Shoreangler

Date: 29/30-07-2005    Time: 6.45am   Rod: Loomis n Franklin Big Game 12ft..   Reel: Abu 6500 Sport Rocket   Line: 20lbs mono.  Rig: Short snood bottom feeder  Bait: Fresh Squid    Hook: S/S Long shank size 4/0.

Original plan for tonight trip is to go jetty to get some fresh squid n go somewhere else to hunt for fish. Reach jetty around 7.30pm. It was already crowded at the end part. Manage to found a place n set up my squid lamp n also casted one rod for fishing. Squid was quite rare tonight as there are a few lamps around to share. But with hard work during the low tide period still manage to scoop about ten over pieces. One of my friend come to joint me around 10.30pm so I accompany him until 2am. With no fish bite at the jetty beside fresh squid as bait, I decide to go some fish hunting after I pack up from the jetty. I head down to this spot n reach there around 3.10am. Well, this place still have a few anglers around n I manage to casted out two rods. One is a multiplyier n another a fixed spool. Both on short snood bottom feeder rig as the current is not strong. Bait are all fresh squid. Tide was coming up but there is not action. It was almost 6am in the morning when suddenly I heard my fixed spool rod which I had lean on the railing after casting out has some movement. Immediately I strike the rod n I can feel something big at the end of the line. I fought the fellow for awhile n lost it due to a missed hook. It could be my mistake for leaning just the rod guide on the railing. When the fish took the bait, the rod guide slip n the rod can’t stand firm n move about.. So the hook didn’t set properly. Well just too bad n have to try again. I rebait both rod with fresh bait n casted out. Hard work always have good return. Around 6.40am, my multiplyier reel alarm gave a short screech n I quickly strike. Yes, a nice palm size fingermark snapper at the end of the line. Unhook, rebait n casted out again. Twenty five minute later the same reel screech again. Same another fingermark snapper landed. Both are about the same size. By now it already day break n I am very satisfy with the result. I pack up when those daytime anglers start to arrived.

Date: 05-06-2005    Time: 10.30am   Rod: Daiwa Long Cast Design 12ft.   Reel: Abu 7000 Red   Line: 25lbs mono.  Rig: Cable car slide down  Bait: Live Herring(Tamban)    Hook: Short shank live bait size 2

Went to BJT yesterday night. Manage to find a place for my rod although very crowded. Casted out two rods on the incoming tide. But bait was very fast disappear within minute. Nothing happen beside constant changing of baits. Around midnight, upon seeing this type of condition, I decide to cut short the trip so as to take some rest and fish at the next morning tide. Reach there around 8am. Tide was coming in and the current flow was nice. Jig for some live herring and set up two rods on cable car rig. About 10am, the sky started to gather some rain cloud and the sea is very choppy due to a strong blowing southern wind. Suddenly one of my rod the alarm gave a short screech and the line became loose. Quickly strike, but nothing on the line. It could be the work of a garfish(todak). Rebait and casted out again. By now the sky started to drizzle. Fifteen minute later the rain stop and the sea is calm again. I started to jig for live bait as spare. Suddenly saw my Daiwa rod tip shake alittle. Decide to check it out. Ho.. ho..ho.. wind in a nice size Wolf herring at the end of my line. Easily use my rod to lift it up. Yap! my decision to cut short yesterday night trip and fish in the morning tide has paid off.

Date: 29-05-2005   Time: 0200am   Rod: Loomis n Franklin Big game 12ft.   Reel: Abu 7000 Red   Line: 25lbs mono.   Rig: Single hook long snood bottom feeder.  Hook: S/S Long shank size 4/0   Bait: Fresh squid(caught on the night before)

Reach location at around 8pm and the tide was at the lowest. Set up two rod with difference long n short snood bottom feeder rig. Bait casted out was fast disappeared. When the tide started turning up, the current flow was very slow. Nothing happened until the tide started to turn down. The first was when my loomis classic rod tip has a nop and the line went loose. I strike and wind in a small marine catfish. While I was trying to unhook it, suddenly the other rod alarm scream. I throw down my plier and strike the rod. Ho ho.. something good is at the end of my line which I can feel it. It gave quite a good fight on this slim loomis big game rod. This fellow made some deep dive with left n right turn before I able to bring it close in. What a beautiful snapper when it surface on the fast flowing water. As the water is high, I just grip onto my rig body and lift it up. It weigh almost 2kg and is my second snapper within two weekend.

