Pasir Ris beach catch report(4.3kg Catfish on the line)-28/7/14

A warm welcome to everyone reading this post!

We've got lots to share with you once again as we embark on a new type of fishing;kayak fishing.

So before we begin,updates!

recently we have managed to acquire a cheap inflatable kayak for only $140 in which we all shared the cost of purchasing the boat for the group! we took extra long to find a cheap and good kayak cause that's the way we roll ya'll....

Ghetto as much as possible huehuehuehue!

here's a picture that the seller initially sent to us. 

INTEX EXPLORER K2 (2 man kayak)

Setup?today we were using running ball sinker rigs and bottom feeder rigs in hopes to catch bottom feeders such as Groupers and Catfish! 50lb clear line leader,size 3 ball sinker, with size 1/0# circle hooks by Mustad.

I was quite reluctant to drag and set up 2 boats due to it being quite troublesome to tow back and wash but thankfully transport was provided!

So the weather was quite good with a slight drizzle in the morning and a cloudy overcast in Pasir Ris. the air was cool and so was the water temperature. calm current was a good sign that we should go ahead with our plans despite the rain earlier in the day!

of course Ghetto us will rather wake up early in the morning to get prawns from the wet market then go to a supermarket and spend $5 more... but then again....it's a public holiday and a good time to sleep in especially after a long day of work the previous day.

But lucky for us,we were able to get cheap prawns from NTUC!how much?$10/kg because it was on some special offer for Hari Raya!

We managed to come at a good time around 3pm and started to launch the boats at 3:30pm from the Army base end of the beach.why?because we are using inflatable kayaks which are more buoyant and without good tracking fins.so the shorter the distance to paddle the better.

Here's Ghetto Fisherman Ong with Jerome who had decided to tag along for the trip!All good company and lots of fun!

it was another quiet afternoon with small nibbles on the line but nothing significant taking the whole bait.

So instead of casting just down below the blue barrels we cast out towards deeper waters in hopes of getting better bites. a few minutes had gone when suddenly there was a tug on the line and something weighing the line down!upon reeling up the line,we were greeted by water jets being squirt at us by our surprise catch which was a decent sized cuttlefish!hahahas 

first thoughts were to bring it up onto the boat but we remembered about the inking issue and decided to shake it off the line!no pics sorry!couldnt risk my phone getting wet by the cuttlefish water squirts. for those who dont know what a cuttlefish looks like,here's a googled image for your reference.

after hooking up the same cuttlefish again,I decided to drop my line down below the blue barrels again!

As we go for more kayak trips, we have a theory as to why there are so many fishes just below the blue barrels.Simply because of the mussels present on the barrels that tend to drop and provide food for the fishes below providing a food source for most fishes that dwell at the bottom.In some instances,we had actually hooked up empty mussel shells!

It sounds like a legit reason as to why the barrels are always a recommended distance to stop at.

an hour had gone by with a few small hookups such as the striped sea perch and annoying small eels and more striped perch.

see that small little silver fish of lies which tugged the line pretty hard for a small fella.

it was about 5pm when I felt a small but consistent vibration on the line and decided "oh what the heck..just strike for the sake" in which almost instantaneously, some line was being taken out and the rod tilted slightly down!but the fight was short and lasted no more than a minute!It was Ghetto fisherman Ong and jerome's first glance at a mozambique catfish but certainly not their last as you'll find out as you continue reading this post!

Pasir Ris always seems to be a catfish paradise with a very sustainable amount of catfish of all species found in Singapore.It is the most common fish caught here above any other types of fishes and for that it is certainly a blessing to have them here.

this fella probably weighs under 1kg and was released to grow and thrive!

looking at the time,there was probably a chance of getting a second catfish before the light fades.

we started playing some music and talking our usual nonsense(which again I'll say is not recommended cause it scares away fishes)

it was half an hour later when I decided to try and get a fish which I've seen swimming just under the blue barrels!my initial aim was to get a spotted scat that were feeding on the mussels but instead I caught this aggressive little Goby(mud reef goby).It was so angry that it got hooked by me and decided to bite my hand when trying to release it...(didnt hurt obviously).

the time was about 6:15pm and still no fish hookups but plenty of eels and eels and EELS!!!!

after releasing the last eel on my line I hooked up the whole prawn and decided to give it a shot just slightly away from the blue barrels!that's when it all changed and there was this consistent tug on the line so I decided to give it a strike(circle hooks are auto striking hooks but force of habit for me to yank the line up).

ZEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

that's what I've been waiting for the whole day.once again my favourite song..the reel spool spinning!

the line moved sideways and was rubbing against the barrels which had mussels and barnacles all over.There was a moment of panic for a second.

I was using braided line so that was bad news and the line could have snapped any moment.

each time I had the chance to reel in some line,it only took out more for about 4 times before it stopped dashing!But after the first catfish on a separate day,I've learnt to handle the fish well and gave it time to tire itself out.

it began to drag the boat slightly forward and the only reason why I hadn't gone for a ride was because I was anchored down and strapped onto the chains connecting the blue barrels.

after 10 minutes of fighting with this fish,it finally gave in and began to surface!

video screenshots are blur unfortunately

It started to swim inbetween the boats so we quickly pushed away both kayaks to a safe distance so that the large spikes do not pierce the kayaks!just look at the size of that!

with no proper equipment to land a big fish we were left with no choice but to slowly slide the fish on board on the kayak's spray skirt and boy,was it heavy.

I am quite thankful for how the kayak is designed which makes landing fish easier and safer as well. the anti-bacterial slime started to go all over the kayak and just made a mess of the outer polyester fabric layer!

minutes later the slime began to set and it could be peeled off.

I've got to admit i did not expect such a big catfish to be on the line more of expecting a 1-2kg fish the very most but nope nope nope this guy weighed a whoping 4.3kg!not the biggest one and I've seen this particular species being caught which weighed over 7kg!what a fight that must have been!

No ragrets.Not a single letter.

Post by Fishing Kims.

lost for words and just in shock at what I just brought up,I sat there and began to disassemble my rod and reel and sat back to chill while enjoying the sunset.

the last fish hookup went to Jerome!with his first fish today not counting the eels!

just Ghetto Ong being himself!

according to the guys who shared the kayak,it was really comfortable and despite being packed with lots of stuff,it still had sufficient space.

unexpected catch of the day or more of unexpected size of the target catch of the day

Since we had time,we loaded up all our gear unto the kayak and slowly paddled towards Beach Culture restaurant

tired from all that paddling we decided to take a rest and have dinner at Beach Culture@WaterCross.

if you have a budget of $15 you can always give here a shot.The food is good and so is the ambiance.

fishing tip of the day?

know your fish feeding times well and you'll be able to get consistent catches.

Cheers and peace out

-Abel

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Kayakims catch report for 20/07/14

Hello! This catch report is going to be a rather short one cause we didn't actually catch very much haha. But it was still a good day out on the sea, and we managed to catch our first ever Mozambique Sea Catfish. I think other than that we only caught one flower crab on hook.

Baits used where liver and dead prawns. The liver attracted tons of crabs but no fish. Dead prawns seem the best so far.

Rigs used where Running ball.

Here are the pictures!

Meow!

This type of catfish can easily grow up to 3kg, and they put up a really amazing fight. Don't under estimate these catfish, they are a totally different ball game from the usual eel-tails that we catch. The one shown in the picture was only 1kg and it made my reel scream, super fun. I cant imagine hooking into a 3kg one, hoho might even be able to pull my kayak along.

Here is a video of abel fighting one afew days later. Only managed to get the end of the fight, but check out that bend!

Post by Fishing Kims.

MOZAMBEEEEEEKKKKK!!!!

So far we have observed they tend to be found directly under the blue barrels. Maybe because there are tons of mussels stuck on the under side of the barrels providing food. They also bite in the evening around 6pm. Dead prawns seem the most effective for us but we have seen other kayak anglers use some sort of meat and caught 3kg plus catfish, still haven't figured out how they did it though. Need to gain more experience. 

Another fish crossed off our list, still trying to aim for chermin and kims on a kayak. Also another personal goal of mine is to get a flathead cause it looks cool haha. Maybe once we become better we can head over to ubin side and maybe get some GT's too. 

Hope to get out on the sea again soon! Do check out our other kayak catch reports too! Have a good day everyone.

-Bryan

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Kayak fishing catch report Pasir Ris Beach-24/7/14

Hi we're back for another session of KayaKims!(yes that's the official name now until we can get something better)
 Pushing our buoyant boats to the limit again.
Today's report is based on catches at Pasir Ris beach!Launching from WaterCross Kayak rental area with our inflatable kayaks!

