JIGGING FOR RIVER HARUAN

This article was published in the August 2002 issue of Rod And Line fishing magazine.

Ah Seng and I had planned to fish for kuangs in some swamps where pythons and king cobras reigned supreme. The first three planned trips were cancelled due to heavy rain, which made that place inaccessible. The fourth one … well the owner of the 4X4 let us stepped on the water melon skin (meaning given the slip).

The latest trip was planned with Ah Wai providing the small lorry to transport our motorbikes to the fringe of the swamp so that we could move around those areas not accessible to big vehicles. Baits were bought and provision stocked when disaster struck. Ah Seng (a mechanic) phoned up on the eve to inform us that his leg was hurt by a falling transmission shaft. He big-heartedly offered to take us to that place and wait in the lorry while we fish. How could we be so heartless to accept? Thus ended our fifth planned trip.

When the situation became desperate, anglers were adaptive. Ah Wai came up with the idea of jigging for haruans at the Lower Perak River area.

The two boats tied together moving as one.

At six in the morning saw our convoy of two car toppers on a car and a lorry heading towards the Kampung Gajah area. Breakfasts of roti canai were gulped down hurriedly before rushing off to our destination. Turning off from the trunk road, we came to the river bank at Kampung Pulau Besar near Teluk Intan, Perak. After loading our boats we suddenly realized our oars were left behind back home. Branches and umbrellas became very useful suddenly. They were improvised to row the boats out to the main river as this area was crisscrossed with nets and rawais. Cares were taken not to antagonize the local professionals, as the reason was obvious. The outboard on my boat started with only two pulls. Ah Wai’s outboard chose to go on strike at the wrong moment.

Richard and Ah Lek showing their catches.

Poor Ah Wai had to remove his shirt as he was sweating from the exertion of pulling on his reluctant outboard. The engine was suspected to have blown a gasket as it had overheated during the last trip (they forgot to check the outlet hole after hitting a sandbank). There was no choice but to tie the two boats together to move as one. With slightly swollen river from the overnight rain, progress was slow as we were using only one outboard.

Not to be outdone. Ah Wai show his haruan too.

Reaching the first patch of weeds growing out of the shallower of the Perak River, we rammed our boats into it. It could be because of the din that we created, as there was not a single bite.

We anglers were fast learners. Moving over to another patch of weeds, we could hear sounds of haruans gulping down some poor creatures. This time we didn’t spook the fish for we were using some bamboo poles found in the weeds to pole the boats around.

The weed is so thick that you cannot even see the boat.

Being the first to pull up a haruan, Ah Wai was having a smug on his face. Not to be outdone, Richard also got one, only a cheroot. Somehow the action died down and it was time to move on. Here at the next patch, Ah Lek got hit by a real big fella. The sound of its strike resonated over to our boat five meters away. Turning around we saw Ah Lek straining on his rod, bent dangerously near to breaking point. As always with this method of fishing, the big fellas almost always get way. This monster (estimated unanimously to be almost 2 kilos) wrapped itself around the weeds and pulled the hook out. Our poor Ah Lek was a figure of dejection. All this while Looi and I on my boat did not even raise a strike. They were beginning to call my boat gingko biloba boat (first started by James Wong). In Cantonese, ‘Pak kor chook’ or gingko biloba porridge means empty handed. Anglers are quite cruel on the whole, you know. They know all the methods of mental tortures.

Looi seen here jigging too.

By noon, the sun was unbearably hot thus forcing us to head for some shade for our food and siesta. We exchange boats when the weather was more forgiving (my boat had the good engine, remember?) This time Ah Wai pulled up a few good specimens followed by Richard and Ah Lek. Yes, yes, yes, Looi and I caught nothing again. Well, at least I had the consolation of people catching fish on my boat thus wiping off the name gingko biloba boat.

We nearly flattened a nest full of eggs nestled among the floating vegetation. After  taking some photographs of it we left it undisturbed.

Our method of fishing here was the same as in heavily weeded areas. The frog was flipped out and allowed to drop vertically into the weed.  Your hearing must be pretty sharp so as to listen to the tell-tale plop of your bait hitting the water. The rod tip was then flipped from ten to fifteen times before reeling in your frog and the process repeated elsewhere.

Do check the condition of your heart with your doctor first, as sometimes the strike could be heart stopping. I am sure you wouldn’t want to be the laughing stock in heaven, as the guy who was scared to death by a haruan. The method of tying the frog was the usual method, but I normally cut off both hind legs of the frog, failing which a lot of free lunches would be offered to the fish.

