A Place To Share Your Fishing Experience
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- Deep Sea Fishing Trip To Gannet/Fairley-4 Area
Red snappers, garoupers & tunas...to name a few are some of the fishes that we managed to catch during our trip yesterday to Gannet/Fairley-4 area. It was such an interesting and memorable fishing trip. In total we caught a massive of 100 over kilos of fish for the whole day trip!
We setoff our trip from the ex-KB/Teraban ferry point at around half past nine in the morning. Before the trip Hj.Ashar called our friend at BLNG for confirmation of the wind speed and wave height and thanks to "our friend!" the wave was not 1-1.5 meters in height...it was more than that! The boat journey took us about 2 hours to reach the fishing spot...(sore ass man..!) Our trip was made easy by using a preset GPS system and fish finder owned by Osman's brother who is also our boat driver. It was with his experience and expertise that we managed to land our massive haul...but it was not for free since we have to pay him $50 per person for the trip but heyy it was worth it!
Most of the time in the morning we only did bottom fishing and later in the evening we used throlling technique to catch tunas...It was all tunas jumping here and there and this was the first time (for me and Hj.Ashar...huhuhu) to see this things!
We took off from offshore at around 6 pm and reached onshore around 8.15 pm feeling tired and exhausted but satisfied with the outcome of the trip and thanks to Allah for blessing our trip! (nda pakai life jacket kali ahh...hehehe) and also to Osman's brother for his help! We hope to make a similar trip again in the future and this time we will make sure to bring some cushion for us to sit...sakit jubo kuuuu!
...:: Syazni's First Catch ::...
...:: Hj.Ashar and his red snapper ::...
...:: Another red snapper ::..
...:: A 2 kilo garouper ::..
...:: Double bonanza for Osman & Hj.Ashar ::..
...:: Another garouper landed by Syazni ::... 
...:: Osman preparing our baits...we used fresh tuna flesh for baits ::...
...:: The catch of the day by Hj.Ashar...a almost 4 kilo "kerisi bali"! ::..
...:: Syazni with his "kerisi bali"...::...
...:: red snapper...red snapper...more red snapper! ::...
...:: A double strike red snapper ::..
...:: And another double strike too from Osman ::... 
...:: Hj.Ashar though feeling sea-sick but still managed to pose with his catch...hehehe mabuk kawan? ::...
...:: Some of the tunas caught using trolling technique and in total we caught aroun 50 plus tunas! ::...
Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:21:00 +0000 - Three More Kings Surrendered..!
Another outing this morning and the three of us were each rewarded with three large size king prawns..
Osman as usual with his king prawn...never misssed a single prawn on every outing this boy...ada ilmu kali!
Hj.Ashar with his wide smile after he finally landed this king prawn..
Syazni with yet another XL size king prawn...
Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:43:00 +0000 - Another King Prawns Defeated..!This afternoon we went for another king prawn fishing also at the Belait river...though our catch is far less than before but this time we managed to catch the largest king prawn that we ever catch before...!
Osman opening his account with this large king prawn...
This is our record catch...a 300g king prawn!
The king prawn stretches almost 2ft in length....!
Look at those long claws...are they called claws or pincers?? ok whatever...this large king prawn gave a tremendous fight and we were surprised when it finally landed inside the boat that it was actually only get hooked on one of those small legs...what a luck!
Which one is bigger the one on the left or the one on the right..?
Syazni's king prawn on the right...Osman's king prawn on the left...or the other way round???
Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:55:00 +0000 - Osman & Family King Prawn Fishing Trip
Osman and his family went for a king prawn fishing yesterday morning at the Belait river...they managed to capture three king prawns and several small ones! In total they caught around 90+ prawns for the whole day trip...
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Osman showing his king prawn....jpg)
Caught in the net....jpg)
Their total harvest for yesterday...
Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:38:00 +0000 - Rod and Reel preview
Preview for Grandt Industries All American Pro Series 58million modulus graphite 6ft. medium heavy rod mounted with the Abu Garcia Revo SX-l 6.4:1 low profile baitcasting reel. This rod and reel combination is the latest addition to my fishing arsenal, the rod itself was an unintended purchase that has turned out to change the way I look at rods and will most likely lead to me replacing all my rods with Grandt industries' products.
The Abu Garcia reel I had been looking at since they came out last year, knowing how good their round body reels are I knew they would be awesome machines.
Photo 1) The modulus count of a rod describes the density of the graphite strains running through the blank. Most commercial companies end the range of their rod blanks with a 58 million modulus count, Grandt begins theirs here and goes up to 70. For custom blanks, they will produce a count up to the customers specifications, even into the hundreds! With the rise in modulus count there is a rise in price. The rod I purchased has a regular retail price of $147.00 US, the 70 series starts at $267.00 US. Helping the impulse to buy this rod was the special show
price of $99.00 US.
