Kayak Micro-Jigging After Typhoon Nalgae: Downsizing Gear for a Better Catch

The aftermath of Typhoon Nalgae left many areas devastated, including my hometown in the Philippines. Heavy waves and floods destroyed boats, huts, and houses, and washed out beach sand by over a meter in height. The floods also uprooted coconut trees coming from the mountain. However, amidst the chaos, I found solace in fishing.

Initially, I thought that fishing after the typhoon would be excellent. But after several failed attempts, I realized that I needed to change my gear and lures. Downsizing my gear to 7 to 14g jigs and a very light line (PE 0.6) with a 16lb fluoro leader proved to be the solution. With this setup, I finally had a successful catch of a 2-2.5kg Torpedo Scad (Megalaspis cordyla) after many failed attempts.

The Fight for a Catch

Using light tackle to catch a big fish can be challenging and exciting. With the Lemax Slimmax Microjigging Spin Rod and the Daiwa Certate 2500 reel, controlling the fish was manageable. However, landing the fish without a net or gaff was a different story. The tail section of the scad has big sharp scales, making it challenging to grab. After around 10 minutes of fighting, the fish relented, and I was able to grab it by the gills.

Why Downsizing Gear Works

Downsizing gear is effective, especially when a fishing spot is heavily pressured. It makes the lure appear more natural, and it is less likely to scare off the fish. It also makes the fight with the fish more exciting as it requires more skill and patience to control the fish. Additionally, using light tackle reduces fatigue and allows for long hours of fishing.

Conclusion

Fishing after a typhoon can be challenging, but with the right gear and strategy, it can lead to a successful catch. Downsizing gear to 7 to 14g jigs and a very light line (PE 0.6) with a 16lb fluoro leader is a proven strategy to catch big fish, especially in heavily pressured spots. Using light tackle also makes the fight more exciting and less fatiguing. So, if you want to catch big fish, consider downsizing your gear and enjoy the thrill of the catch.

First time out for a not so new ride

Would you believe that it took me almost two years before I was finally able to take out my latest kayak? It's an Old Town Topwater PDL 120. Never been used. I stored it for almost 2 years because of the pandemic.

When I finally had the chance, I took it back home to the province where it belongs -- near the ocean. There, I was finally able to fish with it. My golly, it was worth the wait. It was an absolute beast of a fishing machine. I was able to fish even when the current was strong. I can stay on a spot without effort. The PDL drive and the rudder were a joy to use. I can even stand and cast topwater lures without the fear of falling overboard. And the best part, I can fish longer and farther without getting too tired.

The only downside is its weight. It was so heavy. I can't really transport it frequently without a trailer. I guess it's ok for now since I have plenty of water near my house before I feel the need to find another spot.

I did not catch any fish during the few days I fished with it. I was too busy at that time so I fished only for a couple of hours at a time. Hopefully, when I get back, I can fish with it longer. I can't wait to go back home. As for my other kayak, the Ocean Kayak Prowler 13, I am conflicted about the thought of selling it. It is still a great fishing kayak. Light and fast. Maybe I will keep it for my kids, who knows.

My new ride - Old Town Topwater PDL 120

Since last year, I have been saving up for a new toy. I initially wanted a motorcycle (a used Vespa to be exact). But the Covid19 pandemic made a huge impact on our expenses and I was not able to save enough for it. Aside from that, the wife is absolutely against buying a motorcycle. So, I negotiated for a used boat and outboard instead. She agreed on one condition, I needed to find a storage area for it. Long story short, after plenty of measuring and surveying, I realized that a boat is too big and storing it is virtually impossible since the garage has limited space so I abandoned the idea altogether.

Just recently, I chanced upon a display unit of an Old Town Topwater 120 PDL kayak at an absolute bargain. Brand new, it is sold at around US$2,300 (around Php108,000) but I got this at just a fraction of a cost. Let's just say that it's way cheaper than a used motorcycle or a used boat with an outboard. The catch is that it has some minor scratches and the paddle clip is missing.  Also, it doesn't come with a paddle. (I think new kayaks does not come with paddles anyway). Other than these cons, everything looks and works like new.

