Lousy day at CCK Canal

Have not visited this location for close to 2 months, the previous trip we started just at day break, explosive takes on surface lures but none get hooked up. Today we are hope to get the explosive takes again, thus start off early as well. Didn't know what had happen, but it is a damn lousy day this time round, maybe the foreign workers been catching way too much fishes already.

End of trip, I only have 2 palm sized PB, both are taken on this dress up Storm jig head. There are 4 jig heads are given to me by Nenasi, which I return 2 to him after I have dress them up.

The jig head shown are stained with PB blood. Taken right after I have remove it from the PB.

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Genesis Assasini 7ft3
Daiwa SS700
15lb Cheapo Braided with 25lb leader
Lures - Dress Up Storm Jig Head
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FW Fishing @ Spot X and AMK

Recently been to these 2 spot for fast relieve of fishing itch. Been using my light tackle setup as I am not aiming for anything big. Though I did hit a reasonably large PB using a Daiso crankbait at Spot-X, and during my short trip at AMK, the PB are whacking the Daiso popper with dress up treble non-stop .

During last week trip, Nesasi got a Toman Mama on Yozuri Altima 14g spoon in less then 10 cast. Lucky chap, me still waiting to hit a mama, will try tomorrow using BIG Lures!

Enjoy the pics (Trying out thumbnail this time round, except for the Toman Mama)

Good Fishing at last

2 weeks of barren fishing, been doing a bit of SW luring and this weekend I am back to FW luring.

Yesterday had a short session here, and back again this early morning. When I reach the place, I am deeply disappointed to see the water condition got worse overnight, a think layer of algae covers the entire area. But since I am already here, and have to wait for Aric and gang, so cast away. Early morning is slow, have just 2 fish landed, one small toman and one small PB. Action hot up after 10am, PB are everywhere, whacking lures and live baits left right center. I easily have 7 to 8 hits, but landed 4 to 5 only.

Strangely the most effective lure is a cheap spoon with self tied tinsel and feather, which KIA when I lend it to Aric to try, he get 2 hits in less then 15 min! A welcome break for him as his chug-bug invite only misses from the fishes. Also have reasonably good result with the self paint Fire Tiger minnow, I have been abusing this lure and the paint work start to drop off already, when it get real bad, gonna do the paint work again.

Some pics of the small PB landed, and a bonus pic of a monitor lizard which appear when we are about to leave the place.

Tackle - Shimano Convergence IM6 with Daiwa SS700, 15lbs cheapo braided

Operation GuiLin Lake update 08 Nov 08

Today myself, Nenasi and Michael are luring at Spot-X, spotted a few school of toman baby swimming pass. We managed to get about 12 baby and put in a keep net. Sadly putting them in the keep net is not a good idea as a lot died. Thus in the end we only manage to release 5 toman baby into GuiLin Lake.

New Spot try out

Yesterday when we recce out this place plus some luring, as I am expecting a lake instead of a stream, my lures are 90mm and above. Thus cannot gauge if the spot is productive. Today we are back after a hearty lunch to try out the same spot again. Only difference is that I bring my Light luring set and small lures.

1st PB caught is on a Daiso crankbait (Lumo Yellow), when I had the hook-up, the PB didn't make any jumps and is always in the stream bed, and my line is beening stripped on a steady speed. I thought I had a small adult toman, but when i bring up the PB, it have it's body half bitten off, really suspect it is whack by a toman. Didn't take any pics as it is damn gross and blood dripping from the severe body.

After this hook up, it died down, nothing at all. As it is a hot sunny day, I expected the fishes to feel lethargic, so I deploy a slow crank, twitch pause method. Nothing at all, so try a fast crank, twitch and pause, also nothing attack the lure. I almost use all my smaller lures hoping to get at least something, then finally try out the Crystal minnow which is slightly bigger then those I have use so far. Felt lazy already by then due to lack of action, I simply cast and do a fast retrieve. Finally, notice 2 PB chasing my lure till the bank, ah so fast retrieve works, for the last 45 min fishing, doing fast retrieve all the way. Manage to land 2 decent sized PB while a couple more chasing my lures and missing it. This place look good all of a sudden.

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Shimano Convergence IM6 6'6"
Ofmer Axis 6
4lb Fireline with 12lb leader
Lures - L- Minnow 66 (Purple back) and Yozuri Crystal Minnow 70.S (Green Gold)
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New Fishing Spot Recce

Have some free time today, so went to recce a new spot that friend pointed out. Should call it Spot X-West to keep the place as it is.

In fact I am expecting to see a lake, instead it is a just stream. It is not wide and pretty swallow at the side, sort of disappointed with the place. However upon exploring the place further, the grass patch at both bank are accessible, which could mean haruan and soon hock hiding place galore. But today I bring only big lures, so can't try for them along the bank.

