Jungle Packing

Jungle Packing

Paul Arden | Monday, 22 June 2015

It might seem odd to be packing for a fishing trip that isn't for another three weeks, but this is my last week in Hungary, I have my last commitment for the season this coming weekend in Romania, then it's back to Hungary, quickly winterise the cabin, pick up Peter, two days fishing on the Gacka, then off to England for a couple of weeks of work - if you want a flycasting lesson in the UK then please book now! And then middle-ish of July I'll be flying back to Malaysia...

This is going to be a very interesting time in Malaysia. Currently the weather has its "summer" routine of being hot and then for 1-2hrs of the day, raining like hell. By October this "raining like hell" can last all day - even all week! Apparently this can be the best time of year to fish. This year from mid July right through to the end of the year I plan to live on my boat in the jungle. There may be time to explore some of the other waters, but really I want to investigate ALL of lake Temenggor.

To this end, I will be heading South to areas where the phone simply doesn't work. The plan is to catch a hell of a lot of fish. Make 6 day trips, searching out every part of the lake. Come back once per week to stock up with food, water, fuel, clear my emails and upload SLTV weekly video content from the fishing. Snakehead are my number one target, but I'm also very keen to nail Gourami, investigate the entering rivers for Mahseer and I will be eating Jungle Perch... hopefully!

It's simply not possible for me to get the guiding licence for the Belum area at the moment - although I'm still trying! We've however found another solution: Ashly can go on the Nature Guides course and then she can guide me :) This will give us access to both parts of the lake, but she is working right through to the end of the year, so my first five months will be spent learning the southern part of the lake, i.e. Temenggor. After New Year we are discussing the option of a three month road trip heading first up through Thailand. Maybe then back to Belum-Temenggor or back to Europe. I have no idea! My only definite date for 2016 will be the next World Championships in casting, whenever that is announced.

So that's the plan.

As many of you will know, our previous UK rod builder, Trev Bourne, emigrated to New Zealand and so now we have a new rod builder, Lee Martel, who's been building the Sexyloops Torpedo rods! Lee is every bit as exacting as Trev, having been taught by Trev, and his first Sexyloops rods have been sent out this week... Thanks Lee!

I hope everyone has a great week.

Cheers, Paul