Featuring: Advanced Elements Lagoon 1 and Sevylor Quikpak K1. The Air Fusion is currently out of service for awhile because it's too troublesome to assemble and pack up. For those who want to invest in cheap inflatable boats,I would recommend you try out Pasir Ris beach before heading to other areas.This is because Pasir Ris beach has one of the calmer currents as compared to east coast, Changi and Punggol.

Personally I've had my fair share of cheapo boats such as the Toys R us, 300 Explorer Dinghy(google that), which lasted out for 2 hours before slowly deflating.

 For those who don't know where WaterCross is,it's indicated on the map below "RIGHT HERE".

So begins our day!
time of launch: 4.00 PM
Tide:High tide
Current: Calm
Water conditions: Murky and dark brown
time of Return:7.00 PM

First of is our setup as important as always! Today we'll be trying out running ball sinker rigs with size #1/0 Circle hooks by "Gamakatsu" and "Owners".

 The water temperature was fairly cold today and of quite a strange colour of dark brown but nevertheless we set out anyway in hopes to get another awesome fight with yet another mozambique catfish as seen in our previous catch report.
I won't lie to you,all I had on my mind was the intense fight it put up the last time.everything on a kayak is definitely more fun and intense as compared to casting from the beach because every move you make on that small boat determines how well you can handle to fish and most of the time,we get dragged out by the fish.

we paddled out to the army base section of the beach and strapped ourselves to the floating blue barrels.we do have anchors but unfortunately Bryan had lost his to noobness(forgot to strap in the other end of the line).

We started the day well with some striped eeltail catfish(no pics because it's not worth the effort taking out my phone and risk dropping it into the water) but they were all small and we don't really consume these particular species.
following the striped catfish was the black eeltail catfish which surprisingly differ sightly in colour as compared to those caught nearer to shore or at Sungei Api Api bridge. They had an olive green colouration and more defined eyes.

after releasing this fella there was a tug on Bryan's line which he described,felt like an eel on the other end.But to our surprise,it was a small juvenile orange spotted grouper!
macGrouper anyone? Just kidding it was promptly released back to grow and thrive.
time passed and there were a few more small catfish hookups.Bryan had another grouper on the line again but this time,it was a small juvenile Sixbar Grouper!Good sign of a healthy population of groupers here despite overfishing in some parts of the beach.

And there I was getting bored of constant catfish hookups. Don't get me wrong,I do enjoy reeling them in but it does get kinda boring after an hour of the same kind of fishes.oh well fishing requires lots of patience I guess!

Soon after, there was another strong tug on the line and once again.....flowercrab!Yes you heard right,flowercrabs are quite plentiful in pasir ris for some particular reason and most kayak anglers who venture here tend of hook up 3-4 of them in a single trip.
They are pretty small and usually the ones we hook up are female(eggs behind) so we release them to spawn.
But i didn't come out today to catch crabs,where's my mozambique catfish....

today seemed like Bryan's diversity day as he hooked up his first stingray on rod and reel,definitely no struggle but just a 'heavy' feeling when reeling in due to the ray's big surface area. It was a small brown stingray so we let it go without any hesitation.

We continued through the evening with our usual pass time which was to talk tons of rubbish and listen to obscene music hahahas which is all highly unrecommended because it scares away the fish but on the other hand,it may be attracting catfishes to investigate the noise.

at this point,the prawns were starting to smell alittle and it was getting late so we decided to use whole prawns in hopes that big bait means big fish.

AND TRUE ENOUGH.............ZEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

I've not seen my rod bend this much for a long time!sorry for the poor image quality because this was taken from a video screenshot.

My favourite instrument, the fishing spool, played the song of my people!the fish kept taking out line even with almost the full drag on.after repeated attempts to reel it in,the line was taken out 3 more times because it stopped and the fish was stuck at the bottom leaving me to hold this awkward position with 2 hands on the rod for at least 2 minutes.

first thoughts were "could it be a stingray?' since it was stuck at the bottom for quite some time so speculations started as we tried to guess what was on the other end.
Soon after the fish gave up and released itself from the seabed and began to swim upwards(I still don't understand why) making the load significantly lighter to the point that I though that the fish was gone.

but nope nope nope nope still on the line!
what was it?the very thing we stayed till 7pm for,a mozambique catfish!Huehuehuehuehue

could finally sleep in peace tonight!*phew*
normally we won't keep catfishes but this time we wanted to try cooking it into fish and chips!
with that satisfactory catch,we head back to shore as they sun began to set and light was fading fast.

its been a tiring day out at sea and I do look shag in this picture but regardless of that,it was a great day out.

the next day,we began the cooking process with the recipe that we've been wanting to try for quite some time
the link of the full recipe is here: http://fishingkims.blogspot.sg/2014/06/easy-beer-battered-fish-2-step-process.html

 the steps are in the recipe and now,enjoy the visual process.