I already have a kayak - it's an Ocean Kayak Prowler 13 and it's a nice kayak specially for open water. Unfortunately, paddling can be really tiring. Paddling while fishing is also a challenge. Aside from that, it's hard to stand up and fish on this kayak. When I saw this Topwater 120 PDL, I did not hesitate and got it. Depending on my testing of the new Topwater 120 PDL, I might sell the OK Prowler. We'll see.

Initial impression is that it's heavy (40kg + without the pedal drive and seat) compared to the Ocean Kayak which is just 22kg. Although the Topwater is shorter at 12ft, it's wider (36in. OK Prowler is just 28in wide) and I think the plastic is thicker. There are bigger and heavier hatches and it has a couple of Yakattack rails, seat rails, rubber accessory pockets, and a couple of EVA foam foot pads. It also feels really solid. The build quality is absolutely impressive. 

The pedal drive looks sealed and smooth. It looks brand new and has never touched water. Even the prop looks and feels unused.

The seat is so so. It was expected as reviews of the kayak mentioned this shitty seat. The one I got was scratched all over but the fabric is pristine and the dog loves it. Eventually, I might replace this with the premium seat when it breaks.

The kayak also can be hoisted on the ceiling. Thanks to Youtube, I was able to DIY a kayak storage system using some pulleys, shackles, heavy duty polyester ropes, old lumber, and eye bolts with drop-in concrete anchor sleeves to hoist the kayak under the balcony floor. The total cost for the contraption is just around P900. To be honest, I think my wife was pleased with the result. I just need to replace the cheap cast iron pulleys that I got from the local hardware store with heavy duty stainless pulleys. Those cast-iron pulleys are a pain to use, they are so noisy, and they tend to fray the rope.

The only problem now is that we're on another community lockdown due to Covid19. We cannot go out for un-essential travel -- like fishing. This means that trial run on the water will have to wait.

Storing a 13ft Ocean Kayak Prowler

Before I bought the kayak, my wife had been nagging me about the issue on storage -- where will I store the kayak given our limited space. The kayak is 13.4 feet. My old kayak was only 11.

Initially, I was thinking of hanging it on the wall by it's sides -- using a couple of pulleys. I had to abandon the idea because of the the effort it takes to rig a pulley system and the effort in hanging and bringing it down.

Another idea was hanging it using a wall hanger/rack. I also abandoned the idea when I got a quote from a steel fabricator -- I was quoted P1000 each for bare unpainted racks -- I would need at least two -- then I have to buy the rigging, primer and paint, etc.

After a few days of research, I found out that the best way to store a kayak is standing up. And here's the result. Total cost -- P150 for 2 pairs of buckles and 4 pcs of stoppers. I have an old belt from a broken ratchet -- I think this came from a nearby Ukay.

I think my wife was pleased with the result.

Parked the kayak standing up near the stairs. The vertical clearance to the ceiling was perfect.

I strapped it in the middle using an old ratchet belt. I bought a pair of plastic snap buckles to secure it.

Bolted the straps into the wall using tox and washer+screws.

Long Overdue Kayak Upgrade

I love my Ocean Kayak Scrambler 11. It served me well and I really enjoyed fishing with it. But the time has come to venture out to open water. Although I can fish the Scrambler in the ocean, it takes a bit of effort  when the water is not calm.

So I sold it with all the accessories and got my self a new kayak-- An Ocean Kayak Prowler 13.

To make it a more able fishing machine for open water, I also bought a Garmin Echo 500c Fishfinder. I have not tried fishing with it. I still don't have a decent paddle. I am eyeing a 220cm paddle with a slim Carbon shaft. Aside from that, I still need to make a few paddle and rod leashes and an anchor trolley.

My goal is to use this kayak for madai, inchiku, and light jigs.I hope the fishfinder can help me with this.

It already has a couple flush mount rod holder.

The fish finder is ready but I have not installed it yet. I got me a 12v 7.2Ah SLA battery. Still need to glue the transducer into the scupper for transducers - a nice feature of this kayak model.

The bow storage is huge. I can fit camping gear inside.

Kayak Fishing Deep inside a Mangrove Forest - Part 2

The following day, I decided to fish downstream following the outgoing tide. No biggies this time but there were a lot of small ones. Perhaps they are afraid of the big bulls that control upriver.

