Fly Fish with Mel: Still Counting...

The Location

Location. Location. Location

Fishing is all about location. Find the right location and there you'll find the fish. But then again, It's not just about the fishing, is it?








From the sun-drenched beaches of Maldives















to the virgin forests of Kelantan, fishing has brought me places.











Getting there is half the fun. It may sound like a philosophical excuse for a lousy angler but so what if we end up not getting fish? Being there is part of the fun.






Not forgetting the food. You get to savour some of the most exotic foods.

Delicieux!





Even if it was in our own backyard, fishing reveals a side of Singapore that most of us do not get to see. Drains, rivers, streams, hidden coves and the list goes on. Did you know that there is a certain helicopter landing pad that's a gay haunt?! See what I mean?

Fly Fish with Mel: How do I enjoy fishing thee? Let me count the ways.

Why is there all this competition to outfish the person next to you?
"I caught more fish than you!" So, am I a better fisherman?

Is fishing really just all about catching fish?

To me, fishing, or should I be more specific; fly fishing, is more than that...it's a total experience.

The time of day, the location, the friends, the cast, the fly and finally, the fish. Each of these constitutes the total experience of fly fishing.

"How?", you may ask.

Let me count the ways...


The Time of Day

At what hour do I fish? Usually before the break of day and then around dusk. It is during these two periods that fish are most actively feeding. It is also the time when nature puts on her most magnificent show.






"From her purple slumber, she slowly stirs as her warm, orange yolk climbs slowly up towards the brightening sky, casting a golden hue on everything; from the water surface to the glistening leaves in the morning dew.











The warm rays meet the cool morning air, forming swirling clouds of mist, hovering over the calm, still waters.






The cacophony of insects slowly gives way to the audible slurps and tail slaps of the fish just beneath the surface of the water.


Tiny concentric rings grow and reach out from the source of the disturbance to touch the surrounding land, only to slowly disappear into the vastness of the water body.







I am ready to cast."

Fly Fish with Mel: Are there opportunities to fly fish in Singapore?

Fly Fishing? Are there opportunities to fly fish in Singapore? Many of our foreign visitors here are amazed when we bring them out to fish.






Many a times, during our conversations, a mis-informed visitor expresses surprise whenever I mention fly fishing here.

"Is there fly fishing to be done here?"
"What species do you fish for here?"
"What kind of tackle do you use?"

And the list goes on.




A recent visitor was trying to find out info on what fishing there was to be done here and finally after hitting a couple of dead ends, found a new forum for fly fishing , where he received such a warm welcome even before he stepped onto our soil. Ask him if there was good fishing to be done here. I'm sure he'll be back for more.

Cheers to you Chrisfly and we hope that we'll be seeing you soon! Or perhaps I'll see you in Norway.

So if you're heading down our way or, up for those of you downunder, drop by the forum or drop me a note and we'll be glad to show you around.

As for our local boys and girls, wanna give it a try? I'll be glad to show off my long rod