Newbie Fishing - Lesson 2

After some pondering, I decided that last night Rapala might be too stiff, especially for a lady. I had seen Jennifer (Eric's friend) with a connoisseur, and felt that it was just nice for light fishing. I called up the shop and asked if they had connoisseur, and to my delight, they do carry. They kindly agreed to make an exchange.

We met up at CV today, and shop did the swap, no questions asked. However, shakespeare connoisseur cost a little more, and we had to top up $6 for the price of $51. I had never seen it up close, and I was quite impressed with the quality. Fuji guides somemore. I might even get one myself to replace my ultra flexy Basslove.





So today was for lesson 2, to guide WC and J on how to manage their own rods. Before meeting them, I drove past by a newly renovated part at Car park 6. I had spied some cars inside some dirt road and was curious to check out the place. Turning in just after car park 7, there it was. With D's camera, I trekked into the dirt road to come to this opening. From the rubbish there, it was clear that people had been fishing here. The spot leads out to the opening of the canel, just starting into secret spot.

For lesson 2, we headed back to 6 pipes for another round of training. I wasn't too hopeful of other spots in Singapore, and 6 pipes was still on top of my good fishing spot list. We were there earlier than yesterday and was there from about 4+pm. However, weather was quite fine due to the cloudy sky. At some times, it could really be scorching hot here, as there was nary a shade. But wind was tremendously strong, and all our cast would get blown to the left. Due to that, water current was also strong, and there were times, I wasn't even sure if the sinker was hitting bottom.

After guiding WC and J on how to setup their rod, I cast out my line to the left side of the Jetty as usual.



Today however, due to the strong current, it was not easy to feel the taps of the fishes. Furthermore, the newbies were now using mono. So for a good part of the session, there were hardly any catches. I broke the ice by hauling in a nice grouper. This was my first grouper on regular apollo. Not too bad, I would say. I later got lucky again and hit a fair size Pasir2.

J got some luck, and landed a small Pasir Pasir without even feeling it. Nevertheless, it was an opening catch for her new rod. It was now left to WC to get one for himeself. However, time past rather quickly and soon light got dimmer. I took over the rod from WC and tried to at least get a fish to "bless" his new rod.

There was a strong tap, but I missed the hookup. Uncle on my right suddenly got a strong fight where he was trying just in front of the Jetty. It looked like a good fish from the way the rod was bending and trembling. When fish surfaced, it was a catfish, but I think close to a kilo one. Uncle grinned and said "tosat" meaning catfish in malay.



Just as I was losing my hope of hitting one, there was a strong tap, and I struck. Fish connected and it felt like a decent one. When fish landed on the ground, we saw it to be another eel tail catfish. Well, better than nothing. :). At least rod got something the first time. Since we don't really eat catfish amongst us, it was released.

By then it was already dark. Good thing I brought my torch this time round. Fishing wasn't too good, but that's what makes fishing interesting. There are good days, and there are bad days. After a bad day, one could always look forward to a better one.

Humble Pie - Six Pipes

There was a PF gathering at SAFYC, Changi Naval Base. We were lucky and got to witness the ending of the round island 30 hrs dragon boating. After that, I just longed for some simple fishing, since I didn't do any on Sat. The tide was on the way down. Andrew said to join me after bringing wife and son to in-laws. Reaching there, the tide was still quite high, but the sun was burning hot to be fishing near the jetty.

I settled down near the canal, just to do some simple fishing. But that side, not a productive spot. There were some taps and eventually, I hauled up one of the culprits, a Puffer. Not good.

Andrew and I decided to move to the jetty for real fishing. This was the spot that I had demostrated my improved fishing powess, by beating TC 9 to 0 some weeks ago. Previous times, my 4lb rig with small tamban hooks worked like a charm, and I was reeling in fish after fish within a short time. But today, rig failed me totally while Andrew was on a roll of several variety of catches. There were wrasse, scat, goby, a baby ACK, a grouper, and maybe others that I had forgotten. Poor me, nothing at all throughout, until he suggested that I changed the rig with his. Okay, maybe that would do the trick. His rig, got this stiff leader that hold out the bait prominently. A point to ponder. I finally did get a fish, but just a Pasir2, as usual.

First Scat








The spot just right in front of the jetty seemed like a productive spot. But at s certain spot, snagged our rigs a few times. Andrew was saying that there were some fishes eating up the baits quickly with barely a tap. He thot it might be glassfish. He finally managed to pull up one, and it was a Scat. He got a few, and the last being one that was quite large. After that, he had to go. I stayed on for another 10-15 minutes, until A chased me to go. Well, alrightly then. Just not on a fishing streak today. Tide also gone to super low level. Thought I had improved quite a bit, but really humbled by a master fisherman today. :)

Pasir2 - Six pipes

TC said to fish at Six pipes. The last week, he went on his own, but turned out that he got the wrong place and ended up somewhere near Tanah Merah Canal. But it looked iffy as it was drizzling. However, luck had it that we were both in CV. So, we met and then moved down to SP after some makan.



Weather was cool, due to the wet weather. The normal jetty that I went to, was quite occupied. Seeing that, we proceeded to the jetty on the right. There were some guys already fishing there, but there was some free space for the 2 of us. Rod was setup quickly, and we were soon wetting it. Using small hooks and prawn meat, I got a bite within 5 minutes, and out came a Pasir2. I continued to get more Pasir2 over the next hour. A man was there watching us, and giving out commentaries. TC wasn't doing too well, but finally, he managed a Puffer. Well, better than nothing.