Photo 2) The primary reason I purchased the piece was the sensitivity. As with all quality rods, the blank must run through the handle, and be exposed in the cradle of the trigger so when a fish strikes the bait, the vibration is transmitted up the line, through the guides and down the blank to the index finger that touches the blank where it holds the trigger. The more care and quality that goes into the making of a high modulus blank the more sensitive the rod. When I was looking at the rod I noticed there was a 14" to 16" piece of monofilament line tied to the tip eye of the rod. I asked the sales person the reason for this and he showed me a sweet test for the sensitivity of a rod. Holding the piece like I was fishing, my finger on the trigger and touching the exposed blank, he gently flicked the line tied to the end of the pole and to my surprise, I felt the tick!
My buddy Tim who owns seven of these rods just smiled. Suddenly I knew how it was that he had such better success fishing light plastic baits than I, he felt bites I was missing with the rods I was using.
Photo 3) The other quality I considered was strength and flexibility, while the tip is soft to the touch, which helps with casting, the tension loads up fast as the salesman bent the piece while I held it. This loading, or rigid quality is necessary to set the hook well, and to pull larger fish out of weeds, and these rods have it all, a supple top 25%, and a no- nonsense backbone for the rest. The final determining factor that won me to these beauties is the warranty. If you break the rod, either fishing or otherwise (barring blatant abuse), Grandt Industries will replace or repair it free for life. The only charge is shipping and processing. This is the kind of confidence true craftsmen have in their products, a reassurance we rarely see in commercially available fishing poles. An added bonus is your own name laser etched into the rod to identify you as owner, and when you purchase a Grandt rod, you go into their database and receive e-mails about specials and show dates.
Photo 4) Here is the Abu Garcia Revo SX-L 6.4:1 mounted on the Grandt rod. Low profile quality of the reel is made apparent here, this image clearly shows how the oversized high speed driving gear is offset to bring the center of the reel closer to the rod blank, making it a very comfortable reel to fish. The other benefit of an oversized gear is the high gear ratio, but no loss of torque. This allows one to fish a lure fast (this model recovers 27" of line per turn of the handle), retrieve a fish fast, and not lose any power. The castability of this reel is amazing, the Everslik coated spool pinion allows one to cast 1/4 oz. baits against the wind successfully (with good thumb control) and heavy baits great distances. This is not a reel for beginners because of this, backlashes and resulting bird's nests can happen easily if you are not familiar with bait casting reels.
Photo 5) Another great feature of this reel is the bearing and drag system. with 10 ball bearings, and one roller bearing the operation of the reel is surgically smooth, a dream to use. The six plate Carbon Matrix Drag System is one of the best available, generating a massive 24lbs. of resistive force, 2 to 3 times that of other reels in the Revo's class. As with all three Revo models, S, SX, STX, the drag is adjusted by the star wheel shown here. The spool break adjustment, like all controls is precise and demands practice to master. As with most Abu Garcia reels, round as well as low profile this control seems most effective when applied a little on the
heavy side.
Photo 6) Perhaps the only shortcoming of this reel is the smaller line capacity due to its lower body height, where a similar reel by another company may hold 150 to 160 yds. of 12 lb. monofilament line, the Revo series holds only 120 yds.
I do not feel this is a big concern, but there are some who will want the extra yardage. The break control is Linear Magnetic, controlled by the dial seen in the picture. This fine adjustment control eliminates backlash at the beginning of the cast and is easily operated. I usually set it at 75%, and adjust for the lure weight on the cast with the spool break.
Photo 7) In this picture you can really see well the main gear housing, and how low the reel actually sits, The gear system is all solid brass, and the frame is aluminum as opposed to graphite so there is no flex in the parts. This type of construction makes the reel strong, and very light weighing only 8.7 oz. when the spool is empty.
Photo 8) This makes the whole setup of rod and reel weigh a little more than 16 oz., but it's quality of strength makes it able to battle the largest of New England freshwater fish, and I feel that it would handle many moderately large
fish in other environments with proper line, and of course cleaning and application of oil and maintenance regularly for light saltwater use.
I hope this is a helpful review, and will update it later in the spring after the first day out on the water and let you know if the setup lives up to my expectations.
God bless, Mike.
Sat, 16 Feb 2008 11:52:00 +0000 - Wocester Sportsman Show 2008, Pt. 2
To complete the coverage of this show, I will pick up with boats.
Photo 1) A nice aluminum 16.5 ft. bass boat from G3, completely loaded starting at about $18,000 US. This is a good beginning package for starters, although one can find Trackers for about $12,000 US, they will be a slightly lower quality, and not as nicely equipped. There is something to be said for buying an equipped boat. It will cost more for a down payment, and higher monthly installments, but out the door, you are ready to fish. Buying a base model will be easier on the wallet initially and monthly, but unless you search for the lowest prices on each option and install them yourself, ( no guarantees with this option either with some items if not professionally installed) in the long run you are likely to pay more, and of course do without the assurance of some manufacturer coverage.
