My Shore Catch 7

My First Stingray for the year

Date: 13-01-2010     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: Fresh night herring(tuabak)

Went there around 7pm mainly to catch squid but I also bring along one rod to cast out. Jig a few night herring as bait. Tide is coming up fast and the current is strong. Bait was very lasting. Think I only change one time.

Very strong wind tonight and the squid is rare. It hardly wanted to surface. I was still jigging for bait fish beside my squid lamp when my reel alarm goes off non stop. Quickly put down my jigging rod and rush over to pickup my rod. Strike and it on. By now my 100 meter of mono leader already totally out and the inside braided line has touch the water. Oohh...what a powerful one. As the current is strong, the fish took the advantage and stay on to do tug of wall with me. It manage to hold for awhile before giving up. Once it loosen, I pump the rod and start winding back. Once it was near to the water surface, it do a last deep dive downward but can't go further as I put more pressure on my spool to stop it. I surface it and angler Siong was there already with his rope gaff. Easily bring up as the water was high. I weigh it and it was 8.9kg on the scale. The fish was given to Siong as I need to packup soon.

Conger Eel arrived

Date: 18-01-2010     Rod: Shoreangler big game 10.2ft      Reel: Shimano Torium 20     Line: 30lbs braided with 50lbs mono leader      Rig: Long snood bottom feeder       Bait: Frozen night herring

Went for a short trip as I wanted to fish on the upturn of the tide. My aim is to look for any early arrival of the cobia. Last year due to the jetty on renovation, missed out the cobia season. So this year I am hopping to target one.

As the pass days the bait fish was very rare, to play safe I bring along some frozen bait. True enough,hardly any bait fish present. Only manage to get three night herring when the night fall.

When the tide turn, the current was smooth. Around 9pm, a regular there told me my rod tip shake. I was searching for squid at that moment some distance away. When I go nearer to my rod to take alook, I know I had a hookup and most likely could be a eel.

Pickup the rod and strike. Heavy at the end. Wind in slowly and a conger eel surface. I used my rod to lift it up to the jetty as it was not very big. I didn't weigh it but it should be around a kilogram only. It swallow my whole steel wire trace and hook. I had to operate on it stomach to take out. I given this fish to the regular who inform me about the rod tip shake.

New Year, New Shirt, New Record

Date: 16-02-2010     Time: 10.45am      Rod: Penn PowerStick 10ft      Reel: Daiwa Saltist STT50      Line: 30lbs Braided joint with 50lbs mono leader      Rig: Long Snood Bottom Feeder       Bait: Frozen Night Herring(Tuabak)

Today is the third day of the lunar new year. Every year this will be my first day of fishing after two days of cooking, gathering, eating and visiting. This morning when I put on a new T-shirt, my wife ask me why must wear new shirt for fishing? I said, well it may bring me good luck.

Reach jetty around 8am. Not so crowded as some might still celebrating the new year. Bait fish tamban was rare. Lucky I did bring along two packet of frozen night herring. Quickly set up two set of tackles and casted out. After I jig two live bait, I added two cable car rigs on both rods. Continue to jig for bait fish and after some hard work, manage to get about ten tambans. But I keep it for tonight trip as I wanted to used up my frozen bait first.

Around 10am, I decided to check the bait on my Penn powerstick rod. I started to pump the rod and I notice a small fish was jumping a distance away. This I realise that I had caught a small queenie on my cable car rig. Easily I wind it back and lift it up. It should weigh less than 500g.

A lady who come along to look around saw what I had caught and wanted to buy it from me. I told her it didn't have much meat and this fish cannot be steam to eat as the skin is like rubber. She told me her father in law who is from Hong Kong and also present there wanted to eat fresh fishes so she insist I sell it to her. She took out 5 buck and wanted to put in my hand. Upon seeing her like and I still on a new year mood, I agreed to gave it to her for free. I even offer to fillet out the meat for her as I afraid they don't know how to do it properly and it may cook it with the skin on. She was so happy and offer me a can of root beer. I happily accept it. I do the cutting for her and she left the place with the fresh fish meat happily.

