SG Anglers

Today, I’m proud to announce the coming of a new app which I hope that would benefit the Anglers in our little community in Singapore. It’s finally coming true a little dream of mine which came into place 3-4months back.

iPhone SG Anglers! It’s going to be a one stop fishing resource on the iphone that would let the anglers access information of shops and stuff at the tips of their fingers.

SG Anglers Official WordPress Blog

SG Anglers Official Facebook Page

The estimated launch date would be end of Nov.
So stay tune guys!

Tightlines.
Mathew

A day on board – It’s GR-R-REAT.

The booking was done almost 4 months before for this trip out with Jimmy. As a angler, what I and most of my friends look into when chartering a boat for fishing. Is the captain. Jimmy from my years of boat fishing has proven himself as a “One of a kind”. He will produce the goods and will assist you at anytime when you require assistance.

Anyway this trip was special because, Sharon my wife was following us. Along with her long time friend and fishing buddy Peili and her brother Chee Yong. We met up early and proceeded down to the meeting point for some breakfast and to stock up the rations before we went for our 10-11 hours boat trip.

Launching the boat and out in the sea has always given us all a good feeling. Here’s Sharon and Peili Optimistic for the days of fishing.

After awhile we arrived at our first spot.. We took our time to set up and loaded up our suicidal prawns that would scout the seabed for any lazy buggers that would need coaxing to swallow them. First into the first was myself, the human fish finder with a smallish grouper that was released for another day. A few mins, later I was in again with a decent grouper for the family!

Next into a fish was Chee Yong with a Grunter.

Then it started all the smallish fishes were stripping our baits dry. Sharon prawn was an exceptional and was trained in ‘Stealth’. From start till now it was untouched. So I advised her to try my spot in hopes for a bite. So I swapped places with her and let down my KamaKazei Prawn. Just as it hit the bottom, there was a light tug.. followed by another. Waiting for the 3rd light tug, I struck into it swiftly.

This fish was different and had weight behind it. Not wanting to anticipate that it’s a good fish, I just kept quiet. The fight was so similar to a huge catfish… but alas it turned up to be a 6lb grouper for the keeps!

Then it went quiet.. and off to a new spot we went. This spot looks promising and was crying out BARRAMUNDI!!! We took it slow, ate our lunch and re-position the anchor when we were ready. Within 5mins, I had a take even before I locked down my reel. Up came, true enough the first barramundi of the day.

Here’s Peili with her barramundi catch on a Pink Rubber Grub!! She earlier had missed about 2 hits on the lure as well.

Lastly from the Barramundi spot,
Sharon had her first wild Kim, if I remember correctly. This barra behaved like a Grouper hiding in the rocks and dashing out and back in. Nonetheless, it was caught!

Just to mentioned that all the Seabass aka Barramundi caught was released.
So off to another spot, that was new it seems. So we weren’t expecting anything. First in was CheeYong with a nice grouper.

Then it happened.. CheeYong again had a massive take, almost instantaneously breaking his 35lb Shock leader at a go. It was explained that based on the feeling he was getting from his sinker, there was a small hole at one area and asked me to try.

So down went my prawn and it hit hard bottom. I lifted up and moved it abit more.. this time, it went deeper down. I found the hole. I lifted up the rod again.. but just as the prawn was going away from the hole, something took it hard!! This fish really fought hard! However, this time round I was on my birthday Setup, which was slightly stiffer due to a rod tip break LOL.
Up came this beauty!

Nothing big came up from there since.. So we went off to have abit of trolling fun.
Here’s me and my dearest wife having a good time.

As we went deep into night, Peili and myself both missed one each while trolling. Unfortunately then it was time to call it a day. We headed back to the Marina, happy with the day’s experience.

Thanks Jimmy for the great day out. Plus Peili and Brother for the company. Sharon for allowing me to share my passion of fishing with you. Not forgetting the family that made those fantastic satay at the clubhouse + DoubleBlack J.Walker that accompanied us throughout the trip.

Tight lines all!!

Children’s Day Special + Jigs to the Max.

Day01 “Children’s Day Special” –
Since both of my kids were off from school last Friday. I decided to take childcare leave to spend some quality time with them. Knowing their sleeping patten, I could squeeze a few hours of fishing in the wee morning and back by lunch to take them out.

So I managed to gather my brother whom hasn’t been out lately due to his hectic schedule.
We launched in good time and met up Johnson at the launch site too.

After a good paddled we arrived. My first suicidal prawn produced a positive bite which led to a decent size snapper. Up next, my brother had a nice size Grunter shortly after.

As the time stretched into Mid-Day, we decided to call it a day since the fishing died quite awhile back. On the way back, I saw a similar pattern of fishes showing on my echosounder. Instinctively, I thought to myself it might be herrings. Rigged up my prawn and down it went. Just as it was mid-water, my line started to zoom to the left!! I reeled in my line, gain some tension and set the hook. Almost spontaneously, a Giant Herring, shot up 3ft into the air and spat the hook.

