Discovering Morocco's White Marlin

Fantastic opportunities await in this off-the-beaten-path destination

- By Dave Lewis

Through half-closed eyes I peer through a narrow gap in the curtains of my hotel-room window, where I can see that in the world outside, dawn has started to announce itself. After my late arrival the previous evening, it's hard to resist the temptation to roll over and drop back off to sleep, but suddenly an unfamiliar sound snaps me fully awake. It's the call of the muezzin summoning the Islamic faithful to observe the Fajr, the first of the five daily prayers. The man's heavily accented voice resonates through speakers around the beautifully ornate minaret that sits on top of one of the many mosques of Mohammedia.

"Good morning, Morocco," he seems to say. "Time to get up and go fishing." That there is exceptional sport fishing available in the blue water off the coast of northwestern Africa in general and Morocco, in particular-is no great secret, but yet it remains relatively unknown compared with other destinations around the world. The current IGFA line-class records for white marlin in the men's 2-, 4- and 6-pound-test class, as well as the women's 6-pound-test class, are all held with fish caught off Mohammedia. The records tally for white marlin caught fly-fishing here is even more impressive, and includes the men's 4-, 6-, 8-, 12-, 16- and 20-pound-test tippet. With just one exception, all of the fly-caught records are held by famed Moroccan fly-fisherman Fouad Sahiaoui. That single exception is the 16-pound-test-tippet fish, an impressive 104-pound, 6-ounce white that is credited to the legendary Billy Pate; and in memory of his great friend, Sahiaoui has vowed not to attempt to break this record. Further, both the 16- and 20-pound-test women's tippet records are currently held with whites caught here, and both are credited to Pate's wife, Jody.

A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE