FIrst Offshore Trip - Season 2017-18

[ijlal]

Oct. 1, 2017

Our inshore and offshore fishing season (unofficially) starts mid of August down here in Karachi - Pakistan and ends in April. There is no official season for recreational anglers so far. During the summer heat, monsoon winds begin blowing hard, and it becomes dangerous for small craft to go out in the big swells.  

After a couple of casual inshore trolling trips in August and September, we decided to head offshore to an area known as Karamat. It is a span of water ranging from 150 to 250 feet deep about 22 nm SW of Karachi that has many underwater structures jutting up many feet from the seabed. These underwater structures are visited by large schools of fish of many species, but from September to November, large schools of amberjack draw many anglers, giving them a shot at vertical speed jigging, which happens to be one of my favorite forms of fishing.

We gathered at the harbor at 3 am. Being the captain of my team, I had booked a boat earlier - Here, it is different from the charters you book elsewhere. We hire boats but have to bring all we would need on the trips. The boat captains usually provide the ice and can be asked to get the bait, but I always prefer to buy the bait myself. So, although we have a boat captain, in essence, I am normally the fishing charter captain on board.

Our boat has arrived, albeit an hour late...


Ready to go...


We start trolling as the day breaks...


a small kawa kawa takes a lure trolled for mahi mahi


We reach our first structure and start jigging. This place is infested with bonitas. Basit catches a striped bonito, his first ever fish on jigging!


It isn't so bad. Everyone's into fish and having fun. After a couple of hours, we decide to change spots. This is not what we came for!

On the way to the next structure, we troll again. Aaqib's favorite color X-Rap 30 is running hot today.


We reach the intended structure and the screen of my Helix-5 is full of fish!

One of my clients is into his first ever amberjack. He panics and calls me to fight the fish. After landing the fish, I let him have the honors...


Everybody's into AJ's... I have taken 4 newbies on a guided tour, they break off many fish, and jigs too!

Romis gets hooked to offshore jigging. With his catch...


Two of my legitimate fishes. I decide to try a slow jig to catch a different species, and immediately hook into an african pompano


...and Shoaib manages to steal the day's honors!


Our boat crew cooks us delicious bonito biryani - a bit spicy for some of you but simply mouth-watering!


After lunch, the school of amberjack has moved on and the swells are becoming too big for comfort. Time to head home. Our boats are slow and port is a good 4 hours' sailing, but the positive side is we troll all along the way!

Finally a decent mahi mahi!


...and the last one of the three narrowbarred mackerel that took trolled lures. One of the best eating fish out there!


Lots of fillets to take home for the eight of us!

[Benni3]

Wow! Great job! Man you got a boat load 

[Crow]

Looks like a productive....and fun...trip !

[FatTuna]

This thread is amazing. I will be following it. Amazing catch and great pics.

[lawaia]

Nice catch!  Those amberjacks are hard fighting fish; you guys must've had a good workout bringing them up from deep.  No wonder Shoaib looks too tired to smile.

[steelhead_killer]

Looks and sounds like a great trip!  Nice AJ's!

Andy

[Tightlines667]

Pretty exotic fishing locale there! 

At least to most of us.

I now feel obligated to learn what species of Bonito enhabits those haunts.

Thanks for sharing your adventure!

We look forward to more reports.

John

[Shark Hunter]

Great Report Ijlal!
When you get your hands on the Tank, I'm sure it will see some action.

[ijlal]

Thanks guys...

Best,
Ijlal

[Alto Mare]

Excellent report Ijlal! nice to see action from different parts of our world.
Thanks for sharing, can't wait to see the Tank on that boat.

Best,
Sal

[swill88]

Thanks Ijlal... Great fishing!

The biryani has my mouth watering.

Recipe?

Steve

[Tiddlerbasher]

Thanks for taking us along Ijlal - great fishing

[Swami805]

Nice fish and looks like a fun trip! Thanks

[Dominick]

Syed the Tank went into the mail today.  Priority Mail to Karachi, Pakistan.  I PM'ed you the tracking information.  Try to put a hurting on the Tank.  Dominick

[Bryan Young]

Ijlal,

Looks like a very fun trip with mixed species.  And that bonito biryani looks so delicious.

Bonito is not a desirable fish for many here in California.  Many refer to it as bait fish.  But I love it.  Japanese will place quarters in a barrel of salt and let it ferment for 4 or so years, draining the liquid from the fish constantly.  Then when it comes out, it is like petrified wood.  it is then shaved with something that looks like a manual planer and the scrapings are used to make soup or like herbs topping other dishes.  As I digress...

Thank you for taking us along.  I hope I will be able to make it out there some day.

Bryan