Changi catch report 3

Back and great to be back!

first of all lets talk about bait here.dead fresh prawns are good but sarong worms?even better. the fishes here are mostly bottom feeders!except for barramundi and barracudas.

those whom are new to this, sarong worms look like this!i would recommend you getting from changi pro tackle as their worms are big,alive and plenty. not to condemn but riverland worms are always dead,thin and some are missing worms! you can grab them at $2 per pack which can last 2 people for at least 3 hours!last time we went, we got 2 packs for 4 people and we only finished 1 pack!so this is a budget bait to use.also dont use the whole worm for 1 hook.remember  to cut them up to spread out through the time.

they sell out really fast so do give them a call to check if they have anymore available.

changi pro tackle: 6542 3775

After going to changi a few times we realise that the crabbing there is fantastic!SO we invested in a crab pot from changi which costed us only $3 for a solid caged one!what was the bait?we caught a few croaker fish and used them to lure the crabs into the cage! 

how and where to place them? tie the fish through its gills or by the tail with cheap string that you have lying around. tie them to the bottom of the cage and secure tightly to prevent the current from drifting it to one specific side.now wait and only check every half hour or 1 hour.

So this is our first flower crab that we caught!decent size but we only had one for the evening so we released it. Uncles there recommended us to check the tide as the high tide draws the crabs nearer to shore to feed.

 we'll definitely be going back for more crabbing from now on!it was a good experience crabbing for the first time!


This particular species of puffer is called the "white spotted puffer". never caught and it's a first for us!

 After poking it slightly,we witness the funniest thing!PUFFING UP like a melon!hahas so cute right?

 Javalin Croaker!This fish is one of the most popular catches there!they are recognised by their distinct yellow colouration on the tail. they struggle quite a lot and gives a heavier feeling on the line!if you're one to leave your rod with a bell,expect this fish to ring it hard and consistantly.

 these fellas grow quite big too, up to almost 1kg in weight!they taste relatively sweet when cooked.



whats next?STRINGRAYS it was almost a spam of them! 2 rods rang continuously and both had stingrays!
it was quite a surprise to get a double hook up!soon after releasing them, the third one came just after recasting.all were small and were instantly released in hopes that they'll grow much bigger.

to end the day,we got a spotted sickle fish on the line!it was of decent size and brought home for dinner!if you observe carefully,the mouth of this fish is small and only small hooks can fit!so a small size 5 would be good.we noticed many experienced anglers there using a multi hook rigs with 4 to 5 hooks on the line and was confused why they were using such small rigs on big rods.but soon after we realised that they were aiming for green veined catfish,sickle fish and grunts!if you're aiming for barramundi,a bigger hook is recommended!

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Changi beach Catch report

One of the well known hot spots in Singapore for fishing would be Changi beach. Catches there are always plentiful and sometimes,there are unexpected surprises. It is essential to practice good catch and release to ensure that the population of fish are healthy and will be there for future anglers in the long run.

good day at changi when the tide in high and the clouds are clear.These factors are important in fishing because the rain alters the temperature which affects fish activity.Also the tide contributes a significant role in bringing the fish in with the tide.

bait: Sarong worms (always the best)

        Prawns

hook size: size 4 or 5 would be good(relatively small mouthed fishes there)

rig: apollo rig (3-4 hooks)

many people tend not to identify their fishes and its a bad habit. 

I find http://www.handlinefishing.com/ relatively useful in the case of identifying each species.

First fishes of the day were Sickle fish:

Common Name(s): Spotted Sicklefish
Scientific Name: Drepane Punctata
Local Name(s): [Hk]Cao Xi, [My]Tudung Periuk 
Precaution: Harmless
Edible: Yes 

We came across a school when casting our rods and landed 2 in the process.these fish are bottom feeders and will go for sarong worms as well as prawns.

Small Cute fellas were definitely released because they have the potential to grow up to 500g-1kg in weight and these were probably 200g-300g each only.

We were fortunate enough to land a bigger sickle fish! on a separate day which was of decent size and was about 1kg in weight!

