Recce - LSR and Khatib Bongsu

Just usual, D had got swimming today. I did some luring in LSR with my new Rapala Gold X-Rap. As with the other x-raps, the action was good. This was the fresh water version. For a change, I attempted the left side of LSR, away from the Jetty. That was the edge to the country club, and was full of tall lalangs. Should be a good area. However, it might be due to the hot weather that I didn't get anything. But it was nice to see some birds dipping into the water for food. Might be small fishes there. There as an uncle casting out live catfishes for giant toman. But during the period I was there, didn't see him get any.

I was decked out in my light fishing gear and could move around with my rod with my backpack behind me. Seeing no action on the extreme left, I moved somewhere in the centre. However, also got nothing. But there was this about 3 feet carp just right in front of me. Few times, I saw it coming out of the water for big gulps of air. However, it was not possible to get carp on lure. My lure went by him with little interest. I thought it funny that this fellow wasn't quite afraid of me and hung around just under my feet for sometime.

The entrance to Khatib Bongsu


That afternoon, since I was around Yishun, I suddenly got this urge to explore the Khatib Bongsu that was in the papers recently. By now, it should have been closed to the public, but I thought of giving it a shot. By some shear luck, I managed to find the entrance. I hadn't been too sure whether it was Avenue 6 or not, but I drove around the area to look for any potential opening. Luck was with me and I spied the sign that said "fishing pond" in chinese. Well, well. Making a daff turn, I was enroute into Bongsu via a bumpy road.

The fishing pond signage


Scary video survelliance


There were a few cars that passed me on the way out. Seeing that they didn't quite shoo me off, I moved boldy onwards. However, about 5 minutes into the long road in, there it was, the official army "shoot on sight" signage. I was hesitent at that point. There was a guy on a bicycle following me on the way in. I stopped and asked him if it was alright to go in. He mumbled that it should be ok. Said there were people going in anyway.

Bumpy road


Shoot on sight!


Incoming red car


Finally, signs of human settlement


Trusting him, I drove in, risking to be shot at. A red car was on the way out, and mintues later, he was following me behind. Strange, were they army people or what? But he stopped at a clearing midway, and I was alone again. Another 10 minutes drive in, we finally came to the fishing pond that was the destination on the signage.

The fishing pond


2 wild children


The mangrove area


Flying heron dipping into the water


It was a nice and quaint village of sorts. There were a few household living here. However, the main business appeared to be the fishing pond. From there, we could see some people actually fishing. This must be the commercial fishing pond that I had read about in the forum. I hadn't thought of coming here before, as I didn't know that it was actually situated in a wild and quite untouched region in Singapore. Really, you could hardly see a scene like this anymore, unless you were in the army.

Hmm...nice humans


Another pose


We stayed around watching people fishing, but after 15 minutes, still no catches. A friendly dog appeared out of nowhere and was interested in the French fries that the children were having. We gave it some, and it was quite a friendly dog indeed.

Rain "Crab"


It rained a little and stopped abruptly. But no matter, as we were all cosy under some sort of fishing shelter. Seeing no actions from the angler there, we decided to make our way back to civilisation.

Quite a interesting place indeed. I thought of bringing the PFs there for a tour, but not sure if a convoy of vehicles in would surely have someone dispatch the army on us. Maybe, maybe...