Fishing
A very “dry” definition of fishing says that this is the activity of catching fish, using particular tools. But the passionate people of this activity know that there is a lot more to it than just fishing. It is about heart, it is about tales, even fairy tales, it is about feeling the line and about communicating with your catch, it is even much more than passion. You may practice this as a sport, leisure, or just because you want “to produce” your own food. We have here in the UAE really beautiful places for fishing and a large variety of fish which are waiting for you.
Fishing is deeply rooted in the culture of the UAE. Fishermen, Pearl Divers and sailors made the region famous before the discovery of oil. Compared to the western people with the latest equipment and lots of gadgets, the UAE locals still prefer fishing with a simple line in the hand… and this is still very successful.
There are in general two ways of fishing; either from the shore or from a boat. For shore fishing we recommend a spot at a pier, break waters or in harbors. For harbors you might catch more fish, but the surroundings are not as nice and unfortunately the water is not clean. Fishing from breakwaters will provide you with a good catch, even a really big one. But it is a bit tricky not to loose hooks and lures in the rocks.
By the East Coast you will find lots of spots where you can fish directly from the rocks. If you can afford a boat or spend some money on a fishing trip, you will have a better chance of a great catch. A good size for fish in the Gulf is about 10KG. If you want to fish for the really big ones you should try your luck in the deep waters off the East Coast. The Gulf waters in most places are not deeper than 30 meters, therefore the water is getting very hot in summer – about 35°C.
During summer the fishing is not as successful because the fish are swimming to deeper waters. It is also a challenge to survive a whole day on a boat, because most fishing boats don’t have cabins.
As everywhere in the world, most people believe in their own special technique of fishing and bait. To find out more about fishing experience check the articles section. For the beginning try shiny silver or red/white lures which are not too big. Cattle fish or squid is a good natural bait which is holding good at the hook. Usually a fishing license is required, but most of the sports fishermen don’t have one. To apply for a license please refer to: https://portal.dm.gov.ae/eFormServerWebUI/WebUI/DataDetails.aspx?id=1784&name=SER108&oid=1591&PageLang=En
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