As always it is fantastic for us to have Mogi-san and group come and fish with us again, but this time it was in Northern Oman in the Musandam. It is great to be able to fish another couple of months in the North after the season finishes down in Hallaniyat Islands Southern Oman. Musandam is our original GT destination and where we first discovered GTs in Oman. So it is our home base and holds a very special place for us and it usually fires towards the end of the season with big GTs coming in from the deep waters of the Indian Ocean to hunt and feed around the cliffs that drop directly into the sea. Musandam is definitely one of the most beautiful places I've had the privilege of experiencing!
Mogi-sans group arrived early morning on Emirates Airlines into Terminal 3 at Dubai Airport. I met them at the airport with two of our captains Cameron and Damon. The group was Suzuki-san and Mori-san with his wife who just got married and this was their honeymoon! Some people have all the luck!! After catching up on news and fishing, a coffee and quick bite to eat we headed out to our villa in Dibba Musandam. We arrived early so still had most of the day ahead, so we did a bit of sight seeing around Dibba. We headed to the marina, Six Senses Resort, drive through the mountains and the only Dam I think I have ever seen in Oman which has about 5L of water in it!!
Meeting up with Mogi-san and group at the airport
Our mighty Dam in Dibba, don;t think dams in the desert work to well!
The view from up top of the mountain towards the Six Senses Resort.
Honeymoon couple having a fruit juice at the luxurious Six Senses Resort
Sight seeing wouldn;t be complete without seeing our faithful 40Ft Al Sayyad.
After a good day out and about Dibba we turned to the more serious business of setting up tackle. This is always one of the highlights of any trip to see what rigs clients are using and thoughts behind the set ups. Mogi-san showed us a few new tricks, and after a great few hours watching and discussing different set ups all the tackle was ready. Then one of the funniest things I have seen in a long time Mogi-sa asked Mori-san to take her rod and he was going to give her a lesson in GT fishing as she had not caught a GT before, so Mori-san got onto our small boat outside the villa and Mogi-san proceeded to run around pulling line and fighting like a GT with all the right actions. Mori-san was fighting Mogi-san and finally when GT Mogi-san was landed we got some great pictures of an 83kg "GT"!! Very funny! After a fantastic dinner made by Anura and his wife Mungala we turned in early to get a good nights sleep.
GT Mogi-san pulling line!
Mori-san fighting like a pro!
83kg GT!
Setting up the tackle in our fishing room.
Mogi-san in action.
Early the next morning all of the team was up and ready. Cameron was going to be our Captain for the trip along with Hassan. The guys had all of the gear down and on the boat and we followed after a good breakfast and headed out for the top of the Musandam. The water was looking very clean and blue on the East Coast side and we stopped at the first location which was full up with fusiliers and almost immediately we started hooking up small GTs, which was great fun to get the group warmed up and everyone was on the board. We tried a few more spots and caught a few good queenfish and saw a couple of big GTs come up and miss the lures.
The team ready on the boat!
Capt Cameron and Hassan
Casting action.
Suzuki-san in action
First Arabian GT for Suzuki-san
Mori-san in action
Honeymoon!
First GT! All the practicing the day before paid off!
Finally we were coming towards the end of the day and thought we would try one more spot. On the first drift Mori-san hooked into a monster on light tackle and after trying to work the fish off the shallow section got reefed. A lot of excitement and on the next drift Mogi-san was fishing with a Carpenter Bluefish 120gr lure had a small GT come up and miss the lure when all of a sudden a huge bow wave picked up behind the lure, by this time everyone on the boat was shouting and excitement was through the canopy! The fish missed the lure on the first attempt and came back really angry and engulfed the lure on the second attempt! Mogi-san hit the fish several times and the fight was on. We managed to work the fish into deeper water and Mogi-san fought the fish like the master he is and was great to watch! After an excellent and tough fight the monster from the deep came up to the surface. Cameron and myself leadered the fish and landed a fantastic GT by hand. A lot of high 5 and congratualtions! We measured the fish at 137cm and got a few quick pictures before Mogi-san released the fish to swim another day!!
The master in action
Still during the fight Mogi-san is having fun!
Awesome fish! 137cm
Then to end off the day we were traveling back to base when we came across a whale shark, Cameron and myself managed to jump in and have a quick swim with this amazing animal. End to a great day!!
Beautiful animal!!
Not scared of the boat at all!
Catching a ride.
For the next 3 days we had some great fishing with a few more good GTs being caught with the best one been Mori-san catching a good Honeymoon GT along with a lot of queenfish, emperor and grouper. Also a lot of wildlife around with whales, dolphins, turtles and ospreys. Really great time of year in the Musandam. All the rods used were Carpetner rods and lures Bluefish and Gammas in various sizes. Really great to watch the guys working the lures and getting a better understanding on techniques.
Nice queenfish
Big cuda!
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Lunch and some snorkeling in one of the bays
Whales
Tons of baitfish around
Small GT
Honeymoon GT with special heart design!!
Another GT
Mori-san modeling the new OA shirt.
Lima Rock
Emperor caught on jig. Fantastic Sashimi
Grouper on jig
Grouper on finger!
Another good grouper on jig.
GT
Cameron and Mori-san with another GT
Another bay another lunch
Queenfish
Light tackle queenfish
Team photo!
After the trip Mogi-san had arrange for the group to do some sight seeing around in Dubai with afternoon tea at the restaurant at the top of the Burj Al Arab Hotel and follwed by a tour of the Burj Khalifa the tallest building in the world.
Burj Al Arab Hotel
Views Bar
This is how we roll!
Honeymoon couple at Burj Khalifa
From the top of the Burj Khalifa
Brave!
Aquarium at the Dubai Mall.
The whole trip was good fun with a lot of laughs and memories. The whole OA team learnt a few new tricks and I look forward to Mogi-san next trip.
Cheers,
Nick
