Shoreangler

DATE: 05-04-2008    TIME: 9.00pm     ROD: Penn Powergraph Surf 12ft.    REEL: Daiwa 47H     LINE: 30lbs mono.    RIG: Long snood bottom feeder     BAIT: Frozen Tamban.

Reach jetty around 7pm. It was not crowded think due to the threatening sky earlier. Tide was just starting on the up side n current was slow in the beginning. Only bring one set of tackle as expected too crowded on most saturday night. Quickly setup, casted out n also the squid lamp n scoop net.

Current start to move faster n stronger. Bait was lasting so concentrate on looking out for squid. Manage to caught one after some hard work. Hook it up as pickup to attract other squid.

Around 9pm….a guy come along n tell me my rod tip has some rattle. I lookup n saw my line has flown very far right along with the current. Pick it up n strike. Oooh…. heavy….but no feeling. Slowly pump the rod n wind back the line. Oop… when surface…it was a nice big barracuda there. Haha…it has took the bait n got hookup but was wash along with the current until almost dead. That why it didn’t even got strenght to struggle. Too heavy to lift it up with my rod so I use hand instead. Haha… it attracted quite a number of admirer on this saturday night. Many took photos on it. I weight it n it hit the scale at 4kg.

Suddenly I heard one guy ask me. ” U want to sell this fish” Oop…haha… I say “yes”…”how much U offer”. I decided to sell it as my freezer still have one queenie n a smaller barracuda inside. Even if I don’t sell it, I might gave away too as I will only be back home tomorrow noon. So to keep it fresh is a big problem. The guy can’t decide a price. I then say how about 20 buck ? He immediately say” oh…ok…it cheap…only 5 buck per kg”. Haha… I quickly pull out a big plastic bag n handed him the fish. Hoho…20 buck in pocket…Time to get back to catch squid.

DATE: 16-02-2008     TIME: 0915hrs.    ROD: Penn Slammer 10.6ft      REEL: Abu 7000 Red     LINE: 25lbs with shock leader      RIG: Long Snood Bottom Feeder      BAIT: Frozen Herring(Tamban)

From 2.0kg at Hundyai beach to 2.2kg at Tanah Merah breakwater to 2.5kg at bedok jetty. This is how I re-write my grouper record on surf from the shore.

Went there yesterday night. It was very windy. Setup my two rods with frozen tamban as bait. No action at all beside a nice flow current tide. Spend most of the time looking for squid n only manage to caught a few. Packup around 1am to have some rest.

Headed back to the jetty at 0700hrs this morning. Very crowded at the end part. The downtide current was strong. Line casted out are all at 45% angle. Manage to squeeze in one rod n casted out. Went to jig for tamban but hardly get it. An hour later a overnight guy decided to packup. I took over his place n setup another rod. Again went to jig for tamban. Halfway through I heard my Abu 7000 reel alarm has a short screech. My Slammer rod tip was shaking while I grab it to strike. YES….heavy at the end of the line but no struggling sign of a hook fish. I keep on winding back the line but no feeling at all except heavy load. My mind thought it could be a Puffer. Hahaha…when it surface…WOW….a nice big spotted grouper…..Hahaha…from the look at the size….I know I have broke my personal best. A gaff was use to bring it up with the help of the guy who had packup. I wonder how he feel ?? hehehe…The fish hit the scale at 2.5kg.

DATE: 09-02-2008    TACKLE: Penn Slammer rod pair with Penn 155L Beachmaster reel. Penn Powergraph Surf rod pair with  Penn 500L Jigmaster reel.   LINE: 30lbs mono    RIG: All Cable Car     BAIT: Live Herring(Tamban)

Today is the third day of the lunar new year. Its also my first day of fishing on my annual long holiday. Wake up early this morning n headed down to the jetty. It was not as crowded as I have expected think due to the past two days was holiday so many had already enjoy their fishing.

Tide was just started to coming up. Current was very smooth n ideal. Quickly set up my two set of tackles n casted out with my frozen herring as bait. Went to jig for live herring n set up my cable car rig. After that I start jigging for my fresh bait. Just manage in time to get about over ten pieces before this tamban just disappear when the water was higher.

The first action come around 0930am. I was far away when this gar fish(above) took my bait with a short screech on my reel. A angler saw it n call out “UNCLE UNCLE”. I rush back to strike. Easily wind in this hungry fish as it was hook by two hook on the side of the mounth. I took photo on it n gave the fish to the angler who alert me.

Fifteen minute later my beachmaster reel scream. I pick up to strike but this smart gar fish was fast enough to let go the bait n get away.

About twenty minute later the same reel scream again. I strike but was unable to hook that fellow n it took away my bait without paying. It was another bait stealer.

Now…live bait was very rare…After some hard jigging….I got another one. Quickly rig it on the other rod. The water was high now n about to change direction.

Around 12.30pm, the current has already change direction n getting faster. I was hiding under my umbrella as the sun was very hot. Suddenly my Penn Jigmaster reel scream. Hoho…I run forward to strike. I saw a fish leap out of the water surface….Hahaha….Queenie this time…..Without much effort I wind in this fish. It did a few acrobatic jump along the way. After I saw it was firmly hook, I use my rod to lift it up. A loud applause from the audience greeted me when I landed it. Hahaha… what a luck…Maybe I wear RED today as the chinese alway believe red color will bring good luck during new year….Hehehe….

