Rule #1. SIMPLICITY

For anglers who handles the fishing lines with bare hands.

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r4024bd
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Rule #1. SIMPLICITY

Post by r4024bd »

Simplicity

One of the best way to learn handlining technique is local fisherman. We may come with high “quality” imported line and many “accessories item such as swivel, ranggung, sinker clipper etc. We have learn all theory that using three way swivel will reduce the possibility of line twist. Many reading state that using fluorocarbon line will reduce the chances of spooking fishes and increase our bite rate. Others knowledge and information will keep coming to our desk and give inspiration for the next “promising” trip.

But I have learnt that the best way to learn about handlining is local knowledge. The key is basic info and go out fishing. Look how they rig their arsenal. How they rig their live bait, etc. That is the best method absolutely. Their knowledge has been developed and validated from time to time and be a part of their ancient wisdom :) No need for us to re-construct their long journey just to see the most effective way to do a handlining.

One of the most effective tips to be shared here is SIMPLICITY. Simplicity means used the smallest possible gears you can used without any accessories in our rig. Just a clear line, a hook, and a sinker with a very reasonable and affordable price for almost everyone. Make it simple. No need to put a huge three way swivel that may just spooking the fish :) Just ensure the weight of your sinker can make your bait lied slightly above the sea bed and wait for the species to take the bait. A big set of gears doesn’t meant a big fish, but a small gears still can manages a big species. So in my opinion, it is no need to bring an 40 – 60 lbs overkill gears just to deal with 2 – 3 kg bottom dwellers. No need for swivel to make a leader, just used dropper loop or other knot that familiar. Used smallest possible class of leader to be attached on the mainline and used reasonable hooks. Long leader for strong current and short leader for weak or no current.

I thinks that for the share from me. Simplicity. Just a share…

Welcome for comments and feedback.

Regards
Krisno – TEAC Fishing
Batam
Krisno
TEAC Fishing - Batam
Indonesia

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Peace
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Re: Rule #1. SIMPLICITY

Post by Peace »

A very well written post, r4024bd. :):thumbsup: Simplicity is one of the strong points of handlining.

The more simple a system gets, the less chance of overall system failure. It is also useful to have handlines on occasions when it is inconvenient to travel with bulky tackles.

Here are my some of my views on handlining:

It is probably the oldest form of angling, and still in practice now. It's 'direct' way of reaching the fish gives angler some unique advantage and experience. Without doubt, handlining comes with its own set of disadvantages. Infact, it has more disadvantages than the use of rods and reels in most circumstances. But the strong points of both fishing tools do not overlap.

So why bother to use handlines at all? As r4024bd pointed out, simplicity is one of the advantage. I tend to look at handlining as a different 'game' from rods and reels. The line control is very manual and based on your own feeling and experience. That gives a unique fun factor into it. To fish using direct sense of touch very different from rods and reels.

Personally, I like handlining because it gives me very good awareness of what is going on at the end of the line. Interpreting the 'signals'/feedback from the line is also another fun factor and can be very useful in angling.

That said, handlining isn't as easy to pick up and master compared to typical rods and reels. You have to live with many of its disadvantages but if you're able to appreciate its uniqueness, you'll it find a very enjoyable method of angling.

Peace

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wow.

Post by joshuatang »

i applaude the optimism that the both of you have. handlining is indeed a very difficult way of fishing but like what Peace have mentioned handlining is definitely the most primal form of angling!
very good comments

cheers! and good luck during your next fishing trip.
"The most successful fishermen are chronically optimistic. They believe...in their bones...every single cast will bring a strike." --Dr. Paul Quinnett

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Post by Peace »

Welcome aboard joshuatang. :) Handlining is slowly fading with time as more flexible fishing techniques and tools are created to make fishing easier. Nevertheless, it is something worth learning and never forgotten. ;)

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Post by joshuatang »

thank you very much Peace. I must say u have put in a lot of effort for this website. including illustrations, photographs and even GOOD research i must say.
If i may suggest, will there be a Catch Report section in this forum coming up soon?

cheerios!
"The most successful fishermen are chronically optimistic. They believe...in their bones...every single cast will bring a strike." --Dr. Paul Quinnett

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Post by Peace »

Thank you for your support :) There's definitely more stuff I should be adding to this site, but I lack certain skills, knowledge and resources to do so. So things have been going really slow for this site :o

As for this forum, it doesn't have much traffic and members nor it ever probably will. But it doesn't really matter to me. The original intention was a support for visitors who have questions or have queries on the main site. Members sharing their catch here is a bonus.

I had actually created a catch report sub-forum but I felt it wasn't a good idea to open it because there are too little traffic/members. It would be currently easier for the viewers to view catch reports together in general discussion subforum so they don't have to do extra navigation.

