Squid season is here again!!!! Hurray...

These few days, squids are coming back again. Water is perfect and the habitat underwater is getting better. Seaweeds have grown back. And no more further explanation needed since picture says a thousand words....

Good catch on bad season....

Water condition is still not that perfect. It has been days that I got only 2 or 3 squids. Today, I decided to go early at around 3 PM to start with fishing for some selars. Got quite good size selars days before.

My wife and friend start with fishing for selars. As for me, which is not that much of a fish guy, I went for squid instead although it's still too hot and bright.

My intention to fish at bright day is to test my Yamashita Natural Color series. Because squidding during night time didn't produce any good strike. Yamashita natural color series don't have any glittering skin or bright color. It tends to be darker and I judge that it's not that good to use it at night compared to day time. And as I thought, it produced 4 squids in less than 1 hour (note. 4 is good amounts due to recent bad water condition).

Later when it got darker, I choose to use Yamashita Egi oh Q Soku gold. Its white belly will turn to gold color when it touches water...amazingly beautiful. I highly recommend this one. It produced 6 strikes in less than 1 hour. Some emerged squid charges to the egi directly without testing it first with its tentacles. Very very good stuff. Happy enough, and because some groups of company having a dinner gathering, and the smell of food made worms in my stomach active, I decided to go back for big seafood meal at Nagoya.

Yozuri and Yamashita Egi first try out

Not feeling to fish these few days. Weather is not predictable. Now the sun can shine but later it rains like no tomorrow. My kids are all sick. Nothing serious, just common flu. Durians and rambutans are all in their harvesting season. So is my rambutan farm. Usually, every fruit season, people tend to fall sick easier. Maybe because of the weather, or maybe they just eat too much durians.

Water condition was also not that desireable. These few days, current is moving very strong as in river. It's impossible to squid after 9PM. Nothing to do, and curious about the new branded egi performance, I drove to KTM and arrived at 6PM. Water is very clear and calm. Signs of fishes swimming under my 500Watt halogen lamp. My first try was the Yamashita Egi natural color series, blue color. The color of this particular egi is quite dark. And I reckon it's more suitable for fishing at day time. Movements are perfect. It zips fast and sharp like live prawns. Color is very natural and flashes like fish scales. Played with it for quite some time and at last, first strike. Quite big with weight around 600gr. After photo was taken, it's an hour of relentless rod jerking before I got my second strike. Smaller but not happier because my arms were getting pretty sore and it's a small reward for me. Although Yamashita natural color is pretty for human eyes, I still think that pink color is still the most favourite color for squid. I saw few squids just pass me by without even turning their head to see my egi. Compared to the 1.8 size red-colored Yozuri egi that I usually use.

Yamashita Natural Color series

Next, it was Yozuri Neo Skeleton time for action. My favourite color for egi, pink. Only minutes taken for first bite. Compared to Yamashita natural color, in color wise, Yozuri is better. Although people said that all egis are the same, only the technique of fisher is differ. I don't agree on this. Good techniques have to be boosten up by good arsenal. Good egi can increase strike rate. I once witnessed 5 different egi including my Yozuri egi were all fighting trying to bluff squid to take them. I saw the squid, zig zag all the cheaper egi and come for mine. Only one thing for sure, they must have put some magic lotion in the production. LOL.

Yozuri Neo

Yo-Zuri and Yamashita Egi

At last, the long awaited egi imported from Japan have arrived. I ordered them few weeks ago from friends I know from Fishing Kaki forum in Singapore. I have ordered few also from Taufik of blacksheephilia.blogspot.com and ready for collection in KTM resort, Batam.

Those I ordered are from YoZuri and Yamashita. Search from their website for latest model. And I especially love YoZuri flashdancer series with its golden skin. Not sure yet whether it will be the love for squid too. Yamashita natural color series looks pretty impressive too. It looks very realistic with it fish like skin.

What matter know is that they all look too pretty for me to dip in sea water and violated by squid ink. Not to say, hooked to corals or weeds. Again, it's not about the price, but 3 more weeks to wait for next batch? Anyway, it's testing time...

