Tackling the Giant Trevally of Malaysia.

A popping specimen.

Sometimes big one can
be caught at night.

Some can be caught by
random popping.

This nice fish was hooked
during one of the GT frenzies.

Another one from night popping.

The giant trevallies (Charanx ignobilis) are flat bodied fighters. They are normally found near reefs and islands. On the westcoast of Peninsular Malaysia, the methods used by sport anglers are usually popping and jigging. And the hotspots are Pulau Jarak and Tekun Perak. In the South China Sea, they are very common around oil rigs. Sometime trolling can also be an effective method to catch them.

When hooked, GTs would just bored down deep, using their flat bodies and the sea current to their fullest advantage.

All my GTs were released alive.

The Sailfish Of West Malaysia.

Sailfish can be found in the water of Peninsular Malaysia. On the west coast islands of Pulau Sembilan, Pulau Jarak and also the unjangs (FAD) off the Kedah coast, could be found concentrations of these fighters. The water off Kuala Rompin, in the South China Sea,  has been proven to be a good producer of sailfish so far. In fact lately, some juveniles have been caught and released. This could be the proof that we are looking for that the sails are breeding around this area.

My friends and I have been catching sailfish around Pulau Sembilan and Pulau Jarak for a number of years. We normally troll teasers with skirts bringing up the rear. Results were just like any other places where this method is used. I am really proud to say that ALL SAILFISH CAUGHT BY US WERE RELEASED ALIVE

My biggest sailfish caught by
trolling near the island of Jarak.
All our sailfish were released alive.

        

One of my sails with the skirt
still hanging from its mouth.

Another beautiful specimen.

                                     

.

All sails caught were revived by
dragging them along the boat.
When they start to struggle
 then only they were released.

I was one of those entrusted
 to help with the 'BILLFISH TAGGING PROGRAM
' and I am glad to say quite a number
 were caught, tagged and released
 successfully aroud the water of Perak.

HUNTING THE LARGEMOUTH BASS OF MALAYSIA

A view of the jungle pond.

It was a long hard climb.
Stumbling and falling
all the time.

Got cut all over too.

C S Fong (Editor Rod &Line, English),
Poh Chuan Maye (Editor Rod and Line, Chinese),
Jacky Loke and me.

My large mouth taken on shrimp fly.

Another one of my bass.

Fong proudly showing off
 his large mouth bass.

Finally reaching the top.

News of the existance of largemouth bass in Malaysia was stale news. Those bass were known to be not thriving well.

Recently some anglers discovered a colony of these bass in the jungles of Pahang. Quite a number of 2kg specimen were caught using lures. Plenty of juveniles were landed too. This proves, the bass are thriving healthily here in this God forsaken place. How they got here is anybody's guess.

C S Fong (editor of Rod and Line, English), Poh Chuan Maye (editor of Rod and Line, Chinese), Jacky Loke and I decided to explore this place in more detail.

The climbing through the jungle was rather tough, but we managed to catch quite a number of juveniles. Somehow the monsters have eluded us. Will I return? You bet.