Kuantan Fishing again.... April 2014 trip

Here I came again to Kuantan for fishing trip, after my last trip in February. Indeed it was a last minute call by my colleague, and without much hesitation I agree to join him for this trip. It was only 2 of us. Our plan was departing from KL early in the morning and going back on the same day.

A day before, we made a call to the boatman to check on the recent catch and to our disappointment, it wasn't a good catch these few days. We still insist to go ahead with our plan, as the saying goes "a worst day of fishing is better than a good day at work". We didn't expect much from the trip, setting our expectation as low as we could.

We reached too early in Kuantan, hence we stopped by at the 24-hours McDonald to have our breakfast and resting an hour before meeting with the boatman. Even though I'm tired due to my journey to Pontian during the weekend, but I guess fishing is more fun though.

While we leaving the shores all the way to get our bait, the sea was calm as it raining heavily the night before according to the boatman. It was totally different from my last trip, where there wasn't any choppy wave around. Weather just nice for us. Once we got enough with our bait, we move on to our first fishing spot.

The whole morning we get none of it. No fish takes our bait at all. In our heart, we start doubting whether we make the right choice to come or not. We keep trying and trying but seriously, no fish at all no matter how hard we tried. We changed few fishing spots but the result still the same.

All change once it is lunch time. Guess the fish over here also start feels hungry!!! The boatman yelled once he saw his rod bent like nobody business. It turn out to be ang ko li (parrot fish) with decent size. It's the changing point of our fishing trip, lady luck start smiling on us. One after another, we shouted as rod start bending here and there. The spot is famous for parrot fish. All in all, we got 4 parrot fish at this spot and numbers of grouper as well.

We continue to few other spots and most of the time by then is groupers. Anyhow, we prefer to have grouper due to some reasons. At the same time, we also found some new spot and the boatman has marked with it. Coincidentally, we were waiting a commercial ship to pass by our spot, we start throwing our bait. Immediately there was response underneath and hence again we were spending some time to get the fishes.

The above photo courtesy of our boatman. While we taking shower, the boatman help us to divide the fishes as well as taking the photo. By the time we came back, it is ready to be thrown into our ice box.

Overall, we were satisfied with the result, with the frenzy we had for ang ko li. There was a point where I had to jump to the seat to fight with the ang ko li, but luck wasn't there as the line was tangled with other rods. Haizz..........

As usual, we ending our trip with a nice dinner and brought some fishes to the same restaurant before we heading back to KL. My colleague already start planning with the boatman for the next trip in May. Not sure whether I able to join again in the next trip.

Kuantan Fishing

This is my second fishing trip to Kuantan within a month (as well as my second trip for this year). After the hoo-haa the previous trip, my colleague had boasted the catch the last trip to other anglers in Penang. What's more, we booked for 2 days trip as the Penang entourage travelling all the way here to Kuantan. Everything perfectly, boatman helped to book a homestay and making sure all of us comfortably settling in.

The night before the fishing trip started, we went to buy some live prawn. Everything turn from good to bad. We were told that the wind quite strong for the past few days (though we did call before the trip). Live prawn only has limited stock. We went for a nice dinner and went back to the homestay waiting for next day, hoping wind will slow down.

First day, went out to sea and it is really choppy. Luckily I didn't ask the boatman to get some sea-sick pills for me. The rest of them didn't take at all. Not long after the trip, first one get down. Not able to fishing anymore. By late noon, another down. Left with 2 of us fishing. We caught few barracudas almost 10kg each. It only takes the live bait, "tamban". The sea was too choppy which we couldn't stay too long. We went to other places but not many that we caught, too choppy and limited places to go. Few others fishes caught up like parrot fish.

Anchorman helped us to book a massage, and they help us to put the fish in their fridge. At night, another nice feast we had, follow by reflexology. It suck big time for the reflexology.... Lol..... The boatman helped us as well to get live prawn, and told us it was more than the previous day. We were delighted, winds going down a little bit. This put a smile to all of us.

The next day, we went out as usual. Boatman told us that today we could go out further. The first stop would be to get some live bait, tamban again. Then we proceed to a hot spot, catching coral trout especially. Not long after laying our bait, parrot fish came up. We were told that the spot has many types of fishes. Soon it was my turn with coral trout. Everyone excited, hoping more to come. Fished quite long over this spot, we caught few 3 coral trouts and few parrot fishes in total before changing to next spot.

After the spot, it was not a very fruitful spot. We only able to get some little fishes or no fishes at all. Though the waves not as strong as the previous day, the fish wasn't anywhere to spot. We decided to go for some little fished like "cencaru" to make it for the day. When we were busy looking for the small little fish, suddenly one of us shouted as the rod bending. Immediately he pulled it up, fighting with the fish and eventually a grouper emerge from the sea, about 8kg of it. Everyone clapping hand. After a while, we were heading back to the shore.

