A DAY TRIP IN WESTON featuring OTAI KAMAL

Dec17, 2014: I had just taken shower when my phone indicated a message arrived…that was from a good friend of mine…since a long time ago. The message was so short 'Bah esk tuyun'..but it meant a lot to me.hehehe..ok Mal..u got it!

Low tide is always a problem. Otai Kamal ran heavy sweat to get the boat to the shore. It helped him to keep fit at the present age!

The fishing method was not casting entirely but bottom fishing as the water condition looked pretty bad. Casting won't work perfectly in this cold murky water. Luckily, I got few sinkers and small sizes of hooks in my tackle box. However, I still needed gears to do the job..hehehe..my CQ and Curado done it very well!

No pain no gain. Fortunately the water was still there and it helped the boat moved swiftly.

6:45am, Otai Kamal flew the boat to the limit and 15 minutes later, he manouvered his boat closed to some shrimp fishermen. They were pulling the net into the boat which caught lots shrimps. It seemed to be a good day to see lots pointed finger sizes shrimps in the  bucket. We bought  those live shrimps about rm 10 and just enough for bottom fishing. I hope casting would  taken more place in that day..Hopefully..hehehe.

another ten meter rowing to the pontoon. Keep it up!

The sea condition was not so good at all as the wind from the southwest became so strong. However, Otai Kamal still speed up his boat confidently such as nothing to be worried!.steady kau Mal!!.hehehe..Few minutes later, we got into ‘Bangkuduan’ river mouth system.

Accommodation for Nature lovers. Some lodges and seafood restaurant. These are new here and I should  have time to visit in the future.

Ten years ago, I have heard many great stories about fishing spot in ‘Bangkuduan’. This river witnesses many catching record by some legend. Surely, Otai Kamal is one of the living legend in this Padas Basin. He started using  modern tools in this arena just few years ago. Hand line method becomes history as he enjoys with rod and reel.

Above: A man that witnessed a great story of living legend(so lucky to learn a lot from him)
Below:Another angler is dealing a good price for live shrimp with generous fishermen.

Our first fishing hole was a junction between two rivers. The boat anchored wisely and closed to the bank. Bottom rigs prepared quickly and live bait shrimp released underneath the boat. It won’t be long when the first strike happened!..baby GT eaten frenzy. These are for dinner and insurance better than catching nothing during casting…I totally agreed.

a good method to keep shimps alive the whole day

While the tide was getting high, we moved to another spot after five minutes without and nibbled. The same method was over and over until awaited casting session taken place. Well, I could say that this river is so deep and deep diving lure is effected to enter the striking zone. We armed with new Ofmer Xdeep that written on the box could dive more than 3 meters and they would be sent to as close as to the Nipah and Mangrove trees. We believed that the spot should be a striking zone for hidden predators..as usual…hehehe..who knows..

Not bad at all but enough to make me worried. Instead, Otai Kamal showed no mercy as he still 'rempit' the 15 ft boat!

Baby GT Frenzy in the first hole. "Taruk makan taruk makan"..perghhh!!bag limit should be practiced in this hole or there will be no more someday.

For an hour, we were casting along the riverbank but only caught some groupers and baby barracudas. Due to the low quality of water..a bit cold murky..there were still no Ungahs (mangrove jack) appeared. We were so curious about that. My new parrot ofmer had not found and predators yet. I guessed that the bad weather disallowed them to be more active.

This burglar escorted us along the river bank. We enjoyed the moment as she walked close to us. This was so wild bro! we never expected that she wanted something..that was our food! She determined to jump into our boat and grabbed the food just like that..it was a chaotic moment!

hehehe..Otai Kamal was so lucky to get his short pant back from the culprit. hehehehe

We got into a small river at 4:00 pm. We only had 30 minutes to explore the river. The sky was getting dark and wind blew strongly. I guessed that we would experience another stormy day right after this. After 20 minutes without any strike, Otai Kamal decided to end the trip. I could see a bit worried on his face..God!..you made me double worried..hehehe..but I could count on you otai!

another grouper's strike by Otai Kamal. I admitted that he is really master on how to catch this species. fortunately, he is not hesitate to share the technique. This makes you a living legend!

We packed immediately and prepared for the worst. My worried became true when we reached to the river mouth. The wind from the south blew strongly and the sea looked unwilling heavy rough! Without hesitate, otai Kamal kept going and speed up his boat through heavy waves. We were soaked by the downpour and the visibility decreased to 30 meters. The boat slammed hardly through each coming heavy waves. I would not thinking about any situation if the boat slam to any floating debris without lifejacket! 

God!..the sign that gave us nice experienced. it reminds us on how small we are as human being. Allah is almighty!

It was 5:05 pm when we reached to Otai Kamal’s house. This should be a lesson for me to bring a dry cloth during rainy season..specially end of year when the monsoon comes. Consequently, I drove home in a wet cloth..hehehe..that was so cold Lempayun..you asked for it!

