Where do you normally fish at?

[LoneRider]

I only do shore casting in Singapore. I cannot divulge the location as I hope it can last another few years although I doubt it. I can tell you this though, the breeding season for barramundi starts November to January around singapore. You will hit double digit fish, try changi at december, the mating run hits there then. My brethrens please adopt conservation measures, release fish under 1 kg and any fish above 3kg. Barramundi above 3kg is sexually matured and will change sex to female to begin breeding. Fish under 1kg has no meat.
PS: My personal favorite are Yozuris, mid water and purple colour which I have had great sucess. Deep divers for mangrove jack and groupers.( Rapala ).

thanks for a detailed reply.. I understand and respect your decision not to reveal your spot. Thanks for the tips.. Appreciated.

[budak]

found this article on the link between the aquaria trade, baitfish and native fisheries: http://www.wildsingapore.com/news/20070506/070518-3.htm

[lyh]

http://www.ecologyasia.com/verts/freshwater-fishes.htm
I don't suppose the toman you caught were C.micropeltes? Or were they natives? I'd hate to think some banglas inadvertently consumed a rare C.gachua

Yup the ones I caught were C.micropeltes. Most of them are table sized but I'll only choose the bigger ones.

Another note fellow anglers remember to "flatten" the barb to prevent injuries if you want to release the fellow.

[XnSdVd]

?! erm... michael, C.gachua only get up to 20 - 30cm no? Were you looking at C.lucius? That aside, it's nice to know we've got large numbers of predatory species breeding. I guess that also means their prey are quite healthy.

http://www.ecologyasia.com/verts/fre...-snakehead.htm

[barmby]

Shannon, you can rest assured most of the C.gachua here are safe. Access to them is at least a 3 hour hike with a 2 1/2 hour bash through secondary forest in between with no visible or recognisable trail. I have come across a patch of shallow river bank about 20-30metres in length with about 50 holes where they are breeding. Most of the fish is adult size about 2 feet in length.

This is interesting. Thanks for sharing..

[michael lai]

Can't really confirm on the species, shannon but I know it's rare due to the fact that I've never come across this species. It looks like the 'may flower channa' but certain markings are not right. I believe if left unntouch most of our fishes can reach much bigger size than now. The tomans were about 3 foot long way back in the 80s and it's was not rare to catch 3 kgs sebaraus, belitas( knife fish ) and soon hock
First generation peacock bass are now way above 50 cm.....anyway the damage is already done, I'm just grateful that some areas are left for our own fishes. If you guys know the place please keep it so, a secret.

[michael lai]

thanks for a detailed reply.. I understand and respect your decision not to reveal your spot. Thanks for the tips.. Appreciated.

Thanks for understanding, I on my part is trying to give up the sport all together. Trying to do our part for the environment. We have hunted the Barramundi for ages, the knowledge acquired alone would have been enough to start a book on the species itself in Singapore. But sad to say, as all things comes to pass we humans from knowledge comes power comes greed comes corruption comes abuse and why the current fishing scene is like that.

I sincerely believe that we don't have to do anything but by just not doing it anymore the situation will improve abeit over time.

Food for thought: by not using live bait and usings lures, have you thought of the plastics and resins used to produce those lures? not to mentioned the fancy plastic wrappings. Were they used to catch fish or us? Fish's eyes can only see 1 color.........

[gregnng]

Shannon, you can rest assured most of the C.gachua here are safe. Access to them is at least a 3 hour hike with a 2 1/2 hour bash through secondary forest in between with no visible or recognisable trail. I have come across a patch of shallow river bank about 20-30metres in length with about 50 holes where they are breeding. Most of the fish is adult size about 2 feet in length.