Didn't hit anything until toman school came, manage to hit 3 before they left my casting area. Next trip, will bring light tackles and rubber to try along the banks.

Update - Oct 09
This location is officially a 'No Fishing' location, PUB have put up a sign to indicate that.

Operation - GuiLin Lake

GuiLin park is close to my place and is a nice and scenic place for families to spend time together in the nature that is just a stone throw away from residential area. Also with the close proximity of Bt Gombak MRT station, it is very accessible to most people.

However as a fishing place, this place is really bad. Overfishing in the past have resulted in the population of the fishes to reduce drastically, as a lot of these anglers will bring the fishes caught back home to rear in their tanks or end up on the dining table. While the population of fishes are slowly recovering, I have see schools of baby PB and tomans, my fear is that the recovering period could take a while as there is a few regular anglers that who will bring home anything they can catch.

Thus, after a few round of discussion with my fishing buddy, Nenasi, we have decided to try increase the fish stock in the lake, so that in future we are able to enjoy fishing there and also other anglers to fish in a legal place. I hope to do this so that if anglers can have a nice legal place to fish, the anglers fishing in illegal spots will reduce too.

Our plan is to simply fish in canals or lakes that are totally legal, and bring the fishes to GuiLin lake to be released. We plan to introduce PB and Toman which are already native species in the lake. Question will arise if we are doing things legally by getting fishes in canals and lakes? Well, the few places we frequent are currently also visited by foreign workers doing net casting for fishes as food. Thus it is either a new home for the fishes or end up on the dining tables.

Back on track on the operation, today we mark our first release of fishes into the lake. A total of 7 baby Toman are released today, all between 8 to 10 inches. At these size, they are less likely to be food for the PBs and is given a fair chance to grow in the lake. We caught these baby toman from a couple of schools that swim very near to the shore in the late morning, we could have catch a few more but decided to leave after we have a significant number as we are afraid they cannot survive long in a pail.

Will continue to update on this operation of ours.

New addition to collection

New addition to my lures, Abu Reflex is a gift from my fishing buddy Nenasi, he wanted me to get my first Haruan, and gave me this spinner in hope I can get the haruan soon.

I am a fan of Vibes and Crankbaits, thus get this R2S from an angler who advertise on the forum. Love the Firetiger color.

Good Size PB at 2 different location

Last weekend didn't do any FW luring, this weekend again didn't plan to do any FW luring BUT a phone call at 6:10am from Aric changes it all.

My inital plan is to catch some bait fish in the morning for tomorrow outing at Marina South barrage, noodle rod with float. But when Aric call, I am still in dreamland, he mentioned that he is at my place's coffeeshop with John and Boi already. Me quickly wash up, grab my tackles and lures and off I go to the coffeeshop.

We intend to try the little stream at Jurong road for huruan, but while luring there, we are attacked by mozzies. Decided to leave the place and off we go to 'AMK'. I didn't bring much lures and I am not too prepared for this trip, so use whatever that's in my box. Got this 9 to 10 inch PB after a good workout on my rod and reel. FUN!!! But the trip ended with me losing my modified Daiso Spinner bait.

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Shimano Convergence IM6 6'6"
Daiwa SS700
15lb braided with 30lb leader
Unknown Lure, self paint in 'Fire Tiger' color, lure have a wide wiggle on retrieve.
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Later in the evening, Aric suggested we go to recce trip to MacRitchie Reservoir to check out the fishing ground, KNN, me walk to wrong side, spend 1/2 hrs walking to and fro. Found the fishing spot, what the Fxxx, such a small area and slope so steep to water. Since there already so start luring lor.

This trip is meant to test out my 'Tuned Up'' Abu 5600D5 as well, so choose lures between 7g to 19g to test cast. After tuning up, I have yet to try it out, since this is one short session, decided to give it a go.

Start off with a couple of toss with the Halco roaster, nice distance and smooth! Seems like reel reacts well so far. Since it is getting dark and I see some rise nearby, I change to a minnow hoping to get something. A couple of cast later, fish ON!!! But hook didn't set well, and I miss the fish. Cast into the same area again, some method to retrieve it, slow retrieve, snap and pause. The pause is when the fish take the lure, feel line tighten and fish pulling! A snap of my wrist to set the hook and the fish got hooked this tie round. Fight is good and strong, took longer then usual to land the fish. This PB look thinner and lack the distintive strips of the normal PB, it is a different species of PB. A good decent sized PB landed on my maiden visit to this place.





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Majorcraft Slicer 7ft
Abu 5600D5
14lbs Fireline with 30lb leader
'OK' brand lure, 90mm red head floating.
Retrieve method - slow retrieve, twitch and pause for 1 sec. both time it is taken on the pause.
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Barren weekend and Lost lure again

This weekend is terrible for me in terms of lure fishing. On Sat, usual spot the water is very murky, nothing took the lure, zero take. Sunday at GuiLin, trying for some small PB, zero take as well.