One needs to think long and hard on how you will buy as well as what you will buy, and how much capitol you can afford to spend.
Photo 2) Ranger boat line up. These are 16 to 18 ft. fiberglass boats that are at the top of the price chain, exceeding $40,000 US and some of the better made on the market, though not as well made as some like BassCat costing the same or less.
Photo 3) The new lineup of Penn reels. Here I have to admit some ignorance. I know little of Penn reels other than they are almost exclusively salt water orientated, however if you look to the center of this picture you can see a baitcaster reel that is an inshore model, with anti-corrosion bearings that double as a bass reel. I do know that Penn is one of, if not the most famous names in reels worldwide and if the quality, fit, action and feel of these reels is any indicator than I understand why.
Photo 4) More Penn reels, again mostly all are designed for saltwater, but I saw no reason why some of the medium reels could not be used for drop-shotting and light plastics in freshwater venues. Penn reels range in price from $50.00 US to $600.00 US, depending on whether they are for Giant Tuna, or lite action flats fishing.
Photo 5) This would be my buddy Tim, dreaming of the size and weight of the lunker bass that would give this $700.000 US Diawa Tuna reel stripped drag plates and burnt bearings. By the look on his face I would guess he imagines it would be bigger than him!
That is all for this show. I did not cover rods as I did not really look at many, and there was a request to cover reels. The next post however will be a rod and reel review, a Grandt Industries All-American Pro-Series Rod I bought at this show, and a new Abu Garcia Revo SX baitcaster 6.4:1 that I matched it to. The pair promises to be a lethal combination for bass!
Fri, 15 Feb 2008 02:00:00 +0000 - 2008 Worcester Sportsman's Boating & Fishing Show.This past Saturday My friend Tim and I went to the annual fishing show in our area. I went two years ago, missed last year, but when Tim invited me to go I did not need my arm twisted. Unfortunately Bob was unable to go with us.
There are a lot of things to see, I took photos of mostly boats and reels, as some folks wanted to see more fishing equipment, and while the boats are outrageously priced, they are beautiful to see. This review will be two part as I have more reel pictures to show than I can reasonably fit into one post.
Photo1) Saltwater reels for medium shark and Tuna fishing. These run $200 to $400 US. Shimano makes a good, durable reel. While I do not have any reels of this caliber, the Shimano Curado Bantam 201 baitcaster for Bass was my first baitcasting reel and I still use it regularly.
Photo 2) The long spread of handle mounted reels was massive! One could explore every make of reel Shimano makes form freshwater baitcasters, to saltwater spinning reels. The sales reps were helpful, though there was no negotiation on price unless you were to buy more than one reel.
Photo3) These are varieties of the Calcutta series, ranging from $200 to $220 US. They are a crossover size, suitable for medium salt to heavy freshwater fishing. I have seen them used on television for big Pike and Muskie in North America, to Peacock Bass in the Amazon. I have even seen them used in Egypt to fish for 100+ lb. Nile Perch!
The show was four days long, running from February 7th to 10th, admission was $11 US and was fairly crowded, but not to the point of uncomfortability. There were also many booths devoted to hunting and taxidermy, charter and guided tours, and new fishing related products like collapsible boats and specially outfitted kayaks for fishing in remote backwater.
There were even showmen handling Monocled Cobras, and a reptile zoo with American Alligators (juviniles), turtles and lizards for the many children that came with their parents. Also for the kids there was a trout pond set up and hourly fishing contests with junior rods and reels as prizes.
The biggest spectacle, and I do mean big, was a live 1,400 lb. Brown bear that was tame, and had been in movies and on the cover of National Geographic Magazine last year. I did
take pictures, but unless anyone wants to see them I will stick to the fishing aspects of the show for the visual reference.
Photo 4) These are some of the new freshwater spinning reels from Quantum, the Energy series. these are awesome reels, though I do not own one, they are smooth and strong with 10 bearings, machined aluminum frames and titanium bails. Each one comes with a spare aluminum spool and a supply of Hot Sauce, a specially formulated lubricant exclusive to Quantum products. They sell for $150 US.
Photo 5) These are some of the new Catalyst reels from Quantum, similar to the Energy series, they also boast many of the features listed above, including a hybrid polymer stainless steel bearing system that is distinctive to Quantum. This reel contains 8 bearings, magnetic anti-reverse, and sells for about $100 US.
These reels are some of the most popular among pros in the US. I see many using them on footage from B.A.S.S. tournaments around America, and while I only own two spinning reels, both Shimano's and less expensive,I could tell from handling these that they are performance oriented and worth every penny.
