Marsh Garden, vandalised!!!

I was enjoying myself in Marsh Garden looking at the mandarin ducks but to my horror, vandalism left such a scar in this beautiful place...

What do you get when you perform such tricks? 

What was he trying to do? Trying to be artistic? 

What makes a person want to do this...??? 

"Fish at 120M, start jigging!!!"

After I blanked for the first night, my mood was terrible...

For the past 36hrs, I didnt feel a bite (although my jigs were scarred badly) at all. Something must be seriously wrong with me... I didnt know what and I was desperate.

While I was in the cabin, my mind kept spinning and revolving... thinking what did I do wrong.

"Why am I blanking?"

"Bingo!!!"

I dug through my luggage and tossed my favourite fishing t-shirt on the bed. Then I returned my luggage back to the original state and quickly, I changed into my 'lucky charm'. Feeling confident once more, I went up to the deck and got myself ready to 'chiong' again!

"Hook up!!!" Uncle Chang shouted loud from far. Adernaline started rushing through me! The fish have arrived!!!

Suddenly, one after another, "HOOK UP!!! HOOK UP!!! HOOK UP!!!"

All except me... everyone along the railings hooked up a fish and those below me on the dive platform too(I was jigging from the diving cage). Immediately, lots of thoughts rushed through my already conjested mind and suddenly I switched my position and started jigging among the anglers who were fighting their fish... Call me kiasu or desperate, I AM!!! kekeke

I dropped my jig and from my colored line, I had about 140m of line out in the depths. Once the jig hit the bottom, I started jigging as hard as I could.

Suddenly, I felt a jam! My jig got stuck..... On no!!! Then I could feel my rod being pulled downwards... wth!!! Immediately, I knew I am on a fish! I set hard, super hard and I felt something struggling beneath there deep in the water.

"HOOK UP!!!" I shouted excitedly and Meryvn was right there encouraging me.

Meanwhile, all deckies were occuppied as we were landing fish after fish.

I caught my very first fish, a red ruby snapper.

I broke the zero and went on to hook up 2 more rubies in the night.

After all the actions died down, many went back to the cabins to rest for the night. Me too.

From then on, I know that I am hooked into bluewater fishing. Jigging is tough but very fun to me.

The next morning, while I was still sleeping, I heard some tumbling noise on the upper deck. OMG! It must be a fish!!!

Quickly, I got my semi-consious body up and started fishing at about 0630hrs. When I got onto the deck, I saw Mr Chang landed a bonito tuna. Nice!

My mind was still asleep but my eyes could still catch a glimpse of a Ryobi Safari hanging above me. Thinking that it was mine, I took it and dropped the jig into the water. Suddenly when I touched the handle, the knob was different! OMG!!! It was not my outfit at all!!!

I was definitely wide awake and damn! The jig had already reached 120m and touched down at the bottom... Oh well, just jigged it up all the way then and swap lor...

Just when I started to jig, I felt a hit and I set as hard as I could. "Hook up!" The reel screamed for a while like 3s and stopped. I landed a decent ruby snapper around the 10kg mark on a PE2-4 Genesis rod.

Seriously, ruby snapper are beautiful fish but they just dont fight well at all.

After the deckie helped me to land the fish, I went on to find my outfit and I did find it this time. Just some luck I got there man... I caught a fish using somebody's rod and reel and jig... thank goodness that it didnt snap.

Feeling better to have my gear in my hands, I dropped MY jig. There wasn't much current at all and I could see the 230g jig just went straight down into the sea. In my heart, I was counting... 100m, 110m, 120m (yeah, should touch down soon), 130m, 140m..... (WTF!!!) 150M!!!

OMG!!! I quickly closed the bail arm and I felt myself being pulled!!! At 7kg drag, I set as hard as I could once more. I thought that it just might be another red ruby. After setting hard, I only pumped twice. I couldnt lift the rod at all when I went on to pump the third time. The next thing I remembered is hearing the reel screaming hard... a BIGGIE!!!

"HOOK UP!!!"

The reel screamed for about 5s and suddenly it stopped... I couldnt feel anything at all... the line went limp and the jig was missing... WTH!!!

While I was retrieving my line, I feared that a barracOda might have snipped me off at mid water. I was very fortunate, I lost only my leader near the knot. The 100lbs leader just got cut cleanly across at 45 degree angle. It still had a little piece of fish skin at the end of it too... black in color... damn CODA!!! I lost a big one due to these pest in the water...

I went on to learn my lesson about bluewater angling later on by being stripped bare by a est. 200-300kg marlin. I lost my line, my friend's trolling skirt... everything cost around $120. All within a minute.

Bluewater angling, I will be back!

How small can fish get out in the reefs? 

Decompression? Oops! 

Mr Chang's bonito tuna. (Mr Chang was behind the deckie.) 

The dogtooth that got the rod broken. 

Rubies everywhere!!! 