It was almost dark when we headed for home with yours truly and Looi still empty-handed. While polling through the weeds, we nearly flattened a nest full of eggs (could be some water fowls’ nest). After taking some photographs of it, we left it undisturbed.

Maybe it could be psychology, but the five river haruans that we had for dinner at Tanjung Tualang tasted better than their pond cousins. The flesh was firmer and tastier. Could be due to the fresh flowing water and the regular exercise.

The lower stretches of the Perak River still holds quite a variety of good size fishes. Of course, with a boat the area you cover will be a lot wider and the chances of being hit by a whopper greater. The important thing is to get to know the locals who know the area like the back of their hands. Of course respecting the local professionals, slowing down when passing them on the river, practicing catch and release will endear us to many of them. After all, to us sport anglers, the thrill is in the stalking, fighting and releasing of our quarries. Take only what is needed so that we don’t contribute to the depletion of the fish population any more than necessary.

THE BRAND CONSCIOUS QUEENS

This article was published in the July 2002  issue of Rod and Line magazine.

I was introduced to lure casting around Pulau Sembilan in the early seventies. Those days, Kuala Sepetang (Port Weld) was our base where we made forays to the islands, the drop-offs and the old abandoned kelongs.

My sifu then was a friend from Taiping, who had graduated from Australia. After honing his skills and knowledge from down-under, he passed them on to us. Tony Toh introduced us to some lures with very funny names. From him I learned how to make my own “coffins”, “undertakers” and “executioners”.

Yes, these were the names of the lures that he brought back. I still possess a few self-made chrome heads, which we used together with rubber squids skirts to troll with deadly effect. Getting replacement skirts was a hassle as there were none in Ipoh back then. We had to show one to the dealers and beg them to stock some for us.

Leong with his presentable trevally on our previous trip. The forward stance is necessarily on  the rocking and swaying boat.

It was during this time that this “story telling Smart Alec” found out that the dolphin fish was not a mammal. You see, when my classmate, Cheah Meng, invited me to fish for dolphin fish with him and Tony, I gave him a mouthful of @#$%. “I only fish for fish and not mammal” was my ignorant reply.

When shown a photo of a dolphin fish or dorado I wanted to bury my head into the sand to hide my embarrassment.

The most handsome boatman (Leong's word) displaying two of his queen fish. James Khoo goes casting around Pulau Sembilan almost everyday. Can you believe that he wears out one spinning reel every month?

Those were the days where I learned to be a sport fisherman too. We targeted mainly trevallies, queen fish, tenggiris, barracudas, tripletails and at the beautiful dorados by trolling or casting lures. But everything must come to an end. Due to work, business and other commitments our group just drifted apart.

Since then I only do casting or trolling whenever I met up with some like-minded guys. With eight or nine fellows on a boat it was almost impossible to get everyone to agree to do lure casting. Of course, there were still some anglers who were keen to cast lures. The occasional trips were enough keep this fisho fighting fit.

Then one day Leong of Silibin Aquarium phoned to inquire whether I would like to join him to cast around Pulau Sembilan. The person who would be taking us there was James Khoo, the most handsome boatman around. Yes, I may be getting on in age, but I still do relish challenging the jumping queen fish and hard fighting trevallies around these islands.

A beaming Thang posing with his catches during one of the quieter moments. Can you see the Abu Koster? It is his main weapon.

When I saw James Khoo I know why Leong called him “the most handsome boatman around”. We sped off in Khoo’s 26ft boat powered by an eighty-five hp engine from somewhere near the Outward Bound School. Reaching Fairway Rock in just twelve minutes we began casting.

Our quarries did not seem to be around so we headed to the other islands. The water current was not that conducive, thus our catch was not very encouraging. The day’s final tallies were a couple of kilo plus queen fish and trevally. By the time we reached the landing point, the sun had long set. During this trip all the fish caught were with Abu Koster Flash.

The frenzy casting and fighting of fish near the Black Rock.

When Thang phoned me about the next trip, I was armed to my nose with lures. Being not that well endowed in the finance department, I had with me scores of imitation Kosters. At RM 2.50 each who wouldn’t buy? After all I had caught some trevallies with them so I was confident. When I tackled up my mates were all laughing and calling me cheapskate. Fuming I retorted “: I will show you”.

After bumping along for twenty minutes we finally reached Pulau Argus. While getting ready to cast, I commented that the todaks seemed to have vanished of late. As soon as we were in range, our lures flew out in unison. Immediately there were strikes and everybody was busy fighting their fish.

