Labrador Candy

It had really been quite a long time since I visited this place. So far, I had no catches here, although I did miss one quite some time ago when I was trying for my first salty. Being an afternoon, it wasn't too wise to fish at the jetty, so I chose a spot under a shady tree near a bench along the sea wall. The water was very strong and choppy since it looked like rain anytime. In fact, before I could even setup my rod, the rain came. But it didn't last long and went away soon enough.

I had quite a lot of prawns from the previous day, so I wanted to do more big rod fishing. But been at the sea wall, couldn't cast far really. I setup my light tackle and not surprisingly, shortly after casting, there were signs of bites. I lifted the rod and strike and thought I felt a fish. But unfortunately, the hooks got sagged and I couldn't get the line up. I loosen the line and went back to my other rods hoping that it would come free. But it didn't and in the end, the leader snapped and I pulled up a broken line. This frustration was to happen for the rest of the session. The place here was so snaggy that I got snagged almost on every cast. Especially when the tide was going down and the rock were getting exposed. I stayed for a while and almost wanted to give up. My other big rods also didn't get any hits. The prawns were coming back alive. However, today, I did try something different. I rigged up a middle water rig with a small float. But no luck with it today.



Around 5.15pm, I saw that the person that was at the section of the sea wall that was kind of like protruding out to the sea (hence avoiding the rocks) was leaving. I quickly re-setup my light tackle and rigged up another sabiki hook (this was to be my 4th), and went to that area to try. I held the rod with my hand and true enough, there were lots of bites. In no time, I got a tiny fish out from the sea. [Candystripe Cardinalfish] What a relief, I had thought zero for today for sure. Feeling a little more confident, I moved all things to that area and tried to fish from there. But unfortunately, all my cast from then onwards got snagged again. Enough is enough, I gave up and packed to leave for home.



This area, I would think that there would be plenty of small fishes. But probably could only fish during the high tide. Just too many rocks. Today only, I had lost 4 sabiki hooks, a few weights and swivels.

Car Park 5 Medium Catch

Was another assignment weekend. But managed to get it done and started on my new module. So, came 3pm, time for rest and recreation. But it was raining cats and dogs, so I headed for Changi V first, to get bait and wait out the rain. But to my surprise, it wasn't raining in the east. After getting the bait, I decided to try out Car Park 5 again, hoping to get the last seat near the jetty.

Luckily, the seat was available. The weather was not bad, a little sun but nothing blazing. The wind was quite strong, and the water current was quite fast. I setup all of my four rods, trying out various combination. For the light tackle, I used fish meat and another brand of sabiki hooks. (cheaper than the usual $1.50). For the big game rod, I tried cable car rig with live prawns. For my rapala, I tried a running sinker rig with prawns on Mustad circle hook. And my luring rod (regno plus), I tried a little of luring.







For the first hour, totally no action. The tide was going down. I waited for a while, and almost wanted to pack up and move to another place. Not a good sign when the light tackle was not even picking up anything. Just as I was about to do that, my rapala rod twitched a little. Hm, I run over and strike it. But I wasn't too sure if there was anything. Suddenly, I felt a strong twitch. The sensation was quite clear, and it felt like a big fish. As I reeled back, I saw this big clump of algae. I thought I was mistaken until and saw the leader line hooked on to a big looking fish. Wow, not bad...on closer inspection, it was a usat, but quite a big one. It was quite heavy and I had to set the drag quite high to bring it up. I wasn't too sure if my line could take it, so I lifted it up to the floor behind the railings. With another attempt, I managed to get it over the fence. It was bleeding all over and there was blood oozing out. I tried to get out the hook, but it was taken very deep and I had to cut the line. When I weighed it at home, it was about 800g.





Further down the shore, someone caught something and when he got the fish up, it was an eel. Quite a big one, looking just like a snake. A was all squemish about it. I had not gotten an eel before and I thought it quite interesting. I packed up all my rods and left the light tackle to finish up the bits of fish meat. For about 1/2 hour, there was no more action, and I changed the bait for good measure. To my surprise, after casting, I did get something. On reeling back, it was an eel, but a very small one. Well, wish granted. After photos, I rebaited the hooks again, this time using dead prawn meat. After about 10 minutes, another hookup. And another eel, but a different colored one. This one is a little longer.



