October 17-19 at GT Chaser, Bagan Datoh

I got a call from fishing friend, Ryan, on early last week, saying that one of Tacklebox bookings to Pulau Jarak (PJ) on GT Chaser (GTC) was having problem because of insufficient anglers and was asking me, or pushing rather, to join. With the idea that flashed in mind to try out the new spots that I newly know, I told Ryan I shall be tentatively on.

Friday, Oct 17, 5:55am, I was on my way to Tanjung Harapan with Ryan to pick up live octopus that Ryan has booked earlier. Both of us never have tried live octopus so we thought probably it is a good idea to offer them for our bottom fishing.

6:30am, we were on our way to Kapar. About 7:35am, we met other anglers at Tanjung Karang for breakfast. There were 6 anglers waiting for us at a kopitiam with name that I did not pay attention to remember. After some introduction and jokes, we had our food and left to Bagan Datuh at about 8am.

It has been some 8 months I have not board on GT Chaser, and I was happy to greet Ah Ho when we met on his boat. The boat was as clean as before, with obvious new painting has just done on the hull. I understand from Ryan that GT Chaser experience some gear box problem couple of weeks before that. Probably Ah Ho has took the opportunity to paint the hull while the boat was at dock, I thought.

Through out my deep sea fishing trips using charters from Hutan Melintang, Sg. Besar, Lumut, Pangkor, Kg Acheh, Paka, Rompin and Pekan, GT Chaser is the cleanest boat I have been. The skipper, commonly known as Ah Ho, has his new GT Chaser fabricated and put in charter business since June 2007, after using the first GT Chaser for approximately 7 years. With total construction cost of approximately RM 300,000, the boat has 2 x CUMMINS 160hp engines, runs with fuel consumption that is comparatively much lower than other fishing charters.

Our first fishing spot planned was Hutan Melintang Sea Mountain, so named because of the location is at direct west of Hutang Melintang. After the journey that took about 2hrs 30mins, we started to sink our jigs at about 2 30pm.

I could not precisely remember the frenzy started after how many drifts, but it was about 4pm I guess, when 7 jigs in the water were rewarded with 5 hook-ups, at the same time. The GT did not demand for specific similarities in color and shape of jigs used, as I observed. Neither was there any special rhytym required to attract the bites then.

As I was testing my new PE3 jigging rod, I was paying particular attention on the flex and lifting power of the rod. The jig retrieval was quite effortless with rhythm, I would say. However, upon fish strike and when I started cranking my line back, I noticed each full arm lift on the rod gave me shorter length of line, comparatively, not enough for 2 full crank of line-winding. That is to say, the vertical line displacement (reclaim) was less with each full arm lift using my new PE3 rod that is having higher flex.

With typical size of GT hauled was around 3kg to 5kg, I did not experience any difficulty in landing them. However there was one strike-and-fight ended with I lost the GT at mid water, due to braids snap at the middle. I was puzzled with the reason the SUFIX got snapped, at that point particularly. I believed the line must got injured or something during my earlier trips at that point that gave way.

During one of the drifts, I had a good take on my elcheapo jig. A self-declared "good timing" sentak was launched, and the thrill started. Within less than 1 second, the tug became heavy, and stationed. "&^%$% ... sangkut?" I asked myself. Ah Ho noticed my situation and asked me to hold on, "you put 2 hooks right? one of it is with fish and the other is with rocks" he said. True enough, I still can feel the thrilling tug-tug-tug, but pumping it yield nothing but dead drag screaming. I passed the rod to Ryan, with the intention to let him feel what is going on down there. Ryan pump for few cranks, and shake his head "Ah Ho is right". I released the bail arm after that, within seconds I got my jig back but of course the fish was gone.

Soon it was near dusk, skipper Ah Ho suggest to try for ang chor (golden snapper) at a spot not far away from the sea moutain, before we head to Pulau Jarak waters. I was having strong interest to observe how a seabed profile looks like at habitat of ang chor. In his cabin, Ah Ho pointed at seabed profile displayed at his KODEN sounder, and explained to me the uneven profiles with gap of 1m, estimated, are where ang chor and grouper would take the offering. Jigs were then sink, but no bite was registered.



On the 2nd day, Ah Ho came back to HMSM once more, as almost all anglers [me excepted... :-)] wanted to feel the GT power we had earlier day. We push off from Jarak island afternoon and reach HMSM about 2pm.

I jigged for about an hour, got tired and plain with typical size of GT below 5kg. During that time I think most anglers on board were rewarded with at least one GT except a newly met fishing buddy, Ziven. I understand from him that, the heaviest jig he brought was 150g, and he had only 2 or 3 pieces with him. He got with him few hula-hula too, a new octopus-alike-lure with beard, both his jig and hula2 were under weight for the current of 19th in Lunar calender. At one time Ziven got his line tangled with mine, while clearing the cha mee hoon, "something is pulling, something is pulling ... " Ziven said. At the same time the mess has cleared, I tried to hold the YGK braids, but it was a fish pulling! I sentak for 2 or 3 times then start cranking, and the fish is gone. Upon checking, my kevlar line was "cut". "A shark maybe?" I was so thought, while pressing blood from the cut at my finger caused by the rushing braids just seconds earlier.

