A pronouncement that you’re going flyfishing in Oman usually elicits a “that sounds rad,” followed by a lengthy pause and finally a quizzical, confused expression. “Wait—where is Oman again?” And that, for the geographically challenged (which, let’s be honest, is most of us) is an entirely legitimate question.

Located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula and bordered by Saudi Arabia, Yemen, the Arabian Sea and the United Arab Emirates, Oman is a fishy little diamond in the Middle Eastern rough. While Oman has long been a hot spot for tourists from the Eastern Hemisphere, it is just now beginning to see more visits from Westerners. Among them are anglers looking for a less-frequented location to fulfill their saltwater dreams.

Our small crew consisted of angler Oliver White, owner/operator of No Boundaries Oman; Ed Nicholas and a host of different guides each day. I carried with me a number of preconceived notions about this trip. True: Oman is quite warm. If you’re not already familiar with what it feels like to drip sweat from every pore while engaging in “angling activities,” you will find out very quickly. False: All Middle Eastern countries hate Westerners. We were warmly welcomed by the locals everywhere we went. There was no pretense, no prejudice and no sense of danger whatsoever…

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