Hi one and all!Abel here again!Why me?because I'm the one who usually takes pictures for documentation purposes!But I'm here to bring you an updates catch report for Pasir Ris for the year 2013 and 2014.
As you've already known, most of our barramundi catches are from Pasir Ris.
Sungei Api Api is a bridge where freshwater and saltwater mix so its basically brackish water.
we'll be sharing the common fishes caught here!
Barramundi!firstly, if you're ever curious if the Barramundi is a fresh or saltwater fish, you must know that they are highly adaptable in both. they are present in brackish water as they migrate upstream to spawn.
It's difficult to believe that such a highly prized fish is so near the coast! Usually the ones that are caught are around 1kg in weight.these are actually juveniles.Adults have the potential to grow up to 10kg or more.
You can catch these fishes in the evening or night.there is no specific feeding time so you'll just have to be present all the way.
this was caught last year and weighs about 1.2kg. Wild barramundi tend to look healthier and "fatter" due to their diet and the fact that they have no space restrictions unlike farm bred ones. they also have a more circular tail as compared to farm bred ones(Pay Ponds) as they maneuver more freely and develop a stronger and more effective tail design.
Most common and widely available fish in Pasir Ris is the eeltail catfish!I'm sure many have caught them elsewhere in singapore!this specific breed is also highly adaptable in Salt and Fresh water! they dont grow very big and a common size is about 200g or slighly more. Do watch out for the spikes located on the top and side fins. stings are not fatal but they do hurt a lot when you've been pierced.
these scavenges eat just about anything and can be caught using dead prawns, any smelly fish, worms, chicken liver. Theres no fight but a slight struggling feeling when reeled up.not the best eating quality but goes well with Assam as told by many malay uncles who bring them home.
Next up is the Mangrove jack Snapper. They used to be plenty in Pasir Ris but now on a steep decline because of overfishing here.We were fortunate enough to catch this beautiful specimen for our documentation. It was later safely released. We tend not to keep our fishes if they their population within the area is declining or they are too small to bring back, they are mostly safely released back to grow and thrive.
Like most snappers they dont usually put up a fight unless they are bigger. They are very common fish in many Pay Ponds but those are of a bigger size.These fishes are more adaptable to Saltwater and brackish but will not do so well in a freshwater environment. they can be caught with live prawns, dead fresh prawns, or whiting fish.
Sagor Catfish. just recently are these fishes caught so near inland and in brackish water.they are under the catergory of Marine Catfish and are found in deeper waters out at sea.they dont grown very big but put up a good fight and dash down when hooked. the Sagor Catfish is like many other catfish,a scavenger.they go for dead and smelly prawns and smelly small fish like kunning or kembong.
This is our biggest Sagor Catfish catch yet.its about the size of one and a half 500ml bottle in length.
it has a shark like appearance and was almost mistaken when being reeled in!hahas
Now this one is one of the craziest fishes yet. The alligator Gar. the only reason when there is a plastic sheet wrapped around it, is to prevent it from thrashing around and cutting me with its sharp scales. The body is as tough as nails and hard to penetrate.this lovely fish was released back to freshwater. It is a juvernile which is hard to believe but these fishes are huge when fully grown. Just to clarify, this fish wasn't caught on rod and reel but trapped on a net by another fisherman. We asked for a picture with it because it's just too nice too pass up!I'm not too sure how this fish ended up here but it could be because it was released by someone who just couldnt keep this fish in his/her tank anymore. needless to say the uncle who netted this fish was encouraged to release it.
Who knows?maybe you'll be the next fortunate person who reels up this fella.
Sungei Api Api is connected to the mangrove swamp. It is no wonder the swamp eel can be caught here. It is by far the worst and most annoying fish to catch here.they are often gut hooked and your rigs are often coiled up after a fight with this eel. they tend to coil up on your rigs or any structure and do a suicide barrel roll.they grow up to massive sizes and are commonly mistaken as a water snake.they produced this foul smell and slime that repels other fishes.so if you realise a layer of slime on your rig after hooking one of these do change your rig immediately else the rest of the day/night will be quiet for you.
Swamp eels are considered a delicacy to the chinese and often sold in wet markets around singapore. but no thanks,not gonna eat that. released!out of sight out of mind. they too eat anything and will go for prawns and fish meat.
Black eeltail catfish! One of the bigger catfishes that can be caught.they can grow up to 1kg or more! they put up a good fight and struggle. relatively heavy as well. we often use smelly prawns to catch them. Although they look big,they are actually quite skinny. those who have consumed this fish describe it as having a rubbery texture with a slight muddy taste.
we often release this fish to breed and fight another day. they are mature adults and are essential to allow a sustainable population when they spawn.
The Flathead Goby. the big ones are often mistaken as a legit "flathead fish".
Pardon the blur photo.we try our best to take good sharp ones but night photos are generally more difficult to get a clear shot! the Golden Flathead goby is one of the "bigger" goby species unlike the other variations.
they are quite common if you cast to the mangrove side of the bridge. they usually go for dead fresh prawns.
Some people consider this a good catch and deep fry them to consume.but as long as we're catching them?it'll all be released.
its about the length of a soda can though it can grow slightly bigger.their skin is quite transparent and clear enough to see its veins.
Spotted green Puffers are the most annoying catches yet.they pull hard on the line and can be mistaken as a decent size fish although they are small. they have relatively sharp teeth that can cut though metal hooks and strong lines(even those 50lb and more) Although they are seldom gut hooked, it is still tough to remove the hooks due to the large teeth that reduces visability of the hook. they are considered pest of the sea and most anglers kill them by not releasing them back.but a life is still a life and we do release them.
prawn meat are their favourite and they are top feeders so those using apollo rigs do be weary of them.
Cardinal Fishes are also common at the mangrove side. these greedy little fishes pull the line hard when hooked and can swallow a whole prawn!of course when you reel them up, half the prawn will be sticking out of their mouths.they are common mangrove fish and is differentiated from glass fish by the black spot just infront of the tail.
they have an extendable jaw just like the barramundi!
Barred ponyfish are plenty in Pasir Ris waters. the small ones dont often go for bait. it is mostly caught using a throw net by many anglers. Nothing much to say about this fish but if you plan to catch these,they are found just under the bridge and a tamban rig can be used to attract them.
The Oyster toadfish can be caught everywhere in singapore.the big ones struggle hard and when they surface,are often mistaken for a grouper at first sight but quickly identified at a toadfish. these are bottom feeders and go for any type of bait.
thats all we've managed to catch but stay tuned for more updates!
cheers and peace out!
-Abel
just a side view of this fish before releasing.this catfish is easily identified by the shiny stripes that it possesses at the side .sometimes confused with the veined catfish,this species tends to have a silver skin.the fork tail design is also an indication and method of identifying this fish!off it goes to grow and thrive!
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