Prawn shells

[fishemup]

hi all, after a few months of catching eels, catfish and puffer fish I decided to change to a new spot.
After casting about two mins or so i got a few big bite and decided to reel in but to my surprise my prawn meat was taken by the fish and only the shell was left dangling on my hook.
Decided to change hook, so from size 8 i change to size 6, but the same thing happen, and it lasted for 2 hours till my cut up prawns turns zero.
Didnt want to give up, i went back again, this time i double the amount of cut up prawns but the same thing happen. Total time spent 6 hours, felt like dieing under the hot sun but really want to know what is eating my prawns, ended up empty handed and lots of question marks in my head.
could someone help me on this, to be honest the bite felt like something is pounding my line with a hammer, it goes tug tug tug then bait is gone only the shell is left on the hook. What kind of fish could give this kind of bite? Oh by the way my weight was at the bottom and my hook is almost 30 cm above.

would be grateful is someone could enlighten me on this, tahnks in advance.

[sgpu]

Good morning Fishermup,

there are plenty of possibilities.

if you had tried various sizes, each time bait was clean, my guess would be a crab.

it happen to all of us. too many anglers, too little fishes.

[BeachBum]

These fishes have small mouth,..sand whitings, puffer, small trigger fish, small Perchlets and small kelong chi... If say sand whitings, the type used for sabiki can be used, If normal hook ,I'm not sure the size, I guess size 8. If you tie the line yourself, the hook line joining to a paternoster/appolo rig, don't be too long, like 10cm is ok. but also depends on what kind of rig.
When you strike the rod, use a bit more force shoot it, sometimes hook the crab legs. and hold the rod instead of putting on a stand if the bites are frequent, The prawn meat, don't put a large piece if you are targetting a small fish. Hook up first see what fish it is. You can remove the prawn shell, as the shell may be obstructing the hook.
btw, Green chromides are pretty common at some places, but they should be visible in the water , as a group of discus-like fishes.

[Peace]

I agree with BeachBum, Kelong chi and Leatherjackets have a high tendency to nip the meat off and leave the shell behind.

[fishemup]

Thanks for the info sgpu and beach bum, well i did manage to reel in a flower crab once, but it got away just as i was about to yank it out of the water, but the feel this time was totally different.
For that two days although i brought my rod stand but i kept holding on to my rod and line juz to feel the bite and tried to strike when it bite the hardest but it still got away. The bite was quite strong thats y i refuse to give up.
Perhaps i am still very inexperience to saltwater fishing, but I will go back this weekend using sabiki hooks and try again. Thanks again guys, and wish everyone a sucessful fishing trip throughout 2013.

[Burpp]

Thanks for the info sgpu and beach bum, well i did manage to reel in a flower crab once, but it got away just as i was about to yank it out of the water, but the feel this time was totally different.
For that two days although i brought my rod stand but i kept holding on to my rod and line juz to feel the bite and tried to strike when it bite the hardest but it still got away. The bite was quite strong thats y i refuse to give up.
Perhaps i am still very inexperience to saltwater fishing, but I will go back this weekend using sabiki hooks and try again. Thanks again guys, and wish everyone a sucessful fishing trip throughout 2013.

Do update your catch! Post some pic! Where's the spot? Can PM me?

[fishemup]

hi Burpp, old spot was at west coast park, puffer fish, eel, flower crabs can be found there but be prepared to wait long long before u can get a bite, new spot somewhere near singapore river (pls dont ask me for specific location). Havent went back to fish last weekend due to rain, sure if i catch any fish i will try to post here, gd luck to u too.