Photo 6) These are some of the new the new Diawa reels, Viento, (blue body) Zillions, (silver bodies) Millionair-S, ( Top, left row) and Lunas, (right row, all). These are middle level reels from Diawa, (the Steez is the highest at $450 US) and are very good quality. All are milled aluminum frames, and free-floating spools with a wide range of bearing numbers. The prices range from $200 to $300 US, and their quality reflects the price. These are incredibly tight reels, the drags are smooth and all operational parts are made to a high tolerance, these are reels you buy once, keep for life and then hand down to your children!
I do not own a Diawa as I have a love for Abu Garcias, but I can appreciate their quality. There are more photos and more reels to come, I will post more in the next installment of this post, The Worcester DCU Center is a medium sized sports venue located in Worcester Masachusetts, and during this show the arena center was filled with over a million dollars US in boats, motors and trailers. From my last post you may know that I just bought a new-to-me boat that I am overly joyful to have, and thank God for, but that does not stop me from appreciating the works of engineering art for fishing I saw Saturday!
Photo 7) While my jaw is still dragging on the ground from this boat, an 18ft. Skeeter with a 225 hp 4stroke Yamaha with an incredible paint job that looks like it belongs on a race car rather than a bass boat, the price of $32,999 US kept me from any dreams. As beautiful as it is, I told Tim I feared the bright color would scare the fish, even if the 4 stroke was super quiet!
Photo 8) this nice Champion bass boat is very understated with its simple paint scheme. I like it the instant I saw it, it is 18ft. X 6ft. with a 150 hp. Evinrude 2 stroke e-tec motor. Evinrude e-tec motors are to date the most fuel efficient, powerful, and quiet 2 stroke motors made. They have the added advantage of needing no dealer maintenance for 3 years, and no break in period!!!
Photo 9) After a few hours Tim and I got some sandwiches and sat up in the upper level of the arena to eat and watch all the people walk about and look over all the awesome toys. This is the right side view of the arena and as you can see the spread of boats is extensive, something for every taste, and as far as new boats go, most price ranges. A basic package aluminum hull Bass Tracker starts at about $10,999 US, and the most expensive boat we saw was a 21ft ranger at over $54,000 US! No, I did not take a picture of it, my camera is not that good!
Photo 10) The picture below is the left side of the arena and the rest of the array of fishing machines that we perused.
I hope I am able to bring the enjoyment of the show to you in this post. It was a good show shared with a good friend. The next post will be the second half of this show, focusing on more reels, and a nice custom rod I bought, not that I was looking for a new rod, but it impressed me so I took the leap. Enjoy the post, and for those still locked in winter, be patient spring is only four to six weeks away!
God bless, Mike.
Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:28:00 +0000 - King Prawn Fishing Trip At Kuala Belait RiverWe went for another king prawn fishing this morning at the Belait river...although it was raining heavily in the morning it never dampen our spirit. We arrived at our usual boat landing spot around 10.30 am where our friend, Osman was already there waiting...Once onboard we straight away went to our hotspot...
...:: Heading towards our favourite hotspot... ::...
...:: Syazni's first catch ::...
...:: Osman hit the jackpot with this large king prawn...! Abis record kawan ku hahaha...::...
...:: Another catch by Syazni which was no match to Osman's king prawn...citttttt!! ::...
...:: "Queen prawn" by Syazni...still no match! ::...
...:: Another "queen prawn" by Osman... ::...
...:: More prawns caught by Osman & Syazni...I wondered where's Ibnu's pictures...??? ::...
...:: Check out the size of that king prawn compared to the soft drink can...! ::...
Altogether our total catch for the day was only 26 prawns...about half of what we caught last week...but unfortunately our friend Ibnu didn't get a sinlge prawn...atu panasss hehehehe! Nevermind there will always be a next time Ibnu! Cuba lagi kawan...
Sat, 09 Feb 2008 12:02:00 +0000 - 1990 Lowe 1600 VAfter three years of waiting, scraping and saving, I am finally a boat owner! And thank God, we got exactly what we wanted and at a better than good price. After a long while of renting boats when we could find then, and fishing from shore and small canoes my fishing partner and I will now be able to go after the fish where they live, rather than being at the mercy of the shoreline, trees, and private property ownership. This past Friday Bob and I went to New Hampshire, about an hour away from our area to the Monadnock Boat Store where we had seen the ad, and made arrangements to inspect and purchase what looked like a good deal for the price. We got there and met Scott, the salesman and he led us to the boat.
We were very surprised! They had brought the boat in from the storage warehouse and unwrapped it, and put it into a large heated work bay with tools and a bench. " Heres all the tools you'll need, go through the boat and make sure it meets your needs, let me know when your done, I'm not going to hang over your shoulder and pressure you." Scott said, and left us to check out the boat for an hour. We were stunned, the last place we had looked would not let us look at the boat like that unless we bought it, which I did not like at all.