Released most of the jacks after capture.

I always look around when I catch something. I really try my best to hide my catch from the locals because the minute they notice that something can be caught in the water, they will swarm the spot with spears, nets, and etc until nothing is left alive.

Kayak Fishing Deep in the Mangrove Forest - Part 1

It has been almost 6 months since my last kayak fishing. For this trip, I went deep inside mangrove forest in search for snappers. Using a kayak, I was able to experience nature and its residents. I intentionally did not put any music in this video so everyone can hear the sounds from where I was fishing.

Caught and released most of the jacks.

Marinduque Holy Week Eging Run

It has been two (2) years since we went home to Marinduque. This year's Holy Week we decided to go home to check our small cottage by the shore and visit my parents. It was also my chance to try some serious eging using a Kayak.

We arrived early last Saturday, March 31 and I wasted no time and prepped my Kayak then went for a test eging run on a reef in front of our house just before dusk. Local fishers saw me with the rod and reel with the squid jig at the end of the line and they insisted that I should wait when it's night time. According to them, that's the only time you can catch squid. After fifteen minutes or so, I got a keeper. It was around 250gms. The local fishos were surprised with the catch. It confirms my suspicions that the squids in the area are not getting too much pressure from local fishermen. The locals, as in most parts of the country, only go after squid at night and when there is a bright moonlight. The rest of the day, they are just by-catch from nets.

 

The following day, I went out with my Kayak very early at around 5 in the morning. Instead of trying the reef in front of the house, I decided to venture farther north to the next reef area where there's deeper water and lots of big rocks in the bottom. It took me almost half an hour before I caught a squid. Almost the same size as yesterday's catch. I then paddled near the shore where the water was about 5 feet deep and fan casted for around another half hour. Then a solid hit. I knew at once based on the way the squid pulled, it was a biggie. I was surprised to experience a squid pulling drag. I had to tighten my drag a bit to get it near the boat. It squirted a lot of ink and the deck of my kayak was all coated in black. When I lifted it, it was huge. It was a kilo in weight give or take a few grams. It was awesome. It was my biggest squid so far. The rod was superb and the reel was perfect for the job. After landing the big one, I decided to paddle back and have some breakfast of fresh squid on grill.

The next day, I went out again in the morning but instead of going out early, I was able to paddle out to the reef at around eight in the morning. The previous spot was being combed by spear fishers so I decided to move to another spot in the south. It was not as big a reef as the ones where I caught the two squids the previous day but it was good enough for squid I guess. True enough, I got a couple nice squids. A 250 and a 200.

In the afternoon, I went out again on the same spot. It was a bit windy but the current was flowing so I figured, the squids might be active. I tried a few egi in the size 2.5 but no takers. I switched to a 3.0 in blue and got this nice moma. Its around 3/4 kg in my estimate.

After the bounty of the previous days, the squids were nowhere to be found except for a few small ones. It was when the moon was almost full and the locals said that it is the time where these critters are most active. My suspicion is that the squids have gotten their fill of prey at night and are no longer feeding in the morning.

This morning, on our way back to Manila, while waiting for the ferry to leave, I decided to do some eging in the pier. It was 4 in morning and the ferry will not leave until 6:30. I also noticed that the moon was still up and bright. I casted the lure near the waiting ferry. No followers or takers. I transferred to a well lit area in the dock and casted as far as I can on the edge of the lighted area. As soon as the lure hits the water, I got a hit. It was also big, probably half a kilo.

My fishing goal of eging in Marinduque was a success. Looking forward to the next vacation. I heard that during December, squids are considerably bigger. Some even reaching 2 kgs. Wow! That, I got to see.

Year End Catch: Mangrove Jacks on a Kayak

It's the day before New Year. I decided go out one last time before 2011 ends. I wanted to fish really early to catch the outgoing tide but too much beer and the cold made me want to stay in bed a little longer. My original plan of 4am fishing became 6am. Still, it was a bit dark and I was hoping the jacks would still be out playing.

