Shoreangler

DATE: 26-10-2008      TIME: 0100am       ROD: Penn Power Stick 10ft.      REEL: Penn Jigmaster 500L       LINE: 30lbs mono      RIG: Long Snood Bottom Feeder      BAIT: Fresh Tamban

As usual on a saturday night. Headed down to the jetty with my full battle order. Tide was already mid way up and current was smooth. Not very crowded as compare with other weekend. Set up the tackle and casted out. Bait was lasting and it gave great chances of a hookup.

Night fall and started to search for squid. Manage to caught some when the tide is about to full and it started turn down. After that it was totally none. Did used two fresh squid as bait hopefully have a better chance of a hookup but it turn out not lasting at all when checked.

Sometime near to mid night decide to change back to tamban as bait as it is more lasting. Some of my friends already started to packup and go home. Decide to stay for another hour plus as the water is very perfect.

Almost 1 am, I was quite tired by now as I had already standing for about 6 hours beside fishing on friday night and saturday morning also. Decide to packup and go for some rest. Pull up my squid light and dismatle my squid net. Suddenly, I heard my reel has two light screech. Look around thought some one has entangle my line but it turn out none. Quickly go for the rod and strike. Zzzzzzzzizizizi…the line went out. Hoho….I hookup a ray I thought. It stop and I pump my rod. Zzzzizizi……it went again. Ha….quite good size I told myself. It stop I pump again. Then it turn toward my left with fast pace. Ohh…..seem not like a ray. My mind change….it could be a shovelnose shark I told my friend who come over to look and help.

Very lucky tonight not much small rods around so those rods on my left also very understanding and they had already wind back their line for me to to move over. The fish was fast. I had to run over the left inorder to catchup with it. At the left end I manage to gain quite a distance of line back. It move in and out and down for about three time before I able to fully control it near to the surface but still with some struggle around. A friend pole gaff was too short as the water was quite low by now. Another rope gaff was in standby but I told them to hold on first as the fish still not very steady.

After awhile I see the fish is totally out of steam that I bring it near for the rope gaff to go down. Once hook, I told him to pull high enough for the pole gaff to sink in. With both gaff in, it was safely bring up. It hit the scale at 13kg and become the new record fish landed there for this year. Many photos was taken by viewer and I later cut it out and gave to those who had help me landed it. A big thankyou for the helping.

DATE: 22-09-2008      TIME: 9.45pm        ROD: Penn Power Stick 10ft       REEL: Penn Beach Master 155L      LINE: 30lbs mono      RIG: Long Snood Bottom Feeder       BAIT: Whole Night Herring (Tua Bak)

It was already near the end of the down tide. Still had some current moving. Bait was so lasting tonight but I decided to change a fresh squid instead. Gave the rod a hard pump as usual but it was very heavy at the end of the line. Thought it has snag up some seaweed as this few days there are many floating on the sea surface. When I reel in something was splashing water on the surface. It turn out to be a long conger eel was struggling along. It seem this fellow has swallow my whole night herring quietly without making any notice on the rod and line.  I ask my friend to use hand to pull it up the jetty as it was too heavy to liftup by the rod. It weight 3.1kg on the scale.

DATE: 22-06-2008    TIME: 00.30am      ROD: Penn Powergraph Surf 12ft      REEL: Penn Jigmaster 500L

LINE:30lbs mono     RIG: Long Snood Bottom Feeder     BAIT: Small Fresh Squid

It was a nice saturday night at the jetty. Not so crowded think due to the European soccer cup. Tide was smooth on the incoming period. Only thing to complaint was the strong southern wind blowing endlessly. Bait was very lasting.

Action started around 10pm. PC got his strong hookup. It was a big ray who take his line for a very long run. PC can only hang on to his rod and look. It ended with a line break. From what I see, the reason for breaking is due to the drag become too tight after the spool was 3/4 empty. To overcome this situation, the one holding the rod must know when to lower the drag if the fish has taken too much line. Without lowering, it sure end for line break as the drag is too tight and a big part of the main line will be dragging along the seabed by the fish causing alots of abrasion.

Action two started when LK reel alarm sounded. When he pickup the rod the line went slack. He wind back n strike but the fish has manage to throw out the bait. Fifteen minute later another same action happen on the same rod. Again he strike but nothing on. I think it was a barracuda work but due to his weak drag setting, the fish manage to throw out the bait before the hook able to set in.

Half and hour later a rod on my left side the alarm sounded. I went for the rod but the owner was coming so I let him pickup the rod. I told him to strike but it was too late to set the hook. The fish manage to escape. So four action has passed but none was up. It a bit not so good on the morale wise.

12.30am…it was downtide now. The current is picking up speed. Line casted out is almost at a 45 degree angle now. I was concentrated on catching squid when my reel alarm sounded. I immediately pickup and strike. YES.. it only. U take my bait U can’t escape. Haha….the fish has a good run on the initial stage. When it stop, I gave a few good pump on my rod and it was already in mid water. The strong current flow make me to have a good workout. It’s damn heavy at the end of the line. My rod n line is tested to the limit. After about 10 to 15 minute of tug of war, I manage to bring it surface. By now the fish is almost surrender and it was easily bring along the jetty and gaff up. I was praying for a double digit fish but it only hit the scale at 8.5kg. Haha….look like I have to work harder next trip.

DATE: 28-05-2008     ROD: Penn Powergraph Surf 12ft     REEL: Penn 500L Jigmaster      LINE: 30lbs mono     RIG: Long Snood Bottom Feeder       BAIT: Small Cuttle Fish

Heavy rain in the late afternoon. I was undecide whether to head for the jetty. But after some hard thought, I go ahead around 7.30pm. Strong cold surface southern wind blowing endlessly. After setting up, it was squid searching but with the bad weather, it was hardly found. I was a bit regret about going there after feeling the cold wind.

Tide begin to turn up after 10pm. Current was also better after this. The wind also improved and getting warmer. This boost up my feeling to carried on. As I was on leave so no problem of fishing late. Squid was still rare. I was also running out of bait as I had forgot to bring a packet of frozen tamban. Use two fresh squid but ended up no action and one was eaten up by sea lice and the other by a tie knot eel who coil up my rig. My last bait was a piece of cut belt fish. Decide if this gone than it time to packup. But luckily come a small cuttle fish. Scoop it up with my net and down it go with my hook.

It already 1am. Current was turning direction. Suddenly, I heard my reel screech alittle. Rush to my rod and saw the tip rattling. Without hesitation, I strike…Was thinking could be a catfish but it take my line out running….hoho..this is defintely not a catfish. A RAY for sure….It head straight out along with the current. I start winding in line when it stop after a good run. The current push it to the left. I got to follow moving side way. Then it heading inward. I move up to the railing and continue winding back line. Once it near the jetty, it surface and turn out again. After some twisting n turning, I finally able to control it. I used my rod to steer it near the jetty for gaffing. First a angler use a rope gaff but got entangle with my rig line as the fish still struggle around. Another angler bring a pole gaff n eventually manage to bring it up. It was a female ray and my hook was deeply hook inside the stomach. It weight 6.5kg after landed.

The fish was cut into five pieces and share among those who help to land it. No baby ray was found.