Fish Wrangling

My first fishing trip was quite enjoyable.

After we reached Pulau Ubin, CK and I rented bicycles at a small village. I had not cycled in years but somehow I managed to keep myself from falling to my death. Incredible.

We cycled to our first fishing spot – a river bank besides a shop selling refreshment. There, CK had me prepare the chum while he did the fishing lines. I had a difficult time keeping the proprietor’s dogs away from our chum. They should be chasing cats instead of stealing our prawns.

First fishing spot - harassed by dogs.

CK gave me a short lesson on casting the fishing line. My first cast didn’t go far. My second entangled in the branches. While I was struggling with the fishing rod, CK caught his first fish. Then another. We were about to leave when my line caught. I pulled it in and saw my first fish. No bigger than my hand, it was flipping at the end of my line . Success! My very first catch! Like a master angler, I proudly held up the small fish to let myself be photographed.

Our next stop was a bridge farther up. At first I didn’t catch any fish. My lines were stuck in the seabed a few times and CK had to break the line for me. I lost quite a bit of chum. CK didn’t manage much catch. He decided to try his luck on the other side of the bridge. I followed him.

Second fishing spot - my fishing line.

Somewhere deep below are my hooks, lines and sinkers

The fish were biting and we had a few catches in quick succession. My second catch came seconds after I cast out my line. More followed. There seemed to be a lot of catfish in the water; we pulled quite a few in. I nearly got the catch of the day when a massive catfish bit my line. I fought to pull it in – my pole bent dangerously – but in the excitement the catfish flung itself free. We were both amazed at my luck. It was a pity we could not land it. It would be great for the cameras.

I believe you can get this at your friendly fishmonger.

Not to be outdone, CK caught a fish that had just swallowed a tiny crab. The crab popped out while he removed the hook from the fish. It looked dead; we left it on the bridge to bake in the sun.

Cats like me. Catfish too.

Out of the fish came a crab

Things turned a bit bloody a short time later. The hook had completely embedded itself inside the pufferfish I pulled in. The fish flipped about, causing droplets of blood to splatter on the ground. Seeing no other way to remove the hook, CK cut the line and tossed the fish back into the water. I asked my friend how the fish would survive with a barbed hook in its mouth. CK shrugged.

This pufferfish got a real mouthful.

Bleeding like it's nobody's business.

As the hours passed, my skill at fishing improved. I learned how to cast my line farther, and could operate the fishing rod better. CK gave me more pointers. He taught me to observe the terrain so that I could choose a good fishing spot. The last catch of the day was spectacular to behold. Imagine my amazement when I pulled up a crab! A broken line had tangled with the crab’s legs and my line caught it. The fellow tried to scuttle away but it would go nowhere until I had snapped a few shots of it. For a beginner, I certainly did some unusual things. CK called me a terrorist; he was not far off the mark.

This crab looks pissed. I understand how it feels.

It even sulks like a tortoise.

On our way back Chicken showed me the spot where he picked his durian the day before. We parked our bikes before the forest path and walked into the undergrowth, hoping to get lucky. We did. I found a durian at the foot of a durian tree. (We later got an islander to open it for us – it was delicious.) There were several durian trees in that part of the forest. A hiker could get lucky or unlucky, depending on the circumstances.

Spot the durians contest.

If you still can't spot any, get an eyesight check.

We enjoyed a delicious dinner near the pier before returning to the main land. CK observed that the island is unique in its rustic charm. It is a place children can have a real childhood. Swimming, running, catching small animals and cycling are definitely better than spending endless hours on online games. He added that children will grow up healthier and I agree with him. The lifestyle of the islanders is much slower. In Pulau Ubin, the rat race do not exist. The heartless capitalism and mercenary attitudes that are prevalent on mainland Singapore have not yet gained a solid foothold and I hope it never would. I wish the regime will leave this scenic patch untouched. We have more than enough shopping malls; we do not need another Integrated Resort and we certainly do not need manufactured hospitality to replace genuine kampong spirit.

What a way to show appreciation. I like his style!

We will be back another day. More fish wrangling.

Evening time. So romantic....

The only bad thing about the beach is the view of the main land.