The Silver… no, the ‘Blue’ Lining of Hope

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The Silver… no, the ‘Blue’ Lining of Hope Nic Chew FFI CCI It was just like any another normal Sunday morning routine where we head over to a local pond to try out new pattern and learn different fishing techniques to further polish our crafts. This trip was not any different until Darrell had an unexpected catch. This week, we decided to revisit Kok Fishing Pond at Rawang. This round with us were Brandon, Ben, Otto, Thian, Darrell and Janice. As usual, upon arrival what we can see was swarm of people and what greeted us this time was this guy beside us with his “katak reel” that sang as the patin pulled it across half the distance of the pond. Without wasting anymore time, we unpacked our stuff under the big tree for its shade and began casting into the pond full of frenzied patin. Fish on! Just a couple of minutes into fishing and there Ben and Brandon caught the first fish of the day. However, it was so hot that I had decided to wait out until it had cooled off a bit. There I was thinking how good it would be if the weather was cooler. There I jinxed it, granted the weather started to cool off but what followed after was heavy rain pouring down like heaven’s smith. One by one all anglers at the pond were packing up and ran to look for shelter, as for us we had made use of the metal bar nearby and our tarpaulin to quickly pitch up a makeshift shelter. Despite this, Otto and Darrell weren’t giving up till the last minute, they were casting one after another hoping that one would hook up. It was that time when the rain was simply too heavy and Darrell quickly reeled in his line, suddenly Otto’s rod started twitching and you guessed it, a fish! What a sight! Seeing the fish was almost on land, I immediately looked for the net and assisted Otto in landing his fish. That’s the fish you can see from the photo below. After that, we too went and hide in our cozy tent while waiting for the rain to stop. It was a quick rain though, around 30-45 minutes the rain had started to subsided, after the pulled from the patin earlier and craving for more, Otto continued to fish then followed by Brandon and rest of the gang. Not long after, Brandon caught another patin again. Even though all of us were casting to the same frenzy but Brandon was definitely catching more fish compared to all of us and I got none so far. So to put the luck factor out, I decided to change my fly from a baitfish fibre bread fly to rabbit fur zonker bready fly and that worked like a charm. I started catching one fish after another too. I wanted to experiment more with more variable with the fly but was relunctant to change the fly that worked so well. Eventually I still changed, testing the colour, size, sink rate and more. Then we were also joined by Razlan and his friends at the other side of the pond too. By 7p.m. everyone had gotten handful of catches, we had multiple double, triple or even quadruple hook ups. Fish population and susceptibility to fly is definitely not an issue here. However it was not the case for Thian, seems like luck was not with him that day. And as usual I spoke too soon, the moment I finished thinking about it that he hooked up a fish then Darrell too, a double hook up again! Thian was able to land his fish faster so I helped him to capture his trophy shoot. Suddenly Darrell began to laugh out loud as he had caught a fishing rod! Yes you read and hear it right, a fishing rod, a blue fishing spinning rod! What’s more, the fish was still hooked to the rod! We tried to reel it in but the reel and drag were covered with mud and got stuck so the attempted was in vain. The owner of the rod must have heard our laughter and saw Darrel reeling his rod up. He quickly ran over and reclaimed his rod. It was rather unfortunate that I was not able to take the photo of the scene as my hands were packed with taking trophy shot for Thian and helping Darrell to get the rod before it fell into the water again. Even so, I believe it will be a topic that we will bring up and laugh over it over a gathering for a long time. Think about it, what are the chances of one catching a fishing rod on fly? At the end of the day, it was a fruitful or fishful day for us. We were able to catch plenty of fish and validate some of our questions on the fly pattern and materials. Most importantly, the smile and joy on the face of the owner of the rod we caught it back for him just made the whole trip worthwhile. ~More Gallery Click Here~

