Getting lucky with whiting

What say you on the issue below?

A GOOD fishing guide, location, tide, weather and, obviously, some luck play a crucial role in determining an angler’s success when going out to sea.

Picking the right date, either during a spring or neap tide, would also determine the species that one would catch in the outing.

During the recent spring tide, a group of anglers from Penang headed to Pulau Rimau, off Teluk Tempoyak, on the southern tip of Penang Island. If you come to Penang by plane, you can spot this island on the right of the aircraft as it makes the approach from the sea to land at the Penang International airport.

Easy does it: A group of anglers near Pulau Rimau during a spring tide.

The target species around this lovely island, which has two coves — the inner one facing Penang Island and a bay looking out to the Straits of Malacca — is bulus or whiting, a delicious eating fish.

Fishing for bulus is easy and fun. It does not take an expert to hook this species and no effort is needed to fight it. Using an ultra light rod and reel with light poundage line to catch bulus would definitely be enough for any fisho.

But what is really important is a good and experienced guide who knows the spot to catch these bottom dwellers that love clean sand and shingle seabed.

Bulus are normally found in shallow waters, nearer to the shore. They feed by stirring the seabed, hovering over it and looking for food in the clouded water.

The two bulus species commonly found in our waters are the trumpeter and silver whiting. They are omnivorous feeders, feeding mainly on small crabs, worms and small fishes.

Bulus, as they are known in Malay, are a shoaling species and thrive in calm water. They can be found in abundance on sandy patches along the shores.

Double header: Syed Alwi with the Bulus he managed to snag during a recent outing.

In my years of fishing experience in catching bulus along the country’s west coast, the spring tide has always proven to be a very productive time.

While one could still find whiting during the neap tide, catching them during this period is less productive and those caught are much smaller in size.

So, when the group when out to the sea over the weekend, Syed Azhar, who had been “suspended” from fishing while his wife was pregnant, was eager to get his line wet.

The journey on a fibre boat from Batu Maung fisherman’s jetty took less than 30 minutes to get to fishing spot.

We decided to use a light tackle set-up with V-shape rig (similar to a pulley rig, except for the sinker being replaced by a second hook and the sinker used on the main line as running sinker). This method of rigging has been proven to be an all-time favourite among anglers.

The rig, which sinks to the bottom, allowing the V shape short leaders that hold the two tiny hooks, preferably the one used for prawning, to run freely and attract the whiting.

For Syed Alwi aka Rod Warrior, his secret to a bountiful catch with this silver-colour elongated fish, that can grow up to a 36cm in length, is to add a tiny red bead on each of the leaders that hold the two hooks.

He believes that the beads, which glitter under the sun, give it an eye-like effect in the reflection and are effective in luring the fish, thus increasing his hooking rates.

While chopped prawn meat has always found been an easy bait for whiting, a fisho could also use small fries, sea worm (umpon) or even tiny crabs, found on the beach, as alternative.

However, prawn meat is still the all-time favourite.

A light tackle that goes with a 10-pound line would certainly add fun to the outing, as it would give an angler some excitement in fighting the whiting.

One also needs to be gentle when pulling the fish up after setting the hook with a small tug. Because of the bulus’ small and fragile mouth, a hard jerk could tear the hooks out, allowing it to escape.

I remembered, as a child, Port Dickson’s Blue lagoon, a favourite spot for weekend picnickers, was a good spot for bulus in the late 1970s. The catch was abundant along this long stretch of sandy breach. But today, this thrill is no longer there, as rapid development has taken place along the beach front, destroying the whiting’s natural habitat.

If you hit the right spot with the right boatman who takes you out on a good day, then you must be luck! Happy fishing…