Some time later Zevan shouting was heard, hahaha ... I followed the direction of the shout and was happy to see him holding his Shikari rod with C-curve, marking a hookup and fighting for his first fish-on- jig at front end of the boat. Minutes after he landed a GT with weight estimated at 4kg-ish. "Now everybody got fish!" I thought.

At about 6 30pm of the 2nd day, Ah Ho stop jigging at HMSM and heading to Pulau Sembilan. The journey took about 2 hrs and we reached Pulau Sembilan at 8 30pm. We were right at the transition time between 2 tides. I have had my bottom fishing setup prepared during the journey to Pulau Sembilan, and sink my bottom offer with mantis prawn. I understand from Ah Ho that there is a ditch right behind the boat. Sinker used was small, as I intend to let the current drift my offer into the ditch.

For initial 1st hour of the new tide, there was no take. First bite on the mantis prawn happened after the current was "aligned", about 9 30pm it was. I was chatting with Ryan and Ryan pointing at my rod and "fish biting!". The CX-4 with 80lb braids was effortless to surface the fish. I had a good look at the angchor, estimated about 3kg-ish. At that time there were about 7 anglers doing bottom at the boat and the first angchor did boost the spirit a bit.

The 2nd angchor took my bait, a recycled fresh sotong with head and body from 2 different squids, at approximately 11 30pm. It did not take long then the 4kg-ish angchor was on the board. I really love to see the natural color of golden snapper, red-ish and shining under the fluorescent light. The 2nd angchor was observed as having more round body compare with others, and fight like a 6kg-ish fish. Photo of my 2nd angchor, snapped by boatmate, Dron.

Right before the new tide finished, Ah Ho move GTC to a new spot, and get it longsided at a place, with the boat positioned for fishing at following tide that yet to be started. The spot is called "black rock", located not far from the Pulau Sembilan waters. It is the spot where almost all bottom anglers were rewarded with their angchor. Total number of angchor caught at this location was 6, weight from 1.5kg-ish to 3kg-ish. On top on this, there were few misses, some because of undersized leader went snapped, some due to broken undersized hooks.

The tough part was the correct tide started and the boat got aligned only by 2 30am. From that time onwards, there was only 2 rounds of frenzies, one during 4 30am and the other during 6 45am. There was no significant difference on preference of bait that angchor have took, both live squid and live mantis prawn were effective, at least during then.

I woke Ryan up on 5 20am, as I could observed, angchor have started biting and the dawn angchor frenzy that is typical at Pulau Sembilan waters, gonna start soon. Sea breeze was mild, and the boat was aligned with small angle with the current direction, "good orientation..." I was thinking. I was really keen to fish through the dawn frenzy, but mild headache brought me to bed at about 6 30am.

It was 9am when I woke up. I checked around and noticed only one anglers from the night shift was sleeping and the rest were active fishing already. I asked Ryan about the catch during the dawn, and Ryan was rewarded with one 3 kg-ish angchor. I was happy for him, as that marked the cheery popping of his new bottom setup; Mega-twin paired with Seeker 30-80lb rod.

After that Ah Ho tried on few others spots, but register no bites.

As all the boatmates were newly met except Ryan, I did not request Ah Ho to try the new spots as I wanted to. However I did bring the coordinates and discuss with Ah Ho, for whether there are any spots in there that were already in Ah Ho's collection of coordinates.

Well, this is not a real issue I guess, because "I shall return"

My Meetup with Ah Koon

I took the opportunity of my trip back to my home town and call Ah Koon on Saturday. Prior to that I called him and my intention was briefly mentioned to him, and I would say his reponse was encouraging.

On the phone, Ah Koon cheerfully agreed to meet up at jetty of Sg. Pinang. Sep 28, Sunday morning it was, I left my father-in-law house at some 10 30am, and reached Pangkor around 11 15am.

Ah Koon was a skipper that have his boat sold some 4 years ago and stopped doing fishing charter completely since then. My last fishing trip on his boat was September of 2003. in that trip, the whole group of us consists of 7 anglers, brought 4 x 100 qt. and another 3 smaller ice boxes, have them filled fully on the 2nd night of a 3D2N fishing trip. What made me remembered on that trip was, I had 4 huge takes on my offering that were not landable.

Not long after that trip, I left my employment and ventured into some sort of own business, and my desire to experience the awesome fish power has to put on hold temporarily. For some reason I could not forget the scene where a 60lb bottom rod bowed till water surface and 50lb braids been peeled ferociously. The awesome fish power was simply unforgettable. I have been telling myself "I will be back".

I called Ah Koon number and guided from the conversation I walked to a local kopitiam, some 50 ft. away from the Sg. Pinang Jetty （吉灵丸码头）. There he was, a mid age, well-build Chinese, sitting in the kopitiam, wave his hand at me.

