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With more than 40 km shoreline adjoining the Red Sea, Hurghada is a delight for anglers, with scores of sites to catch some amazing fish. Being one of the most popular seaside resorts of Egypt, Hurghada attracts several visitors throughout the year. It is located around 500 km towards southeast of Cairo. There are several direct flights to Hurghada from different European countries. You can also come via Cairo in case you fail to book the direct flight.

Primarily a fishing community, Hurghada today has expanded into a major tourist destination in the region. Not forgetting its legacy of fishing, The Hurghada International Fishing Competition is held every year in the month of February. The competition is organized by the Egyptian Angling Federation and the Red Sea Governor. It is held over a period of six days including a day of practice. Teams from every part of the world, including Africa, South America, Switzerland, Europe and the Middle East, come to take part in the event.

The competition begins with welcoming of teams and designation of Stewards to their respective boats. An opening ceremony is then held to mark the beginning of the competition. On the practice day the teams arrive at the marina and prepare their boats for the competition, take it for a test ride in the morning and return by evening.

On the first day the boats depart from the marina at about 7.30 in the morning, lines are in at 8.00 am and out at 6.00 in the evening. The boats are allowed for fishing only within the Egyptian Territorial waters. Same routine is followed for the next 2 days. On the fourth day, all the boats return to the marina with their catch. The catches are then presented in front of an International Jury. The jury then inspects the catch, weighs the fish and declares a winner. Closing ceremony follows with prize distribution along with appetizers and sumptuous buffet dinner.

The waters of Red Sea are quite a favorite with scuba divers, being rich in marine life and coral reefs. Though fishing is not otherwise promoted in Egypt, the region of Red Sea is considered one of the best sites for deep sea fishing. The competition gives an opportunity to anglers to catch some really interesting games. These include sailfish, which are pretty rare and very tough to catch, but once caught, it is sure to win you the competition. Other fish that you can hope to catch include dolphin, kingfish, tuna and barracuda.