We all know what Carps are. In many countries, these are scavengers. Carps are generally disliked by many as they destroy vegetation in rivers and lakes. They breed quickly and can endure vast environment changes. This explains why while Carps are about the only species of fish found in warm as well as cold countries.

In more developed countries, Carps are not food fish. However, in many developing countries, especially in Asia, they are bred as table fish, and can be quite a delicacy.

However, in some countries such as the U.K., they are prized as sportfish. Some anglers even specialize in catching carps alone… and there has been stories of Carps being caught on flies as well.

Well, back to one of my favorite countries, Thailand. Thailand is fast growing as one of the freshwater fishing capital of Asia. However, it also offers superb saltwater fishing for Sailfish, Marlins and Trevallys as well as other species in the beautiful oceans surrounding the country. Phuket, off the Andaman Sea, is a popular saltwater fishing destination for many anglers. However, in the last few post, we’ve been focused on Freshwater fishing in some of the fishing resorts like Bungsamran and IT Monster. Here are two pictures sent by one of our favorite guides, Wuttichai Khuensuwan (nickname Fishing Boy), of some giant Siamese Carps caught by his clients.

If you thought that Freshwater Fishing was about ultra light rods and 6 lbs line, think again. These monsters will take 15-20lb lines to subdue, especially considering that most of the time, you’re not fishing alone. Anything lighter and the risk of breakage or tangled lines with fellow anglers will be increased, thus increasing the odds that the fish will escape to fight another day.

Enjoy the pictures!

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Following my post on “Back to Basics” on fishng at the Kulai Pond in JB, here is a video of some of the catches. The video was taken at night without proper lighting, so the quality isn’t great, but it showed some of the action we had. Landing a fish with old fashion landing nets may be something of interest to some as well… Enjoy it!

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I’m not sure how many people actually recall fishing in Singapore some 30 to 35 years ago. Back then, bait fishing was all the rage and lures were heard of but hardly popular. Fishing ponds exists over different parts of Singapore, mostly in the more remote areas. Some of the more well known ones include Tampines, Ocean and Yio Chu Kang fishing pond. These were stocked with Grass Carp, Big Head Carps and several other species of carps.

Recently, I was introduced to Pond Fishing again in Malaysia by some kakis from Coho Sport Fishing. This time, the location was Nanyang Fishing Pond in Kulai, Johor Bahru, a one and a half hour car ride from Singapore. While there were lots of similarities with the old style pond fishing in Singapore (including using Chicken Feed as bait, Rod Stands and bite indicators), some major changes were obvious. For starters, while the traditional Carp species were available, the pond was also stocked with Pacu and Patin, two species which are even less particular about their food and fight alot harder than carps do. Secondly, this was a catch and release pond. Thirdly, being Catch & Release, there are alot more fishes which means that you rarely have to wait 15mins before your first bite.

So, how strong were these Patins and Pacus? Well, there’s a joke going around that this is a differnt kind of “fly fishing”. If you were not careful and keeping a watch on the indicator, your rod could literally “fly” into the pond when a Patin takes. It seems this is an everyday affair here and I had the honor to witness Han’s rod taking flight during our trip!

The fishing was awesome! Gone were the 4-5 gang hooks of the past. Instead, we used single or double hooks, which means there are less hooks to meddle with and get caught in the landing nets when landing a fish. How awesome? Well, I see a fish landed every 10 minutes or so and these average 2-3kg with bigger ones going to 4-5kgs or so. But I can certainly say they fought alot harder than the usual carp species.

Some of the guys who got there earlier were even landing Pacu’s on flies. However, care must be taken to set the hooks fast as Pacu’s have very sharp and powerful jaws that will break the line should it ever get in the way. More got away than landed on fly, mostly due to the small size of the flies, allowing the fish to get to the leader easily!

The fishing was easy enough that almost everyone caught something. I even managed to land 5 fishes, just using a simple one hook rig, a small telescopic rod (Shimano Bass 1) and 6 pound line. Pole fishing was a real prospect here, as witnessed by the Grass Carp taken on a pole rod by Edwin in the last picture below.