Lucky me, after paddling for 15 minutes, I got a fish on my second cast and then another 5 minutes later. They were not too big but perfect for steaming. But then the locals noticed the commotion and decided to park their boats near me and started chatting. As soon as they started asking questions, the bite died down. I am not sure but the jacks seem to notice if there are people around. They are also shy when the sun started to shine.

Thinking that the fishing was over, I paddled back upstream to my launch point. On the way back, I stopped near a fallen log and casted one more time before calling it a day. It's a good thing I did, As soon as the lure touched the water, a fish slammed it. Two hours of fishing and I managed to catch 3 jacks. My last three fishes for the year.

Mangrove Jack Part 2

After the successful trip just before Christmas, I just can't control the itch. I really need to go back and see if the bully jacks are back. So,even though I still have a hangover due to previous night's drinking, I still went out to fish at around 5:30am. I paddled lazily to the spot and just before daybreak, I anchored securely near the opposite side of the bank.

I casted towards the rocky wall and then twitched the big six- incher WTD lure a couple of times. On the pause, a swirl appeared and then the lure sank. I barely had the time to set the hook. I fought the fish for a good 3 minutes or so. I saw that it was smaller 1kg Jack. When I was about to lip grip the fish, the hook came off. It was disappointing. Not a good way to start the morning. Or so I thought.

I checked my 37lb leader to see if there were any marks. No marks so I casted again on the far side of the rocks. Played the lure but no takers. I boatman on outrigger passed by and we exchanged pleasantries. He politely asked what bait I was using. When I said it was a big artificial, he said, ahhh ... with a sign of disbelief. When he went on his way, I casted again to the same spot and just as the lure hits the water, a big strike. I instinctively set the hook and played the fish. It was a 1.5kg Jack. Not the bully that I was hoping for. still, it was a great fight. The boatman saw me land the fish went back and anchored to watch me fish. I can see his eyes glare in disbelief.

So, with an audience next to me, I casted again to see if a bully jack is out to play. Twitched the lure twice and then something inhaled the big piece of plastic! I knew immediately it was one of the Bullies. I set the hook twice and it angered the fish. My reel was set to maximum drag and it still was able to get some line. I pumped sideways to make the fish turn. It did but tried to run again towards the snag. It gained some more line. I kept on pumping sideways to steer it away from the rocks. It worked and steadily I was able to gain some line. We kept on with the tug of war for a good ten minutes. When it was near the boat, it dove underneath the hull and it almost broke my 6ft Clarus. I hade to reach out to prevent the rod from breaking.

THe fish kept runnning around my kayak. I was literally helpless. When I was about to grip its lip, the fish would dive underneath. While everything was going on, the boatman kept cheering like he was watching a boxing match. He kept on saying, baka mabali! (It might break)! baka mabali! (It might break)! He was obviously referring to my tiny dalag rod mounted on a dalag reel.

When I was finally able to lip grip it, the boatman  shouted, P*%*@ &@& AHNNNG LAKHEEE! (F*@*$ it's so big!) It was indeed a big one (at least from the perspective of a dalag angler). One of the bullies i think. It was the best fight I had so far. Very powerful bully indeed. The fish knows how to ride the current of the outgoing tide.

A 3.5. My biggest Jack to date.

After exchanging stories with the boatman, I paddled back to the launch site and drove back home. It was 8am.

Oh, did I mention that I dropped my phone again?? It was my niece's phone that I borrowed last night. So, I have to buy 2 phones to replace the ones I broke. Good thing I was able to save my SIM. Anyway, it was worth it.

(Finally, I was able to get a decent copy from the Digicam.)

Here is a photo of the 1.5kg Jack.

Happy New Year everyone!

Mangrove Jack Just before Christmas Eve

Yesterday morning, I went to my favorite fishing hole using my Kayak. The weather was really nice. No rain, not too cold and not too warm. But the fishes seemed timid. My only catch was a small Jack and nothing more. My guess was because the tide was not right. So instead of exerting more effort I went back home and decided to practice fly casting instead.