Well, I would like to say thousand thanks  to Otai Kamal and I am still expecting another short message from him next year..with faizal hehehe..salam

BONGAWAN'S BAGANG LIGHT JIGGING TRIP 2014

08/12/14(Isnin):Awal pagi kami dah ke pantai dengan menaiki kereta semata-mata untuk mengetahui keadaan laut. Kami agak ragu adakah kesan Hagupit sampai hingga ke Teluk Kimanis?Apabila kami tiba di pantai, persoalan terjawab dan sekaligus mengizinkan satu trip singkat ke bagang untuk aksi light jigging.

Light jigging rod dan kekili mampu milik sedia untuk beraksi

Selepas mandi dan sarapan, peralatan segera dipunggah ke dalam pick up. Enjin 15 hp yang sudah diservis dan peralatan untuk light jigging siap siaga untuk beraksi. Jam menunjukkan angka 8:35 am apabila kami tiba di garaj bot. Tanpa berlengah, peralatan segera dipunggah kedalam bot teamlempayun. Enjin Yamaha 15hp berfungsi dengan baik dan dibiarkan warmed up seketika.

Personal jigs pelbagai brand dan berat. Assist hooks sendiri ikat bro.

Ketika tiba di muara sungai, keadaan muara agak berombak namun masih mengizinkan bot melaluinya memandangkan ia agak dalam melebihi sekaki. Haluan bot wajib dihala mengharung ombak agar tidak terpusing yang boleh mengakibatkan bot terbalik!Abis barang-barang ni bro...

Kalau tidak boleh limpas muara ni bro..jangan dipaksa. Safety first bah..sayang peralatan hilang ke dasar muara..sayang lagi nyawa yang tiada spare di pasar. Gambar muara beberapa hari lepas yang terkesan dengan angin kuat.macam dinding ombaknya ooo..rapat lagi tu..hehehe..pulang rumah laaa..apa lagi.

Kami memulakan aksi jigging di bagang-bagang sekitar Membakut dan hanya memperuntukkan selama 10 hingga 15 minit jigging di setiap bagang. Jika tiada sambutan, segeralah berpindah ke bagang yang lain. Ada lebih 70 buah bagang sedang menanti tidak termasuk bagang yang sudah runtuh. So, jangan kelam kabut ya.

Berumbai atau Ebek/geng kapak antara spesis yang menggilai jig

Aksi di bagang perlukan kesabaran dan kerajinan menukar jig seberat 15 gram hingga 35 gram. Teknik jigging juga perlu dipelbagaikan. Apa saja gaya asalkan dapat membuka selera ikan di bawah permukaan air. Sasaran ikan sudah tentu apa saja spesis travelly ataupun Kerapu. Tak kisah..janji strike..hehehe

Aksi di bagang roboh kadang-kadang memberikan strike jika tidak pun mencukai jig-jig anda. Aksi di sini menagih kesabaran yang amat tinggi

Sesekali kami singgah juga di beberapa buah bagang roboh. Struktur ini sebenarnya menjadi rumah perlindungan ikan. Namun, sebelum mendekati bagang roboh, pergerakkan arus dan angin perlu diketahui terlebih dahulu. Labuhan terlalu rapat juga agak merbahaya kerana masih banyak buluh, nibung dan bakau berceranggah di bawah badan bot. Malang tidak berbau jika alun besar menghentakkan bot anda ke atas hujung kayu bakau dan nibung yang seolah-olah tombak menembusi lantai bot…mayday!…mayday!..

GT adalah spesis utama yang amat menggilai jig. Namun, agak sukar mengesan kedudukan mereka. Memang bertuah laa jika ketemu dengan spesis ni. Memang heaven jika terserempak kumpulan GT berlegar di sekitar bagang..pasti strike giler2!!

Jigging juga amat berisiko apabila jig anda disambar sesuatu. Jig sangkut di struktur dasar air menjadi musuh utama dan lumrah yang datang dan pergi..hehehe.. Oleh itu, pakailah jig murah dan perambut yang tahan lasak. Jangan risau, ikan bukan tanya harga jig berapa bro?hehehe..Drag juga perlu ketat agar strike pertama pemangsa tidak menyelit ke dalam struktur yang dipenuhi oleh teritip dan tiram.

Kaedah  bertahan tanpa memberikan tali kepada pemangsa jig amat berkesan di sini. Peratus untuk berjaya hanya sekitar 20 hingga 30 peratus sahaja pun sudah memadai untuk menikmati aksi light jigging. Namun, jika terkena pemangsa bagak, kita hanya mampu menelan air liur apabila braided line mencurah keluar seolah-olah drag kekili langsung tidak berfungsi..hehehe..tu la thrill dan nikmat sebenar jigging bro..

Keadaan cuaca yang tidak menentu sememangnya menghalang trip-trip seterusnya berlaku. walaupun begitu, keadaan yang tidak mengizinkan itu lah yang memberi peluang untuk meng-upgrade-kan peralatan dan menambah koleksi jigging..akan disambung dengan peralatan dan jig dalam post akan datang.