Morocco Carp investing in the future fish stock of Bin el Ouidane.

Mr Elastrari recieves his payment and thanks from Morocco Carp

Morocco Carp save a 40 campaign

A superb 46lbs common saved by Morocco Carp

Since I started this project in January 2007 improving the opportunities for the local population has always played heavily on any decisions I have taken in setting up and running Morocco Carp as a sustainable ecotourism and carp fishing venture.

Inspecting the net damage

Offering the local fishermen an alternative to commercial fishing as a means to make a living would seem to be the sensible solution. If Carp fishing is going to take hold and prosper here on Bin el Ouidane the local fishermen need to see that they can make as much or more from the Carp alive as by killing them and selling them in the local market. Carp has the lowest market price of all the freshwater fish that are sold, its not good eating as anyone whos tasted it will admitt (apart from the Poles and the Hungarians who have the barmy idea that Carp tastes good)

Morocco Carp investing in the future fish stock

Some time back I made it as widly known as possible among the local fishermen on the lake that I would pay market price plus a bonus for any 20kg + Carp brought to me alive and well. I hoped they didnt catch too many big ones but it seemed like a financial risk worth taking if Morocco Carp was going to practice what it preaches - sustainable use of local resources. That statement really means returning all carp alive, but lets walk before we run and start with the big ones and work from there.

I dream that in the not to distant future, working with the local fishermen and the relevant regional and national agencies we can create a new qualification, a new profession for the local fishermen as a Profesional Fishing Guide. The parabael "give a man a fish and feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and feed him for life" - seems highly appropriate, but the local fishermen only need retraining in the skills of sports fishing, then they may feed themselves for life.

This morning just after first light Mr Elastrari, a local net and long line fishermen knocked on my door and told me he had a carp for me. The fish weighed 21 kg or 46 lbs and he had caught it the previous morning in his net along with another of around 9kg. The fish had been secured by a length of cord through the gill plate and out the mouth. Mr Elastrari had rowed the 4km across the lake with both carp swimming behind the boat.

some net burns and scale and fin damage

The fish seemed in reasonable condition, a few scales missing, split tail and dorsal fins and some nasty net burns across the nose and face, but not in bad overall shape. Fingers crossed the stress hasn't been too much and it will survive and prosper to grace our banks and make someones holiday some other day.

Hamid struggling with the weight a little

Thank you Mr Elastrari and all the other local fishermen that have helped me and shared their stories.
Hopefully the first of many big Carp that we can save and return to Bin el Ouidane.
Inshalla

Check out our New Years 5 Day special more details on the blog and web site.

Ahansal_River_View HDR image copyright moroccocarp

Ahansal_River_View HDR image copyright moroccocarp, originally uploaded by radcarper.

A stunning HDR image of the Ahansal river entrance to Bin el Ouidane lake in Morocco.
The photo was taken by Mike Johansson of 360factory.com whilst working on new images including HDR 360 images of all Morocco Carp swims.

Morocco Carp October Vlog

Our latest vlog the catch report from October - enjoy

Morocco Carp early November catch report from Bin el Ouidane

A stunning fish and well deserved - top angler

Paul with a 38lbs twin waddies common


The weather has settled down into what I can only describe as perfect for fishing. We have cold clear nights followed by fantastic sunrises and sunny blue sky days, just a shame the fish havnt realised it yet.

38lbs common - a very big fish one day soon



The lake is fishing slowly but Im convinced we have better fishing just around the corner. The natural food levels are dropping off as the water cools and the fish will start moving into the bays during the late mornings and afternoons. This should bring them into boat range and hopefully catch results will improve.

A hard scrapping common of 30lbs for Carl

We still have spaces for December so If you fancy a trip drop me an email or ring.

We are also planning a new years eve special so if you dont know what to do this new years eve why not give Morocco Carp a try? I will be publishing details later this week on the special banquet we will be organising for the night of the 31st, watch this space.

18lbs and to my eye a 3 summer fish


Paul and Carl, our first English anglers of the month fished the first week and opted for Twin Waddies to start their campaign. It looked like being a great week when first morning Carl had a 33lbs common and Paul lost one. The promising start dissolved into an abrupt blank due to the incredible amount of boat traffic on the lake. It was a Morrocan national 5 day holiday and the rich kids from Casablanca were on the lake in force with their noisy polluting penis extension... sorry I meant to say boats and jet skis.

Bin el Ouidane - nothing like it

This seemed to put the fish right down and it wasnt till Wednesday when they all went home that we got some peace and quiet and the fishing slowly started to improve.

Twin waddies only 10 mins from the hotel


Paul and Carl finished the week with 4 fish the biggest going 38lbs, well fished guys and looking forward to seeing you next year.

Pioneer carp fishing with Morocco Carp

Technical problems with our site

Thanks to everyone that phoned or messaged to tell me about http://www.moroccocarp.com/ being down.

Apparently our site was hacked and the public HTML folder was deleated, or in other words they deleated my web site.

Anyway its not so bad as I was going to change my hosting soon and this has just made me do it faster, so sit tight Morocco Carp will be back on line by the end of the week latest.

End of October catch update from Morocco Carp

The last day of October dawned cold and clear and this fish screamed off at 8 am giving me a right workout. I was standing about 300 yards down the bank chatting to a French fisherman when the distant whine of an alarm finally reached my ear. After a flatout sprint (at 2400 feet of altitude your on your knees I assure you) I reached the rod just as the last 50 yards or so of backing were peeling off. The fish must have taken 150 yards in one long powerful continous run.
I jumped straight in the boat, wheezing and feeling sick from the sprint and tried to get the backing line, only 10lbs mono to get me extra distance, back on the spool. It wasnt till I hit the reliable green of 18lbs Nash bullet that I felt I could give the fish any stick.

Anyway it put up a hell of a fight considering it had already taken so much line and I happily slipped the net under a beautiful 34lbs common carp, built like a dustpan lid.

I think this is a German strain of common - can anyone enlighten me?

Ishmael Morocco Carps head boat man with a 28lbs fully scaled

This slightly deformed fish fell to 4 grains of maize fished over the back of the old river bed at around 350 meters from the bank. Its Ishmaels second fish this month and he is really getting the hang of Carp fishing. He won the fish of the month competition in August with a fine 32 lbs common and he is now experimenting with different baits and getting the hang of the sonar.

Ishmael pulled it out the bag when it was needed when we had the pleasure of a group of 40 school children and their hard working teachers from the Casablanca American international school. A local exchange with a school just down the road was made and many of the local bigwigs attended, I think it was a real eye opener for the children from both sides and they ended their day with a tree planting ceremony.

The children also got the chance to see how we fish for Carp and it was this fine 28lbs common that Ishmael managed to land just as the kids arrived at our camp.

The carp gods also shone for me with this beautiful 36lbs mirror

The students get up close with a big mirror

The best bit was that the kids got to see the Carp returned unharmed and with respect.