Golden Travelly

Date:15-11-2009     Time: 0930am      Rod: Shoreangler big game 10.4ft      Reel: Daiwa 47H      Line: 30lbs mono      Rig: Long Snood bottom Feeder      Bait: Dead Tamban

Went back to the jetty early this morning again as the weather was fine. Last night I caught a 1kg plus conger eel while my friend Ah An landed a 3.2kg barramundi on a handline with a dead tua bak as bait. We stop due to the weather change after mid night.

I initially fish on the right side of the jetty as on the left there is alot of tamban anglers around. Bait was very lasting but live tamban was hardly caught. Around 9am when the current started to change, those tamban anglers move to my side. To avoid too crowded, I switch side with them as now the left side is almost empty.

I move one rod first as the other rod I just change bait so I left it there for awhile. Around 9.30am, I went to wind back the rod on the right side and move it to the left side. I rebait it and casted out. Before I finish setting the drag, the first rod that I had move earlier the reel when screaming. It keep screaming and line been strip out fast until my hand was free to pickup the rod to strike.

It was heavy at the end of the line. I know it was a bottom hookup as the fish didn’t make any acrobatic jump on the water surface. My both rods all have cable car rig with live bait on the top. The fish have some struggle here and there but was not that powerful. Someone around ask me what fish is it and I told him could be a golden travelly. True enough, when I surface it, no mistake there.

One of the regular angler there got hold on my gaff and gaff it up. It weigh 3.8kg on the scale.

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Here is a video on this fish landed taken by a uncle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE5-VhN-vcw

Giant Herring

Giant Herring – Teck Ngoh – Ikan SuSu

Date: 23-10-2009    Time: 9.30pm     Rod: Penn Power Stick 10ft      Reel: Shimano Torium 20     Line: 30lbs braided with 50lbs mono leader      Rig: Long Snood bottom Feeder      Bait: Night Herring/Tua Bak

It is already at the end of a down tide. The current flow has just slow down. Bait was very lasting tonight as this is my second change bait since early evening. I was just busy looking for squid around my lamp. Suddenly my reel alarm goes off. I was block by my squid net so Seng who was just standing beside my rod got hold of it and strike first. I took over the rod and the fish was just struggling around. I was wondering which hook it took as I had a cable car rig on the top with a live bait and the bottom rig with a dead night herring.

The fish make several acrobatic jump on the way while I reel it in. Upon reaching below the jetty and under the light of my sqiud lamp, I saw it was deeply hook in the mouth by the bottom feeder. I ask Seng to used hand to pull it up by gripping on my leader.

It was a Giant Herring or Teck Ngoh about near to 2kg. After I removed the hook, the fish was already dead and I gave it to Chuan who was there in the early afternoon and will be heading home soon.

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My Last Bait

Date: 07-08-2009      Time: 0012am      Rod: Shoreangler Jetty Big Game 10.2ft      Reel: Shimano Torium 20     Line: 30lbs braided with 50lbs leader     Rig: Long Snood Bottom Feeder.      Bait: Frozen Tamban

Went to catch squid so cast a rod out. Bait was not lasting so have to often change it. Tide has already full and started to turn down. The current is picking up fast as it will down to 0.2m in the early morning.

Squid was quite rare tonite so has decided to cast out the last bait and will be packing up soon. I was talking to my friend Samad who is about to go home. Suddenly my reel alarm sounded. Went to pick up the rod and strike. Yes….something is at the end of my line and it was moving toward the left has the current has push it. I also heard water splashing. It seem the fish is jumping up. My mind thinking it could be a barracuda or a threadfin. It struggle awhile before i could bring it closer. It turn out to be a big barracuda. The hook was hook only on the side of the mouth as we can see it from the light of my squid lamp. My friend Da-Ling offer to gaff it for me.

When landed, it size look huge and fat. I was thinking maybe I broke my own barracuda record of 4kg. But it turn out to be the same weight of 4kg. Look like I have to wait for another chance to break it.