YoZuri Flashdancer


Yamashita Natural Color

Big Fin Squid in KTM resort, Batam

Trip tanggal 17 Juni 2009 di KTM resort, Batam. Air surut dengan arus kencang dari jam 5 sore sampai jam 12 malam. Turun ke medan perang jam 7 malam dengan tidak mengharapkan hasil tangkapan yang banyak. Arus sangat kencang dan air bergerak surut. Kondisi yang biasanya sangat susah untuk mendapatkan kuantitas sotong yang banyak, tetapi kalau strike, pasti besar-besar. Strategi pertama adalah menurunkan umpan ikan plata yang dipasang di candit sate, dengan harapan apabila ada penghuni di dasar laut, akan lebih cepat terdeteksi daripada menggunakan capela. Casting demi casting dengan hasil nol.
Trip on 17 June 2009 in KTM resort, Batam. Low tide with strong current from 5pm to 12am. Started to fish at 7pm with not much hope in getting strikes. Water current is strong and low tide. A very unsupporting condition to have lots of strikes. But usually in this condition, we'll get lesser in quantity but big in quality. First strategy is to use selar fish as bait in hope of detecting presence of squid faster compared than using egi. Results, zero.


Sekitar jam 9 malam, setelah memastikan kondisi dasar aman dari sangkutan, saatnya menggunakan capela Yo-Zuri (ed. bukan karena mahal, cuman susah dapatnya di Batam, sayang kalau sangkut dikarang). Teknik yang saya diaplikasikan disini adalah teknik 3 times syakuri, dimana capela dihentak 3 kali sehingga bergerak kekanan dan kekiri. Tidak lama, terasa hentakan dijoran, tetapi sayang, begitu ditarik terlepas. Di ulang sekali lagi, dimakan tetapi begitu ditarik, terlepas lagi....tanpa putus asa, dengan moto minimal mesti dicoba 3 kali, capela dilempar ke posisi yang sama, setelah lebih kurang 15 menit, capela disambut oleh sotong semampar sebesar 700gram. Lumayan, setelah beberapa hari absen narik sotong gede. Tak lama narik lagi seekor cumi jarum ukuran sedang. Sang istri kebetulan juga lagi mancing malam itu. Dua ekor sotong yang kupancing dalam waktu lama sekitar 2 jam-an, dikalahkannya dalam 20 menit. 1 sotong semampar ukuran 600an gram dan 1 cumi jarum yang ukurannya lebih besar dari punyaku...maklum, terlalu banyak dosa ngilangin banyak nyawa sotong...wakakaka..
At round 9pm, after making sure the bottom conditions are clear from derby, it's time to use egi from yozuri (ed. it's not about the price, but it's very difficult to find this brand in Batam. It's a big loss if it stucks in corals). 3 times syakuri techniques is applied. It didn't take long to feel the egi taken by squid. When reeled in, the squid escaped from the hook. Tried again, same jerking but the squid managed to escaped from the hook again. Following the motto of 3 times work the wonder, egi casted on the same spot, and in less than 15 minutes, the squid bites hard on the egi. This time, a 700gram big fin squid landed on my lap...not long after that, a moderate size aero squid were also reeled in. The missus who was also there fishing, beaten the squid that I fished for 2 hours in just 20 minutes....sigh...1 big fin of 600grams and 1 aero squid which happen to be bigger than mine...










Teman seperjuangan juga berhasil menarik 1 ekor sotong batu yang bawa kuali kemana-mana karena takut kelaparan...heheh...lumayanlah untuk malam itu dengan kondisi air yang sangat tidak mendukung.
A fishing friend of mine, also packed up with 1 big squid (baktao). The one with short tentacles and hard back...