Cost of fishing here is also very “economical”. Each rod was only RM18 (S$8) and you bring your own bait.  This entitles you to a whole night of fishing. If you are lazy to mix your own “chicken feed”, bread will do just fine. You are encouraged to use barbless hooks for ease of release so that the fishes will not be hurt too badly. Should you land a good catch and you want to keep the fish, the pond attendant will weigh the fish and you pay for the fish according to the weight.

Did we have fun? You bet! We left Coho at 5pm and made our way to the site. Despite a heavy jam at the causeway (thanks to Mas Salamat!), we made it to the pond by about 7.30pm. This includes stopping along the way to buy dinner!

Fishing started at about 8pm and we fished for about 4 hours till midnight before making our way back home. In this short 4 hours, we must have landed about 30 to 40 fishes or so, averaging about 4 fishes each. This was definitely fruitful fishing compared to the old days when a whole night of dusk to dawn fishing may bag you two fishes on a good day and nothing on a bad day! And not to mention, that’s usually fishing with 2 rods each!

Would I recommend this place? Absolutely! If you’ve had experience pond fishing in Singapore in the past, this is definitely recommended. It’ll definitely evoke a strong sense of nostalgia… If you have not tried the old pond fishing ways, you owe it to yourself to try out a different and exciting way of fishing. While the technique may be back to basics, the fishes are a new, hungrier and stronger breed, giving the traditional pond fishing a new sense of excitement never before experienced. And if you are a real traditionalist, you can even try a pole rod… nothing can be more exciting than having a 2-3kg fish, zipping in and out at the end of your whippy pole rod. Try it… you’ll not regret it! This much I can guarantee!

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In a previous post on the IT Monster Lake in Bangkok, I showed some pictures of giant exotic species caught there. Just a few days ago, I received more pictures of our guide, who made a couple of trips there with the objective to catch these exotic species on fly. Fly anglers all over the world wants to get in on the “exotic fish” action and there might be no better place to make that dream come true than in Bangkok Thailand. These trips were made to understand the feeding patterns of these exotic species, the types of flies which will be effective, so that trips can be arranged in the future for aspiring fly anglers.

On the right, you will see a huge Barramundi caught from IT Monster weighing almost 15kg.

Here’s a couple of great pictures of an Alligator Gar weighing about 10kg caught on a 9wt fly outfit caught by our fishing guide from IT Monster Lake.

The picture below shows a “baby” arapaima weighing about 12kg caught on fly.

Another picture of an African Catfish, also caught on fly at IT Monster. This one weights about 8kg and was caught on a black/red fly fished on a slow strip.

Pictures below shows a selection of flies which have proven to be effective. Fly sizes range from size 4 to size 4/0. Darker flies seems to work better, mostly due to the slighly murky water at the lake.

Enjoy the pictures and I’ll post more pictures as soon as I receive them or make the trip to IT Monster. Stay tuned!

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Recently, Thailand is gaining more and more attention from anglers all over asia and the rest of the world and for good reason too. Thailand has some amazing fishing resorts as well as wild fishing areas. In some of my previous post, I wrote about the amazing Barramundi fishing in Bangkok as well as the Bungsamran Resort which holds some of the biggest freshwater fishes in the world.

Well, this month, a friend sent me some pictures from IT Monster Lake, also in Thailand. They are just amazing! Check them out!

Here is a beautiful catfish weighing about 20kg caught at IT Monster Lake on spinning gear. Seems like this is an African species of catfish, very rare here in this region, but quite plentiful in this lake.

IT Monster specializes in exotic species including the rare South American Arapaima, definitely one of the largest freshwater fish in the world.

Check out more of the pictures below!

 

IT Monster seems like a place no keen angler should miss. If for any reason, just the opportunity andexperience to catch some of the rarest species of fishes in the world.

Picture below on the left shows one fo the biggest Arrowana I have ever seen… can you imagine landing this on fly tackle?