Terengganu Fly Fishing Festival: An Experience of Tranquility in Malaysia

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

Terengganu Fly Fishing Festival: An Experience of Tranquility in Malaysia Nic Chew FFI CCI Every time when we talk about fly fishing, the first thought of it is commonly trout fishing in the western countries with beautiful scenery and decent size of fish as seen from Facebook or Youtube. On the other hand when we mention fly fishing in Malaysia, the first thing that came to my mind was those adrenaline rushing and challenging saltwater fish like Sailfish, GTs, Milkfish… or some powerful packed predatory species like Toman and Haruan(Snake head families), Sebarau and Peacock bass, then the rest are pay ponds of variety species. Never once that the image of “western trout fishing scene” pops up in my mind. While Malaysia does have its fair share of nature that could even transcend and comparable to other countries, but the places we go fishing are just not up to par yet, either not having a beautiful scenery or just simply not having decent size and quantity. I believe it is the dream of many fly fishermen in Malaysia to be able to ‘trout fly fish’ in Malaysia. However, my opinion about not having a good ‘trout fly fishing’ spot was immediately slapped and changed when I experienced it first hand in Terengganu. It was just couple months ago, when we came across a poster from facebook on TFFF, Terengganu Fly Fishing Festival. The main aim of this event is to promote Sungai Berang as an eco-tourism destination for all locals and foreign fishermen and nature preservation and conservation. Seeing this as a great opportunity to promote Malaysia water and fly fishing to more Malaysian, we decided to sign up and help out. Though fishing was included in the event, it was never really in our list as we were quite skeptical about it, we thought that it can never be compared to places like in the states, Borneo or Mongolia. Then here comes 28th February 2020, the day of the event. At the dawn of the day, excitedly as ever, we first met up with Mr Brandon and departed together at 4a.m. then later met up with Mr Dron, Mr Ben, Mr Eddie & his wife, Mr Quek, Mr Chris and Mr Ong, all well-known individuals in the fishing industries. All of our cars were stopping beside the highway and we were deciding where to go for a breakfast before we continued to our 5 hours long journey. As the discussion came to a conclusion, all of us went back to our own vehicles and headed to our next destination, Karak for breakfast. Everything was going as plan until later when we realised, we actually got the wrong information and went to the wrong place. It was supposed to be Karak City but we went to Karak. After a short while, we all agreed to have our breakfast at different areas and to meet later on. Disappointed, we continued our journey and looked for a place to eat. And that’s how we stumbled across a hidden gem. We stopped by at Temerloh RnR to have our breakfast. To our surprise, all the stalls were selling Patin cooked in tempoyak. Daring we were, we ordered 2 bowls of the patin along with some common Malaysia breakfast staple, nasi lemak and teh tarik and coffee. Still feeling doubtful on the taste, we slowly scooped a spoon full of the gravy and tasted it. “Wah” was the first word that we heard, why? It’s delicious of course. Spoon after spoon, we continue to gobble our meal to the point where you can hear the sound of metal spoon scrapping against the plastic bowl. What a great way to fill our famish belly and prepare for our journey. At 10.30a.m., after the long and exhausting ride 6 hours ride, we finally arrived in Terengganu and met up with the rest of the gang, but before we proceed to the venue of the event, we went to check in to our hotel room. Following by that was our lunch. Another scrumptious meal we had, nasi dagang Kak Zah. For those who plan to fish in Terengganu, this is the place that you can’t miss, just take a detour to come here for a quick meal before going for your fishing trip, you won’t regret it. For the taste and smell of it, I will leave the photos to show you and your imagination to satisfy your craving for it. Filling another round of starving belly, we were finally ready to head to the event. The drive from the restaurant was an eye opening 45 minutes ride, though the road is narrow, it was complemented with a magnificent scenery, a field of lush green palm oil plantation, truly stunning. The serenity would just simply take all your problems away, leaving you feeling relax and carefree throughout the journey. The moment we arrived at the hall of the event, we were blessed with the sight of a decent sized Sikang which was just freshly caught by a fellow fly fisherman earlier ago. Why the sight of a Sikang would considered a blessing, some have asked. It is because it is considered one of the most challenging fish to catch despite being quite predatory and they are rare too. After gazing upon its gracefulness, we carried on to prepare for the day, setting up booth and shop to promote this unique sport of fly fishing along with others too like Dron and Brandon from FlyTyingNation Asia Distribution, Ben, Quek and Boon Cheng from Fenwick, Paul Arden from Sexy Loop and many more. In order to make this event a success, the organiser had even closed the whole stretch of river for 3-4 months just to ensure the fish have time to feed and reproduce without any hindrance so participants have a higher opportunity to catch this mystical fish, kudos to them who made the arrangement. They had also managed to gathered the support of over 100 fly fishermen…

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Fellowship of the Fly Rods – An informal get together at Fish Valley

