Date: 27-03-06 Time: 9.15pm Rod: Penn Powergraph Surf 12ft. Reel: Penn 500L Jigmaster Line: 30lbs mono Rig: Long snood bottom feeder Hook: Long shank size 5/0 with steel wire trace. Bait: Fresh Tamban
It was drizzling the whole day. I finish my work early n check on the tide table. There is a good running tide started from 1601hrs 0.3m to a high of 2.6m at 2239hrs tonight. Very lucky the drizzle stop around 5.30pm. Decide to go for some squid catching. I also bring along my heavy surf rod which I normally don’t during weekday trip.
After a fast dinner, I grab my squid lamp n off I go. It was still bright when I reach the jetty. Only a few young angler around. Don’t see any regular there as I think because of the drizzle earlier. Infact I was the only one with a heavy surf rod. Hehe… tonight is all my world. Fixed up my squid net n saw a group of tamban swimming around. One scoop n up it come about five. Setup n tackle n down it goes. Bait was quiet lasting on initial check. Current was running fast up. Squid was hardly seen. Can’t even get a pickup after 9pm. I change my bait on my second wind back as it already smash by the fast current n some crab bite.
Around 9.15pm, my reel alarm goes off. I pickup n strike. Wow! powerful! It took off my line n goes. Ripping out about 50 meter of line non stop. When it finally stop, I saw my reel only left half spool of line. Without hesitation, I pump it up n start winding back my line. After I sure it has up from the seabed, I relax a bit as I prepare to wear the fish down. I am alone now n I might have to gaff it myself after I bring it in. The fish do a few more tug of war with me but I am in total control. A while later, very lucky for me a old bjt kaki (Fei) come along cycling. He saw me fighting the fish n offer to gaff it for me. His first attempt to gaff it fail n the fish make a desperate run. I manage to bring it back to surface n ask Fei to hold my rod for me instead. Took over the gaff n sink it deep in. Easily lifted up n it was a short tail double spike brown stingray. It tip the scale at 7.2kg. After this I only able to scoop about 6 small squid n I packup around 12.30am when the sky turn very red with lots of rain cloud gathering.
Shoreangler 