Fly Fish Iraq

Fly Fish Iraq
By Steve Robbins

Come join the fun and fly fish the Tigris and Euphrates in Southern Iraq. The Lone Star Airborne Anglers travel this week to the Tigris and Euphrates to jig for walleyes as the ancient Egyptians did 3,000 years ago. This is guaranteed to be a fun filled action packed trip loaded with surprises around every corner.

For your safety, this is catch and release only. An Iraqi veterinarian said on Saturday thousands of fish that have died at fish farms near Baghdad were poisoned by munitions used by British and U.S. forces.

"Mortality rate among fish has reached 100 percent in some of the fish farms," said Dhahirk Abdullah Abdullah Dhahirk, a veterinary surgeon at state-run Swairah fish farm 30 miles south of the capital. He continued to say, “the deaths were clearly caused by depleted uranium and poisonous materials dropped by American and British imperialist pigs." Regardless, this will not dampen our spirits or limit our fishing fun.

This is an all-inclusive trip that includes transportation to and from Iraq via Greek Oil Freighters, Inc. All meals are provided. You will receive one to three M.R.E.s (Meals Rejected by Ethiopians) per day. The last night of your stay will be treated with a leftover meal from the humanitarian aid efforts. American and British troops handed out food to hundreds of Iraqis. Not surprisingly, the Iraqis handed the British food back.

[img2="left"]http://www.theflyfishingforum.com/forums/attachments/f74/83d1115235869-fishbusta.jpg[/img2]Your experienced guide, Sheik Fishbusta Habibi, will provide rental Bio-Haz suits and atropine injections for a nominal fee.

The trip will include two nights of free entertainment that consists of Saddam Hussein’s rendition of “Why Can’t We Be Friends” and the Dixie Chicks sings “Sweet Mother Texas”.

Your trip begins somewhere along the Houston shipping channel where you will board a Greek oil freighter at midnight and enjoy a scenic one week trip to the Persian Gulf and on to the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr. From there, your guide will escort you by camel team to Basra where you’ll spend one exciting night before you began your fly fishing extravaganza. Earplugs will be provided to ensure a good nights sleep.

Early the next morning, Fishbusta will load you and your gear on to his camel caravan. You will then leave Basra in search of your fly fishing destination. You may be encouraged to wave something white during your exit from Basra.


After a two-day ride through the burning sand of the Iraqi desert you may, with any luck, reach the EuphratesRiver. Fishbusta and his six wives will then set up camp and warm the M.R.E. of your choice for your dinning pleasure. Before you know it you’ll be knee deep in the river fly fishing for big walleye.

Most of your fishing will only require light wading. Occasionally, you will fish from Fishbustas riverboat. Steel cleats on wading boots are not allowed. Fishbustas craft is a glass bottom boat. Spiked boots could possibly cause damage to the glass. When asked why his boat has a glass bottom, Fishbusta replied, “All Iraqi boats are glass bottom so they can see their air force.”

Early registration is not required. At this point, we have no takers so space is not limited.

NAFFF Moderators may be eligible for discounts. Any takers?