In the late afternoon, I went back to the spot to check if the Big Bully jacks are back. Took out my favorite topwater lure and casted towards the river's bank while drifting with the incoming tide. I was probably casting for a good half an hour when I came across a deep pool near the bend in the river. I casted parallel to the bank and as soon as lure hits the water, a massive explosion swallowed my 4inch lure. On instinct, I set the hook hard. I was confident that my 30lb braid on the Citica should be able to take the fish. Oh sheet, my leader was only 20. I have set the drag at around 1kg. The fish took some line so I locked the drag immediately.

The fish might have felt the tension so it dove really hard and it managed to pull me with my kayak a good 15 yards towards the other side of the river. I wanted to drop my anchor to get a leverage but my anchor was still velcroed to the rope. I wasn't using it the entire day. When the fish was about to reach the snag, I decided to pump the rod to make the fish turn. On the first pump, It turned but it went back to the direction of the snag. I pumped one more time and then tack! my leader snapped. The fish ran off with my favorite lure. My guestimate, a good 5-6kg Bully Jack.

Today, I prepped myself for a quick round 2 just before Christmas eve. I replaced my leaders with a 37lb mono. Tied on a 40lb snap and brought out my last spare fave lure. I was really pumped, I barely got any sleep last night. At around 3pm today, I drove to my launch. When I was prepping my kayak, I realized that I forgot my paddle! F$##@! I had to load the kayak again and drove back home to get the damn paddle. At around 3:30, I was on the water again and paddling like mad to my new spot.

Before casting, I anchored my kayak really good and casted and casted like there's no tomorrow. No takers. I was really getting frustrated. I thought to my self, maybe the fishes knew about this lure since one of them has one like it as a lip ring. I switched lure to a bigger and louder 6-incher. After 15 minutes, bam! the dam fish missed. I went on with the WTD, the fish doubled-back and hit the lure again. WTF, it missed again and my lure went flying a couple of feet away. I gave the lure a couple of jerks and the fish went for the lure again. On the third attempt, it was fish on! I really thought that it was a big one but it turned out to be a smaller fish. A locked drag and an anchored kayak proved to be a no contest.

A 2.5kg Mangrove Jack!

Half an hour later, I managed to get another Mangrove Jack! A bit smaller at 1kg but fiesty. I was trying to take a photo and it thrashed around and knocked the phone off my hands. The phone got wet. There goes my Phone+Camera and all the photos in it.

I wasn't able to get even with last night's fish but I got two of its cousins. Just in time for Christmas eve noche-buena.

Kayak Bass Fishing

After last week's trip. We decided to go back to Lumot Lake in Laguna. This time, we brought our kayaks with us. I was with Bien, Carlo, Obet, and my cousin JB. We left 2:30am and met with Bien on the way to Laguna. During daytime, it will take you probably 4 hours. AS usual, we passed by to Josie's Goto and had an early breakfast. We lost time on our way to the lake when we got lost somewhere in Famy. All of us were first timers driving to the lake. From Manila, it's supposed to be 2.5 hours for an early morning drive. But it took us 3 hours to get there.

When we arrived at Laguna, it started to rain. We were hoping that it was going to be a short rain but we were wrong.

On the dock, we met Manny, Erwin, and Rene. The wind howled and the clouds turned dark. When we reached the spot, it rained. Not just a drizzle but real heavy rain. The worst part was, it rained without let up. I was drenched from the waist down. I did have a rain coat but the Kayak was swamped with the rain and I was sitting the whole day on a watery seat.

Anyway, we were miserable because it was wet, it was really windy, and the bites were off. I got a small bass on drop shot and after that, no more bites. The guys didn't catch much in the morning but we still fished despite when we were cold and miserable.

In the afternoon, I was out of hope in catching anything. I toyed around with a saltwater WTD lure to pass the time. When I casted near the bank over the weeds, a huge swirl appeared and then my lure disappeared. I was slow to the take and failed to set the hook properly. The fish ran and pulled drag. I know it was a big one because I was using a heavy setup --- 30lb braid with 30lb leader and the drag was set to 1/3. After the initial run, I cranked hard but the fish was able to pull free. It was a huge disappointment but I had an idea what they were looking for.

I changed spot and went to a weedy area. I casted again using the saltwater lure. 2nd cast and it was fish on! Nice sized bass on WTD. I was able to get 2 more using the same lure. I guess the fish were not into worms at that time.