Date: 28-05-2005    Time: 0300am   Rod: Penn Powergraph Surf 12ft.    Reel: Penn Jigmaster 500L    Line: 30lbs mono.   Rig: Single hook long snood bottom feeder     Hook: Long Shank size 4/0     Bait: Fresh cut squid

Went there early around 8pm. Tide was comimg up and the current was smooth except the sea surface was abit choppy due to the surface wind. Only set up one rod as to left some space for two of my buddy who joint me later. It was getting more crowded as some regular angler started to arrived. Fresh squid was spotted but was at deep water level and not easy to catch. Instead, I used squid jig and manage to landed some. Bait casted out was quite lasting but no taker. After the tide started to turn down, a few small marine catfish was seen landed by some angler there. The down current begin to move faster and faster and line casted out has drifted to a 45 degree angle even with grip sinker. It was around 3am when my line was tangle by another angler line that I decided to wind in and also to check on the bait. Suddenly, I felt something was struggling at the end of my line. Without thinking, I striked and it started to take out some of my line that I realise I have hook up a stingray quietly. The fast flow current quickly push it down stream and made winding back line more difficult. But after a few hard pump on my rod, I bring it up to the surface and got one of my buddy to hold on to my rod while I get ready the gaff. Upon landed, it was a female long tail brown stingray weigh at 3.8kg. What a surprise catch. See catch photo above.

Date: 23-05-2005    Time: 10.30pm   Rod: Penn Powergraph Surf 12ft.   Reel: Penn 155 Beachmaster   Line: 25lbs mono.  Rig: Single hook long snood bottom feeder.  Bait: Cut frozen squid    Hook: Long shank size 4/0

Went to BJT around 9pm, It was very windy and crowded due to good weather and a public holiday the next day. Upon seeing this, I decided to fish somewhere else. After some mind sorting, I decided to try out this spot again as it would not be so crowded. After loading everything up onto my mobile home again, I headed down. Reach there around 10pm and set up two rods. One with a long hook snood and another with a short hook snood. Both are on  bottom feeder rig. With only six frozen squid which I bring along(initially thought of fishing at bjt), I cut it into two to save on bait used and casted out. By now the tide has just turn down and the current flow was good. I was sorting out something when I turned my head to look up at the rod tip and saw one of the line gone loose. Quickly I picked up the rod and struck. Ohh…. something heavy at the end of the line but with little struggle. Oh no…while I was winding in the line, my mind was guessing, could it be a conger eel, a tie knot eel, a puffer fish or a big plastic bag???? The feeling was just the same with all this fishes when hooked. The gear ratio on my Penn 155L reel was only 3:1. So it’s abit slow but easy on winding in. When the fish was near to the sea surface, suddenly it make a very deep dive downward. Hoo-ray….. I know the answer. Yes, it’s the one I am targeting for. It made another two deep dive before I was able to surface it. Yes, a golden colour with shimmering shining body fish appeared on the water surface. After comfirming the hook is firmly secured, I used my rod to lift it up as the water is still high. Ya…. A big fingermark snapper about 2kg plus landed. What a blessing in disguise.

Date: 21-05-2005 to 22-05-2005    Time: 11.00pm   Rod: Penn Powergraph Surf 12ft.    Reel: Penn Jigmaster 500L    Line: 30lbs mono.   Rig: Single hook long snood bottom feeder     Hook: Long Shank size 4/0     Bait: Fresh whole squid

After a evening heavy rain the weather was cool and moist. I was undecided which spot to go. Luckily my friend call up and say it was not crowded at bedok jetty and ask me to joint them. Reach there around 8.30pm and the tide is already at the high. Tonight there is no wind and the water was very calm. Quickly setup everything and casted out the bait.. Suddenly one of my friend reel alarm sounded and he striked. From far I can see his Penn slammer rod bent like hell. Ohh….! this is something big… I went over and saw the fish was stripping out his line. After just awhile it stop and was stuck at the bottom. We take turn to put pressure on it by bending the rod but there was no responed. Oh no, the fish could have been unhook itself during the run and the sinker or hook may have got snag. No choice, we put the rod on a rod stand and wait. Not long after this another of his reel sound and he wind in a 2.8kg barramundi. Then suddenly my rod alarm also have a short scream. I wind in a 2kg+ threadfin salmon. Haha, what a exciting night. But the strike doesn’t stop here. A 1kg+ brown dog shark was caught. He missed another barramundi around 3kg when it went under the jetty. A 1kg+ threadfin salmon was also landed later in the early morning hour. Other anglers there also caught a palmsize fingermark snapper, a big mouth eel type catfish 500g, a 1kg+ puffer fish and a nice size batfish. What a rare productive night here. See my catch at top picture. Photo of the barramundi can be seen at photograph page IV.