Filleting the catfish and removing the skin

after bones are removed and excess blood is removed

cutting regular potatoes into strips for fries

deep frying the fries after boiling them for 5 minutes

next deepfry the battered fish fillets 

deepfry until golden brown

serve and enjoy!

That's all we have for you dont forget to like us on facebook and we'll see you soon!

-Cheers and peace out

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Kayak fishing essential tools

so kayak fishing requires quite a bit of preparation. just remember that you'll need the essentials when being out at sea and you certainly wouldn't want to forget anything important especially since you wont be able to get them easily unless you make the effort to head back to shore to retrieve them.

Fishing equipment:
items:ROD AND REEL
purposes:obvious reasons so dont forget else you would be stuck with nothing to do at the beach but just kayak.
so what else is there to bring?a small tackle box.considering that the boat does not have much space to place your things,a small box will help you change your setup easily and conveniently.

Cutting tools:
items:Scissors, pliers and pen knives.
purpose: cutting of bait, cutting of rope/string, releasing the boat from obstacles such as nets or seaweed.

strapping tools: 
items: carabiners and nylon rope/coms cord.
purpose: carabiners are really useful out at sea to secure all your items so even when they fall overboard or the boat capsizes you can be assured that your items will not sink into the sea.also they provide a quick way of securing things instead of having to always tie them with rope.

nylon rope has many purposes out there. be it securing your anchor for the kayak or using it as a temporary gill cuff when you catch a big fish.also they help in securing your items just like what a carabiner will do.

supplements out at sea:
items: high energy food and drinks(water,isotonic drinks)
purpose:the weather can be hot out there and will definitely cause dehydration in your body so do pack enough water(at least a litre) to ensure that you are feel good and will be properly hydrated.

food is usually optional but bring something that is easy to consume such as energy bars or light snacks.often kayak drains a lot of energy and you'll definitely feel hungry out there.

containment equipment:
items: live bait container, waterproof bags, plastic bags
purpose:
first of it is always easier to have a live bait container instead of a plastic bucket with a pump.
we bought this particular one from Daiso(insect cage) and it works like a charm.

this shouldnt be considered a recommendation but a must.waterproof bags are definitely a must.your boat is bound to get wet either from taking in water while paddling or when it rains and you're a long way from shore.

anchoring items:
items:an actual anchor about 1.5kg, rope to secure to any structure out at sea
purpose: so not many people are aware that you will drift out at sea if not properly tied down to something or by something. so it is important to have something to weigh you down to ensure that you dont have to consistently paddle back and forth to stay in the same spot.

so these are the basic essentials to have when out at sea!sounds like alot of items?not really if you consider that everything can be packed into a bag!

we're just starting out as well so that's all we have for you!this post will be updated as we go along!

thanks!

cheers and peace out!

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KayaKing new Equipment and Advise

Hi all!so we've taken  bold step to do some kayak fishing!We've managed to get some inflatable ones because most of us live in HDB flats.

Here we'll review the different kayaks as well as inform you on what you should not do when using an inflatable kayak.
note that this is based on an individual's opinion and does not necessarily reflect upon those whom are better at this kind of fishing.

 so the first kayak in review is the Advance Element Air Fusion. this is in fact the flagship model for Advance element inflatable kayaks. built with very sturdy material enforced with metal rods as you can see,this kayak comes with a separate rudder.

the Air Fusion Kayak is smooth in the water and cuts through the current like a blade due to its balanced buoyancy and thick PVC exterior.This kayak was build for speed most definitely and can get you to places far.
whats the downside to such a "perfect" inflatable kayak?first of, setting up and keeping it is a hassle and takes a long time at least half an hour if a single person sets it up himself.Next is the weight.weighing at almost 30LB this kayak is not one that would be easily transported on a bus or train but if you have a car thats perfectly fine.

