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Ok its been hot, really hot, the winds persistent, the fishing slow and my usual boats are all out of the water for service and repairs. Work has been busy, the wife had a baby - the excuses for avoiding a long hot fishless day on the water were plentiful.
I didn't think I would be in a hurry to wet a line for at least a few more weeks yet.
That was until a general "how are you call" to a friend revealed something interesting. He was away on holidays but was more than happy to get some news off his chest. He'd been over to Fujairah to clean out his boat before leaving the country at the end of July, and was informed by the marina staff that there had been some fish around.
Over the next six hours, he and a friend had one of the best day's fishing they had ever experienced on the East coast. "Bait every where" he told me; two sailfish, a yellowfin tuna, mahi mahi were in his list of captures. Not bad for a few hours! It certainly motivated me.
Well I'm glad to report that it turns out that Fujairah at this time of year can be pretty good fishing. It wasn't the best day's fishing I ever had, but we managed a steady stream of fish to keep our interest piqued.
The highlight was some high flying acrobatics from a large sailfish; before he promptly swam under a 200m long ship and cut us off. The weather was fantastic and although it was hot, it was not as bad as I expected it to be. I guess the moral of the story is; You'll never know unless you go!
I have also been hearing reports that the small kingfish are moving down the coast. They should be easy enough to find; just look for all the local fishing boats early in the morning. It's nice to see a good start to the season.
Before we all grab our rod and reels and head out however, this is the best time to do any maintenance. In the hot salty environment of the Gulf, equipment breaks down fast. Not taking the time to properly wash down your gear after a trip, leads to plenty of mechanical breakdowns.
Number one on your list should be to check your line. All mono filament lines degrade from UV exposure and the wear. I would inspect the top 30m of line off the reel: Feel the line to see if it has any visible damage.
Next do a strength test: Wrap a short length around your hands and give it a sharp pull. If it keeps snapping, it might be time to re-spool with some new mono or braid. The second thing to check is that the drags are all operating and doing so smoothly, some people call this a clutch or break.
The best way is to thread the line through the rod, and have someone pull line out while you hold the rod at an angle of about 30-40 degrees. If the rod bends nicely and lets line out smoothly then its fine.
If the drag is sticking, then the tip will bounce up and down as the drag slips and catches. If you are suffering from a dodgy drag, you should get it serviced. or check on the internet for tips on how to do it yourself.
Finally, all the rod guides should be checked and cleaned. If you have ring guides, inspect them and make sure all the guide inserts are there. Most ring guides have a insert that reduces the friction, but they can pop out or get damaged from general use.
If they are missing you will be running the risk of wearing through your line. If you have a trolling rod, with roller guides, then check they roll. Salt build up will jam the rollers, so remove, clean and oil them to ensure a smooth operation.
A lot of people tell the story about how a fish was so big it broke the line. A quick inspection of their gear usually tells the story of poor maintenance or incorrect setup. No fish should be able to break your line at the strike, when it first takes your bait or lure.
If your gear is working properly, i.e. line is good, the drag is smooth and set to no more than about 1/3rd of the line's breaking strength, the biggest fish won't break your line. So here's to a brand new season. Tight lines!
Luke Chang was raised on a remote pacific island with little else to do but fish. A childhood filled with wild fishing trips nurtured a passion for the sport, while tinkering with the family's boats led him into his profession as a Naval Architect. Based in the UAE since 2005 he has designed and built a number of recreational and commercials vessels in the UAE.
