{"id":4292,"date":"2020-03-17T23:39:24","date_gmt":"2020-03-17T21:39:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/troutfishing-germany.com\/?p=4292"},"modified":"2022-02-10T14:11:08","modified_gmt":"2022-02-10T12:11:08","slug":"saudi-arabien-fliegenfischen-und-spinnfischen-am-roten-meer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/troutfishing-germany.com\/en\/2020\/03\/saudi-arabien-fliegenfischen-und-spinnfischen-am-roten-meer\/","title":{"rendered":"Saudi Arabia. fly fishing and spin fishing in the red sea."},"content":{"rendered":"

It has been 27 years, since I last set my foot on Saudi Arabian soil\u2026 I was almost 13 years when we moved back to Germany (my dad had worked there) and so I spent most of my life here in Germany. But Saudi Arabia has left its mark in my heart, and the Red Sea still flows through my veins.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Legends abound of uncounted snappers, barracudas and groupers which my dad caught using a hand line and dead bait. \"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>
\nThe first fish I remember as having caught completely on my own was a small needlefish\u2026 And even after 27 years almost every big family dinner ends with the discussion, if the Red Sea is still as beautiful as then, and if we would still catch fish using our current fishing methods.<\/p>\n

Rather unexpectedly, Saudi Arabia opened its visa regulation last year and suddenly the chance was there to make a dream come true\u2026 Together with my brother I went to visit our old home, and to fish the Red Sea of course \u2013 my brother with his spinning gear, and I using my fly rod.<\/p>\n

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Tough negotiations<\/h3>\n

Starting from our hotel, we drove to spots which had looked promising on satellite images. Full of enthusiasm we had planned to snorkel a bit to see what the reef looked like, and then start fishing afterwards. But as soon as we had entered the water, the coast guard was there and asked us to leave the water \u2013 swimming was forbidden and we were prompted to follow them in our car\u2026. \"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>
\nThere were signs of warning indeed, but we thought that those were rather addressed to people who could not swim, and not to us two surfers who were well familar with currents and waves\u2026. And so began the first of many episodes with the authorities, of many discussions, explanations, many cups of spiced coffee, almonds and dates\u2026 the Arabian hospitality, no matter what the circumstances are, is admirable after all. All people we met, treated us with great courtesy. But many of them were of the opinion that swimming began as soon as your feet were wet, and they sent us away on many good spots.<\/p>\n

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Fish!<\/h3>\n

When we had finally managed to negotiate a few hours of fishing, we were completely happy! We waded through crystal clear water towards the reef. The smells were so familiar, as were the fish, the wind\u2026 it was hard to believe that it had been such a long time since we had been here, it was the comforting feeling of being home again.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>
\nAnd the first casts brought fish! On the fly rod I had difficulties to turn the strikes into fights \u2013 small trevallies in all forms and colors attacked the streamers and poppers so viscously that I set the hook too slow in the beginning.<\/p>\n

My brother was more successful on the spinning gear, and his orange-spotted trevallies and needlefish showed us immediately that this spot was not bad after all! A very intense colored orange-spotted trevally was my first fish, not very big but surprisingly strong if you are used to fresh water fish mostly.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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Heaven and Hell<\/h3>\n

It is hard to describe the following days in only a few words. One of the first words that come to my mind is \u201cdiversified\u201d, in every aspect! The mornings often began with little wind and a sea like a mirror, turning into heavy wind with gusts of 20 knots at noon. \"\"<\/a>Casting with the fly rod became physical education\u2026 backhand-double-haul against the wind, stripping as fast as my hands could do\u2026 adrenalin pumping when a follower raced after the fly, several trevallies fighting over the streamer but none of them hooked and then again hours without a single take. Sometimes fish after fish, and in the end a broken rod\u2026 shifting emotions all the time!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a>In the evenings I was completely dead, and while we drove home into the sunset we hardly spoke a word, the skin felt tight from wind and salt, and we needed quite some amounts of grilled chicken, shawarmer, all kinds of arabic starters to restore our energy.<\/p>\n

The coastline was in parts sandy, sometimes rocky with overhanging cliffs you could not climb down to the water. The reef edge was sometimes only meters away from the beach, dropping 150 yards down into the dark blue. Sometimes the reef was far out, miles away from the beach, with extensive lagoons and flats.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a>We saw rays and mackerels, parrotfish and turtles\u2026 on two evenings even a dugong (sea cow)! The Red Sea is still a paradise, but it is well guarded! Every inch of the coastline is being surveyed by the coast guard and without loads of diplomacy, time and some Arabic you will stand at the beach and not be able to make a single cast! We were sent away on the probably best spot and were not able to get permission to fish there a second time.<\/p>\n

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Realization<\/h3>\n

It was sometimes hard to bear that by sheer numbers, my brother with spinning gear was a lot more successful than me with my fly rod. \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a>When we met again after some hours of fishing in different spots, he usually had caught 10 fish or more, while I had only one missed take in the bucket.<\/p>\n

While I was working hard for my first fish of the day, doubts were lurking in my mind\u2026 was I completely crackbrained to fish the reef with a fly rod? The spinning gear was far superior in casting distance and frequency and a lure was louder and shinier and attracted fish from greater distances\u2026 next time I would tie streamers that pushed more water, were more noticeable. More poppers in various sizes also\u2026!<\/p>\n

But every day, sooner or later during I realized that good fish were coming also for the fly gear, and that gave my confidence. All I needed was a spot where I could stand and cast well, and some persistence. And I am still very proud for every fish I hooked \u2013 without a guide, without boat, teaser or feeding.<\/p>\n

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Fish diversity<\/h3>\n

The number of species we caught in Saudi Arabia is higher than anywhere else I have fished before. Whereas \u201ccaught\u201d means hooked and not \u201clanded\u201d, because the amount of fish we lost during the fight was also higher than anywhere else before.<\/p>\n