The right picture is one of a smaller Arapaima caught here estimated at about 25kg. In fact, these are more manageable sizes and won’t wear you down like the larger ones will.

We will be planning a trip there soon, hopefully sometime in the third quarter of the year… and will report our success in future posting on this site.

Stay tuned! I’m sure we’ll report with some of the most awesome pictures you’ve ever seen!

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I recently discovered a superb peacock bass fly for fishing in Singapore that I just have to share. It’s called the “Mel Pee Bee Special” developed by Melvin Sim. This fly looks like a typical trout fly but it’s been tweeked for local peacock bass fishing. What’s great about this fly?

Well, it’s a small fly you can cast on a zero weight rod, yet will attract and land Peacock Bass in the several kilos range. You can fish it with a fast strip, a slow strip or just let it drift along. You can fish it near the surface or you can fish it mid-water. You can even drag it along the bottom and it will still take Peacock Bass! Amazing? Yes, absolutely… and those are not just wild claims; it’s been tested extensively in local waters in Singapore and Malaysia. Here is what the fly looks like.

I was pretty busy over the weekend but nevertheless, I took the fly out for a test run on Sunday morning. I took it to Bedok Reservoir where two anglers were doing a spot of spinning at the new platform. Within half and hour, I landed 2 average sized Peacock Bass, fishing the Mel’s Pee Bee Special in Mid-water on a super slow strip. I was using the clear stillwater 3wt line to help me get the fly to the required depth. It was all the time I had before heading to church, but I outfished those two spin anglers who caught nothing in that half hour I had!

If you are into Peacock Bass, you owe it to yourself to check out the Mel’s Pee Bee Special! You can contact Melvin at his blog or you can get the fly at Coho Sportfishing! Enjoy it!

The Fly Fishing Loop is sponsored by flydepot.com
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Woke up early this morning and decided to do a little fishing; so I grabbed my gear and headed down to Bedok Reservoir. I had not fished this spot for a while, so when I arrived at about 6.45am, the first thing I noticed was the high water level. This must be from the days of incessant rain over the last week. The air was cool. I walked over to the new wooden seating gallery and decided to start off with spinning gear. I tied on a little yellow rubbertail and started my first cast. I didn’t expect a hit as the sky was still quite dark but on my third cast, I did get a hit! I was quite sure it was a Peacock Bass as few other fishes in freshwater hit as hard and ferocious as the Peacock Bass, maybe other than the Sebarau! A couple of minutes later, the Peacock Bass was landed (see picture on right). Hmmm…. great start I thought! I gently release the fish and continued casting. As they sky brightened, I could see Peacock Bass chasing my little rubber tail on a few occassion but did not hookup. After about 10-15 cast, I decided to change location.

I moved over to the ledge and started casting again. Saw an Arrowana cruising and casted to it but ended up spooking it instead. I decided to try the shallow rocky edge of the bank and had a good hit. Another Peacock Bass landed and released (see picture on left).

Looks like a great day for Peacock Bass fishing. I decided to walk back to the car and grab my fly rod for change. It’s been some time since I caught a fish on my 3wt (let alone cast a fly)and would be a great warm-up for my coming Barramundi trip in Bangkok. I started walking back at a brisk pace, determined not to miss the action for too long.

Within 10mins, I was back, fly rod and reel in tow. I tied on a size 6 Crazy Charlie… “when in doubt as to what fly to tie on, start with a Crazy Charlie”, that’s my fishing motto! 4 or 5 casts later, I had another hit (see picture on right)… damn, the Peacock Bass are really hungry today! Hooking up a Peacock Bass on a 3wt is really fun. I’ve known some people use a 1wt or 2wt and that could be even more fun, but I prefer a 3wt to cast the occasional popper. Peacock Bass can be a real visual treat on Poppers too, for those who have not tried them! Also, while I enjoy the fight, I don’t want to prolong it unnecessarily as it may kill the fish, so a 3wt is a good balance! 