After washing up, I was about to take a rest when I heard my reel screaming. I saw my rod bending and line is running out fast. Quickly I move in to pickup the rod and strike. Ooh..It is very heavy and still taking out line. I was thinking could it be a ray as it has taken my bottom bait. When the fish stop running, I quickly gain control and start pumping and winding back line. It is very slow and super heavy as my rod bend to the maximum. By now there is a big crowd gather around to see the fight. Jepun the tamban hook seller come to help set up my gaff. I keep on winding back and manage to bring it close. When I surface it, it was a big queen fish and it was foul hook on the body bottom fin. No wonder it was so heavy as I was pulling the fish side way when the current is flowing left to right.

A regular there took over the gaff and gaff it up for me. I put it on the scale and it hit the 6kg mark.  It is a new personal record on queenfish for me. My previous best was 5.6kg on a night trip. I think the sea dragon king who control the sea saw I gave away the small one and decided to gave me a bigger one. haha.........

24kg Brown Stingray

Date: 16-02-2010      Time: 11.00pm      Rod: Shoreangler Big Game 10.2ft      Reel: Shimano Torium 20      Line: 30lbs braided joint with 50lbs mono leader      Rig: Long Snood bottom feeder      Bait: Fresh octopus tentacles.

A telephone call by Hong at 5pm this afternoon wake me up from my resting after my morning trip. They were short of bait and ask me to bring down extra bait for them. I quickly packup all the necessary items and headed to the coffee shop to buy three packet of mee goreng for dinner.

Reach jetty around 5.45pm and it was crowded but not much anglers as most of them are just walking around. Down tide was about to end and I quickly setup my tackle and casted out. Bait was quite lasting at this time. At 7.15pm when the tide turn up, we all change the bait again. I check again around 8.30pm and my rod was heavy at the end. I had to pump a few time to be able to wind back the line. It turn out a big octopus was hook on it tentacles by my hook. Just nice for a fresh bait. I cut out all the tentacles and all of us change it as bait immediatly.

Current was running fast now. Lai has decided to packup as he need to work tomorrow. Hong also packup as he need to send Lai home. Now only left me alone fishing. Lucky Mr. Tyre was around to chit chat with me. I change the bait again around 10.30pm. I had told Mr Tyre if he went back, I wll be packing up also as there will be no other to help me to gaff it if I do had a big hookup.

Around 11pm. Mr. Tyre recieved a call from his wife asking him to pick her up. I also standup and wanted to pickup my rod when my reel alarm go screaming. I pickup and strike. Mr Tyre saw it and told his wife that I had a hookup and he need to stay awhile longer to help as no other angler are around. Wow... the fish just keep on striping out the line and going. I had to tighten my drag a few time to slow it down. It totally strip half of my spool line before I manage to stop it. Once it stop, I quickly pump and gain line. I was pulling it against the current flow now, It really a very tough job but there is no one to pass the rod too as Mr. Tyre don't know how to play a multiplyer. No choice I had to hang on. I know I am in control now so I keep putting pressure on the fish and gaining line. Once I got my leader in my spool, I know I gonna to bring it up. After about fifteen minutes of hard work, I surface it. Mr. Tyre was ready with the gaff and with one strike, it was in but was too heavy to pull up just by himself. I ask another guy to come and hold my rod so that I am free to get another gaff. With both gaff in, we both pull it up. It weigh 24kg on a 50kg scale tie to a lamp post with the help of another two guys. Haha.. two fishes in aday. What a wonderful lunar new year to celebrate.