Lost 2 lures over the weekend, Daiso Vibe (self paint FireTiger color) and Duel 3D Flatcrank Green. Sad.......

Shimano AernosXT C3000

When I first purchase this reel, I am thinking of using it with the noodle rod. But upon setting it up, I found it is too heavy, upset the entire balance of the Silstar Teal noodle rod.

Kept in storage until now, spool it up with Surecatch 14lb braided and going to pair it with the Genesis Assasini 7'3 rod. Try out the balance, it feels great.

Finally this reel will see daylight again. Back into 'Active Service'.

Lure Shopping trip at Daiso

This morning , am around the IMM area, so decided to pop by Daiso to see if there is any new shipment of lures. As I lost one of my fav Daiso lure, Rattle Vibe in natural color, during my luring session at 'AMK' on Sun, I hope to find one to replace it.

Luck as it, they have both the natural color and pink series available. But the rattling Vibe in natural color does not have stock, only have the silent type. Bought a few of the pink one and intend to self paint them.

Finish up painting 2 at night, the Vibe and Pencil, using Yozuri color as a reference, in Fire Tiger and Perch respectively. Hope these self painted lures can catch some fishes for me.
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Material used
Lures - Daiso Pencil and Vibe in Pink Color
Green paint marker
Pelikan Plaka-lack, Yellow - 2 coat
Solvent based Matt Black Paint
Red Marker

My Lures that are MIA or RIP

I guess losing lures are part of parcel of luring. Most luring kaki that I know never have any qualms about losing lures to fishes during a hook up, but everyone irks at losing lures thru debris and rubbish underwater. Even I am new to luring, my lures casualty rate is consider high by my own standard.

There are some lures that I have lost either thru my own carelessness or garbage or debris underwater.
Rapala X-Rap
Yozuri Vibe
Yozuri L Minnow
Daiso Black Pencil
Daiso Rattling Vibe
Unknown popper given to me
Not counting the numerous self tied flies and dress u jigheads.
Ok Lure - Green (This is destoryed by a kaki during a luring trip)

I am sure there are more to come, but hope I can reduce this with the lure retriever that I purchase recently.

'AMK' Luring Trip

Last week, myself and Nenasi are luring at 'AMK', the hook up rate is fantastic for Nenasi. He have easily over 10 hook up but sadly none is landed for picture taking, which includes PB, Toman and Haruan. While I have about 5 hook up and also none landed. We are back again to the same place again in hope of better if not the same hook up rate and 'finger cross' break the ZERO landed curse.
This trip is significant for me as I have just purchase a 2nd hand Genesis Assasini 7'3" rod from my surfcast friend, Derrick. Just the night before, I am thinking should I bring this newly aquired set for the luring trip today. Remembering what I always say to Nenasi "Tackle Bought are to be used and not for display", i decided to bring the rod to make it's maiden trip with me.

Fuunily, when Nenasi pick me up in the morning, I notice he also brought along the same model rod. AND we both pair it with the Daiwa SS series, his 1300 and mine 700. Great minds think alike??? :P

Once reached our spot, we started luring in hope to get toman in their feeding time zone. As usual, we didn't manage to get one. Thus I switch to a smaller lure and hit this Cichlid fish, this is a first for me on lure and more importantly, my Genesis Assasini have taken it's first prey, and with many more to come (keeping my finer cross). This lure is extremely effective today, most of the hook up I have is on this lure, during a hook up of a PB, the split ring opens. Needless to say, I lost the fish and a treble hook as well. That's not the only thing I lost, had a Daiso vibe lost during a cast, but not before it have done it's job to get me a PB.

However, Nenasi is still carrying on what happen last week, decent amount of hook up but none landed. Only towards late morning, he finally landed one PB, breaking his unlucky spell.
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Genesis Assasini 7'3"
Daiwa SS700
15lb braided with 30lb leader
Duel 3D Flat crank
Daiso Vibe (May you RIP)

Genesis Assasini 7'3"

Since I started luring, I am looking out for a reasonably priced, 7ft spin rod that can cast big lures. Upon recommendation from my luring kaki Nenasi, I pick up this rod from a fellow fisho, Derrick. He sold it to me with 2 tip and one butt.

Really like this rod, easy to cast and have enough backbone to fight biggies. Going to pair it with my Shimano AernosXT C3000 for the extra line capacity, and the weight balance is great.

West Side Inshore Fishing - Good Friendly Kakis

Last night suppose to do fishing at this spot but due to kaki's other commitment plus the rain, we call it off. Instead this morning we went for freshwater luring. Wah Lau, super bad man, spot at least 3 schools of toman babies but hit a big fat zero. No baby, no mama, no papa. Very dejected and super "Du Lan", how can be zero fighter when we spotted the schools. So kaki suggested we go Saltwater Baiting instead, me determine to break duck so 'ON Lah'.

