HOFC Malta Experience their first North African match fishing in Tunisia

Nine anglers from our club made the short trip to Tunisia for the very first time in Maltese sport fishing history.

It was a well organised event by Colmic Match Fishing Team, with 4 different nations being represented on club level, but on a singles competition level.

A great reception from our Tunisian neighbours who cared for us all over during our 4 day stay and made everything possible for us including sightseeing the old Medina and Tunis central area, the good traditional Tunisian food and for the best fresh baits available in the area.

We also had the opportunity to visit a local tackle store which was quite equipped and provided all our latest things to prepare for the match.

The venue of the competition has never been fished before so it was expected to provide good catches on a speed fishing technique.

Quite a few questions were being raised amongst the Maltese anglers on how the fish is going to react in around 10 metres depth in the La Goulette cruise terminal canal, but the good results we obtained proved how our anglers are learning more to adapt indifferent situations. Infact it was quite a challenge in the first casts to adapt to the strong current situations we never experience locally in our inland ports.

The match was fished on float fishing regulations with open baits and open hook sizes. Using a rod not bigger than 8 metres and a reel is a definite must.

The match started 9am on Sunday morning not before a great buffet breakfast more likely experienced locally in a wedding reception.

75 anglers were registered for the match so it was expected to be a tough one for the Maltese club with the anglers being mixed in 5 different sections of 15 anglers each.

In section A, Adrian Nelson did good with a nice section win which earned him full points but was not enough on weight to earn him a place on the podium.

Noel Baldacchino in section B managed a second in section while Peter Paul in section C settled for a third in section.

The match was screened live and had incredible organisation never experienced before even in European tournaments.

After the match all the anglers were invited to the presentation which included a nice traditional meal, some good traditional drinks, fruit, desserts and different North African coffees.

International Italian angler Zefferino Guidi won the match followed closely by his fellow international angler Marco Rizzo, while third on the podium was the Italian Giuseppe Buondonne.

After the match exhaustion really showed on the Tunisian organising team who worked very hard to provide one of the best by far tournaments events organised in the float fishing discipline which is the most likely fishing technique we practice locally.

Thanks goes to the nine Maltese anglers who represented both club and country and shared this incredible nice experience.

Mixing with the locals and sharing the most important multicultural friendship which is the most important memory that will remain for ever and ever as our first fishing match as a club in our neighbour country Tunisia.

Thanks goes to our club founder Peter Paul Azzopardi and Lawrence Pulis who believed and made all the necessary preparations for our stay in this lovely neighbourhood country.