Rigged up another prawn and into the hot zone it went. An almost exact scenario! This time the fish was properly hooked up! Such power it had that it towed my kayak a short distance and literally made the vessal turn 360 x 2times! I managed to land the fish and after a photo was taken, it was released promptly!

*Photos to be inserted soon*

We then called it a day, after we couldn’t find the school of herring anymore. It was a fun trip on a quiet Friday Morning.

Day02 “Jig to the max” –
Today morning, I’ve met up with Johnson and Merv for a short session of baiting/jigging. Everyone set up really fast and off we went paddling before the current picked up. Both Johnson & Merv were purely jigging the whole session. One of the highlight would be Merv hitting onto a huge HUGE!! Queenfish which threw the hook after about 4-5 jumps.

Throughout the day, small johnsons, bluehind and parrotfish were being caught on jigs. The jigs totally outfish the livebaits today easily! I managed to get some cute bluehinds today on bait and jigs. Not to mention a cuttlefish! Lucky me!

After fishing, we had a hard paddling back against the current. I was quite glad to see the shore. It’s been such a long time that I’ve been out back to back for fishing on the kayak. Nonetheless, it’s time to rest of the week to come. Thanks Merv and Johnson for the trip out today. Catch you guys around mate.

Cheers!

**SOLD** – Advance Elements Expedition

Sold to a new kaki. See you on the waters soon mate!!

——————–
Hi there, I’m selling my advance elements Expedition model kayak for anyone that ones to have it cheap.
I bought it off another fellow kayaker in the forum as Mzac. So technically, the potential owner would be it’s 3rd lucky owner.

No leaks, though a patch work at the bottom from the beginning as it was scratch a little beginning. Safety first, so he decided to patch it though it’s quite common.

Here’s what up for sale.

1) AE Expedition Kayak. ( Just thoroughly flushed down last week )
2) Double Action Pump

I’m not including any paddles or life-vest as I’m still using it for my current hardshell SOT.

I’m looking at a figure of $500 slightly Neg.. Interested parties please leave a comment.
Selling it as it’s just sitting on in my room now.

Link for the Advance Elements Kayaks
– http://www.advancedelements.com/advancedframe_ex.html

Regards,
Mathew Tan

Abused but yet happy!!

As usual, this weekend, my brothers family along with mine went to Farmway3 CnR pond for some short session of fishing. It seems to be almost a regular Sunday outing with us spending almost 2hrs there per session.

We normally use rubber jigs instead of live baits when we fish there. We just happen to start when the action was getting hot. Lucky US!!! Fishes were landed to my left and opposite of me.

As I was luring my grub back, I had a distinctive tug at the end of the line right at my feet and it led to a huge tug of war which lasted for 10mins+ on my abu2500 at Max Drag..

The beast from beneath was swimming everywhere.. and at one point it almost ran to the pump area, which I managed to thumb my spool and steer it back into the safe zone. Even though my reel was at it’s max, line was still being dragged out easily by the monster! Thumbing the spool really helped alot and because I did that, I managed to land the beast that abused and tortured both my arms and tackles to the max!

Kudos to the pond operator assistance to be on hand to help me land it for a snapshot!
After releasing it, I found my arm, shivering from the build up of lactic acid. I rest upon the fencing catching my breath and thoughts on what just happened.. Not to mention the doctor just told me the day before, to lay off fishing for awhile due to the injury caused by the catfish LOL..

Here’s the glorious moment captured on my brother’s phone! Thanks Mark!

A trip to remember…

This week, we have special guest on our routine trips. My wife and her long friend Peili. Peili herself has a tandam Tequlia of which she would be paddling today with Sharon. We met up early for breakfast, bought prawns and some hooks which I was suppose to use but left it behind in the car..

Setting it was considered quite a breeze. Esp when Don, forgot his fish finder and myself I forgot my kayak seat LOL.

Here’s the ladies just before the launch.

After quite a distance, we found the spot that I’ve managed to save on my GPS. Anchor down and away I went sending my first sucidial prawn into the deeps. Which resulted with a strong connection with the first fish of the day.

With all the fishes roaming around.. Don decided to try to go artificial.. Jig and Jig he went.. I could see that he missed alot of hits and finally managed to land the his first fish on an artifical 🙂 Happy days mate. Congrats!!!

Not to be outdone, I decided to try out the jigs as well. So out came my jig.. Bouncing it off the floor and soon I had a connection.. It was quite a strong fighter and soon the fish surfaced. Low and Behold up came mr. Kitty!!! Looking like a small little shark!

Sharon also caught a new species for herself.. She managed to land a couple of Ang Chos and also one Herring. Which put up a decent fight on her light rod.

We cont. fishing on with a couple of fishes been caught and released along the way. Just as it was getting fun, I had a huge take which up came another Catfish. While trying to releasing it, I swung itself and punctured through my knuckles skin. The PAIN!!! We decided to call it a day and head back.
Paddling back was slow as I was using 2 fingers grip on my right side. However slow and steady.

Here’s the overall catch on my side. I’m still awaiting for some photos from Peili side 🙂
Overall it’s quite a fun day. Except for the sting and not to mention when I got home. My car hood broke after opening it to fill up water and can’t close it properly.