At around 4pm, we called it quits. It was still raining and we were really wet and miserable. We drove back to Manila at 6pm. We kept turning the A/C on and off because the car kept fogging but if we turn on the A/C, our wet clothes got unbearably cold. On our way back, we got lost a couple of times in Rizal. We reached Josie's by 9pm. We had some hot soup and tokwa't baboy and then drove back home.

The trip was not what we expected but it was an awesome experience. A big boat with 2 anglers, a dinghy with 1, and 3 anglers on Kayaks. Definitely, this will not be the last. I just hope that the weather will cooperate the next time around.

Lake Lumot Laguna

December is a very busy day in the Philippines. A lot of work needs to be completed before the end of the year. So many Christmas parties to get to and so many stuff to buy and prepare for the holiday season. This means fishing time gets really affected --- less and less fishing. The irony is, December is the start of the best fishing months either in fresh or in Salt but you just can't go out fishing whenever you want to. It sucks!

I heard from my angler buddies, Noel and Obet, that there was a bass fishing trip this Sunday and the bite has started. Unfortunately, I have a company party that I need to go to. But when I heard that the traffic to the party venue was a nightmare, I decided to skip the party and join the bass fishing trip instead.

I was really excited because this is practically my 2nd Bass fishing trip ever. The biggest fish that I caught was about 300 grams and that was a long time ago. My goal for this trip was to learn worm fishing and most specially practice drop shot fishing.

We  left Manila 2:30am and passed by a Goto and Arozcaldo (soup) house in Teresa Rizal. They serve the best Goto and Arozcaldo ever, specially when it's very early and very cold. After the brief early breakfast, we drove to the Lumot Lake dock. There we met Rene, Erwin, and Manny (who was going to try his brand new Yak). The problem is, it was raining--- a continuous drizzle. The sort of rain that will go on and on for the entire day. And that's what happened. It rained the entire trip. The good thing though was it wasn't scorching while fishing.

When our boat arrived, we quickly loaded our gears tied in the dinghy and Manny's kayak and went to the first spot. I joined Rene on his dinghy and tried the weedy banks of the lake. I got the first fish -- a small one using  an X-rap. No takers on top water. IT was still too early so I haven't tried worming yet.

After a while, I changed to a texas-rigged 6in worm and caught my 2nd bass which was also a small one. Pretty nice for a newbie bass angler. But after that, no catches for any of us. When we joined the other guys in the big boat, Obet caught a couple of nize sized bass on worms. Manny caught his first bass on Yak.
 
In the afternoon, I changed rigs and I tried drop shot fishing. I rigged my Daiwa Sol with 15lb braid and 12lb flouro leader and tied on a curly tail worm. I thought there wasn't any activity in the shallow areas so I targeted the deep portions of the lake. Tap and another tap then I set the hook. It was amazing, truly an exciting fishing using light line with small hook on deep water and a relatively big fish pulling. I landed my first real bass. A 1kg bass. I wanted to release it but our boatman quickly tied the fish through the gills which made the chances of survival small.

When we moved to our last fishing spot before going home, I caught another small bass. Rene, who was frogging the entire day finally caught his target Haruan. He almost broke his rod while setting.

I wished I could have taken more pics but it was always raining and its hard to do so without getting my phone cam wet.  Even though the weather was miserable, the company was excellent. The food courtesy of Obet was perfect. We were laughing the entire trip.

Right now, after waking up, I just can't get the drop shot method out of my head. I got to get some Shaky worms and Realistix minnows for saltwater. I need to go back with my Kayak. That's going to be awesome.

All Soul's Fishing

It has been a while since our last visit to Zambales. I was longing to use my kayak and visit my old Dalag spot. Once my kids had their school break, I also filed for vacation so I can take some time off from work. It was a perfect opportunity because there was no work on election day and also on the following Monday because it was All Soul's day.

On our way, we spent the night in Olongapo to meet up with the in-laws. It was still dark when I sneaked out for some quick fish just before we start our drive to Zamba. Somewhere in the shallows in Malawaan, I noticed a big shool of fish. It appeared like a school of travallies chasing baitfish. I casted a shallow diver onto the shool and cranked. After a few casts, It was fish on. It really felt like a trevally when it pulled line. When I landed it, it wasn't a trevally but a milkfish which was fould hooked on its back. It wasn't really sporting, but heck, it's still a fish and they were nice sized too. I repeated casting into the school and managed to catch 2 more until the school swam to deeper water.

