Gearing Up For Your Southern Oman Expedition Part Two - Light Tackle and Everything Else

Gearing Up For Your Southern Oman Expedition Part Two - Light Tackle and Everything Else

By John Cahill

Following on from our Oman GT Tackle guide -

As promised all too long ago, here is the guide so many have asked us for each year, we are pleased to finally deliver it for you.  With 11 trips to Southern Oman between the team, and quite a few of those during the amazing early season light tackle bonanza, we are well placed to make some solid tackle recommendations for this aspect of your No Boundaries adventure regardless of what season you go.  This is what works for us, and is backed up as gear we represent for the most part.

PE1 permit on stickbait, not many places this happens!

Straight up lets get it on table, most people fly to No Boundaries for the biggest GT's on earth, fact.  But what many fail to take in until they get to experience it, is how good  (off the charts!) all the other fishing is there.  There are literally many world record class fish there across so many species.

There are four distinct 'light tackle' fishing styles we have experienced there;
1. bream and other species along the mainland cliffs,
2. baitball casting along the mainland beaches, (the domain of slender profile sinking sticks)
3. offshore jigging for AJ's, and
4. applying a light tackle methodology over the offshore GT reefs.

All these methods are awesome on their day!

Omani bream, one of the best things to eat a popper, ever!

A brief explanation about the seasons and what is the typical fish movement at NB's is warranted before we go too deep into the actual tackle.  Southern Oman is subject to an annual 'Kahreef' (monsoon) between approximately early May until mid September which makes fishing impossible.  Come late September when the sea's abate typically there is an abundance of bait (most noticeably a significant sardine run), cooler water than later in the season and an abundance of 'early season' species that become less available as the water warms such as amberjack, bluefish, golden and gold spot trevally.  Of course there are the resident all year round species that pop up at any time, more so if you specifically target them such as spangled emperor, the revered Omani bream, queenfish, diamond trevally, African permit, various groupers, dorado, bonito, mackerel and long tail tuna black tip and big eye trevally.  This not a comprehensive list, just the most common species encountered!

Aside from GT tackle, I always take these two outfits as a minimum, a PE1 to 2 casting and a PE 3 casting.
Early season I will add a PE4 or 5 casting specifically for big AJ's and a PE3/4 jigging outfit.  It really isn't 'light tackle' but it is a hell of a lot lighter than the GT gear!

One of S.Omans greatest light tackle prizes! The stunning diamond trevally.

Here is a guide to the set ups and the species you use them for;
(Click the product links to view extra information on the store)

PE 1 (as light as you might go) or PE2 (probably better unless very experienced).

Rods: This is the specialist Omani bream outfit and anything else that jumps on while targeting them!  At this time I do not have a perfect rod for this, each time I take something different and my search continues, watch this space with a project underway.
Reel: I have used the following reels and all have been excellent - Shimano Stella SW4000, Shimano Stella 3000 FE/FJ and Megabass Gaus 30X. A smooth strong drag is the prerequisite.
Leader: Mono in 30 or 40lbs
Lures: Being a bream specialist outfit, poppers are king as this species loves them!  The most famous and often regarded as the best bream popper is the Tackle House Contact Feed popper in 100 or 120mm. Other great options include the Blaze Garage Saththa 20g popper and the Heru Skipjack 30g.  There are also some amazing protos that have not yet hit the market (standby for that) that have performed very well.
Bream will also actively eat stick baits, we have had good success with the Jack Fin Pelagus 90S, ASWB SS25, Jack Fin Salty Dog 100, Bassday Bungycast and Blaze Garage Burn 20LS. We are working on a variety of prototypes we hope to show you in the future.  Don't forget the awesome hybrid Megabass Kagelou124.

Rainbow Runners so large they become awesome sportfish!

PE3 (the most universal 'light tackle' outfit you will use in S.O.) and if you don't want to invest in a bunch of gear you may not use again, then PE3 is the most versatile, you can do bream at a pinch and you can do the heavier stuff as well but might be under gunned,  PE3 is essential and this line class is our first choice for all the other species bar the bigger amberjack essentially.  PE3 is the go to for baitball casting so it really is very versatile.

