1st time for everything

To many anglers, most of us started up by using the ever versatile spinning reels one a mid-tackle rod. Then there comes a time where we usually “mature” and wanted to move on to more difficult or complicated toys. Well, here’s my own experience in moving on to using my new toy (ABU baitcaster TGC4600C4 on Abu Garcia baitcasting rod).

Dad, just ordered in 4 different models of Abu reels from a friend, and it was up to this mischievous son of his to do all the testing with his itchy hands. Though I have tried casting out with a baitcaster all, I quickly gave up cause I always somehow manage to make a big birds nest on every cast I made. (even after adjusting all the centrifugal breaks to the correct settings – still didn’t really know how to use my thumb to stop the line from continuing to come off the spool after the lure has hit the water or come to a halt).

I guess it was as good time as any to try again as I wouldn’t want those reels to go to waste now would I? :D So a date was set to try out my new toy with my friend Adrian at Tow Foo pond and I made sure that we were early there so I can try out my new toy away from other anglers views (malu ma… always birds nest). The first cast was as expected, birds nest… and so on so forth until I reached about 30 cast or so… though the birds nest became much less, but still had problems with casting it out properly and with no distance.

As I kinda got the hang of using a baitcaster (when I say got the hang of it means no birds nest, but still got problem with the direction and distance of cast), I headed out into the open to meet my friend and fish out in the open! But to my despair, the day turned for the worst and it started to rain when I just had my 5th cast or so.

Just when I was about to call it quits with my final cast, reeling back the lure and the rain hitting down on us hard – my rod bent with an incredible pull and with the line peeling out from the reel like a bat out from hell. All we saw in the rain was a big swirl and all the mud trail followed the direction of where my line was heading to… After 15 minutes fighting the fish in the rain & avoiding the weeds, drench from head to toe, the fish was finally landed. It was a 4kg+ Tapah and I was smiling from one ear to another with what I have achieved (who cares if it was a fluke or not, I manage to land my first Tapah on a baitcaster! :D) Quick click on the camera and it was time to release the “first catch”, almost falling into the pond for a swim due to slippery surface.

From then on, every fishing trip then I’ve been since, my ever dependable baitcaster will be packed along side my other toys becoming a “fixed” item in my little fishing sack :)

Nibble nibble, taut taut, STRIKE! Fish ON!!!