When we landed, the todaks thrashed all over the place. Every one of us landed at least three. When we kept pulling up those toothy creatures, James Wong commented, “you and your big mouth.”

“Make sure you eat all the todaks that we caught,” he grumbled again. (Be careful with these creatures as there had been cases of them causing fatal injuries.)

This trevally was one of the first fish to be landed by Thang.

When my lure was suddenly stopped, I realized immediately that this was no Senor Todak. My line kept on going out. That creature swung to the left then to the right. Pumping back some line, I was trying to catch a glimpse of that fish when it shot out again. The next time I brought the fish back, James Wong was shouting, “wah, at least 3 kilo trevally lah.” Being one who was never humble, I took the opportunity to get my revenge. “RM2.50 also can catch fish one lah,” I quipped.

Before I could finish, the fish went under the boat forcing me to dip the rod tip into the water. Desperately, I tried to steer it out from below when I felt a surge and the fish was gone. Reeling back my empty lure, I was a figure of dejection.

From then on, most of the islands that we visited produced the usual todaks and some queen fish. While Thang, the two James and Tan were getting all the action, my lure did not seem to attract any attention except for the occasional todaks. James Wong was teasing me about using cheapos, which even pomelo leaves could not help. Not wanting to admit defeat, I stubbornly blamed it on my poor reel. “Suei lah!” I joked. “Must clean with water soaked with thirty six types of flowers.”

Tan and James Wong each holding up their fish.

James Khoo was almost screaming when we were easing the boat towards a current line. “Talang, talang,” he gasped, pointing to the turbulent surface. The queen fish were attacking some baitfish.

There was pandemonium everywhere. Out shot four Abu Kosters and an imposter. Four rods were bent and groaning with four fish on. Reeling back my empty lure I flicked it out again. By the time they had landed a fish each, I was still casting and mumbling like a mad man.

In similar situations, some tennis players would throw their rackets on the floor.  I had heard of a world class badminton player throwing his racket into the crowd. It was a pity that I was not famous and my tackles were not sponsored or else I would have thrown them into the sea.

James Wong just pulled up a queen fish.

Moving over to the Black Rock, we were scouting around when our boatman pointed to some fish jumping in the distance. Making our way over, out shot five lures again. The same scene was replayed. Four rods curved into perfect Cs. Yes, mine was not among them.

Everywhere I looked, either it was Thang fighting talang or James Khoo pulling one into the boat. James Wong’s lure was hit and shot out of the water. When it dropped back, it was grabbed immediately.

Tan’s fish threw the lure when it jumped. When reeling back the empty lure, it was hit again by another talang. All these time my lure was not even nudged by the talangs. I saw a couple of fish following my lure, but they veered off when they neared the boat. Thang was kind enough to offer me his Kosters, which I declined. (Not wanting to admit defeat lah.)

Left: The RM2.50 imitation. Can catch the odd trevally (the short sighted ones) once in a while. Center: A well worn original. Notice that the split ring and the treble had been changed to something stronger. Right: A brand new original Abu Koster Flash. We suspected that the finish on the lure made the difference. The originals have a translucent shine on them.

By the time Thang had registered his twelve hit, I had to swallow my pride and sheepishly asked for one. By now the school had thin out. Most of the fish had left, led by those that threw the hooks, no doubt. With the original I had a hookup but lost it when it jumped.

Boy, I had never seen such acrobatic display before. The action was so thick and furious that I was in two minds whether to fish or to take photographs. There was an occasion when James Wong’s lure was knocked, missed, bumped, missed, bumped again, missed before finally hooking up a fish just one meter from the boat.

Casts after casts were made by me but there was no more queen fish anymore. By now it was already getting dark. I knew the others were dying to go back. Seeing the scowl on my face and my fishing knife nearby, no one dare to suggest it. Reluctantly I had to finally agree to head back. All the way back, I was suffering in silence as the jokes and puns thrown were at my expense. Luckily, the skin on my face was quite thick.

Please recycle: This would be a perfect casting spot, except for the eyesore. Look at the rubbish and debris. This was a common sight around Pulau Sembilan. We anglers can do our parts by at least refraining from adding more rubbish into the sea.

Result spoke louder than words. The cheapo can and do catch the occasional fish, but not as regular as expected. When compared to the original, there was no fight. The Abu Kosters outperformed the imitation hands down. Well, the first thing I did the next day was to stock up on my Abu Kosters. The original of course.