Thursday, February 26, 2009

Fishing Déjà vu

We were looking for this Sports/Hobby shop in Bandar Sunway on Monday to get Dear Hubby his thermo guard wetsuit for his 3x/wk swimming exercises. We found it after 20 minutes spent searching thru the fierce rain.

Once I stepped into the shop, I was overwhelmed by a sense of familiarity. I was thinking – these things are so familiar, but what are they called? I couldn’t recall the names of the long poles, the round-thing behind the glass, the red&white globes and those things hanging from the wall. I stood there in awe, watching these things that used to be my companions. It took me quite a while... when suddenly all these vocabularies came flooding in - sinkers, jigheads, hooks, rods, reels, lures, lines, flies, rigs, floats, baits, swivels, Shimano, Penn, Daiwa, fighting belts etc etc.

You see, I used to love fishing. It was when I was in my early twenties studying in the States and lived a few blocks away from the North Pacific Ocean. Yeap, I was deep into fishing. You can call me a hardcore fishing enthusiast or Smelly Mackerel if you like..hahaha... but really, I was like that once. Every week, or whenever there was a vacant in my schedule, I’d go fishing with my buddies. On the pier, took a boat to the barge, or went deep-sea fishing at dawn and at dusk.

The best part of it all was when you got a nibble. It didn’t matter if you got to catch the fish or not. The joy of getting a nibble was enough to boost the spirit. And if you were lucky, the satisfaction of reeling the fish in was unexplainable. I remember catching Mackerels, Seabass, Sand Sharks, Barracudas, Snappers, Gelama (I forgot what Gelama is called in English), Halibuts and Stingrays. But Yellowtails were the real fighters, so I never did win them.

Fishing taught me to be patient - learn how to think positively and wait for the good to come. When you got your rod rigged, held the rod in your hand and began the waiting process. To breathe in the seabeeze, enjoy the sound of small waves, watch the birds in the sky and put a good song in your head really gave you the placidity of mind. And everything else didn’t matter.

Life was that simple.

It’s a fact that sometimes things that we once loved doing were forgotten along the journey of life we've taken. Things that we used to be passionate about and had become essential parts of the life we once lived. But when you stopped doing them altogether, you’d tend to forget about them in perfect total.

Anyway, now, I get my fish stock at the Pasar Tani. No more waiting for the nibblings and the undoing of the line tangles. Easy catch. Just show them the money and the fish sellers will gut and clean the fish for you. All you have to do when you get home is to re-clean them and cook them to your likings. Senang kan?

One thing for sure is - I don’t think I’ll ever fish again. I doubt if I still have the patience I once had. And I’m certain that my children’s screaming would definitely scare the poor fish away!

20 comments:

wanshana said...

Ja,

I was once told by an uncle that fishing ni "berhantu". I guess something like golfing jugak lah kot...But, I wouldn't know which one is worse coz' I've never tried either of them.

The nearest I've got to fishing was at my MIL's dusun kat Hulu Langat where she bela ikan in a pond. Don't think the thrills would be the same as fishing by the pier or deep-sea fishing kot? Tak ade angin sepoi-sepoi bahasa....Itu pun I think dah more than 6 years ago, kot?

Mum and Roses said...

Ibu, I know what you mean. I was not a fanatic at fishing but this brought me back to the thrill I experienced when I caught a fish. I fished long time ago since i worked near the sea (oversea) at the time. It was just a past time to relieve boredom. The thrill was worth the wait. I think the kids will love it too.

Dalam Dakapan Ibu said...

Dear Shana,
I think memang 'berhantu'. It's like you're addicted to it. Never mind the fishy and smelly area, as long as fishing is possible.

The thrill of fishing on the pier and deep sea fishing is different. Mat Sallehs mostly conquered the deep sea fishing boats. They aimed for big catch whereas us yg kecik2 ni, apa dapat pun dah kira best...

Dalam Dakapan Ibu said...

Dear Mum and Roses,
Memang thrill, especially when we won the battle with the fish.

I could still remember trying to get one big stingray in, punya la fight tapi tak dak dapat jugak. Lepas tu berhari-hari dok frust..hehehe...