If you're one to choose convenience over performance than this kayak is not advisable.However if you wouldnt mind spending time setting it up to have a good trip out,meaning that performance is placed above convenience than this is definitely the right choice for you.

currently this kayak is going for $1000-$1200 retail which was what the owner invested.
you can get it for a secondhand price(if you're able to locate it online), it'll set you back around $600-$700 the bare minimum.




Second kayak in review would be the Lagoon 1. this kayak is like a couch at sea.very buoyant and comes with an inflatable seat making it a very comfortable ride. the ride is smooth and moves quite well against the current out at sea and only requires 10 mins of set up and packing.it has a double valve system as well so in the event that one layer punctures,you will still stay afloat.

downside to this?the speed.this kayak is very buoyant and doesn't do so well when paddling against the strong current.although it is possible to maneuver but it takes extra effort to paddle and move forward. once we were out at sea and it started raining so naturally,strong waves are formed by the strong winds and every 2 paddles I make,I was set back by 1 by the current. so before deciding to set out with this kayak, do consider the weather.
but in terms of weight?it is about 20LB in weight as is considered quite light.

 Lots of space in the kayak as you can see and the external material is enforced with a cloth like material to ensure that puncturing this kayak is not easy. the thick PVC layer also helps to protect against any sharp or rugged objects that it may collide with.(Rocks, clams,fish spikes etc.)

 If you were to invest in a more convenient foot air pump, it'll set you back for an additional $32.
retail, this would go for $500-$600 for a first hand in Singapore from active sports.com .
However i got this at a steal at only $230 which included a free foot pump,free lifevest and a new set of more professional paddles(Drift Pro).




last but not least is the Sevylor QuickPak K1.Currently out of production by the company and heavily in demand by consumers as a cheap and convenient kayak. this kayak folds up into a backpack and weights only 11LB! but whats the catch?the material of course. despite being made with a strong PVC material,it is relatively thin and punctures quite easily(even in storage).when using this kayak, do take caution when landing as fish as you'll never know when a fish might decide to toss and flip,creating a huge hole in the kayak. But of course like many non seaworthy kayaks, this kayak has definitely been tested out by ambitious fisherman due to its low cost and the fact that it is easy to clean.also another thing to consider is the speed out at sea.just like the lagoon 1,it isn't built for speed.

for a first hand, it will cost probably around $200-300 and for a secondhand about $150-200.



Advise and tip for kayak fishing:
1)always have a patch kit or the very least, strong PVC tape.you'll never know when you'll need it and if you're out in deeper waters the more you should be concern for safety as the shore will be quite a distance. sharp objects and even your fishing hooks may penetrate the material and cause a puncture.

2)always have a air pump with you or at least with a friend when kayaking. the hot weather and the possibility of puncturing your kayak means that you have to inflate your kayak well to maneuver back to shore. it's definitely bulky and space consuming but you'll be thankful if anything happens out at sea.

3)always have a life vest on.this is the most obvious and basic instruction.cant swim?it'll be a terrible mistake.even if you can swim you cant swim forever to stay afloat and the fact that the sea has current makes it even harder to move and stay afloat without a vest.

4)know the weaknesses in your kayak.Be it the material of the kayak that is easily punctured or the area in which it is safest to land a big fish. many a times people new to this don't realise that if a big fish comes along and you are not prepared,your kayak could easily flip sideways into the water and capsize instantaneously.

5) always be prepared for a situations.bring a pliers, a pair of scissors, a knife or  a pen knife. you'll never know what you'll encounter out there that may place you in harms way.a few problems we had were with gill nets.the build in dagger boards and rudders and even our fishing rod line often get caught in gill nets thus making it difficult to get free of these hap hazards. always be prepared to make important decisions to ensure that you will not run into dangerous situations.

6)head back when the weather looks bad.even if there are very few dark clouds looming above you, it is always safe to take precaution out there.stay near to shore when you suspect bad weather or if you're far out from shore,do head back promptly. there are many things that will pose a danger out there.Firstly lightning, impossible?not really especially if you have a fishing rod and the fact that you may be the tallest object out there. also the current is another factor.strong currents,wind and rain can capsize your boat or push in enough seawater to flood your boat making it heavier.

7) Try your best to travel with your friend.though it is easier to travel alone at times but having a friend with you, will benefit greatly. not just to hold a conversation during the boring times but also to look out for you in the ocean.the sea shows no mercy and will not aid you in times or trouble but a friend can and will.

that's all the info you can give you for now!do stay tune for the posts on our trips out!

cheers and peace out
-Abel

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