A decent amberjack caught during drifting. 

The only lady on board. Her husband, David, caught this and let her continue with the battle. 

Michael's share of ruby on the same night. 

Big one!!! 

Big eye jack. This is the best deckie on board! 

I had mine too. heehee 

Nice 'ang kao' for dinner!!! 

Mr Chang's ray on jig!!! This fellow must be hungry... 

A decent dogtooth! 

This grouper was caught at 75m while the depth registered 120+m.... strange! 

A decent 26kg amberjack on bait. What a smile! 

David's big eye jack while the rest were hitting red ruby snapper. 

FishingKaki.com Gotham Penthouse Event 20050925

Initially, time was not on my side to attend this membership drive by FK at Gotham Penthouse in Clarke Quay. Somehow or rather on that day, things turned for the good and David and I made it.

Although we were pretty late but when we reached there, the FK's brothers were still around and the crowd just dispersed. Everyone were smiling and having fun. Especially those sitting at the beer counter playing 'games'. Laughter everywhere and bro here and bro there without fail.

It sure felt like a big family whose passion is fishing and conservation.

I had some beer too... kekeke...

Sega 16bit, anyone?

When we were back on land, I saw this old school Sega 16bit console lying on the river bed.

Maybe when I come back here the next time, I might see a PS2.

Till next time...

Shimano Calcutta 50, 20050922

Today, as usual, I was following David to work sites to help him out.

Since we were in Woodlands and after work, we were desperate for lunch. Somehow or rather, in the heavy downpour, I saw David was guiding his vehicle to Sembawang Shopping Center which is not too far away.

While we were still in the van, I accused him of bringing me to this place to tempt me with the Abu 5600 with red thumb bar. I had a crush on the reel and till today, I am tempted. At SGD450, I decided to wait. (Wait for what???) David just smiled and brushed it off lightly... but for me, this is SERIOUS!!!

When we entered the building from the carpark, I went straight to a pet supplies to get some goodies for my dog, Skippy. I was trying to waste some time there so that I could have enough time to clear my mind and think logically before going up to Good Fishing Store and harrass the shopkeeper for a better price for the Abu reel.

I wasted about 15mins in the store and when I came out of the it, I couldnt find David at all. Now, who is the desperator now....?

I took a lift up to the fourth level and gingerly, I walked to the tackle shop with much excitment. I am going to see my 'love' again. Hahaha. Dont laugh, pls... hahahaha...

Upon reaching the shop, I tried to avoid the display cabinets of fishing reels. I went straight to the rods section and 'fool and flirt' around but no 'beauties' caught my eyes. Soon, the temptation was so great that I cant resist anymore... I threw myself at the display and somethingelse caught my eyes...

I ditched my ex-lover and brought this new love home... at SGD340... Shimano Calcutta 50 2006/6 model. No more the o'biang (undesirable) gold anymore... the gold trim is beautiful and the gun metal finish is really cool...

I found my new love...

Cl^.^P

Eggs' joke

One day, there was 3 eggs in a refridgerator.

The first egg said to the second egg,"Why is it so that that egg over there in the corner has hair all over his body?"

The second egg replied with mischief, "Maybe his father is an Indian..."

Both eggs burst into laughter, "Hahahahahahahahaa... hahahahaha... haha."

The third egg could not keep his silent anymore and shouted back in hokkien (a Chinese dialect), "Diam lah! Lim peh si kiwi lah!!!"

("Shut up! Your father me, is a kiwi!!!")

;P

9kg dogtooth tuna broke Bro Mike's rod...

On the first day and night out in the reefs in Lucornia Shoal, brother Mike had a bad day. He lost a 500+ jig on the very first drop! Then he lost another jig and half a spool of line off his Shimano Stella on the third drop... I really felt sorry for him as who would want to be in his shoes when the jigging trip just only started...

To make thing even worse in the night, while we were all jigging like mad men, he hooked up a decent dogtooth and immediately these beast started peeling line off his reel. Suddenly, we all heard a 'crack' sound... his rod broke!!! He only had 2 rings left on the rod and the other piece was out in the water swimming around with the dogtooth tuna.

I could feel his frustration as if that was me... I would be frustrated too...

Fortunately, the doggy was landed without losing another jig and line out in the reefs. Consolation? Yeah, I guess he would agree too.

For me, I had lots of bites on my jigs as I could see paint peeling off and teeth marks all over the place but I didnt feel anything at all. What the hell were I doing man?!?!?!?! I blanked on the first day and night...

I blanked!!! Luckily, I still managed to fish up a sotong which aided Victor (an angler on the same vessel) to score the biggest fish of the trip, 26kg amber jack and the first ruby snapper of the trip.

I could only sit in a corner and cry... my tears were covered by my sweats...

I cried? NO WAY LAH!!!

Just *&$%ing desperate and frustrated as I blanked... on the first day and night out in the reefs...