We were immediately impressed. The boat, even though 18 years old was in great shape. I checked the hull first and saw it to be in very good shape, having only scrapes in the aluminum on the riveted keel rib, regular wear from rocks in New England, and a 1 1/4" slit that did not penetrate the hull, an easy fix with a TIG weld, or aluminum weld epoxy and a file. Bob is a master mechanic and electrician, he checked the motor, a 1989 Evinrude 50hp in very clean and well maintained shape. (the boat originally came with a 40hp, and is rated for a max. of 70hp.) The spark plugs were seasoned but almost new, and the wiring was solid. The prop is new and the lower unit was rebuilt this spring, a pricey job if you pay someone.
I looked over the interior. I was happy to find all aluminum decks and transom, so replacing rotting wood will not be an issue in the future. The carpet was in good shape, but I will replace it in the fall as there are some worn areas, small holes, and a few stains. As you can see by the pictures there is plenty of storage compartments, a large bait well up front, a large livewell between the seats, and two smaller wells behind each seat. There is a battery charger, and three new batteries, one Garmin color fish/depth finder on the console, and one graytone Humminbird fishfinder on the bow. It even comes with a stereo am/fm cassette player, which I will replace with an all weather radio, as I can't think music will help our fishing!
The trolling motor is a neat feature. It is a Minn Kota AP55, with Auto Pilot. The motor is connected to the fish finder, and one plots a course by the electronic compass, and the motor follows the path automatically, we have never even seen one before. I also have a 30lb Minn Kota stern mount 30lb. trolling motor and another new battery from my canoe that will now go on the boat so we have enough power to fish our local watershed lakes that do not allow gas motors. There is a rod locker that will fit most of my fishing poles and wonderful pedestal seats for comfortable casting all day long.
The boat even comes with a pair of Cannon downriggers to run lures deep and at a steady depth, a type of fishing I know nothing about but may have to learn. The trailer is galvanized aluminum and in very good shape, tires are new, bearings are good and the winch and hitch are well cared for and the crank jack works well.
All in all one could not ask for a better deal. The boat was taken meticulously good care for throughout it's life so far, and I will continue to do so. Being a boat owner will be a big step, I am looking forward to working on the motor, boat and trailer as it needs maintenance, and modifying it to suit Bob and my style of fishing. The weather helped us greatly, if it were spring here in Massachusetts, I would have paid far more for all the boat and options I have described.
By summer Bob and I hope to fish tournaments, and I hope to spend many days fishing with the fishermen in my church, and vacationing at my aunts in Maine, camping out and fishing with Bob and his son. I will keep posting on the boat from time to time, repairs, modifications and tournament news as it happens and of course photos of the big fish we hope to catch now that we can get to them!
God bless, Mike.
Tue, 05 Feb 2008 23:52:00 +0000 - Fresh Water Prawn Fishing TripThis morning we went for a fresh water prawn fishing at the Belait river by boat...there were five of us. On arrival at the boat pick-up point near the Rasau bridge, we were greeted by an unexpected & uninvited creature...it was a 1 meter long crocodile! On seeing our presence it quickly make way and vanished under water...
...:: A gruesome sighting...! ::...
...:: Osman waiting for us under the Rasau bridge with his 18 foot long fibreglass boat ::...
....:: All eagerly looking for the best place to get started ::...
...:: Faizal 1st catch of the day.. ::...
...:: Followed by Mizan ::...
...:: And soon..everyone was posing with their catch.. ::...
...:: Pian with his fresh water prawn ::...
...:: The biggest catch of the day! King prawn caught by Mizan ::...
...:: More catch from Osman ::...
...:: Syazni manouvered the boat looking for another strategic location...::...
...:: Osman and his biggest prawn ::...
...:: Another catch from Pian ::...
...:: Syazni showing his catch ::...
...:: And another one...::...
...:: By mid-day one after another the prawn became our victims ::...
...:: At the end of the day we managed to catch a total of around 50 fresh water prawns or king prawns ::...By 5 pm we decided to call it a day...packed our things and headed home feeling satisfied and hoping to make another trip again in the near future with more catches and hopefully to catch that elusive big blue king prawns..!
Sun, 03 Feb 2008 11:21:00 +0000 - The Lipless Crank Bait
With the coming of spring, well in a few months for us New Englanders, it's time to bring out one of the ultimate springtime baits for bass. This is a truly versatile bait as it is made in many sizes, shapes, and patterns and each manufacturer's rattle has a distinct sound. On any given day one particular rattle may be your ticket to a full live well.