He complained about his rod, and we changed rods to try out. Indeed, his pasar malam rod wasn't too good, and the mono lines were definitely not feeling anything. But I still managed 1 pasir2 to convince him that his rod was capable of getting the whitings. End of the day, total catch for me was 9 Pasir2. I wanted to hit a 10, but hooks were snagged away by some underwater structure. 9 was still a good number. Enough for a small meal.

BaitLess Fishing - Six Pipes

I was clearing leave today with work kind of slow in the office. The plan was to hit Six pipes for an early morning fishing and then back home, and perhaps visit the firefly cruise that night. So after dropping the kids off to school, we popped a coupon and headed down to Changi V to get baits.

But unfortunately, all the tackle shops were closed. Even the market also not opened. Without much choice, I decided to try Six pipes anyway, baitless.

We reached there after getting food from CV around 8.30am. Tide was really really low, so much so that I think it is only maybe 2 feet deep. But weather was just beautiful, nice and cool. I rigged a tamban jig and dropped it in the water. But it couldn't even stretch the full height of the leader. I cast it out then hoping to have luck on the retrieve. The water was on the coming in, and gradually got deeper. A man was casting net. But we all know that it was quite a fruitless time to be fishing. But nevertheless, I cast and cast, and kept trying.





So, it was my lucky day, when something took the jig. It fought a little, and out came a nice grunter. Not big, but good enough for me that morning. The fishes seemed to be coming in then. Not long after, I got another small fish. (glass?). But at 9.30am, the sun started coming out. I thot it was enough and packed.

Not too bad for a baitless, lowtide morning trip :)

Fishing the Low Tide - Six Pipes

It had been quite a boring day. I had to wait till 3pm before I could drive out with the car. But tide timing was quite wrong, and then was about the bottom of the low tide. I went Changi V for a quick bite, and to top up some fishing stuff. Driving towards east, since D wanted to cycle, we stop by Six pipes.

By the time we were there, the weather was already into the cool evening. After all, it was raining mostly in the afternoon. We picked a spot near some group of Malays and a chinese uncle. Chinese uncle packed up and left after a while. The place at that time was ready very nice for fishing, no hot sun and all that.

Since it was low tide, the pipes were all exposed. However, the water was still quite deep, as the jetty led out a distance from the beach, although not as long as Betty Jetty. I rigged up an apollo with small tiny hooks meant for whitings on prawn meat. That proved to be was quite a successful strategy for that time.





First cast, and I immediately got a hit with an spangled emperor. That lifted my confidence, and the fishing was looking not too bad. Few more cast, I had some bites, but no hook up. Then there was another catch of a tiny Pasir2.



15 minutes into the fishing, I got strong take, and even my line was pulling out of my Zauber a little. The fish surfaced and from the distance, it looked like a sicklefish. I was delighted, but on closer look, it was a very good sized Wahbee. (Silver Biddy). I had never seen a Silver biddy that big. So, it was really a good catch.

By then, the group of Malays were quite impressed and began chatting with me. One of them had earlier on had a catch of a good size Duri, and I helped him to remove the hook. After that, we were all quite friendly. I peeped into their pool of catches, and there were 2 1kg+ duri and some small catches of snappers and others.



I next got another good take with a strong pull. When it broke the surface, it was a small stingray. I snapped some pics and released it. They were all quite surprise that I would put it back. But it was a baby, and I thot the good thing to do was to let it go.



Fly past rehearsal during the fishing


After that, another Pasir2, and then that was it. Malay group had a very good catch of a Golden Trevally on Tamban Jig. Luckily I didn't comment on why they were using tamban jig. Quite a surprise that they were actually catching fishes by leaving it there.

My last catch was some branches, and since I had to go out with TC for another session, we packed and bidded the Malays goodbyes. From the looks of it, they would be camping there overnight.

TC came to pick me at 10pm and off we went to Ponggol Jetty to try out for squid. From my research, I "discoverd" that PJ was a squidding spot. Reaching there, I was quite shocked that the Jetty was filled with lots of people. There was even a big group right at the right end, completed with a ground sheet as a shelter. We picked a spot facing the bright light from the police spot shining into the water.

The water was clear, and from the strong MH light, we could see all the way to the bottom right to half the length of the Jetty itself. We rigged up and went about trying to hit some squids. But alas, the action wasn't there. Moved the jig left and right but nothing was touching it. I was using the Yamashita that I had just bought. Thinking to try some bottom fishing too, as I had some remaining prawn meat with me. I left the squidding rod with the squid jig in the water, and went about tying up an apollo at the lighted area, next to the police post. Not bad at all. There was even a table to work on :P.



After throwing out the line, I went back to attend to the squidding rod. When I reeled up the line, I thot that my jig had collected some rubbish at the end. Bringing it up halfway, I realized that it was in fact a very small squid. I let out a yell and happily landed the squid. Wanting to take some pics, I brought it to the lighted area. But the squid unsuspecting fired a load of water at me and caught me head on. Good thing I think it ran out of ink. (probably been caught for a while already). TC came over and snapped some photos, right next to the police post signage.

After a while, TC got bored and decided to call it a day. As my last attempt, I spied a mud crab crawling around the bottom and heading my way. I purposely located my squid jig on its path and when it went over it, I gave a jerk. Jig caught the crab squarely under it belly, and I managed to lift the crab out of the water. But alas, crab was too heavy and dropped back midway. Some folks saw it and gave a shout. At least I had witness. After that, I packed and we were out of the place around 12am. I thought that it was a promising place, except that perhaps the place was too noisy and crowded today, hence squids all hiding.