Around 6.30pm, I had enough and decided to call it a day. The tide was already going down anyway. Not too bad for a short evening of fishing. The usat would be my 2nd biggest fish ever. I was hoping for something better...but better than nothing. Cats have affinity to me.

Safra Club with New Toys

D had a twisted neck this morning and couldn't go for her swimming lessons. Well, we drove down to Beach road to have our morning cuppa, and I popped into Joe tackle for some fishing tackle shopping. I was looking for a more springier rod for a while, and I asked for some recommendations. Most of the rods that they reccomended were quite stiff, and the only one that fitted the bill is lemax storm legend. It looked quite ok, except that I did't quite like the guides, and it would cost $95. I decided to think about it and ended up just buying some new lines. Got this Berkley trillene big game in electric blue :).

From there, I went in to Hot Spot to check out the rods. The uncle was there and he did recommended me a few that seemed quite good. I went through quite a few Shimanos like the Bass One, Exage etc. Finally he showed me Ryobi Regno. Interesting, the guy in the forum reccomended me this. It felt good and the spring was there. Price wise, after discount, came to $110. [later found out that Seatackle would have been $100. Argh].Given my good experience with my other Ryobi Bass Love rod, I said ok.



We drove to Safra club at tenah merah and was quite lucky to get the limited spot of parking. An earlier group was there, and I saw the guy caught a medium sized stingray. I didn't have much luck as the water was like the last time, very choppy. The sun was out, but the wind was strong and it didn't feel so hot. I decked myself out with my cap and sunglasses to protect from the harmful UV rays. After a while, the earlier group left and there came another lorry with people for fishing. And what do you know, it was the same group I met the last time. :). They recognised me but we didn't talk much, just some smiles. Later, to my surprise, the older man came over and gave D a pack of smarties. Very generous of him. From then, the ice was broken, and we became quite friendly. He invited us to join their BBQ, but I of course politely refused.



I caught a flounder shortly after they arrived, and I think they were quite impressed with my "fishing" skills. :P. From what I see, I don't think they had caught anything, all the time they were there. And they had like 4 to 5 rods all over the place.

I tried out my new luring rod and was quite satisfied with it. I could zipped the lure further now and the action was quite good. But I accidentally dropped the rod and scratched it on my first use. *haz*



We explored the track running into the park and saw people blading and cycling. D went to get her blades and did some blading. The entire track is about 1.3 km and looked interesting.

I left the place around 4.30pm and we went back to Changi V for some food and drinks. D wanted to do her "jump jump". Seeing that I had been always bringing them to fishing recently, I said ok and we went to Downtown east for some civilised activities.

Changi Ferry Terminal

Headed for changi beach again today. My last time, I did managed to get a "giant sillago" which was not bad. So, parked myself around the same area, away from the main crowd of surf rods further up. Weather was very fine, sort of an overcast sky, looking like rain, but it didn't. But I couldn't cast far beyond the wavy waters, so no luck with any catches. But everytime, I reeled back, the wat wat baits were gone. Could be due to the strong wave washing the baits away. There were some bites, but I couldn't get any hook up.



Anyway, around 6pm, I decided to move to the ferry terminal area. The tide was somewhat medium and the rocks were a little exposed. Reaching there, I tossed over my light tackle line and got a very quick reaction. Pulled up, and there was a nice orangey fish and a mudskipper. This was to be the start of a quick wave of catches. I only stayed till about 7.30pm and managed to get quick a few catches. I rigged up my Rapala 6 footer and used the size 10 tamban hooks. Surprisingly, the bigger hooks were also quite fruitful. So between two rods, I managed to get in total:

2 mudskipper.


1 orange spotted fish. [edit: Blackspot Snapper]


2 silver spotted fish. [edit: Saddle Grunt]


1 flat headed funny looking fish. [edit: Fringe-eyed Flathead]


1 glass fish.
1 eel tailed catfish.



