Paul Arden | Sunday, 7 November 2021
I’ve done all the woodworking that I want to do for now, although I do have ten doors still to make, a bathroom to look sexy and upstairs “star lounge” to do something with. However everything is on hold this week (apart from maybe one door) while I do what I like to do most, which is catch a lot of fish! The weather and conditions are perfect for Snakehead fishing on the lake and so that’s what I’m going to do all week. I should have a guest or two coming this month as well. Not the International visitors who still can’t get in yet… but hopefully soon!
So let's talk about this time of year. Where I am in Malaysia, we are coming into Monsoon season. We are right at the beginning of this period, so the lake is on its bones in preparation for the 10m or more of water height that will be added to it over the next 2 months. It's raining now too, but only in the late afternoons and evenings. The mornings are always sunny and dry and very fishable. The afternoon session is a 50/50 wet event but even storms only last an hour or thereabouts — and so fishing still happens!
Also at this time of year you can find good numbers of baby snakehead around with their parents. This makes it one of the prime fishing times. And as the water level starts to rise we will see more and more sets of babies around. This can be like finding the honey pot, although we actively search for it! Babies has its challenges of course and its own skill set. Most days we might find 3 sets — that would be slow. But when it's good we might find 8-10. That an excellent day and really you would hope for some fish in the boat. The most sets I've ever seen in one day has been 22.
During the mornings, free-rising Sankehead are active too. They will be active until a serious amount of water falls from the skies. Then they shut down and stop air breathing. But now... for them too, it can also be excellent fishing. And that's my personal favourite!
Gourami soon will be thinking about spawning, which means that they have either disappeared or are non-targets for me. But if they are found out and about in leaf lanes, and not actively spawning, then it's all systems go.
And finally we have the Jungle Pench. As the water level starts to rise again it floods the banks, bringing baitfish — and the jungle perch following then — right into the bankside. One of the purposes behind the floating of The Battleship, was so that I could spend significant time fishing for these fish in the middle of the Wet Season — and not care about the Wet, because afterwards I could sleep in a dry bed. Believe me nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, is quite as miserable as sleeping on a wet mattress for weeks on end. You can take my word on that one, because I have considerable experience!!
Have a great week. I'll be back Tuesday. I hope to see some of you here soon!
Cheers, Paul
ps today's POD is a fine example of some woodwork. I don't give classes :)