DATE: 26-01-2008   ROD: Penn Powergraph Surf 12ft.   REEL: Penn 500L Jigmaster    LINE: 30lbs mono    RIG: Long Snood bottom feeder    BAIT: Frozen Squid.

Went there yesterday night around 8pm. Tide was just started to come up. My plan was to fish at the jetty for the beginning of the current flow. Once the current are too strong, might decide to move inshore to carry on. But the current last night was just nice although at one time the wind was too strong n cold to bear. After my friends Hong n Budgeye left for their home, I decide to stay on.

With that I was awarded with two little marine catfish around 1am plus. A third one was missed hook around 3.15am. I saw my rod tip have a good bend n the line went loose. Quickly put down my another rod n went to strike but was too late. I stay on until 4am n decided to packup for some rest so that I can carry on this morning.

Date: 16-12-2007

Whenever my wife n I went fishing, we always quietly compete again each other. She use light tackle with prawn meat as bait. I use heavy tackle to target big fish. From the look I always on the advantage side. But today I lost to her.

She caught this 800g sickle fish (above) with prawn meat on a three hooks short snood bottom feeder rig. This fish has gave her a really good fight on the light tackle with 8lbs mono line. It was very lucky that the size 12 mini hook just hook firmly on the fish lip which was very thick.

I caught a 600g Queen fish later on (below) but was no match. This little queenie take my live tamban on the cable car rig.

DATE: 25-11-2007      TIME: 1130hrs      ROD: Penn Slammer 10ft.      REEL: Penn Beachmaster 155L        LINE: 30lbs mono.      RIG: Cable car       BAIT: Live Tamban(Herring)

It was almost one month I didn’t landed any fishes. Weather nowadays was quite unpredictable. But yesterday night weather was fine. Went there around 7pm. Casted out one rod and spent most of the time catching squid. Bait initially was not lasting. Halfway through I decide to use a cuttle fish which I caught it on friday nite as bait to replace the tamban so that it will last longer. Taking out the shell and hook three time with my long shank hook and casted out. When the tide full, I decide to check the bait. While winding back I feel a little struggle at the end of my line. Ho…ho..One little marine catfish was tagging along. It was about 300g. Use my rod to lift it up. Well, it break my dry spell anyway…haha…Keep it to pass it to one of my friend this morning.

Went to take a rest at around 1am when the tide heading down was very slow. Wakeup around 7am this morning and head in to the jetty when my wife arrived. In fact I don’t like to fish on this morning slow current up tide but just too bad my wife wanted to fish so I just accompany her. Tamban was very rare..Whole morning only manage to hookup two pieces to use it as live bait. Bottom bait was not lasting but the cable car live bait was swimming lively. No action at all until full tide because of the slow current. By 1100am the tide was about to turn. My wife has enough of her small little catches and decide to packup. On seeing the tide turning and my lively tamban bait, I decide to hang on for alittle while as she headed home. This is the moment I have waiting for so don’t waste it. True enough, I was paid off at around 1130am. My reel has a short screech. I pickup n strike…Yessss…it onnnn. WoWWW…so heavy…..The fish make a acrobatic jump on the water surface…Ohhhhh…my sinker got snag….Hooooo….it just stuck..Decide to hang on….follow by loosen the main line…Wow…the fish make a side dash….but my sinker still get stuck….Wait alittle longer….loosen more line….By now a large weekend crowd has gather to watch. Tighten my line n pump….oh yes……the sinker has been wash free by the strong downtide current…..Hoho….I can now feel the fish is moving….It headed to the left….but very heavy leh ?….I was wonder ?….It is not very big but why so heavy at the end of my line ?  It like fighting a 10 over kilo fish…..No time to think as it was heading near the jetty… I keep on winding my line as my this reel has a slow gear ratio of 3:1. Haha… finally it surface…..and the answer is it was foul hook on the middle of the body just below the skin. Haha… no wonder so heavy….It was like flying a kite below the water. Get one of my friend to hold on the rod while I went to fix my gaff. It was about 2kg plus when landed. Hehe…..so it was not empty handed this month…..

DATE: 27-10-2007      TIME: 0010hrs      ROD: Penn Slammer 10ft      REEL: Penn Senator 113HLW      LINE: 30lbs mono     RIG: Long snood bottom feeder      BAIT: Fresh small squid

Another usual friday night trip. Reach jetty around 6.45pm. Tide was just started to coming up. Current was slow initially. Setup tackles n squid lamp. First few bait casted out was frozen tamban n it was quite lasting.

Time past quickly as I was busy catching squid. No action at all until full tide around 2324pm. Current started to change direction after mid night. Decided to change to fresh squid as bait to try my luck. Truly enough….0010hrs my reel alarm start screaming. The way it sound show that it was pull by a fast speed fishes.

Grab hold of my rod n strike….Yes….it on….not very big by the feeling at the end of the line n knowning it wasn’t a ray…The fishing turn around n heading back after I strike….I just kept winding back line. About 30 meter near the jetty…it turn out n start stripping my line. It went deeper into the water. I gave another pump n started to gain line again. This time round…the fish surface….WOW….it is a shark….Surprise me and all those peoples that gather there to watch. It is my new species on surfcasting. Never did I dream of hooking this fish by long distance surfcasting as it was more of a mid water species. Manage to gaff it up n it was a black tip shark. Very rare caught from the shore especially country like Singapore. It weight 4.7kg.