The action seemed to stopped when it got dark, and my last was to be the catfish. I decided that I had enough and packed for the night. D took home the mudskipper and kept it in the tank as a pet.

Admiralty West Wat Wat

Today, back to admiralty west again which was just behind my house. Tide was to be around 8, so some where near will be good. Friday evenings would be the best for fishing as there wouldn't be any crowd. I picked up some baits on the way home. Saw this "wat wat" worms in a plastic container. I had yet to try it out and today looked like a good time. They were quite expensive, a container for $3.50. But there seemed to be more than the $2 per pack sarong worms that I usually use. The worms were fat and juicy, and I was sure that they would appeal to fishes very much.

I parked myself nearer to the jetty this time, but about a 100 metres away. I wanted to try out the spot here to see if it would be better. As usual, I rigged up my light tackle and my loomis. Today, trying out running rig with a size 1 hook. This time round, I used a longer leader (about 1.5 metres). I had some dead fish bait too and I intended to use it with my big rod. But the fish was quite soft and I couldn't cast it far without it flying off the hook. In the end, I hooked the fish, go thru and thread it around the fish and finally end with the hook at the tail. Kinda of like sewing it on the fish. It worked to let me cast further...but I didn't have luck to catch anything. I also used the fat worms on the size 1 hooks. There were a few bites (bells ringing) but unfortunately, no catch.

My light tackle wasn't performing quite well either. I could see lots of fishes jumping in the water...but the light tackle didn't catch anything at the start. But later on, when the tide was going down, I finally caught a glass fish (again!) and then followed by 3 catfishes (2 quite decent size...about 10 inch) and finally another glass fish. This place seems to be plenty of these. I am begining to give up on this place (+ bottle tree). It would be just catfishes and more catfishes with those irritating glass fishes.

I fished till around 10pm and decided to call it a day. Would be having a tough day tomorrow to finish my other assignment and then I could go fishing again.

Ponggol 17 and Safra Club

Went back to Ponggol 17 today to try my luck again. Got there around 11.30am, after D's swimming. Seemed to have lesser people today, and high tide was to be at 3pm. Weather was hot like hell, and I got a very lobster red tan after about 3 hours there. Fishing was poor and there was no action at all, for everyone along the row. At 2.30pm, I had enough of the dosage of UV, and decided to move somewhere else.

I drove back to Changi V to replenish my bait. Get got another pack of sarong worms for convenience. From there, I was thinking of fishing around the area, but the place was packed with the sunday crowd. I drove away and thought maybe I should try tanah merah canal again. But when I got there, there was this stupid car parked right in front of the entrance. Seeing that there were cars behind me, and I was then blocking the whole road, I drove away and tried another place.

Near to the the canal, there was another road into some sort of club (safra club). I had never tried that place before. I went in to take a look, and the place looked great. But problem was, there wasn't any place to park. I turned out and drove away, maybe heading for East coast area. But half way, just next to the laguna club, there was another canal that looked good. But there was already a malay couple fishing there, and the space was limited. I decided to turn back to the safra club and see if there was any chance of a parking space.

When I was there again, an earlier space taken by another car was empty just near to the gate to the club. I tried my luck and parked there. I was testing to see if the guard would come and shoo me away. But he didn't. So, I unloaded all the stuff and went about trying the place.







The place was very cooling was lots of shade. By the canal, there was another family fishing. But from the looks of it, they didn't have any luck. The water was very choppy due to the strong wind. I didn't think that the fishing would be good. When I got my rod up, I could see it moving alot, but it was due to the strong current. D found the place rather fun, as there was a "sand mountain" and sea shells for her to pick.

Beside my light tackle, I rigged up a bottom rig with my rapala. But still no luck. I took out my luring rod (the shakespeare) and tried some luring. It had been awhile since I lured. I had these minnows that I got the last time that I hadn't gotten it wet yet. But no luck with luring too.





