Catch Report: Batam fishing 29-30/04/06

[fishguy360]

Catch Report written by one of my kaki, Francis.


Anglers involved:
Tony
Henry
Terry
Myself

Weather: Superb with slight breeze all night
Water: Clear and calm
Current: Mid to strong


29/04/06
Started the day with a slight delay when Tony realised he left his passport at home after he reached Harbourfront Ferry Terminal. So supposingly schedule to depart on first ferry at 7.40am have to be change to 9.10am. We end up taking a slow coffee session at Mac while waiting for Tony's return.

Finally, he arrived at 8.00am and we quickly proceed to collect tickets and do the cooler boxes check-in.

All were sleeping on the ferry so to maintain energy for whole night fishing. Reached batam at 9.15am(Batam time) and Azman, the boat owner greeted us warmly. After some exchange of hello, we proceed to load up the tackles and stuffs to his jeep and proceed to another breakfast. During breakfast, Azman informed us that his deckie had scooped abt 2kg of fresh squids the night before and pack nicely in newspaper to maintain freshness. Thumbs up!

After breakfast, we went to fill up the cooler boxes with ice and buy our neccesities like drinks, tibits etc for our trip. Journey to the fishing boat jetty was abt an hour passing by the 7 islands on 7 different bridges.

Finally, we arrive at the jetty around 1pm. We quickly transfer all our stuffs onto the boat and everyone start to set up their killer tackles.

First spot was about 1.5hrs away, and when the engine stopped, everyone gets into position and drop their line. Lotsa nibbling and a few coral species like Teeboon, Angoli etc were brought up. After 1 hr, boatman wanted to change spot and all lines were up.

We took our packed lunch of chicken rice while the boat move to the second spot which is about 1 hr away, and we start hitting on Kachi, after Kachi. after which we shifted the boat and we start hitting on Teeboon and more Teeboon which get bigger in size.

All action dies down after 6 plus and boatman requests lines to be retrieved to proceed to night spot. We reached the spot about 7plus in the evening, and the squid's lamp was setup. Groups of squids were scooped, mostly about 10cm to 15cm long including a few arrow squids around 30cm long.

As I was busy looking out for squids while Terry helped himself with some fun scopping the squids, suddenly there was some commotion at the front of the boat, and we realised the deckie had a good take and was fighting the fish on Penn 325LD. After 5mins, the fish surfaced and it was a beautiful Angcho weighing at 1.2kg. Everyone's morale was high and baits were changed to whole piece or larger strips. But we got was nurse shark after nurse shark.

In less than 1 hr, there were some shouting at the front of the boat again, and we saw one of the deckie holding his rod which bent to a "n".. after 10mins, the leader appeared and Terry shouted Angcho, but it look like something else. When the fish is finally brought onto the boat, we realised it is a Jew fish instead. Scale were brought out and the fish weighed 3.2kg. Accordingly to the pawang, this is considered a juvenile, as Jew fish can grow up to more than 20kg in size.

Before we even keep the Jew fish in the cooler box, Azman register a strong take and line start to peel out from his 870N, from the look of the few short bursts, it looks like an Angcho this time... All lines were automatically retrieved to let Azman had a proper undisturbed fight space, everyone was watching in anticipation for the fish to surface. After 20mins, an shimmering object surfaced and it was yet another Jew fish weighing at 4.2kg. All that, more pests(nurse shark) were brought up and action start to slow down once again.

While some proceed to take dinner while the boat do reparking, others were happily chatting again with booze and tibits. Weather was fantastic with clear sky and slight breeze.

We return back to fishing soon but tide were slowing down and action was slow except the nuisance nurse sharks which constantly steal our baits.


30/04/06
Just after 2am, Azman had another strong take, line start to peel on the 665N with 7kg drag. But all of sudden, the line slacked, we thought perhaps leader had burst, but when Azman retrieve the line, what was on the hook was just a small eel! The pawang check the eel body and there were bite marks on it, but what kind of fish will take on a eel?

After that, current start to pick up very fast, and even size 16 could not keep the bait on the seabed. Terry attempted using size 16+10 and he manage to keep it to the seabed.

At around 4am plus, suddenly everyone's rod register some nibbling and everyone thought the fish are beginning to bite, then Henry's rod bend first, follow by the deckie on the other side of the boat, then Terry's rod, then Tony's, Azman's and mine as well. We then realised something either hit on Henry's or the deckie's rod and the fish was circling under the boat which entangled everyone's line, including the anchor rope.

Lotsa speculation were make that it could be a mama ray, cobia, baracudda etc. After much consideration, lines were cut one by one but with much caution not to cut the wrong line as we were not too sure the fish on whose line. Finally with just Henry's line, we move to the front and pull up the anchor rope, only to see lotsa braided line on it... and something shimmering surfaced as well.. Terry was holding the graf, and he immediately put it into the mouth of the fish and lift up. A 5.5kg Tengirri! Apparently, the Tengirri got so exhausted that he already died in the water before we brought it up.

Not much action from then on, and some start to take short naps while others focus on scooping squids till day break. Usual coral species were caught and we also did some trolling but too our disappointment, no take.

We return to jetty at 10am.

Overall, though not excellent catch, it was an enjoyable trip with good company. Will be back next week to look for the missing in action partner - Angcho.

Sorry if there are grammertical mistake in the Catch Report and if I had been too long winded.

Enjoy the pics.