A new app is helping fishing enthusiasts in the UAE locate good spots and show off their catch. The app, Elite Fishin’, has been growing in popularity with at least 30 new users registering every day.
“Fishing is almost an obsession in this part of the world,” the app’s founder Rajiv Ramnath told Khaleej Times. “With this app, we are building a community of enthusiasts who can share tips and tricks and post about their achievements. It is like the social media of fishing.”
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Fishing is an extremely competitive sport in the UAE with several high-profile contests being held across the country. Earlier this year, the Abu Dhabi Grand Kingfish championship gave out prizes worth over Dh1 million to anglers. Ramnath came in third at the 2023 Fujairah Offshore Fishing Tournament after netting a 285kg blue marlin.
Fishing is one of the fastest-growing sport in the world, Ramnath said. “By 2030, it is expected to overtake golf in popularity,” he said.
“However, in the region, it is not very structured and the information is not very easily available. I am always on the lookout to connect with fellow enthusiasts and learn from them but it was always very difficult to find them. That is when I realised there was a gap in the market.”
How the app can help
With his experience in technology and market, he began working on the Elite Fishin’ app.
“Right now, the app has everything from live weather updates and tips to chat groups and information about competitions,” he said.
“People can also show off their catch and share location pins for new fishing spots. I want to learn from these people and share what I know about the behavioural patterns of specific species of fish.”
Ramnath said the sport can be quite consuming. “I go out fishing at least twice a week throughout the year no matter what the weather is,” he said. “I only take vacations in coastal areas. Sometimes, when I speak to businessmen and find out that they are also fishing enthusiasts, we drop everything and go fishing. That is how consuming it is.”
A lifelong passion
Growing up in Sharjah, Ramnath caught his first fish at the age of eight. “My uncle used to work in an oil rig and every time he came home, he loved going fishing,” he said. “I would go with him and that is how I got hooked on to the sport. People underestimate how fun and enjoyable catching your first fish is.”
Later, he started accompanying his Emirati neighbour on his fishing expeditions. “His family has been fishing for generations,” he said. “He had a boat and, every week or so, he would take me with him. He is the one who taught me about the different kinds of fish, their behavioural patterns and how to zero in on a location.”
Even as he took over his parents’ marketing business and got busy professionally, Ramnath always found time to go fishing.
“In 2009, I bought my first boat and started learning and experimenting for myself,” he said. “I have travelled to several parts of the world, including the Indian Ocean and several parts of Southeast Asia, to fish. Now I am waiting for my son to turn three so that I can start taking him also with me to go fishing.”