Queen Of The House said...

I don't understand fishing. Maybe tak ada patience. And I am too geli to touch the bait, especially if they are the wiggly kind. I don't think too many women are into this, so Ja, you must be one of the elite few!

My husband yang hantu fishing. But it's offshore fishing. Lagi I tak faham. How can you stand being rocked all over in a small(ish) boat, with bau diesel and bau ikan? Kalau atas luxury cruiseboat lainlah cerita. He's going fishing this weekend with his brothers, by the way. Always off Yan, around the islands.

mazmin said...

ja.... fishing??? seriously... wow... x sangka..im sure it was fun..

Salt N Turmeric said...

Kak Ja, biar betul you dulu hantu deep-sea fishing? Cayalah! I tenringin jugak nak baut but both of us geli nak pegang baits and/or siang ikan. So how lah? lol.

Dalam Dakapan Ibu said...

Hi QOTH,
Actually offshore/deep sea fishing yg I pi dulu tu boat dia boleh takan besaq lah. No smell of diesel. Bau ikan tu adalah.. but it blended in with the air.

Actually kalau dah offshore tak pakai lagi dah baits yg worm2 gitu.. depa pakai squid, anchovies and sometimes mackerel itself.

Ni yang you kena join sekali your hubby nih!

Dalam Dakapan Ibu said...

Min dear,
Yeap.. Ja pun tak sangka bila duk ingat balik. Yang penting memang fun!

Dalam Dakapan Ibu said...

Dear Farina,
You got no choice babe, you gotta buy them fish at Ralph's ke and those yg sewaktu dengannya...hahaha..

Queen Of The House said...

Hahaha, oh ya, I forgot about the baits of udang, sotong & smaller fish. Bukan tak tau, tapi lupa. That shows how'interested' I am! Tapi bila tengok the good catch that they sometimes get, I yang excited lebih. At one time, they managed to catch about 50 ikan tenggiri. Puas makan ikan!

Anonymous said...

Ja, ni musti something abt being 'made' in Langkawi ni. I bet!Hahhahaha....

wanshana said...

Salams Ja,

There's an award waiting for you...Please check it out on my blog :)

Daphne Ling said...

Hi Aunty Ja,

Hmmm...My campus got river...Maybe I should I try fishing too...I am looking for a stress-relieving activity (kerja banyak sangat ma). I'm trying to decide if fishing will increase, or decrease stress!

Lee said...

Hi Ibu, Wow! You loved and enjoyed fishing? Saya gila fishing, only here its the weather, only Summer.

I used to go to Pulau kapas, Redang, Perhentian in Trengganu and fish the seas there. Pulau Tioman too.

And Malacca Pulau Upeh, Besar, Undan...
I guess I fished the length and breadth of Malaysia too.

My storeroom has 6 fishing rods and all the fishing equipment you mentioned also eloquently this posting.

Ibu, please don't give up fishing....instead bring your kids, teach them to fish, enjoy the outdoors, nature....and practice like we here, catch and release, bring home only what we can eat.

You keep well and have fun, Lee.

Dalam Dakapan Ibu said...

Dear QOTH,
Seronok kalau dapat good catch. Tak kisahlah whether you join the fishing trip or not. Yang penting dapat fresh fish!

Ikan fresh ni kalau bake or grill, memang manis. Kalau goreng, siap rasa cam keropok pulak...

Dalam Dakapan Ibu said...

Yus!!!

You're right! I was made in Langkawi..hahaha....

Celik-celik mata dah terjun laut kot, that's why!

Dalam Dakapan Ibu said...

Dear Shana,
TQVM dear... I dah posted the new entry... :)

Dalam Dakapan Ibu said...

Hi Daphne,
You'll never know till you try kan? Go ajak U.Lee lah go fishing. I bet he'll hook the worms for you...

Fresh trouts - good fish tu!

Dalam Dakapan Ibu said...

Dear U.Lee,
Wow, you travelled far! You must be very good and I bet you have lots of tips on fishing.

I've never tried fishing here in Malaysia. Must be hot and sweaty lah. But interesting nevertheless.

I don't think I'll start fishing again. But who knows, right?