Rods: ASWB Indian Pacific Elsea PE3 and Yamaga Blanks Blue Sniper 77/3 are our two favourites.
Reels: Shimano Stella 5000 / 6000 or Daiwa equivalent.
Leader: Mono in 60 or 80lbs
Lures: Amegari Flavie 130, Jack Fin Pelagus 90S, Jack Fin Stylo 210, Bassday Bungycast, CB One Ryan 130, Orion Mr Joe, Megabass Konosirus can be good also for getting a bit deeper.

Massive bluefish are a blast on tackle up to PE3

Mahi are always in good supply and show awesome speed and jumping skills on light gear

Early season see's so many trevally species in big numbers

PE4 or 5 is our specialist amberjack outfit - for when the big boys want to eat on top - casting lures up to 80g or so or, if you light to go a tad heavier generally across the board.
Rods: ASWB Indian Pacific Elsea PE5
Reels: Shimano Stella 8000 HG / XG or Daiwa equivellant.
Leader: Mono in 80 or 100lbs
Lures: Jack Fin Pelagus 165S and  Pelagus 165F, Amegari Flavie 130 and 150 in S

and F, Amegari Lingo, Amegari Leen 145FS, Heru Wahoo 60 / 80g, Megabass Or Poi, ASWB SS40, ASWB SS80, ASWB SS90ii, ASWB SS65, Tackle House Contact Britt, CB One Ryan 130, Blaze Garage Burn 50LS, CB One Zorro 160/180, CB One Ozma and finally the Strategic Angler Mikros S and F.  If you love a popper, we would recommend Tackle House Contact Feed 150, Blaze Garage Saththa 60 or 90, Reefs Edge 40, Heru Tuna 60, Heru Skipjack 40, 60 or 90 and Heru Cubera 60 or 80

Jigging is very underdone in Oman and is typically only given a run at time when the top water bite has gone slow and even then usually only early season but you should always carry a jig rod!  There have been some simply amazing jigging captures including bonefish, permit, diamond trevally and horse AJ's among many others.  Note, we are one trick ponies when it comes to jigging, slow pitch would (and does) absolutely kill it if that is your thing.
Rods: Mechanical jigging overhead or spin of your choice 5'10 to 6' med fast action PE 3 / 5
Reels: Too many options to mention depending on overhead or spin reel preference.
Line: PE4 (3 to 5 at the heavier end is the range, 4 is about perfect)
Leader: Mono in 80 or 100lbs.
Jigs: small to medium profile jigs suited to a medium to fast mechanical jig speed style such as CB One D3 Semi Long, G2, and in the Shout line up - Lighten, Shiver, Shab Shab (especially for AJ's),  Weights are up to 150g.

Off top or on the jig, amberjack are the best thing about early season

As far as line we favor YGK Castman WX8 across the board, it is available in 300m or 100m jointed spools (you choose how much line you want in joined 100m intervals), we love it and it has served us well, in fact I first started using it back in 2012 and after trying plenty of brands came back to it.  We have also been getting good results from Shout! Sasame PE Premium.
For leader, we love Fisherman Super Stealth Shock Leader and YGK Galis Castman Absorber

For terminals, we have been Shout! fans since forever, using the Curve Point trebles for all our treble use except heavy GT fishing.  The Shout! Curve Point 21's are a medium gauge treble suited to the smallest lures and the Shout! Curve Point T31's more robust but heavier.  They are ridiculously sharp, and the Curve point looks after your lures (less rash) and once they go in they rarely come out.  I really like using the Shout Ringed Kudakos for light casting also, it's reassuring to have singles on small lures for when big fish climb on.

How many lures should you bring is a question we get asked often, most losses seem to occur during light tackle fishing to be honest, especially if the shari and gold spot are rampant.  I would look at taking 15 lures as a minimum, the worst thing will be it's easy to lose the one or two lures that are slaying, and you are left trying to find something that will do the job, that is up to you, your budget and luggage allowance, thankfully these small lures don't weigh much.

As an end note, Southern Oman has a fast emerging fly fishing scene, who knows, one day there might be part 3, the fly guide!  Tight lines all.

View all the products discussed and more through our online store and website at www.ebbtidetackle.com