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Fellowship of the Fly Rods An informal get together at Fish Valley Brandon Ho FFI CCI Standing behind the wooden fence, we scanned the water surface for signs of fish. The floating buns only attracted nibbles from small fish. The monsters we were looking for had not shown up. Tossing a few more buns into the water, we waited but this time, we didn’t have to wait long. A huge mouth open and swallowed the fist sized bun. Almost immediately, another bun disappeared. Wasting no time, we rushed to grab our rods. By the time we got back to the spot, the water had all but became calm. Clevin took up position, took a bun and threw in to a spot 30 feet away. We looked at him with a frown. “These pacu are too smart to come so near. Throw it further out” He took another bun, concentrated and then arched back to deliver the bun… and it landed next to the first bun! We stared at him and he looked at the two floating buns in disbelieve. Determined, he position a row of buns on the wooden fence and released a barrage of flying buns outward. They landed slightly further. Now, it was waiting time. Soon, the small nibbles gave way to larger splashes. More buns were tossed in, until the fish could be seen rolling over the bread. Time to cast! Armed with #6 rods, the fly needed to be delivered within a few cast, usually not more than 3 casts. Casting flies as large as #1 was not easy, especially on the #6 rod. The wind was not making things any easier. The fly was cast a few feet beyond the frenzy and allowed to sink slowly to where the fish are holding. The fluorocarbon leader is perfect as the line is denser than monofilament and sinks better. It is also almost invisible under water, great for spooky fish. As the line is slowly sinking, stay focus as the line could shoot out anytime. Darrell got the first hookup and the smallish Pacu was brought in without much effort. Then it was Nic with a slightly better fish. Everyone was hooking and fighting fish. Soon the late morning sun was getting too hot and we retreated to our usual table under the gazebo for an early lunch. Soon, our friends started arriving. Taking time to set up their gear, they then proceeded to carry out the routine of Pacu fishing. They have perfected the art of catching Pacu. One was given the task of tossing buns while the others stood on standby to cast. The buns had to made available continuously to ensure the fish stayed in the area. When someone caught a fish, one person was waiting by the bank with a landing net.  This well-polished team work like the professional pit stop crew. You will want to fish with these guys. More and more people turned up and these were the big names in the local fly fishing scene. It was fun to watch them fish. Each with their unique technique and secret flies but the secret was generously shared. Even flies were offered freely to be tried. Talk about sharing the passion for this sport. If people wanted to see how real gentlemen fish, all they need to do was to fish with them. They don’t call fly fishing a gentlemen sport for nothing! At the end of the day, Clevin emerged the winner with the most number of hook up. This was not attributed to luck. His 11” Switch rod made casting easy and with a single dynamic roll cast, he could send the heavy fly 70 to 80 feet away, even in the wind. The bigger fish that were smarter usually feed further out and the rod made it easy for him to target them. It was an incredible informal gathering. Fish were caught, secrets were shared and jokes were laughed at. What else would one ask for on a fishing trip? I’ll let the photos tell the rest of the story. ~More Gallery Click Here~

Pacu Frenzy in the Valley – A Gathering of Fly Fishers

Fly Fishing Trip, Freshwater Trip, , , ,

Pacu Frenzy in the Valley A gathering of fly fishers Brandon Ho FFI CCI History teaches us how to avoid past mistakes and be prepared when opportunities arise. With that in mind, I spent long quiet nights in the fly room thinking of tying a fly that fits all the criteria for targeting the hard fighting pacu: big and visible, slow sinking, well-hidden hook and resembles the pieces of disintegrated bread. The classical way to tie the Bread fly is to use white zonkers. This method works well but the tying process can be very messy. Pieces of white rabbit fur will be flying everywhere and if you have small children in the house, it will be a disaster. When used for fishing, the fluffy white fur will very quickly take on the colour of the water. After a while, the white fur tend to clump together, making the fly looks smaller and losing the natural movement. How do I get all the criteria right while making sure the normal occurring problems of a Bread fly can be avoided? I started out with a hook with thin but strong wire. The hook I used was the Ahrex Light Stinger NS122. It has a wide gap with super shard point to easily penetrate the tough mouth of the Pacu. It’s small barb makes removing the fish a breeze, causing minimal harm to the fish. Furthermore, the black nickel finish doesn’t seem to spook the fish. I had used shiny metallic hook and the bite rate was very low compared to flies tied on black nickel finish hook. To dress the fly, I started by first tying a thin strip of white foam to slow down the sink rate. Then I used Semperfli’s Predator Fibre to give the fly some bulk. This will also prevent the softer material from clumping together. Then Deer Creek’s Mega Lazer Dub is used to add the element of fluffiness and also visibility. This step is repeated, tying up the shank of the hook with each repetition. The final step is to tie in a clump of Extra Fine UV dubbing, using the reverse tie method to cover the fly before whip finishing. A small drop of super glue is applied to the thread to ensure the fly doesn’t fall apart during the fight with the Pacu. I want a fly that can be used for multiple fish. Casting the fly about 50 feet into the pond, I gave a short strip to get the fly underwater and watched as it slowly sank. From that distance, I could see the fly quite clearly and after it had completely disappeared into the depths, I gave a long slow strip to get the fly up and allowed it to sink again. Then it happened, the line went tight and instinctively, I strip set, waiting for the line to shoot out, burning my fingers in the process, but the pulled was half-hearted, the short pull merely bounced the rod tip. It was a Lampan. First cast of the day on the new fly and I caught a fish. I cast again after releasing the fish, I could feel the nibbles and some short pulls. Several casts later, another Lampan, then another and another. With each fish, Janice would offered to take a photo of the fish and after the 3rd fish, I didn’t want any more photos. I lost count of the fish I caught after fish number 7. It was not fun anymore. Then Otto’s rod bent and he leaned back to counter the pull of the fish. He fought the fish gently as he had not caught a Pacu here yet. This may be his first. “I’m just using 6lb tippet!” he said while struggling to control the fish. He would have to use all his skills and patience to fight this fish. He allowed to fish to run whenever it wanted and only gently reeling in the line when it had stopped running. After more than 10 minutes, a tired Pacu was ready to be netted. Mission accomplished. First Pacu for Otto! Sweating under the hot late morning sun, he beamed as he lifted the fish for a well-deserved photo shoot and the fish was gently released to grow big and fight another day. Then, it was Nic’s turn. He had hooked up to a strong fighter. With a 20lb tippet, he had a better fighting chance against the brute. Clearly enjoying this fight, he watched as the fish pulled the line out, causing his Merisoula reel to give out a long high pitched whizz, like the an electric motor running. Smooth and efficient. Several long runs later, the fish was ready to throw in the towel. Gently guiding the tired fish into the landing net, Clevin scooped the fish up. The fish was released after a few photos and Nic started to pack up. He was the best man for his friend’s wedding and he was not going to leave before he had got his fish. That’s the power of determination and laser focused persistent. After a nice lunch at our usual table, we chatted and laughed while drinking tea. Fishing can wait. Slowly, Ben’s friends turned up. Wasting no time, they rigged up and started fishing. At first it was the usual tiddlers but as the afternoon wore on, the bend of their rods became more pronounce, signifying the monsters were out to play. Ben and I were still sitting at the table under the gazebo while everyone was at the sandy road dividing the two ponds. It was mayhem everywhere. Frantic casting, rod bending, reels screaming, loud laughing and the occasional groan of disappointment. Everyone was in it. Clevin walked towards us. “That’s the 5th fish I lost today!” He sat down, drank a cup of tea and he was off again. I couldn’t take it anymore. I picked up my #6 XO and joined in the fray. Casting space was limited but everyone cast…

