Angler in Focus – Hamad Alroumi

I’m from Kuwait, and fishing is a stress buster for me, until I lose another Gamma in Andaman. I mainly focus on casting top water lures but I also do some speed jigging. I have fished extensively in Southern Oman, Port Sudan, KSA Red sea and Hurgada in Egypt.

How long have you been fishing? When did you start?
I have been fishing since the age of 10. I started with a hand line, then trolling at 18 and I switched to spear-fishing, in 2014. I started to catch and release after falling in love with the casting game.

What do you like the best about fishing in the Andaman Islands?
The best thing about it is, even if the bite is slow we can try different styles of fishing – from casting big poppers to jigging in deep waters, to micro jigging in the shallows. A bite is almost guaranteed

What are Your tackle recommendations for large fish in general?
I’m a big fan of ripple fisher’s line of rods! They’re super light and easy to work the lures with.

What is your all-time favourite lure for GT fishing?
For poppers : Hammer Head E-cup, Craft Bait GT3 170, Black Ledge popper 130 ,
For Stickbaits : Carpenter Gamma 160, Rattler 230

What is the most interesting experience you had on a fishing trip?
I lost over 10 fish in a single day (from pulled hooks to broken hooks to being reefed and line bust) (Abalone Napalm, Gamma, Bluefish all lost in a single day). On that day I failed to land a single fish till the last cast of the day. Then I landed MY PB, an estimated 50kg GT in 2m depth in the Andamans. I guess my perseverance paid off!

What would be your message for the young generation of anglers?
Please follow the safety rules, keep yourself hydrated all the time and please practice catch and release.

What you enjoyed during your fishing trip and why you are returning with us in the Andaman Islands, would you revisit and how do you rate our service?
I have been to the Andamans on yearly basis since 2015 and the pandemic caused me to cancel my plan for 2021! The hospitality of GFA team, the good food, the friendships that were made over the years.
Definitely a solid 10/10

Fishing destinations on your must visit list / bucket list?
Andamans once again, Southern Oman, Tokara, PNG, New Caledonia

What was the biggest fish you caught till date?
YFT of 65 kg