Date:18-07-2010     Time:3am      Rod: Penn PPT Sidewinder 13.6ft      Reel: Abu 10000C      Line: 30lbs mono      Rig: Long snood bottom feeder      Bait: Dead Tamban

Ah An caught this 7kg Stingray early this morning when the tide is about to turn up.

Date: 19-06-2010    Time: 10pm.     Rod: Shimano 405BX 3pcs      Reel: Shimano Trininade 30      Line: 30lbs mono      Rig: Long snood bottom feeder      Bait: Dead Tamban

Raymond got his Shimano 3pcs joint rod tested when he hookup this 11.8kg stingray last night. The fish took the bait and go for a good run. It tired out after awhile before Raymond able to control it. He manage to surface it while I gave a fast gaff and bring it up. It weight 11.8kg on the scale.

Date: 23-05-2010    Time: 1am plus      Rod: Centuary Vectra 13ft      Reel: Daiwa Saltiga 40     Line: 30lbs mono     Rig: Long Snood Bottom Feeder      Bait: Fresh Squid

We was there around 5pm in the afternoon. We are aiming for a catch on this evening full tide around 7pm which has the best current flow for today tide table.

The first few squid caught was all casted out as bait. Our prediction was on target. Around 7pm…Lai rod which was on the extreme last corner the reel alarm goes off. Hong was the first to pickup the rod and strike. Wow…the fish goes off with full speed. Hong feel it was big so he pass the rod to me. I took over and the line just keep running out. I waited for it to stop and it happen after a good run. I try to put pressure on it and pump the rod up, but the fish just not turning around. After a brief stop, it continue to run on the seabed. With this happen, I know very well it is a big one and chances of landing it is very slim. Any moment the line will be cut if the fish pass by any structure on the seabed. True enough, the main line was cut somewhere near to the rig. The big one is gone.

When the tide change, the current was slow. As the night is still early, we continue to fish. Around 1am, Lai got his second chance. His alarm went off again. Same Hong got to his rod and strike. Yes.. fish is on but seem it is smaller as it didn’t strip so much line as the first one, Hong very fast got it up at mid water level. But it didn’t surrender fast. It got Hong to have a good workout with some good tug of war. After sometime, Hong got a bit tire and ask me to took over. I took sometime to surface it. An was ready with his newly made gaff. But the gaff sharp point was at a wrong angle and after few try still can’t gaff it. Upon seeing it, I ask Hong to hold the rod and I get my gaff. I easily gaff it and bring it up. It weigh 12.5kg on the scale.

With this catch, Lai ended his dry spell running for over a year. Thanks to the sea dragon king who gave him the second chance.

Date: 10-04-2010

Yusof, Gary and I was fishing on the extreme left side of the jetty.  My all other friends was fishing on the right side. Tide was going down by now but on slow current flow. Gary rod was the first to spotted a hookup. He strike and it was on. He pump hard and wind back fast. But the fish drop off when it just appear to the water surface. Yusof got his turn. His reel screech, he strike and pump but no hookup. Another chance for him again a little while later but same thing happened. No hookup. Haha… I went over to tell Gary….if the fish did eat my bait…no chances of escape. True enough….awhile later I wind back a small nurse shark. It took my octopus tentacle supply by Ah An who was among the anglers fishing on the right side. Fishing is not only luck…your skill, method and technic do count.

Scoop up this big green eye squid when it swim under my squid lamp tonight. It weight 800g.

Date: 04-04-2010  Tackle: 150lbs mono handline no sinker no float.  Bait: Live night herring

He did hookup this fish a few week back but the fish make a dash into the pillar and end up his 150lbs hand line burst. That how strong and fast this fish is. For the past week, this fish appear again but won’t dare to take his live bait. Maybe is healing from the wound on it mouth.

Saturday night…rain started to drizzle non stop. Every one left the place except him as his home is far away. Boring, he went to look for this fish. He found it there again. Armed with his handline, he hook a live night herring again and let it down to swim freely. Yes…the fish took his bait and he gave no chance and make no mistake this time. He bring it up and it weight 7kg. What a wonderful reward for his hard work under the rain which pour non stop even into the morning when this photo was taken.

Date: 16-03-2010     Time: 9pm      Rod: Penn Powergraph Surf 12ft        Reel; Daiwa Emblem 6000S      Line: 30lbs Braided join with 40lbs mono leader       Rig: Long Snood bottom feeder       Bait: Frozen Night herring(tuabak)

The tide is up coming so went for a short trip. Setup to sets of tackles and landed this palm size red snapper.  I was sitting on the stone bench just beside the rod when it took my bait. I can hear my spinning reel has a light screech and my rod tip shake. I strike straight away by holding the rod on one hand and the other hand press on the spool to avoid the drag slip. If without pressing the spool it may cause the drag to slip and it soften the strike force to set the hook or delay striking by tightening the spool first might have lost the fish. Any fixed spool user need to have this knowledge.

Date: 06-03-2010     Rod: Penn Long Range 13ft      Reel: Daiwa LD50     Line: 30lbs mono      Rig: Long Snood bottom Feeder      Bait: Night Herring(Tuabak)

It was already 2am and the tide is turning down. Siong reel alarm was the first to sound. I shouted for him to strike. However he fumble at his drag and didn’t strike. He suddenly pass the rod to me and say he dare not fight and ask me to do on his behalf. I strike straight away and it was on.

Gary who fish at another corner come over to look. Suddenly some one shouted for him to go back. It was his reel alarm also sounded. Haha.. two fishes on at the same time. He rush over and White(another angler) already strike for him and pass him the rod.

For my side, the fish started to swim inward. I had to speedup my winding to catchup with it. When near the jetty, it make a splash at the water surface then dive downward again. Then it stay deep for awhile before I over power it. It surface and now Siong already ready with his rope gaff. It turn out to be a stingray. By now Gary also landed his fish and it was a Queen fish.

The Shoreangler Big Game rod that I bring up the 24kg Stingray was a rod with a story to tell.  The tip part(6.6ft) was a old penn slammer rod tip. Its belong to a regular angler there. He spray this rod with thick paint. One day he casted and the line crack off..at the same time this tip part also fly into the sea as he never fixed it properly to the butt part. Angry..he throw the remaining butt part down also.

Seven years later…one night while I was fishing there…someone hookup a rod tip and throw it at the rubbish bin. I went to throw some rubbish and saw this rod tip. It was full of coral and mud grow on it. I look at it so familiar and take it up. I bent it here, bent it there. Eh…still good le…I took it to the toilet to was it up. The next morning when I went home, I scrap off all the paint, took out all the broken guide until it only left the original blank. Test to bend it and it still look good. I decided to rebuild it. I told my friend and he offer to do it for me. I found a butt part which belong to a broken SURECATCH brand rod. It was 6ft long so I cut it down to about 4ft and it fit well into the tip part.

We spray this rod with mango color yellow and rebuilt it. Hehe…now I got a new rod to play. First test on it show it work well…The first fish tested was a 3.8kg GT. Now it had landed this 24kg ray…it had proven it that after 7 years laying in the sea..the blank still in tip top perfomance. After landing the ray…I check it out and it show no sign of any damage. What a amazing rod to own.