Not bad eh?no trick shots here just a side by side pose with this fish

Second catch of the day were grunts:

Common Name(s): Javelin Grunter
Scientific Name: Pomadasys kaakan
Local Name(s): [Hk]Jio Lor, [My]Gerut Gerut
Precaution: Harmless
Edible: Yes 

Grunts are always a good catch not so much for their eating quality but for the struggle they put up when being reeled in. Sizes vary but they usually grow up to this size which is about 400g in weight but they can certainly grow much much bigger if given the chance. They have a sweet flavour and slightly muddy taste as they are bottom feeders. This guy was released back.

Over the course of a few days,we reeled in some of them and all were released to ensure sustainable fishing.

Next on the list would be the Common brown stingray.

This stingray often sucks itself to the ground when hooked and tend to give the snagged impression.

relatively no fight but a heavy feeling on the line due to the big surface area. I've personally encountered plenty of these and all are released. these stingrays are often small in size and should NOT BE KILLED WHEN THEY ARE JUST JUVENILES!So all those irresponsible greedy anglers out there don't be a retard and cut off their tails for no reason.

Next up would be Croakers
 -----------LEFT-------------
Common Name(s): Goatee Croaker
Scientific Name: Dendrophysa Russelii
Local Name(s): [Md]牛那妈(Niu2 Na4 Ma1), [Hk]Gu La Ma, [My]Gelama
Precaution: Harmless
Edible: Yes 
CNR Time: 1 min

--------------RIGHT---------------

Common Name(s): Tiger-toothed Croaker
Scientific Name: Otolithes Ruber
Local Name(s): [My]Gelama Gigi Jarang, [Md]双牙, [Hk]Sum Geh 
Precaution: Harmless
Edible: Yes 

These fish are most common in changi and are plentiful. Anglers tend to use them as crab bait for their pots or bring them home to deep fry and consume. they make a croaking noise when brought up on land thus the term "croaker fish".

Barramundi can be caught almost anywhere in Singapore and tend to lurk near shorelines to feed and to breed.they tend to always be around structures where smaller fish are present.Afternoons are best for fishing for the barramundi because they are usually day feeders. Great day of fishing and a good size to bring home for the family.

Common Name(s): Barramundi

Scientific Name: Lates Calcarifer
Local Name(s): Sea Bass, [Hk]Kim Bak Lor, [My]Siakap 
Precaution: Sharp gill plates 
Edible: Yes

Lastly, the veined catfish can be caught usually after 7pm. rods start to bend and bells start to bring vigorously when the sun sets because of these guys.

Common Name(s): Veined Catfish

Scientific Name: Arius Venosus
Local Name(s): [Hk]Seng Heurr, [My]Duri
Precaution: Venomous spines at dorsal and pectoral fins 
Edible: Yes 

this was our last catch of the day and after 7pm there wasnt as much activity anymore so we headed back home and called it a day.

Cheers and Peace out!

-Abel

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Cooking Sickle Fish

by: Abel Yeo

Hello Hello!this is probably the first blog that you'll see which has an entire post dedicated to cooking the fish that was caught!Not sure why also...but maybe...all they think about is eating the fish rather than sharing the experience?

  

First on our list of completely clueless methods of cooking weird looking fish is the Sickle Fish which is known by many uncles, who couldn't be bothered to learn the name ,as "Fan fish".This fish is a bottom feeder and tends to eat worms and prawns that dwell on the sea bed.they can be usually caught when mud and clay is present!Usually caught in Pasir Ris, Changi broadwalk and Sembawang Park, just to name a few.

This fish has a muddy taste when not cooked properly so it isn't advisable to steam the fish. I highly recommend deep frying or braising this fish to mask the flavour. Texture of this fish is similar to pomfet.

In this picture we have given our catch to a nearby restaurant to help us cook!So we've chosen Assam!. although it is something we'll never do again since it cost us $15.and we are too Ghetto for this.

Alternatively you could try cooking this fish with fish curry sauce or Assam sauce!

 NO RECIPES?fret not,the next few fish dishes will contain the complete set of recipes!

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