The new year brought with it more work...
After work on Friday the 14th, we drove around and bought some snacks and cold drinks. It was to be a short cruise, with a little bit of fishing, topped off by a seafood dinner by the beach. Just past 5pm, the six of us, Xiao Ming, Mdm Carol, Geraldo, his wife Khim, Mel and me, were speeding towards our first destination - the fish farm. I docked the boat at the farm while my highly professional colleagues oohed and aahed at the giant Garoupas in the nets. Then we bought a few live prawns and went on our way.
While we were cruising off into the sunset, Geraldo brought out his Zoom Lens Hi-tech Camera and asked if we could go to the swamps which I had been telling him about. So we went into Sungei Puaku where we witnessed some interesting wildlife and a sad picture where the wildlife had to give way to a sparkling new Chalet Resort which was an eyesore among the lush greenery. There were obvious signs of construction and soil erosion, and even an artificial beach!!! Anyway, at the end of the river cruise, we were zooming to Blakang Ubin (the back of Ubin) to do a little fishing.
The first bait from my handline went down at around 6 pm and I started setting up the rods for my colleagues. Before I even had the chance to set up the third rod, Mel's flimsy rod was in action and a nice Barra cleared the water about 30 ft from the boat. Then suddenly, Xiao Ming's rod also dipped and he was on to something big too. Fortunately, the fish I was fighting fought near the surface while Xiao Ming's fish fought deep. I heard him mention somehthing about not being able to wind when his line suddenly went limp and he lost his fish. Nevertheless, after a reasonable fight, I led the first fish into Xiao Ming's waiting landing net. It was a Barra around the 4 kilo mark.
After several pics, I let down another bait and moved to the front of the boat. We were all talking about Xiao Ming's fish that got away when Mel's little red rod dipped again! When I struck, the fish was gone, and it had taken the bait with it. Unhindered, I hooked on another livey and let down the line.
After about ten minutes, when I was thinking of going for the seafood dinner, Mel's rod dipped again. I think it must have been the colour of the rod. This time, Geraldo fought the fish. It fought deep and much harder than the first fish, taking line whenever it had the chance.
Everyone had moved to Geraldo's side of the boat and the boat was tilting at an awkward angle, but no one seemed to notice as Geraldo huffed and puffed as he struggled to win the battle. By now, everyone had gotten used to the sound of the drag and the pumping action of the rod. Then I saw a flash of silver and realized that he had caught a Barra too!!!
This one was heftier, around the 5 kg mark, and it swam quite willingly into the landing net. It seems that the fish had caused quite a bit of pain to Geraldo's wrist as the pumping action had taken its toll on both the angler and the fish.
Over a scrumptious dinner by the beach that evening, I had a hard time convincing my colleagues that fishing wasn't always so good... but I don't think they were convinced. Their first fishing trip had produced two excellent fish in under 2 hours and plenty of excitement. Take a look at the gang here.
Me, Mel, Ming, Carol and Gerald