Unfortunately, I was fishing alone again, so I had to take my own pictures. I’m going to have to bring my “Gorillapod” the next time around so I can take pictures of myself with the self timer!

Here’s a picture showing the size 6 Crazy Charlie that did the job! Good old Crazy Charlie never fails, whether in salt or fresh water!

I’ve actually never experienced Peacock Bass action this hot before! Must be the rain! My intention was to maybe fish for an hour and head out for a quick breakfast before heading home. However, with action this hot, I told myself I had to do a last minute change of plan. Breakfast can wait! I can have good breakfast anyday but the fishes don’t bite everyday, so I had better continue fishing. What a good choice that was. For the next hour or so, I landed another 5 Peacock Bass, making a total of 8 Peacock Bass in 2 hours of fishing. Not bad at all! I finally decided to leave at about 9am as the sun was getting really hot, and my stomach was growling in protest! I need some food!

What’s interesting to me this morning, was that there was not another angler in sight! Are anglers giving up on Bedok Reservoir, or are they just plain lazy and sleeping in on a beautiful weekend? I’m not sure and I don’t really care. What’s really on my mind now is, “When’s the fishing going to be this hot again? Should I wait for another rainy spell… or should I come again tomorrow and see if the place is still firing?” Hmm… I think I’m going to come again tomorrow, better “Make Hay while the Sun Shines!” It’s about 11pm as I wrote this but if you happen to read it and want to join me, see you there!

Meanwhile, enjoy the pictures!

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Finished work early today, so decided to go for a jog at Bedok Reservoir. With the North East Monsoon still blowing, I had a nice, easy and ”windy” jog. I wasn’t feeling the “pain” so I decided to hang around a little longer. Went to the car, pulled out my little telescopic rod and decided to have a few cast.

It was already 6.30pm and the sky was getting a little dark but I figured I still have about an hour to fish or so. Well, to my surprise, the fish was pretty active and I had a good fish on my third cast. I thought it was a Peacock Bass but it turned out to be a large black Tilapia, so I decided not to take a picture.

A few cast later, the line went taut again and the fight was stronger this time. A couple of meters of line went out on my lightly set drag. “Peacock Bass for sure!” I thought. True enough, a short while later, I could see the golden silhouette and distinctive spot on the tail of the Peacock Bass. Unfortunately, I was alone and there were no passer-by, so the best I could do was to take a picture of the Peacock Bass safely in my hand.

Hmmm surprise I thought. 7pm now, so I’m wondering if I could get one more for the road. Another 3 cast later, the line went taut again. Again, a strong take and another few meters of line went out. My heart began to pump as I reeled the fish in. Another golden silhouette, another spot, another Peacock Bass. This time with stripes. Another few shots were taken and the fish was released unharmed.

Hmm… 7.15pm and the sky was really starting to get dark. One more cast… then another, then another and a take. This time, the fish felt smaller. As it came nearer, I thought it was a Red Tilapia but on closer look… I could not recognise it. Looks like a cross between a Red Tilapia and an Oscar.

If any of you recognise it, please leave me a comment. I certainly would like to know what it is.

Well, so I had a great jog, a great one hour of fishing… what more can I ask for to start the weekend!

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I just received a couple more email from my buddy, Sean Mah, fishing in NZ. I just had to share some of these because they were so well taken. For those of us who can only admire NZ from far, this is as good as it gets.

The photo on the right shows the awesome Charlton 8450C configurable reel usable from 3wt to 8wt on three different spools mounted on a RL Winston trout rod. Unfortunately, I think Charltons are no more in production after Jack Chartlon sold the company to 3M a few years back. Charltons are all fully sealed, so maintenance is simple. In fact, if you can find a good one on the used market, you should really keep one!

Below you will see some of the pristine condition of the fishing holes in New Zealand. New Zealand is a big country with more sheeps and cows than people. As such, many of the fishing spots are undiscovered and is probably one of the last few places on earth to offer awesome fishing conditions and with sufficient modern amenities to keep things comfortable after a long fishing day! Enjoy the pictures!