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The Silver Cat of Kundang – Where the reel sings in joy

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The Silver Cat of Kundang Where the reel sings in joy Brandon Ho FFI CCI “Ow! Ow! Owwwwwww!!!” I turned to the direction of the scream and I saw Otto grimacing in pain while palming the wt5 Nautilus Reel as line keep pouring out and his Sage rod bowing low towards the water, paying respect to the aquatic feline. Pulling like a freight train, it showed no sign of slowing down. Poor Otto could only hold on and pray. If he were not a religious person, this experience would have made him believe in a higher power. It was another supposedly quiet Sunday, but the few of us decided to add some spice to our lives. After a very delicious old fashion breakfast of noodles and ice coffee in a small village in Kundang, we drove to our fishing destination for the day: Kok Fishing Pond. It was a basic pay pond operation, 3 ponds stocked with a variety of fresh water fish: Patin, Tilapia, Milkfish and the ever presence lampan. Waiting for us there was Ben. Paying RM8 for a full day fishing, we headed to the smallest pond. The rises indicated that there were large fish there and by the frequency of the rises, the fish would number in the thousands. We walked to the other side of the pond where there were a few trees that offered some shade as we planned to fully used the RM8 we paid. Already, there were several anglers there. We were the only fly fishers on that day. During the short walk to our spot, I saw 2 fishes being landed and judging from the bend in the heavy rods used by the anglers, the fish here fight hard! I was beginning to doubt the adequacy of my equipment. These fish feed mainly on bean curd and every few hours, a worker would shovel some of the discarded bean curd into the pond on the opposite side of where we were fishing, creating a frenzy. We could only watch the frenzy from a distance. The fish would literally “climb on top of the bread” as described by Ben. You had to see it to believe it. To increase our chances of getting the fish closer to us, we created our own frenzy, with the help of bread, lots of bread. The amount we bought was more than all the bread I would consume in one year. The fish were skeptical in the beginning. The bread were left floating unmolested. We didn’t fish as the fish were boiling everywhere except near our flies. We gave up and retreated to the shade of a tree. As the frenzy got closer, we started to cast our flies towards them. The flies were designed to sink slowly in the green water. Floating flies and those that sank too quickly were not touched by these finicky fish. Later, we learnt that these fish are very smart, they have learnt to avoid flies that have shiny hooks and heavy wire. Only thin black hooks would fool these fish. Later in the afternoon, the fish began to be more active and would continue to become progressively so till the sun sets. I was casting to a piece of bread that was constantly been nibbled by some big fish. The swirl on the water was a tell-tale sign that the fish were swimming under the bread. Once the fly landed within inches of the bread, it was allowed to slowly sink to the fish under it. The fly would mimic the bits of broken bread sinking to the bottom. It is important to keep the line tight nut not too tight that it will affect the natural sinking of the bread. If you feel that the bread has sunk too deep, recast and allow the process to repeat. If there is no movement in that area, pull your fly away. The fish are smart enough to sense the line and avoid the area. They can only be fooled when they are in a frenzy. I was watching as my fly slowly sink into the green depths with my finger in contact with the fly line all the time when the line suddenly took off, burning my finger in the process. Despite the burn, I maintained pressure until the line cleared the rod and I could fight the fish on the reel. The scream of the drag was music and it momentarily made me forget about the heat from the burning sun. After a few hard runs , the fish was guided to be bank to be landed but at the sight of the landing net, it shot off. Many fish have been lost by this unexpected run. You can expect the fish to do this several times. Allow the fish to do its thing and gently guide the fish in. The fish was finally landed and gently removed from the net before lovingly cradling it for a few quick photos. The fish here is well built and judging by the full belly, they are in great condition and strong. Every fish we hook took between 5 to 10 minutes to land. We were using wt 6 and heavier fly rods with relatively strong reels to ensure the fish are landed quickly and released in the shortest time possible. Nic even fished with his Merisoula #10 paired with a matching Merisoula #9-10 sealed dragged reel designed for salt water fishing. Clevin, on the other hand, opted for his trusted Onki 11 feet switch rod attached to a Merisoula #10-12 reel meant for the likes of GTs, big tarpons and some jokingly mention cars. The number of fish here was incredible. While allowing our flies to sink, we could occasionally feel the fish brushing against our lines and on more than one occasion, a fish would be hooked while retrieving our flies. The foul hooked fish often gave the strongest fight as the angle allowed the fish to swim away…