From the talking then, I understand Ah Koon is operating a primary school canteen since he sold his boat off. We talked about general catch of commercial fisherman in Pangkor island, population of Pangkor that is dropping and plenty of other stuff. I told him my intention to meet him in Pangkor was because of my desire to repeat my experience on his boat, at that particular spot 5 years ago. Should he is not doing fishing charter business any longer, I am prepared to exchange GPS coordinates number of that and few more other spots with some monetary appreciation. That I am a simple but serious angler, were also explained to him. His coordinates will be with me not for fishing charter business but fulfilment of my chase to experience the power of unknown (but suspiciously Grouper) fishes.

We talked general stuff about fishing after that, and Ah Koon took the opportunities to explain to me methods of getting boat long sided at different orientation with different wind and current direction. Observation of fish bites rate at different winds at specific months was also explained to me. I really don't know how much I could absorb at that time, as he is those sort of person where once he started talking and the pace is in, he will keep talking, described the factors to observe for good dates, from one spot to another. "Arhhhh...I need a recorder" I was so thought.

Among others, there were about 4 spots that Ah Koon mentioned I must go there and try. One of it was a spot where he and other anglers on board hauled up ang chor, generally over 6kg-ish and have had ice boxes fulled at late midnight of the 1st night out. The biggest ang chor caught on rod-line in his 15 years++ of fishing charter experience is 9kg+ was also caught on that same spot.

From in-depth conversation later, I was a bit disappointed because I came to know he did not write down the GPS coordinates of the spot which I experienced 5 years ago, in his personal diary. That coordinates were recorded in his GPS console which passed on to the new owner of his boat. He looked at me and tell me that spot is "dirty", as numbers of weird fishing incidents happened at that spot.

"Like what?" I asked. There were few times, he said, well build angler like him, took great effort to pump a fish up. Upon surfaced, the fish that appeared was in no way matching the power of the tug-fight. "a kerapu that weight less than a kg ... Kai, you tell me, shouldn't it be effortless?"

"Errr ... ok, perhaps it is good that you don't have that coordinates with you now" I said. But still, I was disappointed deep inside me.

After we had our lunch at a restaurant nearby, Ah Koon took me to his house in Pangkor.

In his home, he sat down at the biggest table facing the house entrance and slowly open the drawer underneath and take out a book, very much alike with exercise book used in primary school, and flip page by page.

Written beside rows of GPS coordinate numbers were rows of chinese abbreviation, such as "红皂“，”白皂“， “大过“，“龙尖“ and many others. These are local names and perhaps his own way or writing those fish species; golden snapper, silver grunter, giant grouper and emperor fish respectively.

(Post-posting note: the chinese name of golden snapper is 红槽 as referred by fishbase.)

"Heart blood of 10 over years huh?" I said. He looked at me and smiled, slowly shake his head. Together with the book is another stack of A4 papers, photocopied obviously, written with numbers and numbers. Ah Koon explained to me that those were from his friends working on trawler boats. Those numbers were recorded when the skipper noticed some unusual profile at the seabed, and were passed to him hopefully someday Ah Koon will make a trip there and come back probably with fishing tales.

"Those were spots that I never tried, here in this book are all that I have tried and recorded", he said. He put on his reading glasses and go through the number, line by line. He asked me to write down specific numbers when he recalled the catch results at those spots. "Na ... this is the spot I told you just now, my biggest ang chor was caught here".

There are spots where good catches were recorded, but he said those were flat seabed and it will be impossible for fish resource to remain there, with frequent visiting of trawler boats. Generally he only requested me to note down spots where low profile rocks, ditches and sea mountain were present, for the simple reason the resources could be possibly protected under the physical condition.

I spent about an hour and a half with him with the numbers. At a glance I have about 30 spots, some north of Pangkor, some east of Pangkor and some South of Pangkor. Spots at sea moutain of Hutang Melintang were not recorded, however, because the spots were visited frequently by fishing charters around central Perak like Sea Garden (Ah Heng), GT Chaser (Ah Ho) and Tuna (Ah Chong).

It was about 4 30pm then I am done with Ah Koon on the GPS coordinates thingy. He took me to his merbuk cages right next to his house. We spent about 30 mins beside the cages then I decided to make a leave. I requested him to take me to an ATM and withdraw some money as my appreciation to him and he obliged.

We spent sometime at Sg Pinang jetty after that. During then I was told the past stories how he started his charter business with Ah Tiong of Seagull and the other friend, and later how the business was split.

I left the jetty at about a quarter to six, with Ah Koon waving his hand to me as my last sight on Pangkor Island.

I shall visit those spots very soon...I thought so when I was in ferry. Few sms were sent to few of my fishing buddies and deep in me I really look forward to test the bite rate at these spots.

~ End ~

My First Posting

Have been thinking to start my own blog since May I think. Was hesitate back then as I was not certain whether to do it on blogger webs or my own domain.

Anyway ... like the saying goes "a journey to a thousand miles start with the very first step"