First photo. Sizes and weights range greatly, (top to bottom) 6" Cordell King Shad,silver scale,at 4oz., 4"Rat-L-Trap chart. perch, at 2oz., 4" Gag's Grabber, bunker pattern, at 1.5oz., Cotton Cordell suspending Spot, 1/2oz., Excaliber Xr50 lemon-lime, at 5/8oz., unknown make, gold shiner, at 1/2oz., Renegade mini, goldfish, at 1/8 oz.
each of these rattles, the largest with a thunderous crackle to the smallest with a sound like salt in a shaker. As with any bait, the proper rod, reel and line is needed to maximize the qualities of each lure. For the Cordell King and the 4" Trap I use a 7 ft. Ex-Heavy Shimano Convergence Rod, an Abu Garcia 6501C reel, spooled with 65lb. Power Pro braid. For the Mini, a 7ft medium Fenwick spinning rod, Shimano Sonora 2500 reel, and 10lb. Berkley Ironsilk. ( Ironsilk is discontinued, and a suitable replacement would be McCoys Mean Green, in 8lb. test.)
For each manufacturer, there are many patterns as you can see by the numerous depictions. There is quite literally a color combination for every water condition, temperature, and sun condition. on moderately sunny days in shallow to medium deep water, a natural pattern, as seen in the second photo are optimal. (top to bottom) Custom painted lure in sunfish pattern, 1/2oz., Cotton Cordell, bream pattern, 1/2 oz., Cotton Cordell, bass pattern, 1/2oz., Berkley Frenzy, bluegill pattern, 1/2oz.,
For the brightest of days, usually those that follow a weather front, metallic golds, blues, and silvers are best in shallow to medium depths. in stained water at any time bright colors like chartreuse, white, and lime green excel. On overcast or rainy days, dark solid patterns, reds, blues, browns do well. Remember, this is a general guide, as with any situation experiment and let the fish tell you what it wants!
Third photo. There are considerations of shape also. The dispersion of vibration from this bait, which is tremendous and causes the rattles inside to make so much noise, is also differentiated by the fish due to the shape of the lure body.
Look closely at the outline of the six lures shown, ignore the color and you can plainly see the difference in all of them. Even if they all had the exact same rattle, the body shape would make their hydrosignature very different, and the name of the game with this style of lure is vibration! This is the first thing you will notice when you fish this bait. The easiest retrieve follows a pattern like this; cast the lure out far as possible, this will be easy as their compact shape launches through the air like a missile. When the lure hits the water, count one second per foot,(on the sinking models, some suspend, some float) when you reach the desired level, sweep the rod back horizontal to swim, or up vertically to jig, and reel in between sweeps, the first sweep will tell you all you need to know about the baits wonderful dinner bell vibe that calls fish to the feast! If the water is cold, try simply slow reeling the line in until you feel the bait vibrate, then retrieve it steadily, when the bait stops dead, it's usually a strike. (top to bottom) Real life privateer lures, chart. perch, 5/8oz., Matzuo red foil, 5/8oz., custom painted lure, sunfish, 1/2oz., Berkley Frenzy, bluegill, 1/2oz., Real life privateer lures, Gold shiner, 3/4oz., Excaliber Xr50 red craw, 5/8oz.
Fourth photo. (as not to bore you with repetition, I will number the lures I have previously described. Top to bottom) 1) , 2) Rapala silver shiner, 1/2oz., 3) Cotton Cordell, gold shiner, 1/2oz., 4) Strike King, red craw, 1/2oz., 5), Real life privateer lures, baby bass pattern, 5/8oz., 6).
I like to start the season out with the lipless crank bait casting over newly emerging grass beds, letting the lure sink to the tips of the grass than ripping it free, sinking, and ripping again. This emulates a shad or bluegill, even a crayfish darting out of cover, which is a fatal mistake, then dipping back into the grass. The strike will usually come when the bait rips free of the grass.
Summer can be productive with a shallow or floating presentation, for shallow, after casting, as soon as the lure hits the water, reel fast over weeds and grass, (over, not through) ripping the lure free if you feel the bait tick the vegetation. Floating is a very new presentation for me. I purchased four lures on E-bay from a seller called 'Real Life Privateer'. I fully expected them to sink as most all lures of this type do. but these floated just below the surface, and when I reeled them in, they swam about six inches underwater, and I got slammed by a two lb. bass the first cast! since then, I have used this unusual lure with great success. They can be found at: www.reallifeprivateer.com. you will find the owner easy to deal with and very fair in price. I have other lures from him I will review in another post.
Photo five. (top to bottom, left to right) 1) Kinami rattler, blue/silver shiner, 3/4oz., 2), 3) Real life privateer lures, harlequin, 1/2oz., 4) Lew's speed lures, (a Bass Pro Shop brand, nice lures) crawfish pattern, 7/16oz., 5), 6) Cotton Cordell, pot belly Spot (the sides bow out, unlike most of these kind of baits, giving this lure a unique vibration, rare lure.) 1/2oz., 7) The Producers, chartreuse craw, 5/8oz., 8) Yo-zuri, Rattlin' Vibe, ghost shiner, 5/8oz.
