Show & tell time! This was one of the better Pulau Jarak offshore sessions to date and I'll let the pictures and videos do the talking.
Small grouper, big appetite. Taken on Feed's luminous madai bumping on the sea floor using MajorCraft Giant Killing's Slow Pitch rod paired with Ocea Jigger.
Everyone hard at work with a variety of slow pitch set-up.
A school of Cobia hit us all like a wave messing up everyone's lines. This little fella put up serious fight falling prey to Shout's Flash worked using MajorCraft Giant Killing's Slow Pitch and Ocea Jigger on the drop near the sea floor.
Greasy grouper thinks it's got a good meal out of Feed's madai. Also on the Giant Killing Slow Pitch + Ocea jigger setup.
We got hit by another school of cobia, this time on Feed's Madai.
When night falls, we whip out our ultra light gear hitting the shallows around the Island. A feisty big eye trevally giving the MajorCraft Crostage Aji rod + Stella 1000FE a good run.
Taken on IMA's new fluttering micro jig, Ichimatsu.
Another big eye trevally but this time on Xesta's nitro jig.
Heading back to the deep, Feed's Madai managed to coax this hungry grouper. A setup second to none, Giant Killing's Slow Pitch and Ocea Jigger.
Another greasy grouper, also on Feed's Madai, Giant Killing's Slow Pitch and Ocea Jigger.
Switching to Bassday's bottom contact, I was able to raise this bait fish muncher up from the deep. Worked slow and taken on the drop very near the sea floor.
Occasionally, fish throw out their stomachs content to reveal bait fish the same size as the jig. Bassday Bottom contact sure does look like some of their food choices. I usually travel with a few of these jigs with me and will a few more home for other trips.
Giant Killing Slow Pitch loaded trying to tame sea floor dwellers.
Up comes a decently sized golden snapper, which explains the rod bending action.
Bassday's Bottom contact, not just for groupers. Hammered hard on the drop near the sea floor too.
Another jig switch, another fish take. A greedy greasy grouper. Taken on the Xesta Flap while bouncing near the sea floor.
With the same Xesta Flap jig, it managed to stir up this bullish golden snapper. Plenty of fight and head shakes all the way up. Most of the work comes from the Ocea Jigger being able to crank the bugger up leaving the jig action to the rod.
Overly ambitious snapper doesn't know that this Xesta Flap is being worked by an Evergreen's Poseidon Spin Jerker paired with a Stella. One way ticket.
We've also managed to piece together a 2 part video below showcasing some highlights of the offshore session to Pulau Jarak. Enjoy!
Photo courtesy from Tackle Source & full catch report can be found here at Tackle Source.
We've finally gotten the window of opportunity to head out to the east coast with our preferred boatman who was out of action for quite some time now. A cancelled trip one weekend prior to this was all the hope there was for a clear weather action before the monsoon closes in for good. An 11th hour confirmation late Friday raised much doubt about the weather being clear enough with various weather forecast sources (apps, websites etc.) indicates storm or showers over east coast. None of these forecasts mean much when a seasoned boatman says it's safe to go out and meet us at the Jetty in no more than 12 hours to go, we obey.
A sudden rush of panic and weekend activity plans starting to take shape due to dwindling hopes of a clear weather fishing hit me like a freight train. First, cancel weekend activity plans, have dinner, start packing and get an early night sleep as we'll start our journey 4am onwards to arrive at the Jetty just in time for a quick breakfast and preparation before loading our gear onto the boat.
With loaded gear and a boat full of hope and anticipation, we head out shortly after first light with heavy overcast skies. First stop was to try out some popping action around areas with current. Fruitless throughout the session after a comrade's initial line bust being reefed by something suspiciously big, possibly a GT. Boatman says, we'll come back some other time when the conditions are more 'suitable' for popping and we head off to pintail hunting waters.
Typically around these waters, long toms (todak) are everywhere and we usually let our preferred lure sink quite close to the bottom before cranking back fast in search of the 'great wall' hit & strike. Damn todaks are a menace as they destroy leaders and bust our lines taking our Jackson Pintails with them into the deep. Occasionally we safely land them with some damages done to our lines.
Double trouble with the notorious todaks on Jackson's Pintail Tune!
The Jackson Pintail Tune is the go to hunting lure here cranking them fast. Takes are usually quite explosive with the tengiris, barracudas and damn todaks but nothing can stop your fast cranks like you've just hit a solid great wall than a GT. That's when you do a double take if you may have cranked your reel backwards and realise it's fish on!
Sudden take while cranking fast with Majorcraft's Giant Killing casting rod felt like hitting a great wall! Fully pimped up Shimano Stradic 4000FJ takes on a runner.
The so called great wall of GT! Small but brutally fun on these medium weight gear.
Battle ready Jackson Pintail Tune.
An entire afternoon of casting registered no more than 10 strikes and the boatman decided it's time to try some light jigging instead. First jig drop, usually just to test waters, would be a light jigging outfit with jigs up to 50g tops. A couple of small hits was all we got as the gloomy weather sticks around longer.
Tiny grouper takes on a 50g Caprice Kid jig by Evergreen.
Another ambitious grouper takes on IMA's Ganpeki 40g special edition colour.
We then switch to our ultralight gear for some microjig fun and landed a variety of species as compared to the regular light jigging outfit and bigger jigs.
Various other fun captures using Xesta's 20g Nitro jig paired with the ultra fun Temujin 'Spider'.
Free piercing for this youngster using Jackson's Gallop 40g jig.
Even though the catch was disappointing, the variety of game proved to be sufficient to keep the outing fun and exciting with very little catch predictability.
Here's a short action video of our Pintail adventures and do subscribe to Tackle Source TV for upcoming awesome video releases. A full catch report can also be found here. Enjoy!