Go home, bomb Hirohisma, change tackles and off I go to this Saltwater spot. Reach about 11 plus, spot is totally new to me, setup and cast away with market prawn. There are other anglers at the area, friendly 'Hi' are exchanged. Then I setup my luring rod and using rubber and try to get groupers. After a while, quite tired as been fishing since early morning, so rest and chit chat with the other anglers. They have caught an assortment of small fishes, told me there are biggies around, Queenie, KBL, Groupers, etc. hmmm..... if that's the case, I decided to change my rigging method.

St John Island Trip

It have been a long time since I have fished at St John island, almost 8 months, due to the current flow does not suit us for our weekend trips. However today, the current flow suit us very well and after today, it is the month long Kusu island Pilgrimage, there will be no direct ferry service to St John for a month. Thus myself, DesT, Rookie, and a couple, Danny & Evon, decided to go Todak hunting.

In recent times, I didn't want to make trips up to Sibu kelong as it is pretty tiring and most of the bigger catches we have is Todak. And since St John island could yield a good haul of todak, albeit smaller, and is much less tiring and less hassle, I decided to put aside kelong trips for now for curing the itch of catching todak on light tackle by making a day trip to St John island.

For over a year now, I have been using a Silstar TEAL 10ft UL rod for todak catching. After much usage and abuse, the age of the rod shows, furthermore I like to use noodle rod a lot, I decided to buy over a GLoomis NR1382 from Edmund, a fellow fisho, and this trip is the rod maiden trip. Rdmund himself custom build the rod, with a slight difference to the factory built rod which is now discontinued.

The trip haul is not impressive neither is the size of the todak, however I did manage to land a 100.5cm whooper, not too far off my personal record of 102cm in SG waters. My personal all time record is a 108.5cm at Sibu Kelong.

As usual, we all have a great time and before long we are all on board the ferry back to mainland. Everyone is visibly tired, but happy.

Will be back very soon to have fun with the Noodle rod, this is one rod I am sure I have no regrets buying it will serve me for a long long time, I hope.

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GLoomis NR1382
Modified Alivio 2500
4, 5, 6 lbs braided line, joined, with 12lbs leader.
Running float rig.

GLoomis NR1382S - Noodle Rod

I have been using the Silstar Teal 10' as my UL fishing gear. Since I like fishing with Noodle rod, I have already decided to this GLoomis rod for a while. GLoomis no longer manufacture the factory rod anymore and to custom build one will cost in excess of $350.

A fellow fisho built this for DesT, but have to keep it for himself as DesT perferred a thinker Eva grip. He posted in the forum for sale and I took it at $250.

An expensive rod for UL tackle, but use it once on St John island to play with the meter long todak, one can really feel the difference in the rod. In my view, well worth the money if you like UL tackle.

Specs
11'6" 2pc.
Line: IGFA 4 

IMA Komomo SF-130 Slim

Dave, Lure Haven, have been very kind to give me tips and share his knowledge of luring in the FK forum with me. He invited me to visit him at the shop, not necessary to buy stuff, but more to get to know one another more.

I always have been interested to buy this IMA Komomo Slim 130 for a long time as luring kakis been signing praises about it. Finally get one to try out for myself.

During it's maiden trip, I use this to foul-hook an est 8kg Song Fish. Sadly lost it when it start struggling when it is near the shore.

To date, this is the most expensive lure I have purchase, in spite of the recent adjustment of IMA lure prices and the discount Dave gave me.

Self Tied Flies and Jigheads

I first started out tying flies when I see the success rate catching PB on them. But I am not using a Fly rod, so I do the spin fly method instead. Later to eliminate the need of a sinker and leader, and also to ease the change of lures, I switch to dress up jig heads.

Hook up rate is high as with these, I dare to toss into those areas where I dare not toss into with lures.







While I am doing up these flies and jigheads, I gave the spinner bait I got from Daiso a make over. As the treble hook in the original design cannot be changed, I need to re-do the entire rig. Beads are added, treble changed to a dress up treble with split ring and the spoon is polished before assembly.

Now this look good and hook sharp enough, may it catch many fishes for me.

More Lures Purchase

I didn't have any big sized poppers and surface lures, thus when these lures were posted for sale on the forum, I pick up these four lures. All are brand new and are of good value, at least 30% off the retail price.

Modified Lures

During my luring trips I found 2 lures what is lost by anglers. I need to re-paint the minnow as the paint work is very bad already, and the popper although it have lost it color a little, but still okay. So decided to give it some silver strips at the side just for the look.

The Daiso popper is added with a Fly trailer, in principle the popper makes the sound to attract the fishes attention and the fly hopefully will induce them to whack it. But yet to have any success on this.