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Wolf Herring

Date: 04 July 2009     Time: 9am     Rod; Penn Power stick 10ft       Reel: Shimano Torium 20      Line: 50lbs Braided with 50lbs mono leader     Rig: Cable Car      Bait: Live tamban

Caught this 800g Wolf Herring this morning when the tide was half way up. Easily lift it up by my rod.

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Cobia

DATE: 05-05-2009     TIME: 8.45pm      ROD: Penn Power Stick 10ft.     REEL: Shimano Torium 20     LINE: 30lbs mono      RIG: Long snood bottom feeder       BAIT: Frozen Tamban

Caught this small cobia last night. It took my bait and peel off some line that cause my reel alarm to sound. I strike and it surface up and swim inward. At one stage I thought I had lost the fish as there is no feeling of the fish around. Only when it was near that I manage to saw it. I use my rod to lift it up the jetty. Suprising it was a small cobia around a kilo range.

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My Biggest Gaf Fish from the Shoreline

Date: 31-01-2009    ROD: Daiwa Longcast 12ft.    REEL: Daiwa 47H    LINE: 30lbs mono    RIG: Long Snood Bottom Feeder     BAIT: Frozen Tamban.

Still on my lunar new year long holiday. Yesterday morning went to this place and had a big missed hook. The fish took my tamban bait and swim inward and cause my line to loosen. I saw it and went forward wanted to tighten the line. But before I reach my rod, it turn out and swim away causing my rod to bend and reel alarm go screaming. I pickup the rod and strike but didn’t manage to set the hook. Instead I had accidentally pull the hook out from the fish mouth and it was set free.

No happy with yesterday incident, I went back today again. Same, casted out two rods with tamban as bait. It was about 10.30am and the tide is coming in smoothly. I went to check my bait and it was lasting so I re-casted out. Awhile later suddenly I saw my rod tip rattle and the whole rod bend forward with the reel alarm screaming. I rush to pickup the rod and strike. At the sametime I saw a big Gaf fish jump up from the water surface and do a acrobatic turn. It sink down and take more line out. After several more dive, it swim inward and I can easily wind in my line. When it was at the water edge, I waited for the next wave to carried it on the shore. Haha..a big gaf fish. After weighing, it hit the scale at 3kg. Hoho…it is my personal best record Gaf fish from the shore by surfcasting.

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Queenie

DATE: 15-11-2008      ROD: Shoreangler Jetty Lite 5.5ft      REEL: Penn Baymaster 180L     LINE: 20lbs      RIG: Cable Car      BAIT: Live Herring(Tamban)

Was there yesterday night. But only catching squid as I just cast out one time and the rest of the time the rod was left dry. Reason is the uptide current is too strong and there is too many small rods with braided line targeting small little cat fish. This few night jetty is full of cattie(duri). Almost who ever use prawn or sotong(squid) will catch one. Estimate yesterday night the whole jetty added up might have more than 70 pcs of catties caught.

Squid was also rare. Up to 11pm I only caught one. Seem like the squid season is coming to an end with the start of the north east monsoon. Yesterday night the northern wind is blowing quite strong and that cause the surface water to be choppy. It indirectly scare the squid to surface. Decided to packup around 11.30pm to get rest on my mobile home.

Wakeup around 6.30am and headed in to the jetty. The sun has not even rise. Haha…Cast out a multiplyer and a spinning rod for bottom big game. Follow by my this self made jetty lite rod for cable car rig to target surface predator. Tamban was rare today. Even those regular tamban jigger find hard to get. Manage to get one after some hard work. It was quickly rig down.

Bottom bait was quite lasting after a few check on it. Tide and current is smooth and good. Was chatting with a friend around 9.30am when I saw my self made rod tip bend down follow by a queen fish jump up from the water surface. Quickly getup and strike. Yes…. its ON. This little fellow make another few jump and deep dive. It able to do so because my sinker is small and light. Haha…it nice to play it with a short rod like this. I let it run until it slow down then I used my hand to grab hold on the main line and pull it up. Hahaha….forgot to weight it but it should be a round a kilo range.

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Shovel Nose Shark

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.

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The Silent Eater

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.

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Eat Mine U Can’t Escape

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.

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