What the Fish!: March 2010

Quite a big group this round with a total of 5 cars, and 17 pax, including a spunky hair chatterbox of a little girl. Tan family came in full force and from the looks, really out to fish like hell.

Fix motor not enough business? Sell prawns instead!

The KT boss sitting in the little red car

Along the way, tan had this contact to pick up live prawns which cost RM60 per kg. Not a bad idea and it was rather convenient being along the way to the kelong. Incidentally, the shop name is KT, which is our nick for our "lucky spoon" guy here.

We thot we heard the "Tuk" at the back....but it turned up to be the main windscreen

The tan fishing family

Crystal clear water...can see a dory on the right side of the photo (thomas photo)

Barracuda no eyes see our fishing skills

We reached the kelong jetty in good time. Any later, we will need to row our boats out as the tide would get too low for the bumboats to come into the Jetty. From the people loading up, we discovered that there wouldn't be many people there this weekend. Indeed there wasn't during the week, which made for a pleasant fishing experience. The trip was very relaxing and had plenty of space for casting and eating wind.

Meng Zai with a half eaten lengchiam (Emperor) on the way up

On the boat, I chatted up Meng Zai (aka Ah Meng) the Kelong Mgr. I have known Meng Zai for a pretty long time, since my very first Sibu Kelong trip which was to Hotboys. I asked if it was possible to go for a short boating trip and he agreed to make the arrangements for us. Later, he told me that all the fishing boats were taken up, but if I would like to go on a spacious speed boat? The downside of speed boat was that it would be more shakey. But we later found out that the boat was very comfortable and big. Pretty suited to boat fishing I would say.

Nice spread of food

Reaching the kelong, we unpacked and settled down. The helpers were kind enough to acede to my request for all the beds to be on the lower deck. In fact this trip, I would give them a 5 star for good service. Food was excellent too, except for the morning breakfast of some oily dark brownish noodle with some bits of sausages. But the other food for our main meals were excellent and got approval from everyone on board.

By some sheer conincidence, Thomas met some church friends here. I wondered, what were the odds of that. he better go buy some 4D. For himself, this trip really got him super chao tar since he liked sitting under the hot kelong sun. I wasn't quite around Frankie and Thomas and hence didn't have much pics of them. Those would be coming from Thomas super professional camera in due time.

Twin powered speed boat

After lunch, 6 of us pop out for the boat trip for the afternoon. I was pretty excited as this was something new for me. I had done this once at Ah Ngan before on the regular bumboat but not on a speed boat. The boat was commandered by 2 youngish chap.

Behind Pulau Tinggi. Very nice scenery

Overall, the boat trip was a tad disappointing. But nevertheless, it was a good experience. As the live prawns didn't quite make it (most of it died or was rather half dead), our chances of biggies were quite slim. And it seems tthat the places that the boatmen brought us too wasn't quite promising. Luckily I brought along my tamban rod meant for getting baits and did some small catches. Most of us were getting some assortment of fishes like breams and MJ (Michael jackson, aka small groupers).

She finally got some bites that she can feel

Zul wasn't getting anything until I passed her my blessed tabam rod and she managed to have an exciting time fighting with a decent size lengchiam. It was impressive how the rod was bending...until we found out that she was fighting a rock. haha. But the fish was indeed there. I think it pulled the drag until it reach a rocky structure. But after some coaxing, fish came out again and it was a nice lengchiam. No wonder the fight was good.

YB got 2 parrots, very good catch

A real barracuda for ZW in the evening

Around 6pm, we returned back to the kelong. I got some accounts that people from the other group have been catching "barracudas" until I realized that they were actually todaks.

Time for nite luring

After dinner, ZW, Andrew and I started to explore luring to see if Parangs are around. ZW was first to get a confirmation when one was hooked and started leaping out of the water. But alas, it got away. That encouraged us and we continued trying. But for some reasons, lots of strikes but misses. Throughout the night, we couldn't land any.

YB first Parang! (Photo from Thomas)

I taught YB how to do the luring and passed him one of my lures. And to our surprises, he started landing them. Not just one but in total four!! Argh. Put us all "parangs" experts to shame. haha. But YB was a very hardworking lurer and just seeing him keep going at it was an inspiration.

Sea was very clear...sotong swimming around! (thomas photo)

One more for the icebox (thomas icebox)

Audrey's catch of Sotong (thomas photo)

During the night, we also spied plenty of sotongs swimming around in the clear water. Of the many trips I have been to Sibu, this was by far the best. We started squidding and did manage to land quite a number of them.

Nice breezy morning

Ya Li fishing at the well

The next morning, I was thinking of taking it easy when we were all pleasantly surprised to see a number of big fishes circling around the kelongs. That naturally got us very excited and we all try hard to target them. But to our disappointment, they were not biting our lively kicking offerings at all. It was quite a sight to see all the bait fishes scooting away when the big fishes would occasionally swim into the school to take a nip at them. That really was a nice experience with mother nature.

The man of the trip

YB was at another corner, when we heard a shout and saw his rod bending. We were shocked to learn that he had got a take on a lure! and when I peeped into the water, it was a Mackeral! hoho, that was indeed the catch of the year. I run into the kelong and started shouting for people to come look see. Andrew went off to get the net and very soon, it was netted up on the kelong floor. Rounds of applause and congratulations. It was really was a neat hat trick and a great finale to our visit here.

In a jiffy, all of us started to take out our lure set and starting luring. However, even when my lure passed mr biggie, he didn't even give it a sniff. But ZW's crystal minnow did get a look in the direction. But the luring was qutie difficult due to the low water. Try and try, we didn't get a bite. According to YB, the trick was to do it fast.

Time to balake kampung

Unfortunately, our attempts needed to be cut short as we had to leave the kelong early due to the low tide issue at the Jetty. Reluctantly, we all had to pack and leave the place.

Thereafter we reached the Jetty, Andrew headed straight back home, while the rest followed me to the Permas tackle shop for a look see. The last time, it was too rushed as we were rather late and it was about to close. However, this time, we had all the time in the afternoon and it was a good visit. Then it was back to home sweet home for me to catch my forty winks.

More Pictures...

We stopped here to pick up "KT"'s prawns