Midway, I got lucky and my light tackle was jerking strongly. I reeled in, and there was this tripod fish (Short-nosed Tripodfish). What a relief, broke my zero. After another 15 minutes, the rod jerked a little. I reeled in and found a plastic bag...and beside it, a small tiny pink ear emperor (but this one got a black spot..not so sure) [edit:Spangled Emperor]. Both fish were released after photos. But the pink ear, it got hooked in the eye, poor thing.

I left the place about 6.30pm. By that time, already very exhausted from a long day of fishing. Not good catch, but at least, no zero.

Changi Beach

Another "better finish assignment or else" day. I had two to complete and had wanted to do all 2 together but decided to wrap up at 1. The amount of work to do was just too much. So, needless to say, needed some fishing to destress. But the weather was turning bad, with dark clouds all across. Too bad. High tide was almost exactly at three. Originally intended to fish behind my block, but given the rain, no chance. Drove out and decided to head for changi village to get bait.





Upon reaching there, surprisingly, there was no rain in that region. I thought to try out the changi beach area, just behind the changi point ferry terminal where I got my ribbon before. That place is a beach front, and this would be the first time I would be fishing from the beach.



The area wass nice and clean and not crowded. About some 200 metres away, I could see many surf casting rods all lined up. Might be better action further up. But since D wanted to play sand and I had promised her since last week, this place would do.



I got some live prawns and a pack of worms. My big tackle didn't have much luck and dragged in alot of sea weed. I decided to do more of the small rod, and not too long after I cast, I hooked on a fish. As I was pulling in, the fish felt strong. When it is out of the water, this one is quite the "giant" of all sillagos that I had caught before. It is about 2 plam size. Not bad for my first time here. I tried to keep it alive in my small pail, thinking maybe to keep it in the tank. But after about an hour, it turn topside down. Well, decided to CnK (catch and kill) and put it into the icebox. Thereafter, no more luck with the light tackle. Shore fishing need to cast far to go further from the wavy water near the beach. I just couldn't throw far enough. I guessed I must had been lucky with the first fish.



It was starting to get darker around 6 and I thot to fish somewhere else since I still have quite a fair bit of live prawns. But on the way, I decided to head home. It is low tide anyway...not much places that would be good for low tide fishing.



The fish was fried and smelled good as I was writing this. :)

[Pic quality is poor due to it being taken with my camera phone. Too bad about my portable camera that I had that was stolen]

Potong Pasir Canal and Punggol 17th

Wanted to try somewhere different today. Had been going to all the usual places, and with not much result. I remembered about the canal that I will pass by on the CTE. I had gone for an earlier recce, and it seemed quite promising. But the problem, it is a canal, and may turn out to be quite dirty.



After D's swimming lesson, I headed for the place around Potong Pasir. There wasn't anyone fishing at first, but later on, there came a lone guy trying under the bridge. But shortly after I rigged up, the weather turn quite a sudden turn and it started pouring. By that time, I had already rigged up my light tackle with sabiki hooks and placed it on the railings before dashing for shelter. The rain lasted about half and hour, but when I checked on the line, totally no bites at all. All the baits were still intact when I reeled in. Haz, not a good place. The water was also quite dirty as expected. Lots of floating rubbish around. I tried a bit more and gave up and decided to move somewhere else.



On the way, I thought why not try out the Punggol 17 area. The first time I was there, I was just beside the marina. From a distance, I could see many cars parked near to the sea. I didn't know how they managed to drive into the closed up area. While driving there, I noticed an opening and decided to give it a try. True enough, it turned out to be the correct way in. And along the sea wall, there were many many cars parked there, with people fishing. Interesting. I found an opening beside a family "playing" fishing and rigged up. A built some kind of make shift shelter and it was a pretty good shade.







The place was quite nice and the weather was nicely cool, though it looked like rain anytime. An hour into the fishing, I was still getting nothing. Feeling a little disappointed, I decided to cast nearer to the seawall. Well, with a little stroke of luck, I hooked up two fishes on my light tackle that I have not gotten before. [Aftenote: Fowleria Polystigma and Twostripe Cardinal] Pretty relieved that my series of bad fishing had come to an end. I released the fishes after some photos and rebaited the line. And not too long later, another strike. This time, 3 glass fish in a row. :). D got all excited and wanted to eat the fishes, and wouldn't allow me to release it. Oh well.



