Fishing South East Asia (Updated)

[LICENSETOPIN]

As some of you know I have been down in South East Asia (Singapore for now) since the Monday following the trout opener. I usually come down here every two years as my family has reunions, this time however i opted to stay for longer and that means one thing... Fishing!

These pics are from the past two weeks, havent had the time to spend a full day out on the water yet so most excursions are usually early mornings or evening trips as the temps here can get ridiculously stupid hot around the lunch hours.

First stop was to visit the tackle stores to find a rod, since it was trout opener weekend just before I was to leave i didnt really pack anything properly and wasnt able to locate a travel rod for my trip. I found this sweet little rod at a local shop, its made by Lemax Malaysia, its a 5 ft 2pc M with fuji high frames and reel seat. Easily the best 40 bucks CAD ive ever spent lol.

Next was time to christen her so I took a short 10 min bike from my aunts place to the Bedok fishing jetty.

Lost a nice seabass(baramundi) here due to not having a long landing net

Here is my haul of "tamban"(sardinella) good eats but most use it as bait fish. Since there isnt really any fishing regs or licenses here for that matter, all loogans should be shipped here... haha joking. Most people run rigs with up to 10 hooks or more if you please, it makes it quite fun dropping your line into a black ball of fish to only pull it out in seconds with 10 fish on your line.

 

[LICENSETOPIN]

Although I was able to bring some tackle from home most are not usable in salt water since parts will rust. Not a problem since I was planning on hitting the freshwater canals, lagoons and reservoirs more than the ocean anyway! Last Wed I had some free time early morning so I decided id take the bike for a cruise to see what could be had in the immediate area.

Came across this canal that was just full of juvi peacocks that were breaking surface everywhere chasing baitfish clouds but alas they would not care for anything I threw at them. Luckily for me these Mayan cichlids were everywhere and just as hungry but more susceptible to take my lures.

They put up quite the tussle despite their smaller size.

By 11 am the sun was well on her way up and as usual my needs to catch fish overthrew the burning feeling on my shoulders LOL, this is what came to my realization when I got home just before lunch that day. Had no idea that I could sunburn...

 

[LICENSETOPIN]

The last three trips have been spent searching the many back bays and emerald green lagoons in search of the mighty Peacock bass and Snakehead that run these fresh water ways.

Intersting looking fish, Earth eater cichlid my friend caught

 

[LICENSETOPIN]

While the snakeheads still prove elusive I have been managing a few PBs on every outing, these fish are awesome to angle as they are crazy suicidal when in spawning and just in general. I was able to bring down two packs of xzone swammers down with me and i only have two pieces left, they seem to love em haha. Many fish hooked are lost to wood that make up the underwater structures of the reservoirs around here and many more are just lost to the explosive nature of these fish(bent hooks and pulled split rings) *note the areas I was fishing in the pics above.

This is a Butterfly Peacock while the rest are Temensis Peacocks.

No bigguns to post just yet, hooked into two well over 7lbs that bulldogged harder than anything ive ever caught... Picture hooking into a chinook out in Lake O with an UL outfit, that times ten. They will come though :mrgreen:

Heres the usual company when fishing, some are quite ballsy and will go through your stuff if your not paying attention.

Couple awesome sunsets,

More to follow!! :twisted:

 

[Brian]

Great post...great pics...
Thanks for sharing it...

 

[FishingNoob]

Great pictures, sounds like a great trip. Last March break I went to Thailand and Malaysia, did not get a chance to go to Singapore though.

 

[LICENSETOPIN]

With both literally next door im sure trips will happen, Johor Bahru is only 30 min drive away and its got great opportunities!

But first... back home to the Philippines on the 28th :grin: with family right on the beach and access to boats it should be quite interesting(My first time fishing back home since I moved)

 

[staffman]

It sure sounds and looks like you are having a great trip.

 

[rocheleauc]

Great post & awesome pics, looks like a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing.

 

[salmotrutta]

Thanks for sharing the trip, looks like fun.

 

[Luke]

Great report l2p, I love seeing stuff from over seas. That one fish your buddy caught definitely looks like something you would see in someone's aquarium, gotta love the beauty of tropical fish.

 

[Blair]

Great Pic! (and report)

Gotta love the colours. Could imagine the fight given on your light gear.

(Are these guys the same as the ones in the Amazon?)

DEPUTIZED MNR OFFICER:

*SMILES*

 

[LICENSETOPIN]

Great Pic! (and report)

Gotta love the colours. Could imagine the fight given on your light gear.

(Are these guys the same as the ones in the Amazon?)

DEPUTIZED MNR OFFICER:

*SMILES*

They are the same fish but were put into the freshwater reservoirs down here by irresponsible aquarium owners(as far as ive been told) but as you can see they have established good populations, even out competing the snakeheads which are native to this area.

I wish we had them back home... im easily liking them more than smallies and largies haha :smile:

 

[RiverNinja]

This thread is full of WIN!

Nice pics L2P.. keep'em coming!...

 

[LICENSETOPIN]

Ask and you shall receive! Here are the results from my last morning fish...

While the size of my catch slightly improved I still havent managed to provoke the "momas"(in upwards of 10lb+) that follow my lures in! Quite frustrating specially since I know they are in there, and so far the snakehead are still MIA, guna try a new reservoir soon. One that has more of em as Ive been told :mrgreen:

 

[LICENSETOPIN]

Also somehow managed to break the bail spring on my daiwa reel... after looking around and talking to the local shop owners I decided on this sweet piece of machinery.

Its a Shimano Nasci 2500 series reel, its apparently very similar to the Saros and is the Japanese counterpart. Best part is what I paid for it! :grin:

Time to break her in, report soon to follow

 

[chuckles]

Wow man soo cool to fish area like that nice tat btw wicked cool monkeys to are they mean

 

[FishingNoob]

Wow! Those fish are nice! Cheers.

 

[LICENSETOPIN]

Took the Nasci out for a "spin" today haha, performed perfectly and even caught some fish on it!

Another picturesque sunset

Also added another specie on the list, my first ever and second walking catfish :grin:

 

[chris f]

wow thanks for posting and sharing the pics, man looks like you are having a great time!