hour drive out from busy business city, not like these days, weather was much better
at the beach. Cool gentle sea breeze with light sea salt aroma made me feel so refreshed. In
previous two days I could see many needlefish was chasing my fly just under the water surface,
but today was totally different, as I had not seen any needlefish at all. It seemed like no fish in
shallow water so I tied to start searching bottom water. A sudden take, immediately I pull my rod
and line, but it got loose. No fly on the tippet, No idea what it was but probably a kind of predator
fish like barracuda with very sharp teeth.



Got hungry. Lunch at a local Indian again on the roadside, it's only 7AED, the most popular
meal, Biryani, spicy but taste good.



Tired a different port in Ajman after lunch. There's constlaction rocks along the port. It got
windier than this morning and even difficult to cast. Yes, here they are, baby snappers and very
active as usual. Only baby fish no adult at all, probably they go to ocean when glow up, I guess.



Stopped around to take photos on the way back to city and way to last place to visit. The city
looked very powerful and is still rapidly glowing.



Unfortunately, due to windy days and I don't do the right thing in my daily life, there was no
chance to fish from boat and could not meet to the queenfish but if I have an another chance
to back here, I like to chase qeenfish again. Anyway this is all about my first trip to middle east.



Thank you so much my new friend, looking forward to seeing again somewhere in the word.

19.FEB.2012

Next day, I headed to north beach alone once again. Early wake up was impossible, because
of long fright, and yesterday's all day fishing made me a bit tired. As it's told the way to Dubai
from north was crazy, very long traffic queue. It must take a few hours to Dubai centre, even
from Ajman which is only 20-30km away. On the other hand, way to north was very smooth,
even I missed a couple of turns and a few stops for photos, I was already at same spot in Umm
Al Quwain, less than one and half hour drive where we tried yesterday, about 50km away from
Dubai.

Tried various ways, short and long strip, fast and slow strip, shallow and deep, small and big.
Only baby needlefish wanted to bite from my fly from just under the sea surface. Despite so
many bites, only I could hook a few fish but could not land any of them. After a disappointing
few hours, I simply gave up this spot. It's so hard to land those babies.



UAE in mid Feb, temperature is good and comfortable from 20℃ at night to 30℃ at midday.
Of course, there's very strong sunshine and you need proper sun protection when you fish,
not feel like in a sunbaked desert, but very windy. Even in UAE, in this temperature, Feb is
coldest month of the year and people say, winter is leaving and spring is coming.




When I got to the next spot, there's a fishing boat was heading to the beach and a truck also
was heading to the beach. They started unloading something in net from boat and loading to
truck. I was very curious to see what's on board. It's small bright silvery bait fish like sardine
or splat which must be running away from needlefish yesterday. There's no needlefish today
but baby snappers were still here and naughtily like to take my fly.



Wandered along the Dubai coast to have a look, as weather forecast said it's too windy to fish.



All I could do is fill up my hungry stomach with street food. I have not eaten it since I was in
Moscow, it's my old days favourite street food called Shawarma and I am still loving it, lol.

18.FEB.2012

The way to the middle east, first time in my life, as I have no interest in this region. You know,
it's very simple reason, I imagined no way to fish there on fly. However since I have found a
mutual friend who lived in Dubai a few years already and also a charter boat, it's dramatically
changed and I was extremely exited to visit and fish in UAE. Chatted over a month with boat
captain and mutual friend by email, my target at this trip was the Queen Fish, the gorgeous
silver beauty which I have never landed.

Just before my departure I got a call from the boat captain and it was a very sad news. The
weather was too bad and seemed no chance to fish from boat. Anyway, mutual friend was so
kind and he came over to airport to meet me, then we headed to the north shore in Umm
Al Quwain, after long 12 hours fright from Tokyo to Dubai.



As you know, The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates and have different
sports fishing policy. In Abu Dhabi and Dubai, you need sports fishing license which is almost
impossible to get if you are just a visitor. On the other hand, in Sharjah and other emirates
no licence needed, as far as I heard. But you would better check it by yourself whenever you
visit as it's change quite often. Alos you have be carefull even in Sharjah and other emirates
swimming beachs and parks are mostly prohibited to fish.



Anyway, after about one hour drive we were on sandy beach. The spot is located in inshore,
a couple of islands located in off shore protect here from heavy seas. it's windy but ok to
flyfish as it came behind us. No waders needed in mid Feb to wade, sea water was enough warm
temp to swim. My choice was intermediate line and clouser minnow. Long distance casting
and fast strip in Arabic blue ocean and white sandy beach in cool morning was so nice. I saw
a bunch of bait fish was running around to escape on the water surface from predators at far
off shore and was praying it come closer to me. Two times I saw fish like small trevally was
following fly but made u-turn just in front of me. All bites were seemed like baby needlefish,
and it's very difficult to set hook firmly, as you know long jaws with sharp teeth like a saw.



Lunch at very local restaurant on the road side, Indian food is very popular here in UAE. I had
mutton masala with chapatti. It's hot and spicy but was very good to me.



After lunch we had a look at a few spots, then started again creek in Ajman near the power
station. Most of big creeks in UAE are well constructed ports for fishing and commercial boats.
These creeks have long Arabic history of trading between Europe and Asia. At this spot time
to time big fish, like kingfish and barracuda come in to creek with bait fish and are often seen
and caught. But all I could see was baby needlefish. All of sudden when I was picking up my fly
to false cast, some tiny fish up from rocks and tried to bite it. I tied a small crazy charlie and
strip it along the rocks which are the foundation of the port. Every strip babies were struggling
to bite it and I enjoyed to tease those babies for a while.

Behind the creek is white sandy beach and I could see millions of billions of baby needlefish
just under the water surface. Not easy, it took me nearly one hour but finally I got a baby
needlefish.

At night, thanksfully I was invited to dinner with his family at excellent seafood restaurant.
Fishing was slow but I really enjoyed the first day in the middle east in my life. Many thanks
my new friend!!




Dory snapper: Lutjanus fulviflamma
http://www.fishbase.us/summary/Lutjanus-fulviflamma.html

Needlefish
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Needlefish

Charter Boat fly fishing in Dubai and Oman
www.oceanactive.com