If you are not familiar with these style of lures, you are missing a unique fishing experience. They work on salt or freshwater species and if you use a few different brands you will find they each have specific sounds and actions that will appeal to you, and to the fish. So far my favorites are Cotton Cordell Spots, which are easy to find and inexpensive, and Real life privateer floaters, as there is no other lipless crank bait that fills this niche in the water for this type of lure, so far as I have been able to find. Good fishing God bless, Mike.
Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:07:00 +0000 - Fishing Trip To Pulau Pelumpong
Yesterday we went for a fishing trip to the fish cage breeding gound at Pulau Pelumpong in the Brunei Bay area. There were thirteen of us. We met at exactly 5 pm at the boat landing area near the Muara Port. At about 5.20 pm we started out journey by boat accompanied by the brother of the owner of the fish cage, Lt. Col. (R) Hj.Kamaludin. The weather was fine and the water was calm..much to our relief!
...:: At The Boat Landing Area Near Muara Port...Waiting For The Rest Of The Members ::...
...:: On The Way To The Fish Cage Near Pulau Pelumpong Onboard A 30" Long Fishing Boat ::...
...:: Team Lumut Anglerz & Team Kaki Joran ::...
...:: Syazni & Rahman Preparing To Tackle The Sea ::...
...:: The Accomodation Area Where We Spend The Nite...It Was Quite Old But Still Strong Enough To Face The Bad Weather & The Fish Cages ::...
...:: Azwandi Casting His Baits ::...
...:: Osman With His First Catch ::...
...:: Enjoying Our Dinner Which Was Included In The Package...Everybody Seem To Be Hungry & The Food Was Not Bad ::...
...:: The Catch Of The Nite! Osman's Third Catch...A 0.8kg "barahan" ::...
...:: Kendy Posing With His Catch...::...
...:: Azwandi Showing His Catch ::...
...:: Our Total Catch Of The Nite...Not A Big Achievement But Still OK Considering That The Weather Was Getting Worse Through Out Of The Nite Which Send Some Of Us Sea-Sick!
...:: Some Of The Giant GTs And Barramundis Kept Inside The Cage For Exibition Purposes Only According To The Cage Owner..::...
...:: Early Morning...Everybody Packed Their Things And Ready To Go Back ::...
...:: Onboard The Same Fishing Boat Ready To Go Back To Shore ::...
...:: On Our Back From The Fish Cage...All Tired, Exhausted & Sleepy! ::...
...:: Reached The Boat LAnding Area After A Ten Minutes Journey From The Fish Cage & Unloading Our Fishing Gears & Equipments ::...
...:: That's The End Of Our Fishing Trip ::...p/s: For more pictures click here
Sat, 26 Jan 2008 05:03:00 +0000 - Mind Your Line!
There are a tremendous number of lines on the market now, and it can be difficult to choose which one to use. If you have the luxury of several fishing outfits, you can spool different lines for different conditions on different outfits. If not, you need to pick a line that will meet most of the conditions you fish.
Following are some ideas that works:
• For fishing heavy cover and rough conditions like rocks, pick a monofilament designed for it, usually designated tough, extreme or extra strength. Also try braids and fusion line.
• For fishing clear water, choose a thin, clear line. Fluorocarbon lines disappear underwater. Others are usually called extra limp, extra thin and other names that designate it as small diameter.
• For fishing vegetation like lily pads, moss and grass, try a thin, tough line. It can be a braid or a fused line. Names like Fireline, Spiderwire and Power Pro are all good.
• For setting a line class record, use a line that will break at the designated test. Most lines break well above the stated test and will be considered for the record at the test they break, not what is stated. There are few lines on the market that will break at the stated test, usually under names like record line or something similar.
• For spinning and spin cast reels, choose a thin, limp line for better casting. It can be mono, fusion or braid.
• Baitcasting reels handle most any kind of line, but stiffer line works well on them, much better than on a spinning reel.
Decide what kind of line you need. Change it often. Learn to tie a good knot. Then you won't be able to blame your line on the one that got away!
Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:14:00 +0000 - More from Bass Pro Shops.Here are the pictures I promised. I apologize for not having more close-ups of the actual lures and rods and reels. I know God willing, we will be going again soon and I will make it a point to get more specific with the images. Before I go again, I will post, and ask if there are any particular sections of the store, or product lines, lures, rods, reels, or displays any reader wants to see. I will take the list with me and do my best to cover the requests with pictures and a post.Photo Captions:
1) 35,000gal. aquarium, massive!
2) A small section of the lure and rod displays, saltwater section.
Tue, 15 Jan 2008 19:16:00 +0000 - Bass Pro Shops, Foxboro, MA. USA
Where to start? After two years of waiting here in New England, we finally have a Bass Pro Shops Store! By far the top of the food chain in the U.S. in outdoor equipment. One can find anything needed for fishing, from a child's beginner spin caster combo, to $50,ooo plus ultimate bass boats from Nitro. One can also find firearms, ammo, bows, camping equipment, outdoor bar-b-q supplies, fly rods and fly tying equipment, clothing for any season and terrain, and.... well the list goes on and on.