Before heading back to KL, we had our dinner with coral trout as the main course. Damn nice. During the chat, suddenly the team discussing about the next trip.... March maybe???

Kuantan Fishing ..... First trip for 2014

Everyone is very excited for the trip. Countless call made to the boatman checking whether we could go out to the sea. It is the ebek season opening. We decided to make a day trip to Kuantan, departing early in the morning and back late at night. This is the second time I made the day trip to Kuantan for fishing. Furthermore, still in the mood of CNY but we don't want to miss the chance to have a good catch.

By the time we reached the meeting point, we were late already and hence we departed late by almost an hour. Without further wasting time, boatman brought us to get some bait and heading towards the ebek spot. Not long after we lay our bait, there was sound where my reel being pulled. Immediately I strike it out, and hence the fighting game begun.

Fight and fight, 10 minutes... 20 minutes and some more... from far away, we saw silver size moving on the surface from far away... we shouted it was ebek.... but still it's far away. We reel again and again, reel in 3 times but the fish pull out further out. That's the activities we do fighting with the fish, moving around the boat and keep going on for 2 hours before we able to land it up. It was mantra ray. Aiksss..... had we known earlier on, we would cut the line and continue to search for other fishes as that was the prime time for fishing. It was the first mantra ray and such the big size catch, and consumed up all my energies. All of us on the boat helped to pull up the ray during the period, all relief when it was up.

Right after that, I tried jigging. Immediately it struck. Well, the anchorman saw I don't have any energy to pull up the fish and came to help me out. It was cobia. At the same time, my brother in law hit with yellow lip ebek. Fighting and fighting, both fish landed. Both was more than 10kg.

I was knocked down already by then. Boatman continue to bring us to few spots. Others landed few more, notably shark, cobia again and parrot fish. Came back ashore about 6pm.

At night, we went to the same restaurant that we always had, plus took some our catch to try it out before heading back to KL. Anchorman helped us to get some ice to fill up our ice box, a very helpful and friendly guy. By the time I reached home, it was about 2am already. Still need to clean some of the fishing gear, and worst of all tomorrow need to work.

Pekan Fishing Trip... 1st ??

We started this trip from KL at 2pm on 29th Apr. I took a half day leave for today so that we can start our journey earlier and get a rest in Pekan. Actually for this trip, there were 2 of us from KL, and there is another 2 person coming all the way from Penang. The Penangites are my colleague's friend. They bought the live prawn from Penang, and bring it to Pekan for this trip.

We stopped by at Kepong Tackle to buy some accessorries. Actually we wanted to buy "Jackson Pintails" for sailfish purposes. However, it was sold out there. I didn't buy anything at the end. We continue our journey and reached Genting Sempah. Stopped by here for a refreshment at McDonald and waiting for our friend from Penang. From here, we continue our journey to Pekan.

Actually we have booked our accomodation at Polo Inn, and we manage to find the inn. It is situated next to Royal Pahang Polo Club, and also palace. Pekan is royal city for Pahang. We were informed by the guard that we should check-in to Melati Inn which not far from here. Though tired throughout the journey, we still need to our way to the inn. Once we checked-in, we looking for our dinner in the town and settle down for the night. I was very excited thinking about the fishing trip the next day...

The next morning (30th Apr), we started our trip at 7am. Gathered at the jetty, we met our boatmen and depart. We started the day to fish "parrot fish". Boatmen told us that the sea water was very clear, and it might not be a good fishing trip. Once we parked our boat for the first fishing spot, we actually able to see the bottom of the sea even though it was 50 feets deep down.

It's not my day though, I couldn't get any fish till noon. The rest of them manage to get themselves types of fishes. Not until evening, I'm able to get the biggest parrot fish for the day. We rounded up our day with quite a number of fishes, at least for me.

On the second day (1st May), we also started our trip at 7am. Once we finished our breakfast and packed some foods for ourselves, we immediately depart from the jetty again. Today we are again going for few spots. Actually we wanted to go to ship wreck spot, but the boatman said it is wasting time to go there as the water is very clear and hard to get fish over there. At the end, we changed few spots and get some other fishes.

At the last spot, we went to fish mackerel. Boatmen helped us to fish as well. At this spot, we able to catch few. I saw a sailfish want to biting our bait, and chasing all the way to under our boat's engine. This is the first time I see sailfish, though we didn't catch any in this trip.

At the end of this trip, we divided our catches equally among four of us. Later, we went to take our dinner for our usual restaurant but too bad, it was close on today. At the end, we end up taking our dinner at a Malay restaurant. Once we finished our dinner, we continue our journey back to KL. For the Penangites, they stayed over night and continue their journey back to Penang the next day.

For this trip, it was quite sad that my brother-in-law not able to make it. We are planning for another trip to Pekan again so that he can join in. And also for the next trip, we try to get another boatman which is good in bottom fishing. Hopefully, the next trip is not far away...

