Some passions are so great that they span generations. It is endearing to see younger generations pursue some of the same hobbies and interests of generations that came before them, whether that be in business or in art. In this issue, we look at a story of a family that is proud to have three generations of talented and passionate fishermen. The passion for fishing in the El Daba family is strong. We had an opportunity to talk with Fady El Daba and his father Khaled El Daba who both recalled fishing trips in their youth with their respective fathers and how those trips inspired a continued love and talent for fishing that continues to grow.

Khaled El Daba, the father of Fady and Yasser, is an Egyptian businessman who works in import and export and is recognized as a big dealer of electricity power stations in Egypt. He also is a partner in major real estate projects in Shorouk City and Hurghada. But beyond his professional endeavors, Khaled El Daba is an avid fisherman: a hobby that was passed on from his father. Khaled started following his father’s passion for fishing when he was five years old. At that time, his father used to take him on fishing trips on Lake Borolos. It is here that he fondly remembers catching his first crab bite.

Years later after Khaled had grown up, he would regularly travel to Alexandria and Hurghada, renting fishing boats and fishing on the water. In 1992, he built his first fishing boat at Al Geioshy Factory. He decided to name his new 21-meter boat with two, 400 horsepower engines after his first-born son “Fady”, who would later go on to share in his passion for fishing. In 1996, Khaled built his second boat: a 19.5-meter vessel with two, 450 horsepower engines that he named after his second son “Yasser”.

Fady El Daba, like his father, is a talented and passionate fisherman. He is quite involved in the fishing community in Egypt and commits much of his time to fishing when he is not working. Professionally, Fady is in the entertainment sector and has a trampoline park called Bounce as well as a place called Xpark with ninja warrior-type obstacles. Fady, along with his fellow Red Sea anglers Hany Samba, Ahmed Mitkees, and Yousef Allam, have organized a couple of fishing tournaments in El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh, and Soma Bay and also have a fishing tackle store with Tawina. 

Like his father Khaled, Fady, fondly recalls memories of fishing with his father from his youth on the boat which shares his namesake. “My childhood memories have always been at the Red Sea going with my dad on fishing trips, which is his favorite hobby,” Fady shared. “He used to rent boats until he decided to build a wooden yacht from scratch. I remember going with him to Alexandria where the yacht was built. Seeing all of the details was amazing and now it has already been around for almost 30 years.”

Fady has spent a lot of time at sea with his father fishing, and explained, “Fishing for us has always been a hobby and being at sea gives us peace of mind. Whether you’re fishing or not, just being on the sea is a blessing. I always thank god for the Red Sea and how much we are gifted with this special place and its corals and different species and weather all year round.”

When I asked Fady about what he has learned over the years from being out on the sea fishing with his father, he replied, “I learned the beauty of enjoying your time around the sea, disconnecting from reality and being close to nature and God. It’s not all about the biggest catch or the amount of fish you catch, it’s about the good moments you spend with your friends or the quality time I’ve had with my dad doing something we both have passion for and enjoy together. Also, the feeling of having your own fish caught and then eating it on the boat fresh is the best feeling ever, nothing compares to eating your own catch.”

The memories of fishing in his youth are vivid as Fady is able to recall the moments he has shared with his father and the ways that they learned and used various fishing techniques over the years. As Fady and Khaled’s passion for fishing grew over the years, so did their engagement with unique forms of fishing, including deep sea dropping. This father and son duo have become skilled in deep sea fishing and have developed a passion for seeking out large and unique catches. Fady shared, “There were so many trips and memories of going down south to Hamata, Ras Banas, and Baranis. We mainly enjoyed the handlining in the fishing seasons and more fishing techniques like trolling, jigging, and popping; we have also done deep sea fishing, which is my dad's favorite these days: mostly fishing for swordfish."

We ask Fady’s father Khaled about his love for deep sea fishing and about fishing for swordfish. He shared with us how he got into this activity saying, “The first time I ever fished for a swordfish was in the sea by Jeddah, KSA, learning from my friend Mohamed Zohair who lived there. Then I decided to fish for it in Egypt’s Red Sea. I had to buy advanced equipment specially from the US to help me catch the swordfish like long rope, around 1000-meters, lights, and 30 floor carbons.”

Khaled provided me with some insight into fishing for swordfish sharing, "First you have to find where it is in deep water, usually at 500 meters depth or more, that’s why you need long rope and of course patience. A good fisherman will succeed at maximum twice for every five tries. Always remember that luck will only help you 30% and the rest you have to gain build with your own experience.”

Khaled and his son have fished together for a long time and have both become very knowledgeable about the subject. Fady shared some of his insight with me about what makes deep sea fishing unique and challenging and what one must do to catch a swordfish: “Deep sea dropping looks easy for someone who doesn’t know how to catch swordfish because you use an electric reel, but it really needs a lot of patience. It requires using different baits and lights and there is a whole setup for going down to depths of around 500-meters. It’s another world down there of giant squids, swordfish, Mako sharks, and other species to discover. Also, the power of a swordfish can’t be compared when it’s a big one over 50 kilos.”

The most challenging situation Fady faced while fishing was a fight with a tuna. He recalled, “I was handlining with a yellowfin tuna. The whole fight I thought I had a shark with me because there were many oceanic white tip sharks around, so I thought I had one. It was a very strong fight on my hand, no reel. I finally realized it was a nice yellowfin tuna, around 25 kilos.”

Despite the challenge of the tuna, Fady proudly shared, “My biggest catch was a 30 kilo amber jack jigging and that was the biggest fight I ever had. My father's biggest catch is a 102 kilo swordfish.”

Despite their already impressive feats, this father-son duo likes to continually strive for new accomplishments and challenge themselves while fishing in Egypt. Khaled hopes to catch a big marlin and wants to continue to go deeper in the sea, deeper than 500 meters, and see what kinds of fish he can get, proving that there are always new frontiers and that it is always possible to find joy and excitement in fishing.

As for Fady, he too has new goals and challenges. “I’ve never fished in the Nile or Lake Nasser,” he said, “but I would also love to try it on the Mediterranean in Damietta and try for bluefin tuna.”

Swordfish, Xiphias gladius

Other Names: Broadbill, Broadbill Swordfish

Depth: 0-800m

Fishing: Commercial and recreational species

Habitat: Tropical and sub-tropical waters, migrating to temperate waters during summer

Max Size: 4.5m; maximum reported weight 650kg

Distribution: Generally found above the thermocline; found widely in tropical and temperate parts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans