Marine Catfishes

Marine catfishes or fork-tailed catfishes are the common names used for the members of Ariidae family. They occur in saltwater, brackish, and fresh waters of tropical and subtropical oceans. They are mainly saltwater fishes that sometimes enter freshwater. Some species are only found in freshwater. They have forked caudal fin, 3 pairs of barbels (rarely 2 pairs), and bony plates on head and near dorsal fin. They have 3 long, hard, usually serrated spines on their dorsal and pectoral fins. These spines are venomous.

Marine catfishes are bottom-living fishes found in mangrove areas, large river estuaries, and turbid waters, as well as in fully marine waters and clear fresh waters. Some of them are omnivorous and some feed on small fishes, molluscs and crustaceans.

There are 30 genera and more than 150 species of Ariidae worldwide. Malaysia has 11 genera and about 25 species, with 3 species that enter freshwater.

Below are some of the marine catfishes found in Malaysia.

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Family Name: Ariidae
English Name: Marine Catfish
Mandarin Name: 成魚 (Chéng yú), 海鯰 (Hǎi nián)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Duri, Pedukang
Local Hokkien: Sai Seng, Ah Seng

Karnival Tanjung Leman 2012

The event was held on 11th May to 13th May 2012. It's one of the yearly huge event in Tanjung Leman where the Sultan of the state and high ministers visited.
I was there on 13th May so I joined their beach fishing competition which started at 9 am. I arrived at about 9:30 am, paid the 60 Ringgit fee and get a place in front of the Felda Residence. This is where stingray are usually landed. Actually I was reluctant to join because I do not have a beach rod but I figured that I need to join in the fun.
The whole beach from Tunjuk Laut chalet to pass Felda Residence was full of surf fishing rod. Many times fishing lines were entangled and it was low tide almost all the way until 1:30 pm when the finishing horn finally blowed. Not many fishes were landed and I was told that the winner of the competition won only with a 900 grams sting ray.
Although it was quite fun to experience my first fishing competition, this is also the first time I came back from Tanjung Leman with an empty icebox.

Singing competition

Temporary stores set up to make some money

Rods on my right

More rods on my left

Salleh in action

Bikes of the Kembara Mahkota arriving

Musim Ketarap

After a long break since the NE Monsoon started in October last year, finally Salleh invited me over to Tanjung Leman to fish for Blackspot Tuskfish. This fish is one of the most expensive fish from this area although in term of personal preference, I still prefer John’s Snapper. The fish can be easily identified by the black spot at the back of it's body. This black spot only become distinct after the fish is landed for a certain time.
We started fishing at about 8 am. We're using life prawns, dead prawns and squid as bait but all 7 Tuskfish were caught using life prawn. Initial Tuskfish bite felt like a small fish but when the fish is hooked, a 1kg tuskfish felt like a 3-5kg fish. Almost all of them were caught when the sunlight was bright.

Nasir got the fist one

Salleh got his Ketarap

I'm under pressure now

Finally