International Surfcasting Friendship Cup
Round 1
Morocco Match
March 2024
Medhia Beach
Kenitra
On 25th of February 2 members of Northern Ireland Federation of Sea Anglers, Dean Azzabi and myself travelled to Marrakech, Morocco where we met up with travel and accommodation partner Steve Mason from England. The car was hired and 4 hours later we arrived in Kenitra and booked into the City by Waves hotel in the town centre. Staying there for the first 5 days we were close enough to the match venue to be able to practice and get our rigs right for casting etc. A north wind and a large swell knocked the fishing off and fish were very sparse on the beach with only a small bass and some counting turbot for our efforts over the practice. The final 2 days we booked into the designated hotel right at the beach and fished hard to try and catch. Unfortunately we did not catch over the 2 days and 20 angler zones were being won with a single fish. This in comparison to the last match on it that required 64 fish to win! Conditions for fishing need to be calm with no swell and the water showing a deep aqua blue. Our water in front of us was a maelstrom of foaming water full of churned sand. The gulley in front of the anglers had an incredible tow due to the heavy swell coming over the sand bar. We caught a few well undersized weever and a roaring suntan but that was it.
It is not all about catching fish……
This was without doubt one of the best fishing trips in a long time. The hotel in Kenitra was incredible and the staff were super professional and bent over backwards to help us. The rooms were cleaned fastidiously each day and the breakfast was delicious. Kentria is not built for tourism and what you get and experience is genuine real life. I can honestly say that I have never been made to feel at home and more welcome in Kenitra. The people were so friendly in the street and when we hit the bar for a few drinks (most nights) we were showered with snacks that included pickle selections, chopped olives and deep fried small sole.
We stayed at the headquarters hotel for the last 2 nights and again had a super time meeting all other countries that had come to participate. The opening and closing ceremonies were really professionally organised and a big emphasis was made on the future of angling with plenty of younger girls and boys fishing in the Association Oceana youth team.
A special mention must go to the guys who kept us right about bait, drove us everywhere and generally organised us.
Big Yassin Sarimi and Mohammed from Surfcasting Mag (both big lads) could not do enough for us and made sure we did not want for anything and were always on hand to help.
This competition was way beyond all expectations and we were blown away by the total kindness, politeness and manners that this country has.
Counting down the days until next year.
Thank you Morocco
Harry Mckee
Secretary Northern Ireland Federation of Sea Anglers