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Where The Fish Has Great Taste – The Pacu of Semenyih

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Where The Fish Has Great Taste The Pacu of Semenyih Brandon Ho FFI CCI It all started with a short text to Ben Foo, the renowned fly casting instructor on a Thursday afternoon. “Any recommendations for a fishing spot this Sunday?” “Could try Fish Valley but need to bring bread for berley.” “Ok” “It must be flavoured bun or cakes. Normal bread doesn’t work.” “Wow!!! The fish got taste!” On Sunday, Clevin, Nic, Janice and I walked into the Fish Valley Restaurant. It is a covered restaurant overseeing a large pond where some anglers were fishing. The dining area is large and the tables are placed a comfortable distance from each other, a welcome change from some of the restaurants in the city. The main showcase is two large aquariums showcasing some of the local fish species. I spotted Ben and Otto sitting at the far end of the restaurant, closest to the pond. You can tell the anglers and the non-anglers apart very easily. Even when talking to each other, their eyes never left the pond. After the customary greetings and handshakes, we chose a table next to the pond under a gazebo and had lunch. It was a simple meal but it was the simplicity that made the meal memorable. The food tasted just as I remembered it: good to the last bite! I was here many years ago, even before I picked up fly fishing. Under the gazebo with the fan blowing at full speed, we were slow to get up and set up our gear. Clevin took the van key from me and parked it under a tree next to our table. That’s thoughtful. Still, it was hard to get up but we were here for a mission. To catch the pacu! It was slightly after 3pm when the first bun was tossed into the water. With eagle eyes, we watched for the slightest movement in the water. The first few minutes passed without a single nibble on the bun. It floated gently in the translucent green water. Then, a few small movement, followed by a frenzy of fish attacking the bun. We all got excited but Ben coolly said it was just the small lampans. We didn’t travel here for the tiddlers. We wanted the brute that could bend out wt6 to breaking point and make our reels scream in agony. We kept throwing buns after buns into the pond. Occasionally, there would be a huge splash and the whole bun disappeared into the abyss. By the time the huge fish appeared, we had almost depleted our supply of bread. Clevin was sent to procure more bread from the nearby shops and he came back smilling with 5 loaves of bread. Ben looked at him, the smile disappeared from his face. “ This is only enough for one hour, max.” To catch these monster here, distance, accuracy and timing were vital. Once the fish zoomed in on the bread, one would have to read the splash to determine if it was the lampans or the pacus. The huge wake from the pacus would signal the time to cast. With the berley 40 to 50 feet away, you only had time to false cast 2 to 3 times to get the fly out to within a few inches from the commotion. Any further, the fly would be totally ignored. To make matter worst, there was a electric cable behind us and the front was obstructed by a wooden barrier to prevent the overzealous anger from falling into the pond. With Ben diligently throwing bread into the pond to keep the fish interested, I was instructed to wait for the precise moment to cast. “Cast now!!! To the middle bread!!!” It was more than 40 feet away! I picked up my rod, mindful of the wire about 10 feet away, cast into the frenzy. “Strip the line and little!” Ben coached. “Let the fly sink and leave it,” With the frenzy around the approximate location of my sinking fly, I knew it would be a matter of time before something swam away with it. The line went tight and I lifted the rod with my right hand while my left hand gripped the line tight. I eased the line, allowing the fish to take the loose line before allowing the drag to do the work. The drag whizzed as the line poured out, reminding me of the run of a bonefish, albeit a shorter run. With the fish slowing down, I slowly pumped and reeled to recover some line. The line took off again and then… the line went slack. The fish had thrown the hook. Despite losing the fish, the others kept fishing in earnest, catching lampan like there was no tomorrow. Suddenly, from the corner of my eye, I saw Ben holding a bent rod. The others were rushing over to watch the commotion and Clevin took on the photographer’s job. After an intense but strong fight, the fish was netted and held for a photo session. After releasing the fish, he cast to another frenzy created by a pandan flavoured bun and connecting to a strong pulling fish. Like the gentleman that he was, he generously passed the rod to Janice. She fought the fish with confident and even after being bullied by the brute, she managed to land the fish. The commotion of the fight caused the pond to go quiet. We took a break under the tree with a cold drink. Otto and Nic were still casting under the hot sun. I wished I had their determination. Their hard work paid off, Nic hooked up to a monster that peeled the line out of his reel and well into his backing. It just wouldn’t stop. We enjoyed the show from the comfort of the shade. Just as sudden as the line took off, the line went slack. Another fish lost! I stood up confidently to avenge the humiliation Nic suffered. With…

