First Timer

We all just can't bear the wait till Chinese New Year for our first trip to one of the kelongs near Sibu Island. So last Sunday we all had the first taste of kelong fishing at Sibu except for Mr.Jay who knew the kelongs at the back of his hands.

Saturday afternoon, Mr.Jay, Mr.Din and me met up at Beach Road to buy all the needed items for the trip. Mr.Din bought a seven buck rod for tamban jigging and some other stuff. Mr.Jay bought few tamban rigs and I bought two prawn lure for squid jigging.

Sunday 3 am, Mr Din ring me up and he was on his way to his parent's place. Lucky enough for this trip Mr.Din's father allowed us to use his car. About half and hour later I met Mr.Din and his wife with his father instructing me what are "do's & dont's" of the aged but well maintained Nissan Sunny.

So off we went to fetch Mr.Dem and straight to Changi Village to get some live prawns but were sold out. Settled for an early breakfast before fetching Mr.Jay at Hougang. We crossed the causeway at about 5.45 am with smooth traffic to JB. Went back to JB town to change Ringgits.

Road to Mersing from JB have totally changed a lot. With new landmarks sprouting along the way, made me a little confuse. Journey was smooth with light traffic heading either way and the early morning scenery was spectacular.

Reached Tanjung Leman jetty at about 8 am. Park and double checked the car was probably locked, while waiting for the boat might as well we have some breakfast. Nasi lemak at the jetty was great. Met up with very friendly anglers from Malacca and heading to the same kelong as we are. By looking at their gears and individual coolers, they really mean business.

Paid out jetty tax which is RM5 per head and the excitement begins. Lucky enough winds were not strong but still with the diesel-powered boat, the journey was a bit choppy at times. It took about 30 minutes from the jetty to the kelong. By looking at a soccer size field kelong from far, talking to myself... so this is the place that Mr.Jay and others have been talking about.

One must have good balance when trying to jump from the boat to the kelong if the water is choppy. Our bags, coolers and fishing gears were carried up by the kelong operators and we were told to wait for bunkers since there were not prepared.

As a seasoned kelong goer, Mr.Jay showed us around, telling us where were the best spot to fish. Mr.Din and Mr.Dem could not resist the wait and was already hooking up smallies behind the kitchen area. I too just can't wait and fetched my new Aegis rod coupled with my Shimano Sienna 2500, using tamban rig and off jigging the smallies which were mostly Mempinang (Pink Ear Emperor), Dingkis (Rabbit Fish) and Kunyit (Miss Wong).

Biting rate is just superb and after an hour fishing, I start to get bored hooking up smallies. Decide to cast out to the open sea from behind the kitchen and hooked up more palm-sized Mempinangs. Tragedy struck when I left my rod with the rig just below the water surface. My new rod suddenly bend like a letter U and just a few seconds of holding the rod... "Prraakkkk!!!!" It broke at two places, 5cm from the tip and just above the joining part of the upper part of the rod. And there goes my birthday present from my wife.

Lunch was at 12 noon with steamed sea bass, butter prawns, veggie and soup. After lunch I joined the rest of the kakis at the bunker side. Mr.Dem and Mr.Din busy reeling in Remora after remoras. This "BATA" known to the other anglers because of it's rubber sole like body parts seems fond of Mr.Dem's rig. His been hooking up 4 of these "BATAs" but at last he hooked up a decent size grouper. I hooked up a barraccuda later on.

Dinner was at 5 pm with soya sauce duck, fried fish, veggie and soup. Sunset was breathtaking from the kelong and during this time we all were busy hooking up Tamban, Kembongs and Selars.

After shower all of us relax at the bunker before we were called for supper. Just have some red bean soup and off fishing again. Mr.Din tried squid jigging and hook up one. Mr.Dem trying luring with his new bought lure. Mr.Jay trying to hook up selar with my Shimano Schimtar and I, hooking up the fresh squid that Mr.Din caught and cast it out using Mr.Jay's battered set up.

As I was busy cleaning up the catches, I saw Mr.Jay's rod nodding and quickly grab it. When reeling in, saying to myself please not those BATAs again. Lucky enough a plate-sized Sagai (Trevally). An hour later another hooked up from Mr.Jay's rod and this time I had a hard time reeling in when the fish tried to swim under the kelong but managed to bring it up and surprisingly it was a Bamboo Shark.

About midnite, I just can't handle it anymore and straight to the bunker to sleep. 5.30 am woke up to go the toilet and decide to fish again. This time is the best for fishing, only four anglers seeing fishing. Cast out my Shimano and hooked in a lot of Kekeks (Ponyfish) and few Selar Papans.

9 am we were all ready to go back to mainland with 7 minutes ride from the kelong to the jetty using speed boat.