Simple Ubin trip with Ray and Berk

Before flying off to Oz, Ray and I decided to go on a simple lunch-hunting fishing trip around Ubin. We just needed to land a decent fish for lunch at the floating restaurant. We wanted to eat wild-caught live fish (something that you can't always get with money, especially if the fish are not cooperating).

Lau Di Fang Garoupas of this size can put up quite a good fight.

What a challenge! With a late morning start, we headed to Good Feeling, but lost a couple of good bites, then everything went silent. Fortunately just before shifting to another spot, a decent Barramundi showed up, and lunch was settled. Hah!

Lunch at the floating restaurant. Nothing tastes better than the fish we catch ourselves. Yumm.

After a yummy lunch (I have to recommend the long beans with salted egg yolk), we decided to go to Lau Di Fang nearby for some big Garoupas. Sure enough, a big Garoupa came along and I managed to fight him up to the boat after a good struggle.

Today's Barramundi were not big, but they were still fun to catch.

Finally, we decided to end things at Good Feeling again where a few more Barra turned up to entertain us before we headed back. Not a bad day. Targets met. Happy.

Ubin and Southern Islands are firing up! Kids go fishing again!

Here's a quick update on the trips I made on 10th and 13th May 2014.

Trev managed to land the largest Barramundi of the trip, a real jumper weighing in at 4kg.

On 13th May, I brought Des, Janice and 6 kids onto the Ubin boat for a really fun trip. With so many kids around, I thought it was going to be a tough day for fishing because, knowing kids, they are often impatient and keep reeling in to check their bait. And of course, if they hooked a big one, how in the world would they be able to land it? But ah, was I wrong!

The moment we hit the first spot, I was just demonstrating how to bait up, cast the line and reel in the line when I landed two barramundi in quick succession. The kids were amazed at how easy it seemed. And it was really easy.

Soon, everyone had a line soaked and the fish were in a very eager biting mood. I think Janice landed a Barra next, then Luke found the secret technique and caught a small Barra, and then a bigger 3kg barra, which really gave him a good fight.

Fisherman in the making, Luke, posing with his catch.

Later, Treva had a huge pull on the long thin rod and we saw the line racing for the surface and I told them to watch for the jump.

'Wow!' Everyone was shouting as a big Barramundi leapt clear out of the water. Then it took drag at alarming speed, and Treva thought she couldn't handle the fish anymore. Yet, she held on, and after more jumps and drag pulling, the big fish was eased into the net for a nice pic.

Later Luke was telling me how much he hoped he could get a Garoupa so I considered going to Lau Di Fang, but before we could raise the anchor, he had a good tug and up came the Garoupa he had ordered. After that, I received several more orders, haha.

We moved around to the deep undersea cliff, where a Golden Snapper was landed, and then it was off to the floating restaurant for some ice cream. Unfortunately, they no longer sold ice cream and the kids were happy with their soft drinks and coconut juice.

Back at the boatel with our catch. Isabel and Janelle seem to be looking the wrong way, gee.

We tried a few spots near the marina as the sky was turning dark, and managed another nice Golden Snapper before heading back to the boatel to wash the boat, and yes of course they had fun spraying water at each other. We're looking forward to the day Luke or Treva brings us fishing, right Des? Looks like our days of anchor pulling are numbered. How're your lats?

Guess you can tell from this million dollar smile just how much Bryan loves parrots.

Yeah, and on the 10th, which was a Saturday, Bryan, the King, and I (heh heh), headed to the Southern Islands for some food fish. Easily, we landed nice Garoupas, Parrots and Snappers - the usual stuff. Gotta go try for something different soon. That's all for my quick update, stay tuned for my cooking update, heh heh.

Garoupas, Parrots and Snappers... the usual stuff. 

Madai trip with the Hokkien Pro and his Bro

Saturday was here again, and this time, Hokkien Pro (who suddenly found himself with no golf game on a Saturday) decided to have a fun time fishing with me at the Southern Islands.

The best way to spend a Saturday is with a bent rod and a big fish at the other end. Here is the Hokkien Pro fighting yet another decent fish while his son waits with the landing net.

Having not submitted his golf scorecard for a number of games, the club called to inform him that he could no longer play golf on Saturdays, and so he decided that fishing was the next best thing. So while the golf clubs were given a break from the Pro, the Garoupas, Snappers and Sweetlips of the Southern Islands had a tough time, especially with the Pro around.

Here is yet another victim of my old worn out $6 Asari Madai... almost out of tentacles. 

Of course, we finished up our 1.5 kg of prawns catching a whole lot of Spanish Flag Snappers and Garoupas, and the whole ice box was full of good fish, enough to last me till the next Saturday, at least.

Back at the Marina, to pose with a few fish, including an imaginary one.

Dinner back at the Yacht Club was a wonderfully steamed large Garoupa and the Yaps came along to join us. Now I have to wait for the next Saturday.