No Break but Even.....6kg excatly

Date: 19-02-2010     Time: 9.50am      Rod: Shoreangler Big Game 10.2ft      Reel: Daiwa Saltist STT40      Line: 30lbs braided with 50lbs mono leader       Rig: Cable Car 30lbs Dupont line.       Bait: Live herring(Tamban)

Still on my annual long holiday and just another day of fishing...Went there yesterday night to fish and catch some squid. Packup around 3am and take a rest on my mobile home.

Wakeup at 6.30am by the noise of car door closing. It was those parents who sent their kids to the east coast beach to attend the Chung Cheng Seconary School activity.

Can't sleep already so headed in to the jetty. Tide is still going down. Setup two set of tackles and casted out. Start jigging for live bait and add a cable car rig to one of the rod. Check on the bottom bait and it was not lasting so need to change often. Lucky it was early so fresh bait still available if U work hard.

Around 9.50am...while I was jigging for bait, suddenly my saltist reel went screaming....plus other anglers who present there also shouted....Alo........

Rush forward pickup the rod and strike....a big fish jump out of the water surface.....Queenie again... but this time on cable car rig...30lbs mono only no wire trace...have to be extra careful....Play it slowly and it do another acrobatic jump...hoho...pray hard...hope my mono can last the abrasion by the sand paper type teeth on the mouth.

Have to carefully putting presure on the fish hoping to tired it down and avoid strong jerk. Luckily...it surrender after some big circling around. Ah Tee come along to setup my gaff and gaff it up for me. Weigh it and it hit the scale excatly at 6kg no more no less....hoho....no breaking record.....just even my personnal best. Have to try again next time.

Lizard Shark

Date: 27-02-2010     Time: 0015am      Rod: Shoreangler Big Game 10.2ft       Reel: Daiwa Saltist STT40      Line: 30lbs Braided join with 50lbs mono leader      Rig: Long Snood Bottom Feeder       Bait: Fresh Cuttle fish without shell.

Went there around 7pm. Tide was mid way up and had a good current flow. Not very crowded today so I setup two sets of tackle. Both all use night herring as bait on bottom feeder. It was quite lasting so I just check only about an hour once. No action even after full tide at 10.30pm. Only manage to scoop up two small cuttle fish. I use it as bait on my next bait change. The down tide current was slow  and the water flowing the same direction as the uptide.

Slightly after mid night, suddenly I saw my line gone loose. Quickly I pickup the rod and strike. No struggle at all but only slightly heavy at the end. Thought has hookup rubbish again as tonight the water was full of leave and grass flowing on the surface. It only when I surface it that a lizard shark was struggling around. Thought of lift it up with my rod but someone offer to pull up for me. It size is about 2kg and was deeply hook on the throat so chances of release it was very slim. One of my friend want it so I let him have it.

I Eat Fish also Eat

Date: 01-03-2010     Rod: Penn PowerStick 10ft     Reel: Daiwa Saltist STT40     Line: 30lbs Braided join with 50lbs mono leader      Rig: Long Snood bottom Feeder      Bait: Fresh Herring(Tamban)

Back home early so went for a short trip. Reach there around 6.30pm. Tide has just turn up. Current not fast yet. Setup two tackle set and casted out with fresh tamban caught by Ah Meng who pass some to me.

Bait was not lasting this evening..Has to change very often. Nothing happen and the current start to pickup fast. Near to 9pm...I feel abit hungry so start to make coffee and had a bread for a break. While munching my bread, I take alook at my rod and saw one of my rod tip shaking. It is not those shaking make by strong current flow but definitely is a fish taking the hook. Then I saw my line was carried away by the current flow. Bloody hell...I don't eat U don't eat. I eat U also start to eat...(inside my heart was scolding) No choice...quickly swallow down my bread and pickup the rod to strike. Yes...heavy at the end but no struggle. Must be a eel..(I thinking). Wind back it turn out to be a big mouth eel tail catfish. I used my rod to lift it up. It weigh at 1.9kg. Call up one of my friend who love to eat this fish and pass it to him. He repay me by buying a ice cream with bread.