BLUE PINCERS OF PARIT BUNTAR

This article was published in the August/October 2000 issue of Asian Anglers' World of Singapore.

     Sometime ago, at the peak of the prawning season in Teluk Intan, on any given weekend, one can find boats of all shapes and sizes cruising the Perak River looking for freshwater prawns or udang galah. Catches of over a hundred prawns per angler was not unusual and pleas for conservation fell on deaf ears.

     I used to have big arguments with some of these prawn fishermen over the danger of depleting prawn stock but their point of view was that the number of prawns would never dwindle. Well, time proved me right. These days, if you can get four or five prawns of any size each trip you were very lucky. The "prawners" sold off their boats and outboards and thus ended the prawning fever at Teluk Intan, which is on the lower reaches of the Perak River, a little over 90km west of Ipoh.

Once pinched, twice shy: Chan Chiew handles a lam kong carefully now.

     Recently, I heard that Parit Buntar up north was becoming a prawn catching haven. Fishing from the river bank, catches of ten big ones were quite common during the prawning season, which is late December to February in Perak. Fong and I sat down to plan our trip. Fong and his prawning partner, Fong Yau (translated it means angin fella), are regulars. They can stay cramped up in a 3.6 meter craft for more than 20 hours, fishing for prawns. Every time prawning is mentioned, their eyes would light up.

     Come the appointed Sunday, we pushed off at six in the morning, the two Fongs in one car, See and I in another. Being the more experience angler Fong was appointed captain. The plan was for us to exit the North -South Highway from the Kamunting Interchange and proceed to Bagan Serai where we were to regroup.

Anglers without boats trying to catch prawns from the bank.

    For almost an hour, See and I waited without any sign of the two Fongs at our rendezvous. After numerous tries to contact them on our hand phones failed, we began to worry. At long last, Fong called and sheepishly told us that they were lost! The captain had turned off absentmindedly at the Bukit Merah Interchange and went to Selama. Finally, we met up at the bridge linking Parit Buntar to Bandar Baru. Not being particularly mild-mannered people ,we had some strong words for the two Fongs.

See with one of his prawns.

     Unloading our boats, we pushed off down river. Along the way, See and I had to suffer the constant taunts of the Fongs who wanted to race. They were using a 15-hp engine while we had to putt along on my museum piece of a 4-hp. As our progress was snail-like, we decided to anchor at a spot five metres away from the bank, which was overgrown with nipah palms. The tide was moving out now and it was a good time to put in the lines. Before long, See pulled up his first prawn of a reasonable size. Then came a second and a third! He out-fished or rather out-prawned me with his one rod to my three.

     I was using earthworms while See's bait was sea worms. Switching over to sea worms, I began to even the score even though I threw back a number of thumbed-sized prawns. See's luck was still holding and he had an irritating grin on his face. Reluctantly I recorded his catches which were of good sizes, on film.

Sea worms are more effective prawn bait than earthworms.

     My luck changed after a while. My Tiny 20 rod tip began to dance. Lifting it up carefully, I turned the handle of my Tiny 20 reel and was rewarded with a powerful jerk! A few more tugs and I knew that I had a lam kong (big blue pincer prawn) on. It was some fight on ultra-light prawn tackle. Finally, a big daddy of a prawn was lifted up, its pincers flaying and snapping in the air. I was careful to grab the body just behind the pincers to prevent them from causing any harm.

     Once, I caught a giant grandfather of a prawn at the confluence of the Perlus and Perak Rivers near Karai. This fella had moss growing on its back! Thinking its pincers would be unable to reach me, I held the prawn carelessly. It was a big mistake and I was taught a painful lesson. My finger was gripped so hard that it bled before I could prise open the offending pincer.

As the morning wore on, the sun got very hot causing my face to smart from the ray reflecting off the water. I should have put on my sun-protection lotion but I hate it when it drips into my eyes causing them to burn. Of course, there is the danger of skin cancer if one is exposed too long and too often to the sun.

     Felling sweaty and thirsty, we headed for the bridge to seek shelter. This bridge spans the Kerian River and links the town of Parit Buntar and Bandar Baru. It was built after a tragedy occurred in the early 70s. The only way to cross the river then was by ferry towed by cables from both banks. When it rained, the crossing became hazardous. On that fateful day, a school bus full of students toppled into the rain-swollen river and many lives were lost, including the gallant ferry attendant. Single-handedly, he saved quite a number of drowning students before he succumbed to exhaustion. 

     Under the cool shade of the bridge, we had our lunch. There was a slight breeze and the two Fongs began to doze off while See and I continued to fish. Not only were we put off by their snoring, I guessed the prawns were affected too. With the Fongs' orchestra going, we caught nothing. 

     By then, the current had stopped moving and we decided to go upstream to another nipah clump. our attention was caught by loud splashes near the nipah roots. We thought they were caused by a siakap (barramundi) going after its prey. Half an hour later, we were proven wrong when a small silvery fish shot out of the water and dropped back in about a metre away. It was immediately followed by a haruan! Pity we were not equipped for haruan fishing.

     By four, we had enough of prawning. Cruising or rather spluttering slowly back, we noticed a lot of anglers fishing along the banks. I wondered how their luck was.

     Securing the two boats onto the car was easy as we had four pairs of hands. After checking that everything was in order, I slammed shut the car boot. "Aagh! Ooh! Aah! Fong Yau was shouting and grimacing in pain. Knowing that he was a practical joker, I wasn't concerned until he pointed to his hand. Through his yelling and shouting I saw one of his fingers caught under the lid. Panic-strickened, my hand shot to my pockets to feel for the keys, but found nothing. None in the keyhole of the booth either. Moving quickly, I found the key in the starter switch and pulled it out. That was when I heard hysterical laughter from the two Fongs. Turning around confused, I realised I had been conned when I saw Fong Yau waving his hand with one finger bent, in front of my face.

It looks realistic: Fong Yau's finger 'caught' under the car lid.

     Feeling irritated but relieved, I pulled out my fishing knife and threatened to chop off all his fingers. Through his laughter, he told me that I was his tenth victim. Everyone had tears rolling down their cheeks. They regretted that the look of panic on my face was not recorded on film. Well in life you win some, you lose some.