As we are concerned with fishing I will try to hold my overall excitement in check and stay on topic. No promises.
The size of the store alone is daunting. At 140,
000 sq. feet split into two levels complete with two large elevators to get people and shopping carts easily between floors, it is by far the largest outlet of its kind in the northeast. On entering the store the decor is engulfing and complete.
A large fireplace and sitting area is to the right of the main entrance, wood post and beam construction and wall mounts of bear, deer, elk, ducks, turkey, fox, wolf, pheasant, salt, and freshwater fish abound. The walls are laden with rustic box shelving holding antique fishing reels, guns, axes, knives, snowshoes and anything else that has ever been used to adventure in the wild.
There were over a thousand people of all ages
in the store during our visit, but due to it's size and layout we were never crowded or boxed in. The store staff was always available, and in great numbers, checkout was fast and efficient. Above the vast area of fishing line, tackle, and tackle boxes that is six or seven 15 ft. long isles with product on both sides, is a life size replica of a 42ft. 3,000 lb. humpback whale. To further help one understand the scale of things, above and to the right of the service counter fronted by multi-level glass cases full of both salt and fresh water fishing reels, is a hanging diorama including a 43ft. sport fishing boat from the 1960's, with an angler on deck fighting a large
Blue fin Tuna, complete with crashing waves. The center of the store from the top floor to the bottom, is a replica New England waterfall complete with live plants and trees, and mounts of native animal and bird species . The falls empty into a 5,500 gal. turtle pool, and then flows into a floor level 3,500 gal. trout pond. Standing in the center of the pond is a life size 1,600lb. bull moose mount. The trout in the pool average 24in.
To the right of this massive display is the aquarium, a 35,000gal. freshwater tank built from the rock backdrop of the falls, with a massive glass panel that measures around 14ft.X20ft. This is filled with some dozens of native species, including rainbow trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, catfish, sunfish, landlocked salmon, pickerel, and northern pike to name a few. This is an awesome opportunity to see these species in motion, and to add to the excitement the fish are fed live baitfish three times a week during the business day, showing how each species attacks and devours it's prey.
We had hoped to see this event, and showed up an hour before, but were so overwhelmed with everything around us we missed it! Next time for sure. Not yet open, but part of the store is the Blue fin lounge, a restaurant and bar where top quality meals will be served, at the time we had lunch at the food bar on the top level. There were sandwiches, nachos, sodas, coffee, fudge, and assorted snacks. The sandwiches were big and stuffed with great quality meats, more than fair for the price. along side of the food bar was a large dining area set up with a fireplace, and dozens of thick cushioned armchairs and couches, around large wooden trunks that served as tables. Bob and I sat around and ate and took in the view of all the store, and the scenery outside as well, the wall behind the dining area is a story tall glass viewport over woods and a pond. Out in the distance are mounts of deer and moose in the field and around the wood's edge. They add a neat ambiance, but also serve as objects of focus for the optics department at the end of the dining area, where you can test out any of several hundred types of spotting scopes and binoculars.
We started out in the plastics section of the fishing displays. 10 15ft. isles stocked back to back took a while to get through. Every type, color, size and scent of worm, grub, lizard, creature and frog could be found. We did notice that there were many empty places where items were sold out, but that is to be expected for the first few months open, and when the season kicks in the help will be hard pressed to keep the shelves stocked too.
About the only items I could not find were the higher end swimbaits in the 6"+ size like Huddleston, and Megabait Charlies, which are popular on the west coast but smaller sizes from companies like Storm, Berkley, and Zoom were abundant,
Hard baits were next in line, saltwater occupied 3 of the 10 isles opposite the plastics side, freshwater baits the balance. High end lures like Luckycraft and Yo-zuri had a good representation, Rappala had the biggest display I have ever seen. I would guess that 90% of their product line was represented.
Cotton Cordell, Excaliber, Storm(a subsidy of Rappala) , Heddon, Mann's, Smithwick, and of course BPS' own brand of lures were available in every imaginable pattern. Jerkbaits, topwater, crankbait, lipless crankbait, and poppers in all depths, and sizes and in various prices were there.
Rods and reels, well, if you could not find something to make your pulse race in this setting, you are probably dead. Shimano, Abu Garcia, Penn, Fenwick, Quantum, Diawa, take your pick, most every model, length, and weight rod was there to handle, and all the reels on display are setup on rod handles that you can remove from the display and test out for smoothness, brake investigation, and drag inspection.
Be warned, don't bring the rent money with you if you go, and take care with the credit card. Spending money here is so easy, but the trip is worth every second!
Tue, 08 Jan 2008 16:02:00 +0000
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