Sotong Jager pada muncul di KTM Batam

Hari ini, menurut Tidecomp air mulai bergerak pasang pada jam 8.45 malam. Air sangat tenang tanpa arus. Seperti biasa, acara mancing sotong favorit gua tetap di KTM dong. Rencana pertamanya pengen mancing selar seperti hari-hari sebelumnya. Mungkin karena datangnya sudah hampir jam 6 sore, alhasil, tak ada satu ekorpun yang kebo'ong ama umpan sabiki. Seperti ritual biasanya, diganti umpan capela untuk nipu sotong-sotong di KTM. Lempar sana lempar sini, sampai akhir gua tetap boncos alias nol besar!!! Yang lain juga tidak lebih bagus. Cuman beberapa cuminos saja yang narik. Biarpun jarang, tetapi semuanya size jagger. Yang narik pertama adalah Syahrial dari BFC dengan size 300-an, gak lama istri gua yang narik, dengan size 800gram-an...akhirnya, semua pada narik kecuali gua...apesssss. By the way, karena trip survey ke kelong Acuan kemarin, stamina gua mesti dijoss balik, jadi terpaksa gua pulang early banget sekitar jam 9an. selanjutnya...lihat sendiri di foto...
Today, according to tidecomp, water start to rise on 8.45 tonight. Water is calm with no current. As usual, my favorite squid fishing spot remains in KTM resort. My first event is to jig for selars using sabiki in hoping to pack few kilos back like what I did days before. Apparently, today is just not selar day. Not even a single selar bluffed to bite the hook. Next, sotong time. This was also zero for me. The rest that time, they didn't get any better than me too. After a shortwhile, Syahrial from BFC strike with a big fin squid of around 300gr. Next, it didn't surprise me now, my wife with a larger squid that weight around 800gr...Eventually, everybody strike but me. Due to lack of stamina because of yesterday survey visit to the Kelong, I got back earlier than usual at around 9 o'clock. The rest...see in the following photos...

Syahrial, ke KTM karena ngiler sama FR survey Kelong Acuan
Syahrial, to KTM because tempted by the Fishing Report from Survey

Sang Istri sekarang narik lebih banyak dari suaminya...gapapalah
The missus now strike more than her husband...nevermind

tuh kan, sekarang narik gurita
see, now it's octopus

Yuce dengan cumi jarum kebanggaannya
Yuce with his proud Aero Squid


Pak Joko, veteran sotong dan mancing dasaran dari KTM
"tiada hari tanpa tanda2 ada sotong"
Joko, a veterant in squid and bottom fishing from KTM
"no days without signals from squid"

Mas David, oknum yang pernah kejebur dari pelantar
sekarang sudah jago nyumi
David, who plunged into the sea by accident
now an expert in squidding

tuh kan, sudah jago...sopar jager lebih dari 1 kilo
That proves my words...big fin more than 1 kilo

Beberapa cuminos dengan sotong jager tidak sempat difoto, karena tukang fotonya kehabisan batere, alias ngantuk...
Some photos with big squid were not taken due to cameraman out of stamina, sooo sleepy.

Anyway, tonight is just not my night...yang penting happy lah...

Showdown capella Yo-Zuri

Trip dengan beberapa teman dari forum BatamFishing pada tanggal 29 Mei 2009 di KTM. Bermacam umpan digunakan malam itu. Dari live bait dengan tusuk sate yang berupa ikan plata dan ikan srinding, sampai capella dari berbagai merek, yaitu Yo-zuri, Angler's pal, Morigen, dan Daido Squid Jig Tiger serta capella abal-abal gak jelas mereknya...hehe

My fishing trip with some friends from BatamFishing on 29 Mei 2009 at KTM. Various of baits were used that night. From live baits like plata (big eyed selar) and srinding to capella from various brands and sizes, Yo-Zuri, Angler's pal, Morigen and Daido squid jig tiger and others

Dibawah ini peringkat strike dari masing-masing umpan yang digunakan khusus untuk waktu, kondisi dan lokasi tersebut.

