Paul Arden | Tuesday, 5 March 2024
It was great to see Tim again. Only a four day trip, but it was long enough for us to explore some of the more remote parts of the lake and consume a couple of crates of cold beer! I have to say, not many shots. Typically we have been getting 3-4 babies/parents shots per day, as well as seeing the occasional Giant Gourami. There is also free-rising activity just beginning. I was also taking some shots too, which was very nice of Tim — and of course is really one of the very best ways to learn.
I don’t just take the shot but also explain boat positioning relative to the expected next surfacing location of the snakehead set, as well as to how the adults will most probably rise and where you need to be to both see them as well as positioned for the optimal angle from which to strip.
Boat positioning and stalking the set, is the other half of the equation of course, and as far as I’m concerned, it is every bit as challenging as the shot itself. This means that it’s not for everyone, but for absolute satisfaction, I need to do it all myself: find the fish, stalk the fish, position the boat correctly, make the shot, net the fish. If any one of those elements are the result of someone else, then it’s a less satisfying experience for me. But… and it’s a big but… this is very challenging and takes time to learn, even under guidance.
The first day we found six sets of babies and had six shots, with two in the boat. The next day we found a couple of sets, but only got a shot in on one of them — and it was already spooked. Third day, three shots and Tim had his second fish. And on the fourth day, running two boats, only one set was found and I had a chase out of that one but no cigar (and that was most definitely a cigar-size fish!). So three fish landed (and 4 other follows) in four days. A couple of Gourami spotted and a little bit of free-rising activity. For the number of shots we had, this was a good result, and far better than Tim’s last visit, when we saw more fish, but they apparently didn’t want to be photographed (let’s just put it that way!!! Or the other way to put it is that this trip was Tim’s Redemption!)
Very interesting on the final day to find almost no fish. I don’t know what caused that. Were there simply no parents/babies where we looked (and we covered a huge amount of prime water)? Or maybe the rainstorm from the previous afternoon had changed their activity (that’s the first heavy rainfall in over two months)? I’m not sure, but I do know that long days without fish, are long days indeed!
That is all part of the puzzle of course and why we do this crazy fly fishing thing in the first place. Tim kindly brought over a 40lb electric thruster/trolling motor from Australia. The 30lb thruster I was using, just isn’t quite enough for the Rocket C. It’s far better with 40lb. Minn Kotas last me about 2 years or ~700 fishing days. Then the seals go and they self-destruct. (Motorguide by comparison last me one year before the control box leaks and the contact points corrode, and Chinese “no name” motors last me about 4-6 weeks and then seize). And you surely need a working thruster when fishing here!
This week is a busy week of Zoom teaching for me. I also have to arrange our Sexyloops Hot Torpedo stock to be shipped to Juan in Spain. And I am also organising the Sexyloops website rebuild, as well as the Sungai Tiang website and social media pages (Sungai Tiang is open now and you really should visit!!). If I have any free time that is not spent fishing, then I’ll also make a video or two. That along with running, biking, swimming and flycasting. The nights are really pleasant right now and I think I’ll start sleeping on the Battleship roof again.
Great to see you Tim and congratulations on your first fish, which was a brilliant bit of fly fishing skill! :))))
I shall upload this and other trip photos to the “pic of day” archives! Have a great week all.
Cheers, Paul
