BALI Sport Fishing Scene, May 2013

31st May 2013
Bali Sport Fishing Scene.

Hello fisher people and I thought it’s about time I actually got this page back to being regulary up dated again and showing ya’s a few photos of what we get up to on Bali’s loccal sport fishing scene. Well actually I only just got myself a new waterproof digimatic so I can get those photos is the real reason this page is reactivated. That’s why we’re rolling again I suppose, a report with out the photo proof just don’t cut it I guess.

Anyway starting the ball rolling with the month of May and what a great month of action packed fishing we have had. From some huge schools of GT’s earlier in the month, and they will be back for more fun again yet before the season is done. The Trevelly when they were on, were schooling up big time and smashing the small bait fish on the surface long enough us to get to them in our boats and then offer up some lead spinners and the odd popper for a real good hang on stand up fight. The average fish was in the 7-10kg class and excellent fun on light spinning rods.

The last couple off weeks it’s been Spanish Mackerel and Wahoo that have been biting hard on our trolling lures for plenty of screaming reels. Ketut and I finally got a day off a couple of days ago and we thought we’d push the boat down and see if we could find toothy friends. We trolled from Padang Padang to out wide offf Uluwatu and then to just around the southern end of the island to Nyang Nyang’s. On the way picking up a couple of small Tuna (that would eventually be our dinner that night) and a couple of screaming reel, rod bending strikes but both occassions not connecting to the hooks.

After being rained on most of the morning before the sun busted out and helped dry us out. Well coming back home past Balangan, I had already handed the helm over to my First Mate Ketut Pica and was almost asleep when my old luck rod and reel started howling with the speed the line was peeling off against the set drag and ratchet. It didn’t take me long to snap to attention and re take control of the boat while also trying to take control of the giant Wahoo that was swimming hard towards the boat trying to get some slack line on me. But I still had the motor in gear and it wasn’t hard to play that game too with the odd small burst of gas to keep everything tight.

By this time I was doing everything by the book, but he was coming into the boat to hot, to green, toon faken angry. I’m nailed some big fish over in Bali’s waters but when he came up close by the back of the boat I got a little scared cause he was the biggest Wahoo I’d ever seen. Knowing my gaff was way too small for this brute and knowing it was still full of power I really had nothing else to do but to try and get it into my boat.

The next 5 minutes, looking back on it now it would’ve been bloody funny to watch and the video footage would have been priceless had Ketut pulled the camera outta the box. Anyway when I had him in close and open for a perfect shot with the gaff, bang ! I let him have it. Before the split second of lifting  him into the water my feet slipped in the bottom of the boat and the fish almost pulled me into the water. My head actually hit the water and I was just about to let go of my gaff when instead the fish just tore it free and sped off straight down into the deep and the fight resumed. I’d already seen where the hooks were and just about the whole of the 14cm lure right down it’s throat so no chance of them pulling free.

The fight really began now and he was testing my equipent out to the max with a couple of high velocity runs that peeling off over 300yrds of my line (still 300 left). By the time I got him back for another shot my legs were almost jelly and my ribs almost broken from slipping over. I was kinda proud of this fish and also a little saddened at the way this battle ended. I gaffed him the second time deep and true and as I lifted him up using both hands and nursing my rod between my legs he flipped up and around and bit my wire trace straight through with the slightest of ease and then with another 90 degree wriggle he flipped off the gaff and dissapeared instantly into the depths.

I was proud of him for the fight he gave me back and for winning the match. But saddened that he wouldn’t have lasted very long down there in the depths off Balangan beach leaving a steady blood trail behind him, shark bait for sure. If I’d have got him into the boat there would have been no part of this fish wasted. But either way there wouldn’t have been anything left of this warrior except just another lure sitting on the bottom of the ocean. He was well over 25kgs easy.

Anyway if any of you guys and girls want to try , your luck with us for some Bali style sport fishing drop my an email (contact) and we’ll do our best to get you hooked up. The boys charge a minimum of Rp1,250.000. (around 125 dollars) for up to 2 guests. All rods and reels are supplied, or you can take some fish back to your hotel and impress your friends.

Ok until next time

Slim

This fishing page is dedicated to Bali’s best ever all round fisherman / surfer / waterman and all round good guy, my old best mate, Gede “Ondel” Miasa (1973 – 2012)