When we got to Zamba, It was already late in the afternoon. No fishing yet but I managed to scout my old Haruan spot. I was hoping that after the rains, the marsh would have recovered from the drought last summer. Unfortunately, it was still dry in most places. The marsh that was previously waist deep in water, still is practically dry with some areas where water has accumulated. I went around the spot to check if Haruans started populating the place. They have but, unfortunately, they were just still too small for my lures. I was able to hook up one about five inches. I guess that I still need another year before they mature. I hope more rains would come and submerge the marsh some more.

The next day, I went out with my kayak and did some top water fishing. It was a really relaxing trip just before daylight. Nobody around but you, your kayak, and birds of different colors and sizes. I wasn't really expecting anything to catch something because the it wasn't the right tide. Still a mangrove jack managed to snatch my lure.

Last Sunday, I went to Masinloc and kayaked near the powerplant. It has a really nice potential but it appears to be heavily fished. When I got there, there were many motorized bancas fishing the area. The bay was also littered with floating fish cages. Not wanting to spoil the trip, I decided to hug the breakwaters and try my luck on squids using squid jigs from master bong. No luck on the squids so I decided to try my trusted top water lures. Fortunately, I managed to catch a familiar quary -- another mangrove jack.

Kayak Fishing Zambales (7-3-2010)

We went to Zambales for the 96th birthday of my wife's grandma. We left for Manila at around 10:30PM. But coming from work, I was too tired to drive further and we decided to spend the night in Olongapo and continue driving the following day.

7am Saturday, we went ahead and drove almost 3 hours to our destination. 10am, I hurriedly unloaded all our stuff and rigged my reels and the kayak. The birthday party will start in late afternoon so I still have a few hours to fish. I rested for a bit then drove to my favorite spot and launched the Kayak. It was almost 12nn and it was scorching. The tide was good so I fished even when the sun was unbearable.

To get away from the sun, I paddled into the narrower tributaries to get under the shade of trees. Rested a bit and then paddled back again into the deeper part of the river. Here's what the tributary looks like. When the tide is right, there are big mangrove jacks cruising in here.

When the water reached the peak tide, I went back to the deeper parts of the river. Luckily, the clouds covered the scorching sun and it started to drizzle.  I threw a huge popper/walker and got a decent sized Mangrove Jack. Around 1.5kg.

The strike was awesome. It was like someone threw a big rock into the water. Like all jacks, it swam full speed to the direction of snags. It was a good thing my reel's drag was recently replaced with Carbontex from Smoothdrag. It was really smooth and subdued the fish with ease.


I still wanted to fish but it was almost 4pm and I had to go back for the party.

Too bad the vacation was very short. We had to drive back to Manila Sunday. We were supposed to leave very early sunday but my hangover was unbearable. I had to sleep it off until lunch. Because of that, I also missed the Haruan tournament in Bulacan. Anyway, there's next time.

Zambales Kayak Fishing [5-2-2010]

Went Kayak fishing in Zambales. I followed the estuarine river inland and was not disappointed.

On the first outing (6am-8:30am), I got a 1.3kg Mangrove Jack (Pargo) on topwater. I had to call it quits because it was scorching hot.

I went out again before daybreak this morning -- before going back to Manila -- and got another one further upriver. This one is somewhere between 1.5 to 1.7kg. It fell for a topwater lure as well. Stopped fishing by 8am.

Half Day Fishing (2-21-2010)

Went out for a half day kayak fishing. I was hoping to chance upon a mangrove jack or a grouper. Sadly, no biggies. Still, I managed to hook a few small ones. All fishes were released. Anyway, the exercise was worth it.  :D

A small talakitok who fell for a topwater lure.

A torsillo (Baby Barracuda) also from a topwater.

An palm-sized archer fish also took a liking on a topwater.

Also it's cousin archer fish got hooked on the topwater.

And lastly, another small talakitok foul hooked on a jerkbait.