Suddenly, the place started to rain. And pretty heavy too. But the good thing was that the car was just beside us. So, it was easy to get in for shelter. I left the rods there and I could monitor it from the car. From the car, I noticed my Rapala twitching and I ran out to strike. I was quite lucky and I hooked up a stargazer. But it was a poisonous fish (I think) and I released it. Someone further down and gotten it earlier on and D and I went to look at it. It was also around there, that I stepped on some hooks that someone discarded. Luckily, I didn't step too hard and the hooks didn't penetrate my thick sole. And not just 1 foot, but both of my feet got hooked. Haz, very inconsiderate fishing people.



The rain was quite relentless and I decided to call it a day. But not bad for the fishing today. 3 new fishes within a day. :D

BJT Revisited

After the last 2 zeros, I was beginning to lose confidence in my fishing skills. Today, decided to go back to BJT (Bedok jetty), place where I had the good chance to land my biggest fish ever. Since the last time, it has been awhile. Nothing much had changed, the place was still clean and nice, and very crowded. I parked myself about 1/3 of the way of the jetty.

I had up my loomis, my light tackle, and my Rapala, all rigged for bottom fishing. Light tackle was as usual on tamban hooks. But what do you know, no action again. Even my light tackle wasn't catching anything. Usually that would mean that there wasn't any bait fishes around....much less for big ones. Water was very choppy, due to strong wind. Such circumstances, fishing usually would not be good, as I have observed.



I had a little shock with my newly bought Yozuri shrimp hunter. This little bugger, costed me around $18, and I just got it from HotSpot. I tried it out and on one of the throws, it got stuck and wouldn't come undone. I was quite desperate as this thing wasn't cheap at all. It struck me that maybe the lure retriever would work. I had gotten this retriever gadget long time ago, but it had never did help to retreive any lures for me. But nothing to lose, I slided it on the line and hoped for the best. After a few violent thrust, it actually worked! Goodness, that was a very close shave. Well, that 5 something of a retreiver earned my money back.

Midway, I got a little lucky and brought up 1 silver sillago. Well, that gave a little confidence back to my wounded ego and I continued trying, using up all my prawns and sarong worms. However, no luck thereafter. Towards the end, D told me that further up the jetty, people were catching tambans. Well, I took my light tackle and moved to the end of the jetty and tried to get myself some tambans. However, no luck, as my sabiki was baited. I think tambans wouldn't touch the tamban hooks if it was baited. Heaving a sigh, I gave up. I proceeded to pack and headed for home.

On the way out, I bumped into Yinncheah with her bunch of friends. However, at that time, I was quite exhausted (around 1am) and didn't have the brain juice to make good talk. Since she was with friends, I just made some passing remarks, said my bye byes and made my way home. But actually, I should have spoken more to her and asked about her job now. Well, maybe there will be another time.

Car Park Double 0

I had been quite confident about catching small fishes lately, and didn't expect to get zero. But today's session again proved me wrong. Went to car park 5 again for another session after the relative success the last time. From what I read, this place was full of weeds, and at the last location, it was true. So, I thought of moving nearer to the car park itself. Today being a friday, it wasn't packed, and there were lots of space. I rigged up my main for an apollo with live prawns, my light tackle with sarong, and my 6 foot on floating with sarong on sabiki with a slighly bigger hooks. Timing was just nice, with high tide around 8pm. That place, every 5 minute or so, there would be an aeroplane flying pass, making quite a loud din.



But thoughout the session, nothing. Big fat zero. Sea was kind of choppy. My light tackle couldn't even get anything. But my live prawns were being attacked, even though my bells were not going off. Strange. Might be crabs.

Even though, the place was nice and clean, the fishing was terrible. It had been a while since I have had good fishing. Hopefully, tomorrow would be a better day. :(