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Are All Leaders The Same? – An accidental discovery in Jugra

Fly Fishing Trip, Saltwater Trip, , , , , , , , ,

Are All Leaders The Same? An accidental discovery in Jugra Brandon Ho FFI CCI On the 3rd day of the Chinese New Year, it was time for companies to start their business after the festive holidays and it is customary to do something related to the activity of the business. After doing some work in the office and overseeing some classes,  Nic and Clevin came into my office and said, “ We are starting work today.” I looked at them and smiled. I knew what this meant. We were going fishing. To the two young men who are the team behind FTC, the local dealer for FTN Asia Distribution, to start work meant to go fly fishing or fly tying. “Where are we going?” I asked innocently, my Vision XO wt6 set was already in my car and my fly box was filled with assorted saltwater patterns. “Somewhere near and a good catch can almost be guaranteed!” was the reply. It had to be Kolam Pancing Lepas (Catch &Release) in Jugra. Incidentally, the pond was also having a festive season promotion, RM25 for 3 hours of fishing, catch and release of course. After lunch, with Clevin at the wheel and Nic dozing off in the back seat. Janice, Clevin and I were chatting excitedly on the way there; discussing about the flies and techniques we were going to use. Janice is an accomplished fly caster and could easily out fish us on a good day. After a 45-minute drive from Sunway, we pulled up onto the dusty parking space next to the ponds. Despite the rain on the way in, this place was bone dry and in the heat, we could see the wind blowing up the dust. Reluctantly, we left the cool comfort of the air conditioned car and walked towards the hut which serves as the counter cum resting area and started to set up our gear. I spoke to the person in charge and asked him what fish were active that day and he said the red drums and barramundi were readily taking lures and flies the whole day. Not needing further invitation, we walked off to the barramundi ponds. This pond is located next to a river estuary where the tides would help replenish the water, keeping the fish like barramundi, estuary grouper, red drum, mangrove jacks and GTs healthy and strong. The set up was basic enough, with 5 rectangular ponds open for fishing and two others for keeping juvenile fish to allow them to grow before releasing them to the C&R pond. Beautiful and picturesque are not the type of words to describe this place but hard fighting hungry fish is something most angler can relate to. In less than 5 minutes, Nic was onto an acrobatic barramundi. “ That was fast!” I thought to myself and proceeded to cast into the tea coloured water and allowed the black and yellow baitfish pattern sink to the bottom of the pond. I was using a floating line connected to a 10 foot tapered leader, which should be enough to reach the bottom. With slow erratic retrieve and pauses, the fly was brought back unmolested. It was cast out again and the process repeated. The first hour went past without any take from the fish. It was going to be a very long hot day. Suddenly, my fly line was stopped and I waited for the line to tighten and move but nothing. I cast in the general direction again and the same thing happened. What is happening? I was sure it was a fish but why was today so different. Normally the fish would just grab the fly and sped in the opposite direction. I was determined to give a good strip strike the next time the line stopped and I didn’t have to wait long for it. The moment the hook bite into the hard bony mouth, the line moved towards the centre of the pond and the silvery fish lifted itself out of the water did a somersault before landing with a splash. It would have scored a zero in a diving competition but in the fly fishing context, a perfect 10. The fish was landed unceremoniously and after a quick photo, gently released. This fly works very well in this pond, catching groupers and barramundis like clockwork. Seeing the short fight from the opposite side of the pond, Nic and Clevin changed to a similar pattern and did the same cast and retrieved. Encouraged by the catch, I cast again at the well-known strike zone and slowly retrieved the fly through the strike zone and got hit again. Another feisty barra. After unhooking and releasing the fish, I threw the fly into the water before picking up my rod and stood up. Lifting my rod to cast, I felt a weight at the end of my line and instinctively gave a strike. The line shot out and the fish performed its usual acrobatic routine. Another barra! I laughed out loud only to be greeted by cold stares from the other anglers. I quietly landed the fish and moved on to another pond. Nic and Clevin were not as successful. Same pattern, same retrieve and even same line weight but why the stark difference? They moved on to different ponds and Clevin became the mangrove jack champion by landing 5 of these critters in the span of 30 minutes. I cast to the same place but nothing. I changed flies and the way I retrieve, still nothing. What’s wrong? Janice was still casting to the barras and she was enjoying herself with the fight. In the fading light, the mosquitoes were coming out in hordes. No matter how good the fishing was, the itch from these pesky sting can be unbearable. It’s time to pack up. Our 3 hours was almost up. In the dying evening light, Clevin landed another MJ. On the way back, we were discussing the catch pattern and the equipment…

