Ladyfish is a superb gamefish to catch. It’s predatory and it takes poppers, clousers, whistlers, muddlers and the like. It’s related to the family of tarpon (megalops) hence it’s scientific name is elops. I believe ours is called elops hawainessis of sort. In the US the common name is ten-pounder.
Many years ago, they used to be plentiful in the Sementa River, Kapar up to 1lb mark. When it grows bigger it’s a supreme athlete. Those 1lb ones will run wildly twisting and turning. If a 10lb (3kg) Bedong Lady takes your fly, YOU DIE!
A 2kg fish will burn your line to the backing in seconds. It’s our backyard bonefish but better! It jumps, it dances on the water (if you are lucky) and it does a double sommersault with a consumated ease. Then it happens, the line goes slack, your jaw would drop, speechless or better, your motor mouth would be spewing profanities! All in the space of 15 seconds or so.
But still, the Ladies of Bedong are dropdead gorgeous! Big round eyes, big lips and small nose dominate the firm slender slinky sexy body. And what stamina! So if you have caught one please thoroughly revive it first by holding the tail or the mouth pushing back and forth for 2/3 minutes until it kicks off by itself. Never let it go belly up please. Reviving the fish too is the hallmark of a true flyfisher.
As for the gear, you can start with no 6 and go down to 3, soft trout rod holds better. Like PakTeh EG said, pellet fly is good enough, funny init? good luck</font id=“maroon”>
Hi Sifu Irhamy, the first time i hooked on to a ladyfish in bedong was with a whitish pinkish mylar fly (if thats what you call it). I hooked it on pond 1 in bedong and as you said, within seconds, the line on my 6wt outfit was stripped down to my backing line and cut my finger (yes I am an inexperienced fly fisher and the lady was the second fish I caught with my brand new fly outfit)
After about 1 minute fighting it, the fish decided to swim towards me at such a great speed that I could not reel in fast enough to keep tension on the line and as you guessed it, foul words came flying out of my mouth and the fish was gone!
I must say it is the most fun I have ever had fishing in Bedong despite the cut fingers, bruised knuckles and burnt palm.
I have tried using the light brown fluffy pellets found in tacklebox as well as the cork pellets but couldnt find any of those hard bristle pellet flies which I guess you guys use. (By the way, I have given up using clousers or those Mylar flies in Bedong coz the greedy siakap seem to get hold of them before the ladies even have a chance to smell them.)
Irhamy, I was told that both you and Pak Teh have a special kind of pellet which you guys use for ladyfish. Would you mind giving some pointers as to how I can tie them or where I can buy them from.
I was also told by my Master Pak Amin and the rest of the gang at Tacklebox that you frequent Penang very often. Perhaps a demo fly tying session would be great. There are a few begineer fly fishos like me who would gladly buy you teh ais the whole night long in return for some guidance.
Yes I have been going to penang frequently simply because I have an office in Butterworth and my hometown is Kepala Batas hehehehe a politically glam place now. Somehow I tend to find a slightest reason to visit that office for obvious reason hahaha.
The pellet fly I tie (so as Pak Teh) tend to be from the darker shade of antelope, deer or elk hair - from rusty, dark brown to black. Sometimes I tie a light coloured depending on the weather. Method of tying is like you tie a muddler, wrap a bunch of 20 strands at a time for 4 times or until you get the right size. The right size is the size of pellet Ah Kow feeds them! Now it’s around 0.25" x 0.25", pellet no 6. You will need to snip it with a sharp pair of sissors or cut with a razor blade to shape. Another fave fly is a single booby tied to a hook the way the carp fisherman tie their boilie. The booby is made of foam wrapped with woman stocking (used or new, your choice!) The hook and the booby is connected by a strand of 0.25" 20lb mono.
As for the hook I now use Gamakatsu Octopus no 8, Tacklebox has it priced around RM5 for 10. You can also use the Mustad signature R50 standard dry or wet size 8. There are cheaper options around too as long as they are strong and light. For bigger pellet fly use a correspondingly bigger hook.
The choice of leader is very important as they are spooky at times, a minimum of 9 feet with the 12lb - 20lb tippet. Sometimes I go up to 15 feet if its not windy and no dogs along your casting path. Best to make sure the turn over is sweet without much disturbance.
I like the green or cream coloured dry fly line more than the others. The drag needs to be around 30% of the maximum so that we can let the reel scream to its heart’s content when the lady takes the fly to the other end of the pond. When the fish takes, best to use the angle of the rod to absorb the power of the fish, keep the line taut. I reckon the rod angle should be around 10/11 o’clock.
Just for your info, the malay name for ladyfish is bandang but we christened her AZIZAH hehehehe…</font id=“maroon”>
Thanks for the pics. I will upload our group pics, once I start to unpack here. Take care!
Hi guys, congrats on the catch. Good spot there. I’ve been wondering, how did you guys cast with all those electric cables overhead? Wouldnt it get entangled[?] My line usually caught on the cable even tho its >5m behind and way up high. I hate it when that happened and worse if i have to cut the line[V] Did you guys use roll cast?
quote:Originally posted by DarkAaron
.... I've been wondering, how did you guys cast with all those electric cables overhead? Wouldnt it get entangled[?] My line usually caught on the cable even tho its >5m behind and way up high. I hate it when that happened and worse if i have to cut the line[V] Did you guys use roll cast?
