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| This article was published in the March 2004 issue of Rod and Line fishing magazine. |
Illegal immigrants have always been a problem in this
country. If they are of the human kinds, they pose a very serious problem here.
Our law enforcement and health authorities are been stretched to the limit of their
capabilities trying to overcome them.
Those that are other than the human kinds also contribute a
lot of troubles too. Most of these non-human illegal immigrants came into the
country through the exotic animal and tropical fish trades. The problems they
created to the environment and ecosystem will take a number of years to be
felt.
At this very moment most of the hues and cries were over the
indiscriminate release of unwanted pet tropical fishes into our waterways. The devastating
erosion of the banks of our rivers and ponds by the sucker catfish has been
proven beyond reasonable doubt. Recently, alarms were sounded regarding the
peacock bass and the hybrid flower horn fish. Both these cichlids are predators
and they do breed as though tomorrow is the end of the world (Heh, scientists,
think of the opportunities and riches if you can extract the hormone
responsible for making them horny).
While our concerns and attentions are directed at these
fishes, the spotted leatherbacks are slowly but surely colonizing the ex-mining
ponds around the Kinta Valley. Ponds that we used to catch kaluis, haruans and tilapias
are now full of this graceful fish. Maybe being slow moving, the featherbacks
do not threaten the ecosystem so much, but their diet does consist of small and
tiny prawns. Thinks of the consequences, for when there is no small fish there
is no big fish.
To catch fish we must ‘match the hatch’. Goh Tiong Boo was
given the task of procuring the scissor tails (it is always the new fellows of the
group that are been bullied). Kong, the one who was taking us to his secret
spot, of course, was treated like a boss (One of the techniques to secure
secret spots). My duty was to provide the car and be the driver lah.
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| Kong holding up his featherback. |
Standing on the bank of the pond near Batu Gajah, Kong was
telling us the few hotspots where the featherbacks like to hang around. Being
quite early, those belidas have not come out to play yet. According to him, the
moment the fish come up for air, the bait should be cast to the vicinity of the
rise. If it is in feeding mood, the bait should be taken in a short while.
Our guide was the first to get a bite. In less than five
minutes after he had cast out his bait, it was picked up by the belida. Holding
up his rod, he struck the moment all his slack line had been taken up. We held
our breath as the fish headed for the surface. When it exploded through the
water, we ooh and aah in unison... That fish should be given a gold medal for
gymnastics. The way it somersaulted and shook its head was truly spectacular.
That day must be its unluckiest day for that fish failed to gain it freedom.
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| This was the way we rigged our baits for belidas. |
I got impatient with the waiting and went lure fishing with
my casting outfit. There was not a single strike even though quite a number of
sinking and deep running crankbaits were tried. My method was to cast to the
vicinity of the rise, allow the crankbait to sink before retrieving it. Maybe,
the featherbacks were not that aggressive that day, as my efforts drew a
naught. Changing to a floating Fat Rap, resulted in a tremendous strike. The
rod was nearly yanked out of my hand when the lure was allowed to float up.
That monster headed out, taking line with it. When it turned to my right
trouble was staring at me straight in the face.
You see, my view was blocked by a tree jutting out from the
bank of the pond. Stretching my hands, at the same time leaning my body out as
much as I dared, I had a hard time controlling that monster. It headed into
some submerged branches and stopped running. The fishing line transmitted all the
jerking and shaking of its head in the water.
En. Isa, who was in a sampan nearby, came over to help.
After handing my rod to him, I ran over to the other side of the tree and
waited. My rod and lure minus the fish, was handed back to me. It must have dislodged
the hook using the branches as leverage. We unanimously agreed that the monster
could be a toman, for belidas do not fight that dirty. Thanking him for his
help, we bade En. Isa farewell. Of course, only after he agreed to allow me to
take a photograph of him and his jelawat.
Turning my attention back to ledgering for leatherback
again, I eased my aging body into my fishing chair, and settled down to wait
(My wife always complains that I am very impatient but yet can enjoy fishing).
When Goh’s rod, which was to my left suddenly started to
jerk, we shouted to alert him. The trouble was he had gone to ‘buang sueh’
somewhere. When the rod was pulled out of its holder, there was no choice but
for me to dive for it. As getting out of my fishing chair required some effort
on my part, I lunged forward, sliding on my tummy (Try to imagine a walrus, no,
no a penguin is more preferable, sliding on ice), down the bank.
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| My reward for a few hours of fishing. Featherback meat is very good for making fish balls. |
Luckily I managed to grab his rod, but the fish had let go
of the bait. Muttering under my breath all the #@!$ (Goh belongs to the other
class of people where all the exclamation marks are non-existent in his
vocabulary), helped to ease the pent up frustration.
Sometimes helping others has its rewards. It came in the
form of a sudden movement of my line. Being agile and acrobatic did not help to
save that belida for we had our photograph taken together. As Kong had some previous
appointments later, we decided to call it a day.
Our usual method of fishing for the spotted belidas in ponds
is by ledgering. As the ponds do not have current, the weights used need not be
very big. After the running weight has hit bottom, we normally reel in some
line, but still maintain some slack line for the belidas to pull. Strike when
your line tightens. The fish will normally be gut hooked.
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| En.Isa was kind enough to pose for my camera. Here he is holding up his very presentable jelawat. |
If catch and release is your way, then reel in the slack in
your line. Strike as soon as your rod tip moves down and your fish will
normally be hooked in the mouth.