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EAK Revisited

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

Hidden paradise in the city Brandon Ho FFI CCI After a freak storm that created extensive damage to Taman Botani, Fly Fishing and Lure Casting Centre, was forced to close its door due to safety concerns. This is sad day for fly fishers as they have lost paradise that is so close to city. Though located less than an hour away from the city centre, this place offers great fly fishing opportunities for the hard fighting “Pacu”, better known as the fresh water GT with its blistering run and never say die attitude. There is no shame in losing this fish and landing one, especially on a #6 is a cause for celebration. Since its reopening on 16 August 2019, many fly fishers have revisited this Pacu infested pond. I have always wanted to revisit this place but it was only in January that I finally made the trip there with Nic, Clevin from FTC and Thian, a relatively new fly fisher who has not caught a Pacu on fly yet. This would be the day for him to receive the baptism of fire from the notorious Pacu. On the bright Sunday morning, we headed to Taman Botani and made our customary stop at one of the stalls opposite the Seksyen 6 wet market. Their “nasi dagang” is to die for and one plate of the steamed rice in coconut milk, generously smothered in thick tuna curry and accompanied with pickled cucumber, carrots and onions is enough to provide you with the sustenance for a full day of fishing. By the time we reached, it was already 9 am. The sun was already warming up the air and evaporating the morning mist. We were the first one there and the sight of rising fish was an invitation that was hard to resist. However, there was work to be done. We were there to shoot a product video on a new product. Hard as it was, we managed to photograph, video and even test the product without losing focus to the distracting ripples caused by the rising fish. Our first fly landed on the water and anticipation of a strong pull followed by a long blistering run filled our minds. With slow figure of eight strip, the fly was slowly retrieved and then cast out again. This happened again and again. Sweat was trickling down our faces. The morning sun had slowly but surely increased in intensity, draining us of our energy and also optimism of landing a fish. I had already begun carelessly casting to the shallows, hoping to hook one of the earth eater that could be seen to inquisitively follow our slow moving fly. Seeking reprieve from the burning sun, I seek shelter in the gazebo facing the pond. Nik, the owner of FFLCC was there. He told me that the fishing yesterday was very different. Fish after fish were landed, regardless of the type of flies used. The fly fishers were too tired after the fishing marathon and decided to call it quits. Now, that’s very rare. Have you heard of a fly fisher who would leave a fishing frenzy? Later in the afternoon, we began to see other anglers landing fish and not to be one to lose out, we geared up and headed to the two wooden platforms to begin our assault on the fish. The fish were feeding on the surface and we changed to a hopper pattern, the same one that proved to be successful for the graylings and lenoks in Mongolia. Leaving the fly to float on the surface and with the occasional twitch to catch the attention of any passing fish, we mentally prepared for the inevitable battle with the mighty Pacu. It finally happened, with a splash, the light ocher yellow fly disappeared under the translucent green water and the line pulled tight, threatening to yank the fly rod out of my hands. The line whizzed through the snake guides, bending the rod. I watched the line in amazement, bringing back the memory of my very first Pacu caught in this very same spot. Then the line went limp, the rod straightened and my heart sank. The fish was gone… together with my confidence. Dejectedly, I reeled my line in only to discover that the leader had been cut off clean. Fishing for these brutes requires more than fishing skills. Luck plays a big role too. With the hook either in the mouth or on the lip can mean the difference between a landed fish and a sulking angler. After putting on a similar fly, I casted to a nearby ripple and the next moment was a blur of whizzing lines, bent rod and confused running about the wooden platform. The fish fought hard and long, even when it is near, it continued to stubbornly resist by swimming on its side, using the bulk of its body to prevent itself from being guided it to be landed. Several fail attempts later, the fish was gently lifted out of the water. The fly sat nicely at the corner of the mouth, away from the menacing teeth, used for crushing the hard fruits that is the typical food of the Pacu. I was not the only one landing fish. All of use landed multiple fish and losing even more. Later in the afternoon saw the fish becoming more active, giving us double and triple hook up. Thian got several good size fish that almost humiliated him but finally gave him a good profile picture. He had caught his first Pacu on fly. All in, the 4 of us landed a total of 12 fishes, losing even more and we were not even fishing seriously. It was more of a fun trip focused on having a great time. The fish here really do fight hard and I began to understand why the previous group opted to leave early. By 5.00pm I was ready to leave too. Other anglers had packed and waiting to go…

