The Spectacular Borneo Black Bass

There was a bit of a rush to book a flight to North Borneo, Sandakan East Malaysia when my friend B.A. asked whether I wanna follow them to Black Bass hunting at Meruap area.....

We arrived Sandakan by morning, departed at Sandakan Fishery Port at noon.....

Loading up on to one of the boats.......Off we go.......heading towards the South East horizon.Old junk boat to carry such a big group of people..........worry ( scarry～Some of the members having their lunch in the boat........ For this trip we have 12 anglers, 2 captains, 2 guides, 6 boatmen, 2 cooks......... with two mother boats towing 7 small boats......

What a big group for a fishing trip.........Me and my friend B.A. took this boat as our bunk since it looks cleaner and a bit bigger too.......This is our captain Rosdi.....Our fighting gear......Oh no!! An open air loo with a wall height of just 2 feet tall?........ how am I to shit this way????

Please don't ask..........Along the way we exchanged some petrol for fresh prawns from the fisherman at sea...Immediately, I make a sambal with lime juice....... Fresh prawn with sambal.........goody goody! Dare to try some?Our destination awaits us after 6 hours of long boat ride at sea.......Kampung Meruap, a village of not more than 30 people....... We stopped by to say hello to the locals........The main building was a police depot.......After a while we found a good spot to berth our boat near the river mouth so that we can put up for the first night...... Filling up the petrol tanks for tomorrow's excursion........B.A. and me making our way up the rivers and trawling along the river bank......First, B.A. had a strong strike just after passing through submerged dead tree trunks area....Yes!! Our target fish Black Bass! After a strong fight struggling around the submerged undergrowth........Cheers! 5kg Borneo Black Bass....Bye bye! thanks for the good fight......At the very same spot, here comes my turn for a strike........Yes! yes! fish!

Wow, my rod at maximum bending........ Ahhh going to break.........AhhhhhhhFinally, it appears at the surface.....Wow! My first Black Bass - KANAI (local name).........Yeah! For a size like this, it gave a very good fight indeed........ Scary big mouth.......

Beautiful scales colour.......

Temporary fish hut during the good fishing season at this area.......

Good catches for the others too...........

Nipah fruit along the river side......

Tough outer skin layer........White transparent flesh.......taste like coconut, not bad.......

The biggest KANAI of the lot, 13kgs..........wow!

Beautiful sunset.......

Due to lack of space, the workers and boatman had to bunk on the roof top......

A new challenge started the next day........

Today we tried at a different river........

The catches of the morning......... small BarracudaBaby GT.......

Grouper......Mangrove Jack....Archer fish too......

What a very good weather......Running up and down the rivers, but yet to encounter another Black Bass....

We met a huge school of migrating Jelly Fish........

Abundant Mangrove trees.......

Another type of encounter - A whole river full of unknown worm-like sea creature.....

Yikes! Huge worm.........

Beautiful mangove trees, nipah trees along the river systems......Tarpon Fish also a resident around here......Ohhh! Barramundi too.......Cheers! It's a Black Bass - KANAI !Catches for our dinner......

Shell fish - KEPAH (local name).....Mud crab.....

Catches from the others..... Sea catfish. IKAN KANAI....B.A. & me practise Catch and Release, but the others keep thier catches........ We managed to land 29 Black Bass, the biggest being 13kgs........

Heading back to Sandakan, after 4 days of fine fishing.......

Back at the Sandakan Port.......

It's time to pamper ourselves with some fine beer and foods......

Cheers man, and here's to you all!

Sandakan's Central Market.......

Puffer fish selling here??? Definitely not for me!

Our group picture infront of the hotel.......

Dinner at the finest restaurant in town.......Peace!........