How to fish
Specific guides
Rabbit / scat fishing
Introduction
Part I : Finding the fishes
Part II : Tying the hooks
Part III : Baiting and fishing, unhooking
Rabbitfish and scats are among some angler's favourite seafood. They are more active during
the morning and afternoon and when the tide is high and calm, and usually come in schools.
They can be caught in numerous amounts as long as the proper way is used. Fishing for
rabbitfishes and scats can be quite fun, and they give a very strong fight for their size. They do
have venomous spines to be looked out for, which can cause tremendous pain, but usually
there is no serious outcome. They usually have eggs during the chinese new year period, thus
fetching higher prices in the market.
Part I
Rabbitfishes and scats usually roam around similar places, with the exception of the fact that
scats can be found under kelongs.When you can find rabbitfishes, you usually can find some
scats, They can be found in coastal sandy and muddy areas, near the surface and near the
bottom. Places like west coast shore and Pasir Ris park will have them.
Part II
Tying the hooks is quite simple, it is just an apollo rig with 2 or 3 hooks , with a float on the top
and a split shot on each end. Here is a picture of it.
Altenatively, you could just attach some tamban hooks onto the the float and cut of some of
the hooks, as they may tangle up the whole rig when the fishes jump.
Part III
Both fishes have small mouths so hooks about the size of tamban hooks can be used. They
feed on sea grasses , so sea grasses can be used to fish them, but cut prawn and bread can
work just as well. Bait should be just at the tip of the hook. A pole rod can be used, as they
usually do not wander of far from the shore. The moment the float goes down, set the rod, and
get ready for the fight. Larger scats or rabbitfish can give a very strong but short fight, even the
smaller rabbitfishs and scats pose a good fight already. Becareful with the unhooking of the fish
and a plier should always be used , preferably two pliers.