Hi DarkAaron,
Do you notice all the tangles, lines, soft plastic and flies stuck on the electric cables? Well, I am a frequent contributor to the mess. Be it whilst fly fishing or normal spinning or casting with lures.
The only way is to do a side cast spinning, casting or flycast. With a fly outfit, once I have done the initial side cast, i will probably do some roll casts to reposition my flies. You can get extra distance roll casting if somehow or rather you do a haul as well at the same time. (dont ask me how to do it coz i stumbled upon it by chance and am still trying to perfect the timing)
However, if you are using sinking line which i do use often in Bedong, then I am afraid roll casting is out of the question and you have to stick with flycasting sideways which is not that difficult. Just be aware of what is behind and above you and you should be ok.
Thanks for the info. Now that you mention it, that one heck of tangled lines collections [:D] I’m using varivas #7 wf floating line and i’ve yet to master the rollcasting. The farthest rollcast i ever done is like 6ft away[V] Back to reading flycasting books and practice, practice, practice[:D]
Dear Sifu Irhamy, thanks for all the info. Looks like i’ll have to place another order with Nick.
Btw, why Azizah ?
Hi Orangminyak,
It’s about 8 months back I coined the name after listening to an old P Ramlee song called Azizah on the way back to KL after a superb session in Bedong when I hit about 8 ladyfish. The lyric of the song was about a beautiful girl with round eyes, fair skin and beautiful nose…there you have it, I thought.. I will christen this fish Azizah…hahahaha
The best swims in the small pond are right infront of the covered yard where the round tables are towards the middle of the pond and and along the road where the big pipe comes in. watch out for the kayu surrounding the pipe! </font id=“maroon”>
Sifu Irhamy : Azizah is a greatname for the Giant Herring or Badang but for me, if one song can describe Azizah, then it has got to be “Di mana kan ku cari ganti” no matter what I do to hook her, Azizah constantly evades my wooing only flirting with me at times. Sometimes leading me on and letting go… Oh Azizah!
quote:Originally posted by Irhamy
The best swims in the small pond are right infront of the covered yard where the round tables are towards the middle of the pond and and along the road where the big pipe comes in. watch out for the kayu surrounding the pipe!
Look out for the true giants in Pond 2 (the largest pond) they are ferocious and might even spool you if you don’t have enough line. My favourite locations are on the left side of the small hut facing pond 2 or near the workers cabin (container) also facing pond 2. I have seen Yean hook on to a three footer during one of her leaps into the air but unfortunately she didnt manage to land Azizah’s mum so we couldnt really verify her weight nor length, but take it from me, the ladies on pond 2 seem to be larger.
Look out for the true giants in Pond 2 (the largest pond) they are ferocious and might even spool you if you don’t have enough line. My favourite locations are on the left side of the small hut facing pond 2 or near the workers cabin (container) also facing pond 2. I have seen Yean hook on to a three footer during one of her leaps into the air but unfortunately she didnt manage to land Azizah’s mum so we couldnt really verify her weight nor length, but take it from me, the ladies on pond 2 seem to be larger.</font id=“size1”>
That is true about pond 2. Some fat Azizahs are there. I once hooked a 3kg that jumped like 10ft in the air, looked like tenggiri on steroid hahaha But it’s just they are easier to catch and more prolific in pond 1.(more nurul izzah than azizah,… election fever now…)</font id=“red”> Another swim is just at the t-junction as you come in where the underground connecting pipe is. I find standing far back from the water’s edge is also effective especially in early morning near the pond 2 middle hut. if you watched my DVD, all were caught in ponds 1 & 2. There are also some giants in pond 3 you know…
I tend to go there on weekdays, let me know your availability so that i can pre-arrange things including fly-tying. Let’s go catch Azizah!</font id=“maroon”>
quote:Originally posted by orangminyak Sifu Irhamy : Azizah is a greatname for the Giant Herring or Badang but for me, if one song can describe Azizah, then it has got to be "Di mana kan ku cari ganti" no matter what I do to hook her, Azizah constantly evades my wooing only flirting with me at times. Sometimes leading me on and letting go... Oh Azizah!
Oh, Giant herring is Bandang ah? Now only I know [:I][:I][:I]. Thanks guys. Surprised to read in Sirip that Bandang in Bedong (or is it Bidong?) takes pellet fly [:D][:D]
Pellet Fly
p/s: Don wanna go there lah, nanti kene makan [:)][:D][:p]
Long before Bedong became public..i was lucky to have fish there.If i was to relate my experience with the LADIES.. it will blow your mind.. They are all around 3 1/2 to 4 feet in length.I have told this many times and let an old man indulge his tales again…Once i hook up a lady in pond 1(was fishing near the house next to the tap) before i knew it the fish spooled me ..was using my TICA CETUS…my braided snap at the knot …The next half an hour i was casting for my line with a treble but to no avail…Gave up and decide to continue fishing at pond 2 ..and quess what.. i manage to hook up my lost line.. caught it with my hand and the fish was still attached…My concern was to get back my lure. Manage to retrieve it but lost the fish..Its a day i will not forget.. the day a LADY humbled a very LANSI person..
Amateurs built the ARK.
Professionals built the TITANIC..
Yeah true, I found it hard to catch 'em when I went there some 3/4 years ago. In fact I was just a dream to hook it with a fly. I actually caught a bonefish first in Maldives before ladyfish came into the picture.
Once you are hooked on Azizah, siakap becomes pest! Hehehehe </font id=“maroon”>