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Youth Fly Fishing Camp 2017

CSR Project, Fly Fishing Trip, Freshwater Trip, , , , , , , , , ,

Take a kid fishing? Why not take a kid fly fishing? With the intention of promoting a healthy sport to the younger generation, the idea of a fly fishing camp was mooted and plans were being drafted out in the early September. The FTC team at that time has been actively conducting weekly fly casting lesson at the SS15 field and the respond has been very encouraging. Riding on the momentum, the next step would be to take the new casters fly fishing. To make this event a success, careful planning has to be undertaken; from choosing a suitable location, the type of equipment to use down to the food. FTC managed to get the help of Mr Dron Lee, the renowned fly tyer from Fly Tying Nation, (You can follow his blog for his realistic fishable flies.) and the FFI Casting Instructor, Mr Ben Foo. On the morning of 9 December, the YFFC participants arrived at the private pond in Semenyih. We could see Ben on a small boat casting to the peacock bass in the tranquil pond. After a short briefing, equipment was set up and flies were tied to the tippets. Ben gave us a briefing on the history of peacock bass in Malaysia and the tip on how to best catch them. Then it was off to fishing. The morning session was a bit slow and the fish sluggish as it had rained heavily the day before. But that did not stop the youths from fishing. They were casting non stop and Xuan Lih, on his first fishing trip, caught a respectable tilapia. A surprise catch as out intended quarry was the exotic peacock bass. This catch has converted the happy angler into a lifetime fly fisherman. The next highlight was night fishing. The pond owner had just recently introduced Pacu, another exotic South America fish into the pond. That night, it was a frenzy of pacu. Fish after fish were landed and some of the notable catches were a jelawat, belida and a ketutu. The night fishing is a fishing competition among the participants and the prizes were 2 fly boxes filled with premium flies tied by Mr Dron Lee. It was a great prize and all the participants were fishing hard. It was good fun filled with excitement. The biggest fish award goes to Chen Yong Qi, a fist time fisher with a Pacu of 38 cm. The smallest fish goes to Phyllis Yong with a ketutu of 9 cm. We believe in sharing through experience and during this camp, we share about the proper catch and release methods and conservation and preservation of our world. To allow for themselves to experience the beauty of our world would encourage them to care and protect it. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHVhXsh57QA ~More Gallery Click Here~

How to Catch & Release?

Fishing Tips and Info, , ,

As the word is spreading about the benefits of C & R, it has become the “in” thing to do. You can see increasing number of posts on social media showing happy fly fishermen releasing their hard earned trophy catch. However, anyone stop to think what happens to the fish after the photo is taken and the video is shot? Does the fish swim away, living happily ever after in the waters of far far away? What are the chances of survival for the released fish? It can be very high or very low depending on many factors, but one thing is for sure, we can definitely increase the survival rate if we do C & R properly. C & R doesn’t mean throwing the fish back into the water after unhooking it. Let’s look at the 3 phases of C & R.   Catching and Playing the fish A good C & R starts with the catching the fish. Use proper equipment for the job. It may look cool and might earn you more bragging rights if you catch a huge fish on flimsy line. The prolonged fight might cause the fish to tire beyond recovery. Fish caught and fought to exhaustion will not live to fight another day. Use also barbless hooks, barbless hooks may be hard to come by in this part of the world, but we can all make do. Just use a strong pair of pliers and crimped the barb. This makes unhooking the fish easier and most of the time, the fish doesn’t need to leave the water. Barbless hooks also make cause less damage to the fish’s delicate mouth and won’t tear the mouth when it is removed. Use heavier tippet. Fish may have good eyesight and some fish are line shy, but if you use fluorocarbon lines, it is practically invisible in the water. Using heavier tippet will give you the confidence to land the fish quicker. A tired fish may take longer to recover and while it is resting, it may be attacked by other predators.   Landing the fish Landing the fish is the most harmful part of the process for the fish. It is quite common to see the fish being pulled onto the grass, rock and even the sandy bank. This will rub off the slime coating on the fish. This slime protects the fish from infections and diseases. Also, wet your hands before you hold the fish. A dry hand is more likely to remove this layer of slime. Put the fish on a wet towel or a mat. Use a landing net if the fish is still very green or is too large to be handled by hand. Use a large rubber net as the string nets have knots which can hurt the fish. As much as possible keep the net in the water and remove the hook. If you need to lift the fish out of the water, use on hand to hold its tail and the other to support its belly. Have a firm grip to ensure that the fish doesn’t fall when it struggles. A fall to the rocks can be fatal to the fish. Remember a fish can’t breathe out of the water. Imagine holding your breath the entire duration you have the fish out of the water.   Releasing the fish When holding the fish, do not squeeze it. The fish depends on water buoyancy to support its weight. When it is out of the water, the internal organ will be compressed by its own weight. It makes sense to keep the fish in the water. Remove the hook quickly by reversing the direction of the hook entry. If the fish is hooked deep in the throat, cut the line as close to the hook as possible. The hook will fall out on its own. If your fish is too exhausted, revive the fish by allowing the water to gently flow over over its gill. Position the head of the fish in the direction of the flowing water. When the fish tries to swim away, just release your grip and let it swim on its own. This might take a few seconds to a few minutes.   Photographing your catch It is understandable that you will want to photograph your prize catch. Choose the fish that you want to photograph. If will be silly to photograph every single fish that you catch. The best way to photograph your fish is to leave your fish in the net and get your camera ready. Set the timer and lift the fish out of the water only when you are ready to shot. Tis makes for a more dramatic photo that one of a fish drying out in the sun. Have a shot of you releasing a fish. This will make it more meaningful