Yes that's very true, C.gachua are very thrives in acidic forest streams wheras C. micropeltes are open water predators, thats the reason that kept C. gachua from being preyed upon by C. micropeltes

I have seen the destruction of C. micropeltes myself as the result of proposeful releases by people for sport fishing, total fish population wipe out, inside a juvenile C. micropeltes gut were pygmy halfbeaks, glassfish, bumblebee gobies and the occasional tilaplia

What left are just armour plecos and ramshorn snail that C. micropeltes leave alone

The fate for the C. micropeltes juvenile to feed on the bait of the fisherman's hook

Thats when I come in haha

[gregnng]

Can't really confirm on the species, shannon but I know it's rare due to the fact that I've never come across this species. It looks like the 'may flower channa' but certain markings are not right. I believe if left unntouch most of our fishes can reach much bigger size than now. The tomans were about 3 foot long way back in the 80s and it's was not rare to catch 3 kgs sebaraus, belitas( knife fish ) and soon hock
First generation peacock bass are now way above 50 cm.....anyway the damage is already done, I'm just grateful that some areas are left for our own fishes. If you guys know the place please keep it so, a secret.

Here's a interesting fact, lower seletar reservoir in yishun used to be infested with tiger barbs before peacock bass started appearing

And in upper seletar there's always a steady population of toman perhaps due to huge populations of mayan, zebra tilapia and red devil cichlids which serve as prey

Its seems like a purpose releases to control non native fishes. Cause these non native fishes were breeding out of control and polluting our drinking water before the sgov decided to open up the reservoirs for sport fishing...

[michael lai]

Hi Greg,
I do not know whether it is to control non native fishes or not but it seems like a very bad idea now.( peacock bass ) I used to be able to catch tiger barbs by the hundreds with the 'burley' bag. In some areas, T-barbs actually do a mini breeding run up stream to lay eggs during December's raining season and big sebaraus will follow in to breed and feed also.
But it is gone now , I can't really blame the peacock bass solely as I believe heavy angling pressure was the main culprit.

[XnSdVd]

You mean we had hexazona doing breeding runs upstream?! and what are sebarau? tinfoil barbs?

This is actually quite heartbreaking... how long ago was this?

[michael lai]

You mean we had hexazona doing breeding runs upstream?! and what are sebarau? tinfoil barbs?

This is actually quite heartbreaking... how long ago was this?

About 8-9 years ago I think if memory serves me right. They were going against current, 30 degrees climb about 2 metres long. They were swimming across the BKE so to speak literally...
Sebarau are carni carps, powerful swimmers, biggest I ever caught was a 4Kg plus specimen. Much sought after by game fishermen for their strength and their willingness to take lures.
Have faith, there is still alot of area unacessible to the average angler. The fishes are there safe and so is the environment.( until the people in white decides to redevelop of course, which I hope is after my time is up. )

[Gecko]

About 8-9 years ago I think if memory serves me right. They were going against current, 30 degrees climb about 2 metres long. They were swimming across the BKE so to speak literally...
Sebarau are carni carps, powerful swimmers, biggest I ever caught was a 4Kg plus specimen. Much sought after by game fishermen for their strength and their willingness to take lures.
Have faith, there is still alot of area unacessible to the average angler. The fishes are there safe and so is the environment.( until the people in white decides to redevelop of course, which I hope is after my time is up. )

Mike

There are still areas where giant Sebarau gathers, saw them not too long ago so I think they are thriving....also come across patches where wild bettas are doing well, so the situation is not great but not so bad either...

[gills]

hey lonerider.where do you go fishing at?all the mention about tomans and sebaraus are getting me hungry.

[LoneRider]

Most places I fish are out of bounds.. PM to chat about this.

[budak]

I wonder if the concept of 'protected areas' that serve as havens for fish to breed and repopulate fished zones has made any inroads into freshwater fisheries. In marine areas, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been proven to protect both livestock as well as sustain fishermen/anglers' activities by providing designated areas on the reef where no fishing is allowed. Outside these areas, fishing (subjected to regulations and sound methods such as no blasting/cyanide) is permitted and catches are sustained by the spilling over population of fish from the MPA.

A case from the Philippines is offered as an example of how an MPA can work to protect marine life as well as the livelihoods of local communities: http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-65166-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html