Below are strike rate from each baits use on that specified time, condition and location

1. Capella Yo-Zuri - dalam hal jumlah dan tanpa pandang bulu (besar maupun kecil)
1. Yo-Zuri jigs - the best egi in terms of quantity and sizes

2. Live bait ikan plata - pilihan terbaik, cuman susah dapat ikannya dan sensasinya kurang mantap. Serta agak susah lengketnya ke cumi, sehingga harus di reel-in pelan-pelan bak ngelayanin pacar, sehingga ogut posisikan di nomer 2.
2. Small selar is the best bait choice, but due to effort put in fishing the fish and the lack of sensation during the strike, I have to put it in no.2

3. Capella Daido squid jig tiger - dengan harga hanya Rp.9.000 per ekor, merupakan budget capella dengan strike rate lumayan tinggi khususnya di KTM. Cuman kalo sama yang Yo-Zuri made in Japan ini, agak susah apabila dipakai bersebelahan.
3. Daido squid jig tiger- with it selling price at only Rp.9.ooo each, it was the most budget egi with high strike rate, especially at KTM. It is just when put along side with Yo-Zuri, I just have to put this aside.

4. Capella Angler's Pal - dengan warna yang attractive dan lumayan balance di air.
4. Angler's Pal - with its attractive color and balance under water, it produced quite some squid that night.

5. Live bait ikan srinding - bau amisnya menyengat dan lumayan bagus apabila tidak ada yang lain di atas.
5. Srinding (I just don't know its name in english) - it is a very stink fish and it can create quite a number of aero squid if all the above are not present.

6. Capella Morigen - mengecewakan, cuman dikejar tapi gak dimakan.
6. Morigen Jig - disappointing. The squid followed it but don't even want to touch it.

7. Capella abal-abal - silakan anda yang menilai...
7. other brands - you judge it

joran itu buat digigit sotong bukan untuk digigit manusia
the fishing rod was meant to fish squid not to fish human

Senangnya tuh muka strike berturut-turut
Look at his happy yet cocky face

muka masam kayak jerut purut karena stike cumi kecil
face as sour as sour plum due to the tiny size of the squid

Tertawa ala darlie saat strike jagger. Makanya, jangan sedih dulu.
A darlie smile when a big one strike. So, don't be sad first.

Capella ShowDown

Penasaran beberapa hari ini strike cumi sedikit, seperti biasa, dengan semangat pantang menyerah gw pergi lagi ke KTM dengan harapan tetap mengebu.

Air mulai pasang sejak jam 6an sore, tetapi tidak begitu bersih. Kondisi bulan sabit tanpa angin dan arus pelan. Percobaan tetap menggunakan squid jig dari Daido yang murmer, cuman sekarang tambah koleksinya yang berwarna pink size 3.0. Setelah dicoba berkali-kali, hasilnya aero squid alias thoraks ukuran sedang 2 ekor. Karena gak begitu memuaskan, diganti dengan Daido warna merah size 2.50, dengan hasil hanya cuman 1 ekor thoraks. Frustasi, karena mulai capek tuh tangan mainin capella, nampak cuminos dari Singapore yang punya simpanan capella Yo-Zuri Qseries size imut, 1.8, langsung dicoba turun ke lapangan. Mengejutkan buat saya (yang masih belajar nyumi), sotong-sotong lebih tertarik ke capella yang terkenal mantap dan mahal. Gak peduli mau size baby or jagger. Alhasil, kalah deh Daido kepercayaan gw yang murmer:(.
Nah, diphoto tuh, sotongnya rencananya disuruh masak koki KTM, alias bayar tepung ama minyaknya doank. Tetapi, karena berhubung dicharge Rp.120rebo sepiring, batal dah niat untuk menyantap sotong goreng tepung.

Gak mau kalah, akhirnya pake umpan ikan plata dah. Hasilnya, yah yang ada di photo berikut lah...hehe:D

Terakhir, juga dengan semangat pantang menyerah dan tahan malu, gw minta capella Yo-Zuri dari Singaporean itu dengan alasan buat kenang2an. Lumayanlah...katanya baru sekali pake dan dibeli di Singapore dengan harga $.11 per biji...Nambah koleksi bro;)