Shoreangler

Date: 08-11-2009     Time: 12.30pm      Rod: Penn PPT SideWinder 13.6ft       Reel: Abu 10000C(old model)      Line: 30lbs mono      Rig: Long Snood Bottom Feeder        Bait: Fresh Squid

Went in to the jetty early this morning. Ah An has already pack up and ready to go. He had arrange with Lai and fellow angler to fish at a breaker this morning. He made a call to Hong but with no answer. He thought the trip has been cancelled and cycle to the lagoon hawker for breakfast and then cycle on the way back home to Toa Payoh.

Lai come in to the jetty not long after An left. I told him he already went off. Lai make a call to him and learn that he already reach Fort road. On knowning that Lai and fellow anglers was here, An turn back and heading for the breaker.

I decided to join them at the breaker later as jetty this morning hardly has any tamban. When I reach the breaker, An was still on the way. Lai and fellow anglers has already there but was eating breakfast. I set up my tackle and was the first one to cast out. They all set up their tackle when An arrived with the bait they prepare yesterday night.

Tide is now coming up and the sea was calm with smooth current flow. Initially the bait was not lasting but when the water is higher, it lasted longer. By this time Hong come along and join in.

10.30am, suddenly we saw Lai PPT rod the line gone loose. I was the first to reach and pickup and strike. It turn out to be a small leopard ray accidentally hook on the stomach. It was release immediatly after unhook.

Around  12.20pm, all change their bait. An found out that his squid bait only the head gone. I told him just to add another squid on the hook. He follow and casted out. While we were talking, suddenly I heard shouted “last rod got fish”. I turn around and saw An rod was bending and the alarm was screaming. I rush forward to grab and strike then pass it to An who was already there. The fish took the line and was heading 45% out from the shore. It was about hundred n fifty meter away from the breaker. I told him to move down the breaker onto the beach as it will be more easy to fight. On the way I told him to wind back whatever line available. When we reached the beach parallel to the fish, it was only about fifty meter away. An manage to get it off the sea bed and pump it in. I went into the surf to gaff it when I manage to grab hold of his rig body. It was a nice sand ray. Once the barb was removed, An bring it back to the breaker where it was weigh. It hit 14kg on two different scale to confirm the weight.

It was An personal record catch as he started surf fishing only about a year ago. The fish gave birth to two baby ray and was release back into the water. The ray was later cut up and share among the anglers there.

Caught this small Wolf Herring sometime back last month on a cable car rig with live tamban as bait.

Saw a angler hook up this coral plant grow on a discard battery from the bottom of the jetty last week. It was release back to where it was after this photo taken.

Date: 14-09-2009    Time: 10pm

My Friend Ah Seng caught this 4kg barramundi or Seabass with a handline on float drifted along the current flow. Bait was a piece of cut half dead tamban. This fish took the bait and swim against the current flow. It make a acrobatic jump and headed toward under the jetty. The jump make us notice of the hookup. I quickly use my squid net to prevent the float from going under the jetty. The fish surface and I use my net to scoop it up.

Date: 15-08-2009     Rod: Penn Inxs 2 Groundcast 13ft.     Reel: Daiwa Saltist STT50     Line: Berkerly 40lbs mono.     Rig: Long Snood Bottom Feeder      Bait: Fresh Squid

Tonight jetty is a bit quiet on a saturday night. Not very crowded as compare to other saterday night. Only about a dozen of long rods at the end part targeting big game fish. Many are concentrating catching squid. Tide was down going but was about coming to the end.

Suddenly, Ah B Daiwa surf rod reel alarm sounded. Simon was the first to reach. He pickup and strike but missed the fish. Everyone was laughing at this false alarm.

Five minute later, Simon rod alarm sounded. This time it was louder and longer. Leng Kia was the first to pickup and strike. Wow !….U can see the rod bend and the line strip. Haha…big one coming. Everyone started to wind back their line to make space for the big fight. I prepare my gaff so did Simon who is the rod owner. Our  common mind we thought it was a stingray about 10 over kg. The fish after striping some line it stop running and Lend Kia manage to wind back some line. He then pass the rod to Tee Kia who continue to gain line back. After awhile he pass the rod to me. When I took over, the fish is about 50 meter away from the jetty. I gave a few pump and it was closer now. But the fish started to turn to the right side and speed up. It seem it was spook by the squid lamp just right below. Wow !….I know by now it is not a stingray. The way the fish dash with that type of speed, it definitely not. The fish dash all the way from the left end of the jetty to the right end. Along the way there was three squid lamps hanging below. I was force to run along with it and I take the opportunity to gain back what ever line available. When it reach the right end of the jetty, the fish surface up and those who was present there can see it was a big shovel nose shark. At this time as the fish is near the water surface and firmly secured, I decided to pass the rod to it owner Simon who by now still no chance to touch his own rod. Haha…The fish then make a turn and heading back to the left. Simon fought hard with it. I ask all the squid lamp to be pull up in order to calm down this monster. Its work and now the rod is back in Tee Kia hand. He manage to surface it again near the centre part of the jetty. THe fish also look wear out and was bring nearer to the jetty. I grab hold of Simon rope gaff and sink it in on the right side body near the fin. The fish make a last dash trying to break free but my gaff was fully secure. I lifted it head up the surface and Ah An sink in his gaff on the belly part. It was totally secure now but to pull and lift this monster up the jetty U need more than two man power. I ask for a third one and Commando come along. But his gaff was a bit too short as the water was low. After several trying and still can’t sink in, I ask Simon who’s hand is free to come and take over the rope gaff I was holding. I rush to get my gaff and sink it in on the back of the fish. With three gaff in, we together pull it up the jetty. Yeah !….fish landed and mission completed. Everyone was smiling and happy. It has been a long time that we manage to land a monster with many people involved. Another memory catches from this famous bedok jetty.

Many photo was taken and the fish was cut up by Lor Kor who was inform of the catch by Ah Lai and went down to look and do the cut up.

Date: 07-08-2009     Time; 7pm      Rod: Any Fish Any Where 14ft.      Reel: Daiwa Sealine 40 SHA      Line: 30lbs mono      Rig: Long Snood Bottom Feeder       Bait: Fresh Tamban

Nafi caught this ray when the tide is on the way up. The fish took the bait and cause the reel alarm to have a short screech. Nafi strike it and play slowly to bring it close to the jetty. White with a gaff has already on standby. It was easily gaff up.

Date: 05 July 2009     Time: 0200 hrs      Rod; Daiwa Elimator 12ft.     Reel: Abu 10000C      Line; 30lbs mono     Rig: Long snood bottom feeder      Bait: Night herring(Tua bak)

Ah An is a very hard working angler. He every saturday morning will cycle all the way from Toa Payoh to bedok jetty and will stay over night until sunday noon then cycle back home. Two week back he caught a barracuda around 2kg and early this morning he got this 2kg giant herring. The fish took his bait and given his reel alarm a good workout. He quickly went to strike it and has some good fight as the current was very strong last night. When the fish surface, I saw it was deeply hook so I use my hand to pull it up.