Nearby Penang coast

Went to this fishing trip while we were on holiday to Penang. Weather was so nice, sea was calm and clear water that allowed me to go for this trip. Though it was so called last minute trip, as I only brought my reel and rod. Since it was go ahead, my other friend prepared the rest of the equipment and the itinerary.

Once we were on boat, we went to pick up the octopus from the sea. It was always the same spot, where the death seashell was thrown to the sea, surrounded by mud. The octopus will eventually goes inside the shell for hiding. When we pull up the shell from the sea into the boat, we were waiting for a while. Then the octopus will comes out from the shell and we will keep the octopus in the tank.

Once we throw the octopus into the tank, those octopus will spit out a thick blackish ink making the tank becomes black in color. The main coloring agent of the ink is melanin, which is the same chemical that gives humans their hair and skin color. As the boat moving, the water will be filtered and changed with the water outside from the boat, and once again making the water clear.

It was a good night. We did change for few spots during the night, and luck was on our side. And for this trip, it was one of my first few trip. Hence, I didn't manage to catch many but other fella fisherman able to get their fishes. In total, we able to get more than 20 fishes on that night alone. Once we landed, we dividing the fish equally. Hopefully I'm able to go for the next trip again on this nice island.

Kelong Acheh..... off Johore coast.....

On 12th Sept 2009, my family (and of course with my wife, mother, brother and his gf), my sister and her in-law and me set our journey to East Coast. We have planned this for quite some time, and finally we were able to set our journey early on the morning. Though this is our first trip, we only depends on the instruction available from the Kelong Acheh website.

Excited for the journey, we departed in 2 cars. We had chicken rice early in the morning, before planning for our next "pit stop" to have morning tea time.... hehehe..... We travelled all the way... Federal Highway... LDP....Karak Highway.... Exit Gambang.... heading to Pekan.... and this is our first stop... Royal town of Pahang, we trying to get our nice tea break. We found out an old looking restaurant and decided to have our break there. We ordered coffee (of course), toast bread and wan tan mee.... We decided this is the best available options, as we did not go to discover more on this small royale town of Pahang.

We continue our journey to Pulau Tioman jetty, driving along the coastal road throughout the journey. I am always excited to travel along east coast, as we can see the beaches along the way. Half way thru, my brother whom we suppose to meet at Jetty Penyabong (the jetty where we will depart to K Acheh) called us. Of course, we were lying to him that we waited for him at the jetty. Poor boy... he rushing to the jetty after arriving from his long journey from Singapore by bus, taking a cab straight away to jetty. Hahaha.... he called us, and of course we felt sorry for him. So we decided to buy him lunch since it was almost lunch hour. We stopped at our next pit stop, buying some KFC to bring in to the kelong as our lunch.

Finally, we reached at the jetty, parked our car. Here we are, at our destination. Unpack the thing, we heading to the kelong straight away. Once we reached the kelong, we waste no time. My brother, bro-in-law and me setting up our equipment and ready for our first catch. Guess what, I manage to catch a todak soon after I casting my rod. Definitely everyone was very excited about the first catch.

While we setting up the gears, the rest went to have tea time prepared by the kelong. My wife prepared the water melon and tea. Hmmm.... very tasty by default.

When night falls, we have bells on each rod. Soon, we feels tired after a day journey, sun burn while fishing... and I spent some time watching football with my wife.... Man City vs Arsenal... sien lor... Arsenal was losing the match... trailing at 3-2 when suddenly my brother shouted... "oooiii come come... got fish liao... got fish liao".... the fish ate my bait, and it's as long as my arm... after fighting for a while, the fish near the kelong... Ah Yong (the kelong's helper) help us to hook the fish up, but the fish manage to release itself and goes down beneath the kelong. We tried to bring the fish out, but too bad,.... the string not that strong... oppsss.... here the slogan came about "now you see, now you don't" :(

Suddenly everyone so energetic, setting again the rod, make sure it has bait... but for a while only... too tired we were, all of us went to sleep.

The next morning, suddenly I woke up from my sweet dream once i heard my sister shouted "i catch it liao, i catch it liao".... then only I know they already started fishing. Very soon, I joined them for it.... and manage to play around with few more todak.... But my sad feeling still there, how we lose the fish the previous night.

After the lunch, we start packing our belongings. We sent my brother to Mersing's bus station, before start our journey back to KL. Rain heavily along the way, I was too tired for my role as Ahmad. My wife took the turn to drive once we reach Karak Highway....

We decided to stop at Restoran Bukit Tinggi BBQ, but "si beh sui"... the restaurant closing when we reached there. A simple dinner was taken and heading back to our respective destination. Though very tired, but this memory will remains forever, as this is our first trip for most of us. And now, we are planning for second kelong trip this coming November with other kaki fishing member.....

For more information for Kelong Acheh, you may visit http://www.kelongacheh.com/