The Fly life

Sunday, April 6, 2008

There Just Might Be Fish in Hong Kong..

After 4 long months in "Asia's World City", I found out that it certainly aint "Asia's Fishing City"... When I first came over, the only information gathered in from the internet was that - you gotta go to Sai Kung to catch a fish... but I thought "Nah, there should be fish all over HK"... I take that back. Sure, there are locals catching stuff all over the place, but the good spots - especially for lure fishing - remain very closely guarded secrets. Even trips to places recommended by unselfish fishonetizens proved to be unproductive (for me at least). But I guess I should give those places a few more visits... which means that I'm sacrificing my once-a-week fishing time to try again as opposed to finding THE spot.

This past friday (o4 Apr) was one of those exploring trips. Since it's a public holiday, I thougt it'd be high time to holler my ass over to the Sai Kung vicinity to verify if what I've heard about the place lived up to its reputation. A quick check on Google earth and I decided to carry out my excapade at a place called "Hebe Haven"... dunno if it has anything to do with the Taiwanese all-girl pop group S.H.E.... heheh.

Getting there required a ride on the MTR followed by bus. It was the first time I took the green-top mini buses too... oops, second time actually... the first option was to check out a river that flowed into the bay, but it was scratched after the water looked a little too shallow and lifeless. Time for plan B. It was a hike (of about 30mins) toward the central bay area. And it's quite interesting (actually 'weird' would be a better word) to see semi-modern houses in an area where attap or zinc-roofed houses would pass off as more appropriate... single lane road, plenty of bushes and shrubs, and self-made parking lots. To cap it off, there was even a Supra parked alongside the road.


(Don't be fooled, there's nothing in the little stream shown above).

I walked to the end of the "village" to a little protruding islet and found a nice spot to start casting. Out comes the Reuben Pink Headed Gotcha (that I tied... heheh). The tide was low and I was able to find some really good rocks to stand on to cast... if anything, the casting was enjoyable. An hour went and nothing found the fly appetising... and then a man showed up in his 'sampan' (or wooded dinghy) and promptly laid a few drift nets around the area... no wonder this area is devoid of life.

Feeling disgusted, I broke the rod down and was contemplating if I should call it a day... but just out of curisosity, decided to check out what's on the other side of the islet... walking along a small path and down to the rocky shoreline, I was greeted with the smell of decomposing fish... and quite alot of flies. It was a barracuda of about 2-3 ft in length on a rock. Hmm, that's encouraging... a predator of this size actually hunts here. I spotted a rocky outcrop that made its way out to the water and decided to cast there... and I also found a nice rock from which to cast.

The SA Nymph taper that I bought a couple of weeks ago in Singapore is a dream to cast... turning over the gotcha and 12 ft leader with ease. It didnt take long for something to take a bite at the fly... even though they're small, the cods make up for it by hitting the fly pretty hard.


At long last!!! My first fly caught fish in Hong Kong!!! Then something unfortunate happened.. I lost my balance (for no reason) and fell into waist deep of water... "The phone's gone for sure" I thought... and true enough, it died. Feeling sorry for myself, I wanted to call it quits. But the wet shorts meant that I had to stick around for a while. So I walked back over to the islet to give it another go... with no results. So back to spot that produced. It didnt take long for this small fella to gobble the fly.


Then things went quiet... and I decided to walk over to the other side of the bay to take a look. It reminded me alot of Double Bay back in Sydney and I enjoyed myself walking there in knee-deep clear water, and found another patch of oyster encrusted rocks from which to cast from. The water looked like it was 2-3 ft deep, and was ideal. I proceeded to land another three cods from this patch, making me a very happy man.


Hopefully, this will be a prelude of better things to come in the future. Till next time....
-Justin-

Friday, April 4, 2008

Clouds That Hold Silver

As I was saying in the previous post, I have been trying to learn to fish more effectively in the estuary system that surrounds my home. To the point of tewaking retrieves, presentations, leader lengths and "developing" new fly patterns.

