• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Istanbul
  • Cappadocia
  • Mediterranean
  • Aegean
  • Black Sea
  • Other Places
Turkish Travel Blog

Turkish Travel Blog

Turkish People, Culture, History, and Places inTurkey

  • Culture and Traditions
  • Food and Drink
  • History
  • Travel Tips
  • Living in Turkey
  • About Turkey
    • About the Blog
    • Advertising
    • Contact

The Flying Fish Boat in Altinkum

by Natalie

When I lived in England, I never understood the popular sport of fishing. It seemed pointless to catch fish and throw it back in. I was also a city girl and my staple diet was fast food, or frozen microwave meals. I hardly ate fish unless it was from the local take away, coated in thick, batter, served with greasy, fat chips, and wrapped in paper. Later I moved to Turkey, and during my first year, was introduced to Aegean cuisine, which is fresh fish, or seafood, served with a crispy salad and traditional Turkish raki.

Flying Fish Boat in Altinkum

That year was also my first attempt at fishing but it transpired that Turks have complete different rules and methods!

My First Experience of Fishing in Turkey

I had been sitting at the harbour in Marmaris with local Turks who made the decision to go fishing. I explained my hesitation, calling it a waste of time. They looked at me with confused expressions, and then broke into laughter.

“Why would we throw the fish back? Are we stupid? We will cook it for dinner”

That sounded interesting. After all, why go to the supermarket and buy fish, when you can catch it yourself? I was up for the challenge but because of limited funds, our equipment was just a long piece of twine, hooks, and bread for bait. For local Turks, who had used this fishing method since childhood, getting a bite was no problem but my inexperience resulted in nothing. Thanks to the traditional hospitality, often shown throughout the country, they shared dinner with me but the experience made me curse the sport once more.

The Flying Fish Boat in Altinkum

The years went by and I still loved Aegean cuisine but opted for the easier choice of buying fresh fish, direct from local fishermen at the harbour.

Flying Fish in Altinkum

I also enjoyed finding seaside restaurants serving fresh calamari, coated in a crispy, light batter, and covered with Turkish tartar sauce. In addition, the tradition of serving fish with the head still intact, no longer turned my stomach.

Fish

Then an advert appeared in the local expat newspaper of Altinkum.“Sunset fishing trips…All equipment supplied. Beginners, and novices welcome.” We signed up with the Flying Fish boat in Altinkum and headed out to sea, an hour before the sun set.  As instructed, by the captain and my friends, (who had been fishing before), I set up my rod, attached slimy octopus bait, threw it in the water, and sat down, expecting a long wait. However, within ten minutes, sharp tugging on the line, indicated my first fish was biting! Unfortunately, it looked nothing like I expected and hardly appetising.

Fishing in Turkey

Flipping around on the wooden deck of the boat, it was a strange translucent pink colour with sharp spikes on its spine and I refused to touch it. It was thrown back in the sea but the rest of the trip was successful. Our bucket filled up with fish and my confidence in the sport grew.

Altinkum fishing tours

Sitting on deck, with my feet up, watching the sunset while sipping on cold beer and catching my dinner, made life seem so surreal when I compared it with my city lifestyle of the UK.

Altinkum sunset

So what happened to the bucket of fish we caught?

We had the choice to cook the fish on board but we took it to a nearby restaurant and 45 minutes later, the waiter served it, accompanied with chips and salad. Many restaurants along the coastal resorts will cook  fish for a small charge but over the years, I have watched while fast food and processed, frozen meals make their way slowly into Turkish society.

Fish dinner in Turkey

I hope they do not become the mainstream trend. I love hanging around the coastal resorts and their harbours. I enjoy catching my own dinner and eating Aegean cuisine. Quirky, routines like that, prompt me to adore Turkey even more.

Flying fish boat Altinkum

Save

Pin32
Share91
Tweet
Share
123 Shares

Filed Under: Aegean Coast, Turkish Food and Drink

Hi. I'm Natalie, a freelance travel blogger and writer specializing in the country of Turkey. I love hot summer days, historical sites and coffee. Read More…

Primary Sidebar

istanbul tourist pass

Search This Website

Popular Posts

Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul : Last Days of the Ottoman EmpireDolmabahce Palace in Istanbul : Last Days of the Ottoman Empire49K Total Shares
The Colourful Wooden Mosque of MaralThe Colourful Wooden Mosque of Maral6K Total Shares
Santa Claus and His Life in TurkeySanta Claus and His Life in Turkey5K Total Shares
Sanliurfa (Urfa) : The City of Abraham in TurkeySanliurfa (Urfa) : The City of Abraham in Turkey4K Total Shares
The Serene House of the Virgin MaryThe Serene House of the Virgin Mary3K Total Shares
Ottoman Intrigue at Topkapi Palace in IstanbulOttoman Intrigue at Topkapi Palace in Istanbul3K Total Shares

Footer

Everything Else

  • Blog Sitemap
  • GDPR, Privacy and Cookies
  • Terms of Use and Disclaimer

Of Interest

  • About Us
  • Advertising and PR
  • Map of Turkey

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright @2023 - Turkish Travel Blog

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT