Fly Casting Basics: The 5 Essentials:

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Other languages Selection 我要阅读华文版 飞钓基础：五大要素： Saya nak Baca Dalam BM (Bahasa Malaysia) Asas Pancing Layang: Lima Elemen Utama: Fly Casting Basics: The 5 Essentials: Fly fishing is a unique and rewarding sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels. However, it can also be a bit intimidating for beginners, especially when it comes to casting the fly. That’s where the five essentials of fly casting come in. These five elements are the foundation of successful fly casting, and they can help you make the most of your time on the water. Maintain straight-line path of the rod tip (SLP) The SLP is the path that the tip of your fly rod travels when you cast. It should be a straight line from the start of the cast to the end. A straight line path will help you to generate a smooth, powerful cast that will deliver your fly to the target accurately. Correct casting arc for the amount of line used The casting arc is the shape of the path that the fly line travels through the air during a cast. The arc should be wider for longer casts and narrower for shorter casts. The correct arc will help you to load the rod properly and generate the power you need to cast the fly effectively. General thumb of rule:Short line = short arcLong line = long arc Correct power application Power application is the amount of force that you apply to the rod during the cast. Too much power can cause the fly line to form a tailing loop and tangle your leader or fly line. Too little power on the other hand can result in a weak cast that will not reach the target. Therefore the correct amount of power will vary depending on the length of the cast and the type of fly you are using. Correct timing and stroke The timing of the stroke is the speed and rhythm of your casting motion. The stroke should be smooth and controlled, with a pause at the end of each forward and backward motion. The correct timing will help you to generate a smooth, powerful cast that will deliver your fly to the target accurately. General thumb of rule: Short line = Short stroke = Short pauseLong line = Long stroke =  Long pause Elimination of slack line throughout the cast Slack line is any excess line that is not being pulled by the rod tip. Slack line can cause the fly to wobble or to be cast erratically. By eliminating slack line, you will ensure that your fly is presented to the fish in a natural and effective manner. All in all, mastering these five essentials will take time and practice, but it is essential for any angler who wants to be successful at fly fishing. With patience and dedication, you can learn to cast the fly accurately and confidently, which will open up a world of possibilities for you on the water. To sum it up:Short line = short stroke = Short pause = small arc = less powerLong line = long stroke = Long pause = big arc = more power

Mengungkap Misteri Jarak Pancing Layang: Memahami Jarak Casting Anda

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Other languages Selection 我要阅读华文版 解密飞钓中的抛投距离：了解您抛投的范围 I want to read in English Demystifying Fly Casting Distances: Understanding the Range of Your Cast Mengungkap Misteri Jarak Pancing Layang: Memahami Jarak Casting Anda Pancing Layang, satu seni yang memikat pemancing dengan pendekatan uniknya untuk memikat ikan. Sementara menguasai rumitnya teknik melempar adalah kunci kesuksesan, seringkali muncul pertanyaan umum: sejauh mana seseorang bisa melemparkan garis pancing layang? Jarak casting pancing layang dipengaruhi oleh beberapa faktor, termasuk kehadilan pemancing, panjang rod, tali fly, dan kondisi angin. Bagi pemula, mencapai jarak yang konsisten sejauh 30 hingga 40 kaki adalah matlamat yang realistik. Seiring berkembangnya kemahiran casting, pemancing berpengalaman dapat melemparkan jarak 70 hingga 90 kaki atau lebih jauh dalam kondisi ideal. Berikut adalah pembagian jarak boleh dicapai bagi pemancing: Pemula: 30 hingga 50 kakiPemancing Intermediate: 60 hingga 70 kakiPemancing Berpengalaman: 80 hingga 90 kaki atau lebih Ingatlah, sementara syioknya bila kita dapat cast jarak yang jauh, pancing layang bukanlah sekadar tentang jarak; ia lebih kepada menyampaikan umpan fly anda dengan lebih accurate dan efektif untuk memikat ikan. Fokuslah pada pengembangan teknik casting dan retrieve anda, memahami kondisi angin, dan memilih tali fly yang sesuai untuk situasi. Dengan latihan dan dedikasi, anda akan dapat cast dengan cantik dan menikmati sensasi pancing layang bila dapat ikan trophy anda.

解密飞钓中的抛投距离：了解您抛投的范围

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Other languages Selection I want to read in English Demystifying Fly Casting Distances: Understanding the Range of Your Cast Saya nak Baca Dalam BM (Bahasa Malaysia) Mengungkap Misteri Jarak Pancing Layang: Memahami Jarak Casting Anda 解密飞钓中的抛投距离：了解您抛投的范围 飞钓，一门将精准与艺术融为一体的技艺，以其独特的方式吸引着钓手。虽然掌握抛投的复杂性对成功至关重要，但一个问题经常出现：飞钓到底可以抛多远呢？ 飞钓的距离受到多种因素的影响，包括钓手的技能水平、竿的长度、飞钓线的重量和风况。对于初学者来说，实现30到40英尺的距离是一个现实的目标。随着技能的发展，经验丰富的钓手在理想条件下可以抛出70到90英尺甚至更远的距离。 以下是不同技能水平的典型抛投距离： 初学者：30到40英尺中级钓手：50到70英尺经验丰富的钓手：80到90英尺或更多 记住，虽然能够抛出远距离令人满足，但飞钓并不是关于抛得最远的事情；鱼会更在乎准确和有效地呈现毛钩以引诱鱼类。专注于发展您的抛投技术，了解风况，并为情况选择适当的飞线。通过练习，您将很快能够精准的抛投并享受飞钓的刺激。

Demystifying Fly Casting Distances: Understanding the Range of Your Cast

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Other languages Selection 我要阅读华文版 解密飞钓中的抛投距离：了解您抛投的范围 Saya nak Baca Dalam BM (Bahasa Malaysia) Mengungkap Misteri Jarak Pancing Layang: Memahami Jarak Casting Anda Demystifying Fly Casting Distances: Understanding the Range of Your Cast Fly fishing, an art of blending precision with artistry, captivates anglers with its unique approach to enticing fish. While mastering the intricacies of casting is crucial for success, one common question often arises: how far can one cast a fly line? The distance of a fly cast is influenced by several factors, including the angler’s skill level, rod length, weight of the fly line, and wind conditions. For beginners, achieving consistent casts of 30 to 40 feet is a realistic goal. As skills develop, experienced anglers can cast distances of 70 to 90 feet or even farther under ideal conditions. Here’s a breakdown of typical fly casting distances for different skill levels:  Beginners: 30 to 40 feet Intermediate Anglers: 50 to 70 feet Experienced Anglers: 80 to 90 feet or more Remember, while it is satisfying to be able to cast a long distance, fly fishing is not about casting the farthest; it’s about presenting the fly accurately and effectively to entice fish. Focus on developing your casting technique, understanding the wind conditions, and selecting the appropriate fly line for the situation. With practice and dedication, you’ll soon be casting with precision and enjoying the thrill of fly fishing.

Gliss N Glint Clouser – The new Peacock Bass Candy?

Fly Fishing Trip, Freshwater Trip, , , ,

The chase for the Peacock Bass is never ending. With more and more people discovering fly fishing as the preferred way to target this hard fighting freshwater sportfish, fly patterns to specifically target this species are getting more and more elaborate and some are adding more accessories to the flies that are designed to catch the angler.

A quick revisit to the Urban Jungle – EAK

Fly Fishing Trip, Freshwater Trip, , , , , , ,

EAK (Empangan Air Kuning) is a popular spot for fly fishing in Malaysia, known for its pacu and toman fishing. It is the place where you can still catch the pacus with the conventional flies like Hopper, Nymph, Wooly buggers or even baitfish. So without wasting much time, we started with a quick nymph and hopper. Based on our past experience the first cast on the water would land us something but not today. The pond was perfectly still with no pacu rising action at all. However, the tomans were strangely abundant and active, with easily more than 5-6 pairs circling and cruising around. After no willing takers from the pacus in the middle of the pond, we decided to go to the side and try our luck. Just as we reached the bridge, we saw a pacu rise, we quickly casted and wait. With a few twitches, the Pacu took the fly and instantly dash into the structure. I tightened the drag and moved as far as I could from the structures, trying to prevent the fish from going in. After a few minutes of tug of war, I managed to land the first fish of the day. Then the whole pond quiet down again and it went back to the waiting game again. Not wanting to wait for too long, we decided to chum the Pacus with some bread. However the fish was not in feeding mood that day, only after around 20-30 minutes another rise from the middle of the pond, we jogged over there and casted our flies. Just as the fly sunk 1-2ft below the surface, I felt a great tug and that’s it, another hook up! Since I remembered there were no structures in the middle of the pond, I didn’t tighten the drag as much, and that became one of my fatal mistake. I underestimated the fish and it actually took off to the opposite bank towards the big sunken tree. By the time, I realised and tried to lock my drag, the fish had circled the tree trunk and broke off my fly. It showed how vicious these species can be. With no time to repent on my stupid mistake, I retied my fly and did the whole waiting game again, only this time my drag was locked. After another rise was within the sight, I casted and landed it. Then the same routine went on for awhile before we had to leave for work. Overall, it was a fruitful short trip though not as many as before. Fishing Report: March 2023 – 3 hours of fishing – 5 strikes and hookups – 3 landed

Sebarau on Popper Fly

Fly Fishing Trip, Fly Pattern, Freshwater Trip, , , ,

The sebarau is one of the more exciting fresh water gamefish to target on fly, especially on surface fly. The take of the sebarau on surface fly is always exciting, providing a sensory overload from the visual, auditory and kinesthetic sense. The best time to target them on surface is in the early mornings and late evenings, where they will be actively hunting on the surface for any unsuspecting prey such as grasshoppers, spiders or any unfortunate insects that get blown onto the water. The use of large noisy poppers in bright colours, decorated with flashy tinsels and enhanced with UV flash works best. In the early morning, we would cruise the banks of the waterway where there is thick vegetation and if there is a tree that has fallen into the water, that’s the best place to find them hunting actively. Once we have located a likely spot, we would shut down the boat engine and slowly drift into position, careful not to drift too close. The boat will be drifting parallel to the bank about 50 to 60 feet away. We would pick a target, usually a tree trunk partly submerged or a clump of vegetation and cast to it. Once the ripple has settled, the line is stripped in a short burst and rod tip is twitched to enhance the action and the commotion of the popper. The trick here is to “ pop”, stop and then “pop” again. This action allows the popper to remain in the strike zone longer while giving time for the sebarau to examine the fly. They usually take the fly when it starts moving. There are times when they will follow the fly close to the boat and take the fly before diving down into the deeper water. Sometimes, the sebarau will take the popper on the drop if it lands near them. It is important to hang on the line at the last cast so that your hand is always in contact with the line. Some people would just let go of the line and let it fly out, adding distance to the cast. While this is good if you are distance casting, but to catch fish, the hand needs to always be in contact with the line, ready to strip strike when the fish take the fly. Lifting the rod to strike like when doing conventional fishing will only pull the fly out from the fish’s mouth. In the late evenings, the sebarau will hunt in groups and it is this behavior that gives them the name River Wolves. They can be seen charging at helpless baitfish near the surface and it takes speed, accuracy and a cool head to cast to them. In this situation, once the popper lands, start popping fast and hard. A strike usually doesn’t take very long. ~More Gallery Click Here~

If you want fish, parabellum

Fly Fishing Trip, Freshwater Trip, , , , , , ,

If you want fish, parabellum An exact same place but totally different experience in Royal Belum Nic Chew FFI CCI Royal Belum, famously known for their jam packed top water action Sebaraus and Tomans, is a place everyone would definitely visit for an intense adrenaline rushing experience in Malaysia. The same goes for us too! After skipping 2 years of Royal Belum trip due to the pandemic, we are finally back to the place where we were hoping to satisfy our top water action thrill. That was what we thought initially. However, reality is not always what it seem. It was totally different from what we had expected, there were almost no boiling and rises in the early morning and evening. To make it worse, loud noises actually scared the fish away (we can actually see the toman swimming away from our popper) so our hope of seeing some top water explosion went down the drain and we were left dumbfounded. It was completely different from all of our previous trips.   We were quite disappointed but still changed to sinking line and used flies like clouser and baitfish even in the dawn and dusk throughout the whole trip. Some of our boat mates still continue with popper but the fish didn’t reciprocate. With sinking setup, we managed to catch ourselves quite a few fair sizes of sebarau. As for the tomans, they were so spooky that they only took big gliding and most importantly quiet fly. We only managed to come to that conclusion when the tomans refused to even look at big streamers and poppers when we casted in their strike zone but took the lure instantly when one when one of guys casted a pencil lure at the exact same spot. So we suspected they want something that is quiet and create lots of waves. With that in mind, we quickly searched for our fly box for all possible big gliding flies but unfortunately we only have a 3 inches mouse. We casted the mouse and got 1 strike very quickly but didn’t manage to hook it up. When we went back to the boat house, we found out that Dron actually tied a big gliding fly, his ‘Royal Belum Special’ to target the tomans. We asked the fly from Dron and used it on the next evening. Without a doubt, our suspicion was right, the RB special was taken immediately but very gently when the fly dropped into the water and glided a few feet. Then it turned into a series of tug of war between man and fish, one trying to prevent getting catch and another trying to make sure it didn’t go into the branches. With the first successful toman landed on fly during the trip, we told the rest of our boat mates and straightaway at night, few of us started to tie the RB special. I believe you know what happened next. The next day, the rest of the gang was landing one tomans after another using the RB Special and others changed to walk the dog and pencil lure. Thus the photos and the gallery All in all, this was really an eye opening trip for us. It actually taught us to be well prepared for any situation. So next time when you see us, we are most probably geared with flies for almost all condition and any species of fish. As one of the Latin phrase goes, “Si vis pacem, parabellum”, which means, if you want peace, then prepare for war.   I’mma change it to this “If you want fish, para bellum.” ~More Gallery Click Here~

Royal Pahang Billfish International Challenge (RPBIC)

Fishing Trip, Saltwater Trip, , , ,

Royal Pahang Billfish International Challenge (RPBIC) Through the eyes of Blue Water Anglers Brandon Ho FFI CCI RPBIC is the most prestigious billfish fishing competition in Malaysia and since its inception in 2004, has attracted teams from all over the world, each with one goal in mind, catching, tagging and releasing the magnificent billfish in the waters off Rompin. Being a fly angler, I have been chasing the Rompin sailfish since 2020 and the thrill of hooking and landing one has never ceased to excite me. Chasing these magnificent fish has been on my bucket list since I first heard about their acrobatic jumps and blistering runs which could reach 110km/h. James Isaac was instrumental in helping me land my first sail on fly. Every year without fail, we will book Capt Steven Chong’s boat for our rendezvous with the Rompin sails. With the pandemic closing the borders, we were lucky to be still able to fish locally. Having booked our slot for 17-18 Sept 2022, without knowing that the RPBIC would be held, we were busy tying flies, preparing our fly fishing gear for our annual sailfish pilgrimage. Later, we learnt that the competition would be held and we decided to give it a go. Having only landed one sailfish on conventional gear prior to this, it was a foolhardy decision. With our usual sailfish comrades, a team was formed and after much brainstorming, Blue Water Anglers came into being. James, Clevin, Nic and I made up the team and with Capt Steven as the skipper, we were in good hands. We registered for the event 5 days before the closing date and from then it was a chaotic rush to get our gears ready. Rod and reels were sourced to supplement whatever basic gear we had and Boon Cheng came to our rescue by loaning us some top quality gear from Penn and Abu Garcia. We arrived at Rompin Beach Resort (RBR) on a very wet Friday afternoon. The unusual thunderstorm was not expected and it caused concern for the next two days of competition. Rain was forecast for the weekend and rough sea condition was expected. But from the excited faces of the participants and confident demeaner of the organizers, all looked good. Fishing would be competitive and fun, rain or no rain. After registering our team and collecting our goodie bags, we headed to our homestay, a comfortable two-storey house with 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. It was perfect for the 4 of us. You know this is a homestay for anglers when you see a large chest freezer on the porch and rod holders in the living room. Dinner was at the famous Rompin Baru Restaurant and the highlight of our meal was the Sizzling Hot Plate Squid, which happened to be in season during this time. After dinner, we were back at the homestay for some last minute preparations. FG knots were retied with fresh leaders, equipment was checked and rechecked. Contents of tackle box were recounted to make sure everything we need for the competition was there. It was going to be hard to sleep that night!! We were up at 6 am and within minutes all our gear was loaded and we headed out for our Nasi Dagang breakfast, a traditional meal that consists of bonito cooked in thick curry sauce, riced steamed with coconut milk and pickle vegetable added to the side. It is one meal I would not miss when I am on the East coast of Peninsular Malaysia. We arrived at the jetty slightly after 7 to meet Capt Steven. His boat was park a short distance away from the event jetty. A short 5 minutes cruise, we arrived and went ashore to collect our tags and boat stickers. We also had a draw to select our marshal for the day. A fine gentleman by the name of Mizal, who is always ready with a smile. While waiting for the flag off, our anticipations rose. I still could not believe that we were actually part of the RPBIC. Boats were lined up and the captains were in their pilot seat, participants looking at each other, sizing up the competition. This year there were only a total of 14 teams and some came as far as India, Australia, Singapore and of course the host country, Malaysia. The siren sounded and the we were off! We were speeding towards the FAD, locally known as the “unjang”. The first order of the day was to fill up the live bait well. Multi hook jigs or better known as Apollo jigs were set up. The plan was to have 3 anglers jigging for baitfish and one to remove the hook. Every minute counted and when we sensed the boat slowing down, we all jumped into action. There was no time for small talk and jokes. Even fishing for baitfish was stressful. After 30 minutes, Capt Steven looked at the live well and said, “ Ok. Enough. We head out now.” I estimated that there were an approximate 30 or so fish in the live well. The first spot was about an hour and a half away. Fishing for sailfish is like a gamble. If the sailfish are at the predicted spot, you would have a good catch, but if they are not, then it was time wasted travelling. Moving about to find fish is time consuming and will cost you the chance at catching them. Competition like this depends on luck as much as skills. Having a knowledgeable and skillful captain is essential. Half the battle is won when you have the right Captain and Captain Steven is one of the most sought after captain for sailfish in Rompin. On the way to the sailfish grounds, we had a strategy planning and everyone had a clear idea of what to do. As we were approaching our fishing ground, we all scanned the distance to look for birds. Hovering birds was a sign…

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