Today was another chance at the "grand slam". It was an incoming tide at my newly appointed favorite time of the day. I tackled up and casted at my usual starting sport just to wet the line. Satisfied that everything was in order I made my way down to begin a "beat" that I've since developed after that faithful day with Justin.

I casted retrieved and walked. This went on for a good 7 to 8 casts until I reached what I now refer to as The spot.

As I was slowly stripping line, I felt a slight bump. I paused for a half second and was about to strike when whatever it was just started running for the horizon at an alarming rate! I couldn't even think, much less react as line just peeled through my fingers. Thinking that the fish must have hooked itself, I lifted the rod slightly in an attempt to turn the fish.

This was to be my undoing as the line suddenly went slack. "Big flathead" I thought, remembering "thumping" my rod experienced. "Could also have been a big Bream" echoed in my head as I recapped the blistering run. Possibilities ran through my head.

I was disappointed but not discouraged. Bracing myself and mentally running through the motions of "Strip Strike not ROD STRIKE", I put out another 70 footer. Remembering that I had hooked up on a rather well sunk line, I let the sink tip do its thing and commenced my retrieve.

Strip

Strip

Jelly Prawns were going crazy on the surface as something tore into them.

Strip

"Peck!"

What on earth was that??? Short strip, Peck! I felt weight and I struck.

What followed next was a run reminiscent of the fish a cast ago. I kept the pressure on and the fish put on a great fight, holding deep with runs that took me close to the reel. "This must be a good bream" I thought as it started swimming to the rock wall I was casting from. Then came another run. "This is one strange Bream" ran through my head as whatever it was stayed down deep and made another bid for the horizon. It was not till a full 2 minutes that I saw a flash of Silver and it still didn't occur to me what I had on the end of my line.

Not long after that first flash of color I managed to tire my opponent and proceeded to grab the leader. For those who catch Bream on the long wand, you'll be expecting that the good old Bream would know when it is beaten and come to the surface. However my quarry stayed deep and only after I hand hauled the last of 12 feet of tippet that I realized that I had landed my first estuary Silver Trevally! The sweetness of the moment was made better that it had been on a fly that I had put much thought and effort into.
2 more Trevallies and one flathead were landed after this momentous occasion.



I didn't get my slam today but what I managed was great satisfaction at being able to land one of my favorite Piscatorial Targets after much work.

Good fishing to you all!

In Search of a "Grand Slam"

Notice that the words GRAND SLAM are in inverted commas... So much hype has been thrown about attaining a Grand Slam at many of the popular lodge fishing destinations that I thought that the humble Fly Chucker (aka yours truly) should have that same thrill while still being chained to a desk and a schedule.

In keeping with the concept that a Grand Slam consists of catching 3 of the prevalent sport fish of the locale - and that a super grand slam constituted of 4 prevalent game fish- I came to a decision that a Bream, Flathead and Tailor would constitute a grand slam for our southern Estuary systems here in Sub Urban Sydney. Of course catching a Whiting Tailor and Flathead would also Constitute a Slam. Following in this vein, it would follow that 4 species would make a super slam (think of the flats slam and really lower your expectations- I needed something to challenge myself) I had to make it achievable but still a challenge so I decided that all species had to be landed in one session in order for it to be considered a slam.

A lot of words, but hey, at least it's something to strive for.

Having conceived this plan, it was time to go fish. My initial efforts-and efforts till the writing of this post- have met with 2 species a day at best. However, these attempts have made me refine my techniques to better my chances of reaching my goal. From redeveloping my fly (yes I only fish THE ONE fly now) to adjusting my retrieve, I dare to say that I feel that I am getting somewhere nearer to understanding my local estuary. As yet, I've managed to land, in no particular order, Bream, Flathead, Tailor, Whiting and trevally with the one fly and retrieve.

Unbelievable but true. Truth be told, I am most happy with being able to catch a trevally on the fly rod. More so that it has been in my local estuary. This is due to the fact that I have never been able to even locate a single trevally in a location other than those near the harbour.

More on them in the next post.
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