This week had got to be one of most challenging week this season in terms of catch rate, choppy seas and very hazy air.
A week before Pete and crew came to Rompin the skies started to get hazy from the burning in Indonesia to clear land for plantation. This haze unfortunately has become an annual occurrence for the longest time. Some years bad and some years are not too bad. This time it is very bad.
Watch the Part 1 Video of this trip (scenes from day 1)
GOOD FISHING BUDDIES
The group consisted of Pete, Noel, Dez, Chris, Dave and Richard. Good friends getting together for a four day fishing outing split into two teams in two boats.
Juan Wei ferrying the pack in his busFirst order of the day upon arriving in Rompin is to stockup with enough ‘juice”!Dinner and getting to know the Sport Fishing Asia crew
The first two days we had choppy seas with gradually worsening hazy skies.
Fishing was challenging, thankfully the group split into two boats, landed some fish everyday.
Photo Highlights from Day 1
First fish for Richard is a nice cobiaA cobia as well for ChrisDave watches as his sailfish make jumpsDave, Richard and Chris having funDave lands his first sailfishDave keeping his first Rompin sailfish in the water for a quick photoCloser look at the sailfish
Pete battles a sailfishStill images of series of jumps by the sailfish
Day 2 Actions
Click to watch the epic part 2 video below!
Slow start in the morning for one of the boats, Noel fights a sailfish just before noon.
Quick photo and release for Noel with his sailfish
It was soon action station as the bite picked up after lunch. Pete on a sailfish with the PENN Spinfisher VI Live Liner reel.Dez is on as well with a PENN Spinfisher V Live Liner reelRichard with a feisty sailfishDez lands his final sailfish of the day
Day 3
We finally had calm seas on the third and fourth day with the haze starting to clear as well in the afternoon of the third day eventually revealing land in the horizon and clouds in the blue sky.
A couple of nice cobia was also landed throughout the trip and plenty of bite offs by Spanish mackerels on the third day.
Day 3 sees better conditions and the bites came on earlier in the dayClose quarter jumps Dave posing for a quick one with his sailfish catchNoel with another decent size sailfishDez with a nice cobiaPete finished off the day with a nice sailPete’s sailfish breaks the surface
Day 4 Fun
Light tackle fun for Chris
Light tackle for Dez as wellAll smiles as Dez lands the biggest sailfish of the group out of four days of fishing and in two boats, and using the light gear, too.Richard’s turn on the light gearLeading the sailfishRichard with his sailfishDave ending his Rompin trip with this fishNoel takes a nice one to finish his tripA happy Dez manages another sailfish before wrapping up
HAPPY ENDING
The fishing god finally smiled down on us for the fourth and final day of fishing with clear skies, calm seas and great fishing.
We had multiple hits on both boats and everyone had a great time along with some big sailfish.
The whole crew for a group photo after a sumptuous meal at the end of the trip. Dez (centre) is the winner with the biggest sailfish, donning his special trophy jersey!
Juan Wei is the founder of SFA. All he does is fish (and that's a myth)! His favourite type of fishing is sight-fishing where he can cast to the target fish and see it eat his presentation. See what he's currently up to on Instagram @juanwei