My friend Roger from England was on his fishing holiday here. I pick him up at 7.30am at his hotel and we headed down to the most popular fishing spot here. Tide was coming up and the weather was fine. We both set up two rod each all with live bait on cable car rig. We then take turn to jig for live bait as spare. Today the current flow was faster n after sometime it quite hard to jig for one. Around 11am his Zzipplex bass rod tip bend and its on! Without much effort, he wind in a small queenie. Half n hour later my loomis n franklin rod pair with a Abu sport rocket reel alarm scream. Roger was nearby n he strike it for me before pass back the rod to me to fight the fish. I wind in another queenfish but was slightly bigger in size. Not long after this, Roger Zzipplex bass rod got another hook-up. He wind in his second queenfish about the same size as mine. He was so happy that he can have such a productive trip here. When the tide is full, we decide to pack up so that we can have some rest before tonight trip again. See catch photo on the right.

Date: 08-02-05   Time: 8am to 11am.

Today is the last day of the year of monkey according to chinese calender. Tomorrow will be a new year of the rooster. I was on holiday today n decided to go for a short trip this morning as the tide is good n early. Reach there around 8am n the tide was already high n the current flow has steady. Quickly set up my tackles n start jigging for live bait. This morning has pleanty of live baits around so getting them is easy. When the tide start to turn down, I got my first strike when my reel alarm sounded. It was a queenie but I lost it when trying to flip it up with my rod. Not long after this another strike come. I lost it again after some fight due to not proper hookup. It already 10am plus n I suppose to packup n headed home to prepare the foods for tonight reunion dinner. But with the lost of two fishes make me determine to carry on. It paid off at 10.30am. One of my reel alarm sound again with the rod tip bend. I strike hard n it is on. I fought carefully this time n make sure I don’t lost it. Without much effort, I bring it up n it was a queenfish about 1.5kg. Very happy as I have caught something on the last day of the year. With my mission completed, I headed home happily to celebrate the lunar new year.(See catch photo on left)

Date: 23-01-05    Time: 0130am.    Rod: Loomis n Franklin Classic 12ft.   Reel: Abu sport rocket 6500    Line: 20lbs mono.    Rig: Single hook short snood bottom feeder.    Bait: Cut squid.

After two night at the jetty without any catch, decide to go to this spot to try out. Reach there around 9pm n set up two rod with short snood single hook bottom feeder rig. Tide was already midway up n current was good. Around 1130pm, saw one rod tip have alittle rattle n decide to check. Wow! heavy at the end of the line n once in awhile it struggle abit. In my mind thinking it was a conger eel. But when i surface it. Ha..ha.. it was a big puffer fish about 3kg plus. It swallow my hook deeply n I can’t unhook it. No choice, I released it along with the hook. By now the weather is getting cooler n windy. Thinking that tonight might not get any good fish , i already thought of packing up early. Then come 0130am. While looking up on my rod, suddenly i saw the rod on my right side bend down badly. I manage to grab hold of it before my reel alarm goes off. Strike! n yes. I can feel its something good there. This fellow move n turn fast. It take my light surf tackle to it maximum. After a few deep dive n fast turn, I manage to surface it. Yes, it the one that I have been targeting for a long time. Big fingermark snapper. It was too heavy for my rod to flip it up. So I tired it out n use my hand to pull it in with my main line. It weighs around 2kg plus n my personal record on fingermark snapper is still stand at 3kg.(See catch photo above)

Date: 01-01-2005   Time: 10am to 2pm

I was force to abort my trip last night due to raining. It also start to rain early this morning so can’t go until about 10am when the rain stop for awhile. Immediately headed for Bjt as the tide was coming up. Reach there n set up my two rods n the rain started to fall again. Have to set up my fishing den to take cover. Somewhere near to 12pm, one of my rod alarm go off. Have to come out to strike as the rain keep falling. A todak was seen jumping up the sea surface n was easily landed.  My first fish on year 2005. Oh ya! It was on cable car method with live bait again.