Southern Oman Magic in search of 50kg GT Sept 29 - Oct 5, 2013

[Kil Song]

This was my second trip with Ed of No Boundaries in Southern Oman for big GT this year.
The trip had an international flavor as 5 fishermen came from 5 different countries.

Bertrand Picarda from France
Lars Nielson from Denmark
Andre van Wyk from South Africa
Yoshitaka Tsurusaki san of FCL LABO from Japan
Kil Song from the US

 
Fishing trips give opportunities to meet new fishermen and we had a great time to fish together on this trip.














 




We fished for six days on two  boats while mixing GT popping and inshore fishing.
 
Weather for first three days was not favorable, but it got better later. GT fishing was on and off, but it was really good when bites were on. Inshore jigging/popping was great as usual. 

[Kil Song]

beanbags were very useful on this trip.


 GT popping

Tsurusaki san jigged in the morning while we cast poppers for GT without landing any on the first day. He hooked up a GT in 10 minutes after he started to cast FCL Stickbait in the afternoon. :?














I knew it was big when it took my FCL EBIEXT not far from the boat. I was using light Black Hole Magic Eye 804S rod along with Stella 20000SW apooled with 80 lb Jerry Brown Hollow/short 200 lb leader line.

Magic Eye 804S rated for PE4 is too light for 50 plus kg GT, but I wanted to test the rod' strength for big GT using heavy drag.
The 50 plus kg GT made 20 - 30 yards run at most which means I used pretty heavy drag during the fight.

I know I can not fight longer than 10 minutes on heavy drag because of my back problem. But I fought using Hots small belt this time after I observed that the fight doesn't usually last longer then 10 minutes even for big 50 plus kg GT on heavy drag.

I was pretty comfortable throughout the fight using Hots belt though I couldn't crank to gain line at some point because the soft rod didn't give me much leverage and backbone.

After I brought the GT, Mohamed  gaffed in the mouth of GT.
It was a definite 50 plus kg big GT. But unfortunately the GT was dropped while trying to lift on the boat for pictures.
This GT turned out to be the biggest Gt on our trip.
Though I don't have pictures of the GT on my lap, I am extremely happy  to accomplish my goal to land a 50 plus gt GT, especially with so light PE4 rod.













I opened bail as the big GT was secured with gaffing in the mouth.




This Gt is around 47 kg GT caught by Ed soon after my catch.
Ed agreed that my GT was much bigger and my catch was a legitimate 50 plus kg GT.








































we encountered small yellowfin tuna while popping for GT in shallow water.



We were also surprised to catch a few nice AJ in shallow water while popping for GT










Tsurusaki san's creative fighting belt

[Kil Song]

Jigging

We didn't spend much time for jigging on this trip and Tsurusaki san and myself jigged occasionally while others cast poppers.
It seemed Tsurusaki san were testing his slow pitch rods and jigs with slow jigging and his catches were impressive.
I brought only one light jigging setup with Black Hole 631XH rod and JM PE2 filled with PE3 line.





It was very impressive to watch Tsurusaki san land a nice grouper with PE3 line reel.












two mackerel on one hook














lunch time jigging

[Kil Song]

Inshiore popping


Southern Oman provides excellent inshore popping for various species.
We had yellow fin trevally, queenfish and permit on small surface lures on my Spring trip. Those fishes were not there in big numbers on this trip, but we had excellent bream popping instead.























action of Black Hole Magic Eye 753S












































I tested Black Hole Seabass rod on this trip.












30g FCL SL jig for casting




I tested small Black Hole lure with a lip with fantastic result.
I brought only two and both were lost to big emperor snapper.
This is going to be my go to lure for inshore popping.
















Tsurusaki san tested various inshore lures on this trip

[Mark Harris]

Excellent and very visual report Kil!

You guys clearly had a ball and looking at the weather you had to contend with, the results were excellent with some trophy GTs and superb Amberjacks taken off the surface, as well as the great variety of other fish.

Top stuff and a great opening to the new season in Southern Oman.

[Andy Rowe]

Magic, this time next week we will be doing it too.

[Andrew Smith]

Fantastic report! Looks like you all had a great trip! Fantastic to see the sensational "All round" options of the area!!!

[Mark Harris]

anyone has an ID for this fish that Kil caught?

[Luke Wyrsta]

Nice report! Well done!

[chris caley]

Mark I think this is a crescent-banded grunter. These fish hang around the shoreline and don't really grow much bigger than the one Kil has caught.

[Andre van Wyk]

Such an epic trip, and I gotta say how stoked I am to have been able to share it with such a diverse and fantastic group of anglers... I learnt SO MUCH from everyone on the trip, and gotta throw a HUGE shout out to Ed and his team at No Boundaries Oman for putting on a show of note... 1st class all the way!!

Not much time to add all my input here, but Mark to answer your question, that is what we know as Thornfish down in SA, sci name Terapon Jarbua... they are also known as the "Pest of St.Lucia" as they frequent our estuaries on the east coast where they are notorious bait stealers when targetting bigger fish ( Jewies and Grunter ) and are such a hassle too because they have incredibly sharp spines as well as gill plates... never seen one caught on a lure though, or quite as big as the ones Kil caught!!!

Then again it seems everything in OMan eats lures.. I caught a pretty large catfish on a sinking stickbait under a bait ball, and numerous little sharks on top waters!!!!

[Kil Song]

We fished together on the last day and I spent as a camera man while casting occasionally.
It was fun to watch how they worked their lures. Everybody used different lure.



http://s2.photobucket.com/user/ksong/media/salalahVideo1Kil/MVI_2676_zpsd17f7f9c.mp4.html?sort=3&o=0

[Mark Harris]

Mark I think this is a crescent-banded grunter. These fish hang around the shoreline and don't really grow much bigger than the one Kil has caught.

Thanks Chris!  That's definitely a new one on me.

[Mark Harris]

Such an epic trip, and I gotta say how stoked I am to have been able to share it with such a diverse and fantastic group of anglers... I learnt SO MUCH from everyone on the trip, and gotta throw a HUGE shout out to Ed and his team at No Boundaries Oman for putting on a show of note... 1st class all the way!!

Not much time to add all my input here, but Mark to answer your question, that is what we know as Thornfish down in SA, sci name Terapon Jarbua... they are also known as the "Pest of St.Lucia" as they frequent our estuaries on the east coast where they are notorious bait stealers when targetting bigger fish ( Jewies and Grunter ) and are such a hassle too because they have incredibly sharp spines as well as gill plates... never seen one caught on a lure though, or quite as big as the ones Kil caught!!!

Then again it seems everything in OMan eats lures.. I caught a pretty large catfish on a sinking stickbait under a bait ball, and numerous little sharks on top waters!!!!

Hi Dre - I can see you guys had a ball and so happy for you.  That was a fine group of gentlemen all assembled together.

Many thanks on the fish ID.... just not one I am at all familiar with. Like you say so many fish take artificials in Oman.  One of the reasons I rate Southern Oman above all other places I have fished is the sheer variety of beasts that will take top water lures... it is mind-blowing.

[Aaron Levien]

Ph my goodness, what a report. Could you have caught any more fish? Great effort and wicked snaps there lads.