Thanks for your suggestion, I will keep it in mind should there comes a time to use it. :beer::nod:

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Re: Rule #1. SIMPLICITY

Post by joshuatang »

oh peace!

it's me again! it has been a really long time since i've visited handline fishing! so i decided to just pop by and take a look!

i dint know it have been one year already since that last reply! hahaha


anyway i still love ur forum nonetheless!

btw i really love the section where u id all the fishes! that page has been on my bookmarks and it is the first place i go to when i need to id a fish!

keep up the GREAT GREAT work peace!
"The most successful fishermen are chronically optimistic. They believe...in their bones...every single cast will bring a strike." --Dr. Paul Quinnett

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Re: Rule #1. SIMPLICITY

Post by Peace »

Thanks for dropping by Joshua, I'm always glad to know my site has been useful to angling community. I know I've not done much to improve the overall site, but I'll slowly try to piece them together somehow. :p I may not have some of the local fish species for sure, but you can post it here and I will try to identify it for you.

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Re: Rule #1. SIMPLICITY

Post by joshuatang »

Sure! No problem!!

Just want to hao liao a bit! This is the biggest fish I've caught so far! I'm still a newbie nonetheless but this is a lucky break! Just wanted to share with you! anyway where do u normally fish. then u can teach me a thing or two about handline fishing! i cant seem to get it right.

http://bp2.blogger.com/_tFgKXWGj_jg/SB2 ... CF1968.JPG

hehehe!
"The most successful fishermen are chronically optimistic. They believe...in their bones...every single cast will bring a strike." --Dr. Paul Quinnett

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Re: Rule #1. SIMPLICITY

Post by Peace »

Impressive catch there, that queenfish must have put up with quite a fight huh. I normally fish from shore so handlines aren't very appropriate unless you're fishing from a jetty or boat. It's better to learn handline directly from a person who knows how and watch them fight a biggie. It's can be pretty challenging and fun. ;)

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Re: Rule #1. SIMPLICITY

Post by joshuatang »

haha yea thanks for the comments! i was trembling after i landed the fish.. it was soooooo tiring but it was well worth it!


anyway i hope to upload more CR on handlinefishing as well!
"The most successful fishermen are chronically optimistic. They believe...in their bones...every single cast will bring a strike." --Dr. Paul Quinnett

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Re: Rule #1. SIMPLICITY

Post by ratbagradio »

Yep. Rule Number 1 it is.


I've only just taken up fishing -- and I'm 60 years of age -- but the paraphernalia of fishing and the fact that bait had a short shelf life soured me in the past. It always looked to me like bait soaking/fish feeding while the angler sat back and waited on the off chance a fish was out shopping for some tucker with metal inclusions.

Bor-RING!

But then, only this year, I discovered soft plastics and to deliver the lure -- handlines. I could go fishing with enough gear for the exercise tucked neatly in my pants pocket .

And that's how I started. I take my dogs for walks by the sea and thought-- maybe I could join the fisherfolk along the shoreline.

But when I went looking for references on handline fishing not much was available.Although I' developing a list of whatever I find

http://delicious.com/ratbagradio/Handlines

And fisherfolk are disdainful of handline fishing as too low tech, a danger to ones digits, or something that only children do. So I'm so glad that in Singapore the humble handline is given the respect it deserves.I'm in Brisbaen, on the shores of Moreton Bay in Australia.(See Map)
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&hl=e ... 7&t=h&z=15

But then there's jigging -- working the bait -- so what better and more creative a way to fish than with the naked hand working the line like a skilled dalang.(And I used to be a puppeteer too!)

But when fishing form the shore distance does matter and I've found that the design of the rig can facilitate the distance you can throw . Otherwise you need to unravel your line to a distance approximating your cast before you do throw.

But there is ' lot I don't know about handline fishing and there aren't the people here to teach me...But In Singapore...

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Re: Rule #1. SIMPLICITY

Post by Peace »

Hi ratbagradio, welcome to HLF. :)

I'm glad to know you take interest in handline fishing, especially at your age. Although this site is Singapore based, the interest in this form is fishing is probably about the same anywhere else in the world, and probably dwindling. Handlining is a unique form of fishing and there should be a place for it, even in the modern world of rod and reel angling.

I've tried artificial lures here with handlines but I find it tiring to use especially when I have to do repetitive sharp or fast actions. Soft plastics are easier for me for most of their action required are slow or at intervals. What I really like to fish with handlines are actually jigheads with bait on it. It's like a hybrid between baiting and artificial lures, it has the mobility and coverage like that of an artificial lure with real bait attraction.

I see you've done quite a bit of research on the net, those links and videos are pretty good I must say.

Yes, when it comes to casting the design of the rig is definitely a crucial factor in determining casting distance. Because ours hands shorter than rods, our rigs and trace must remain short with sinkers at the end if possible. The easiest to cast would be a simple leader connected to a metal jig at the end, with appropriate weight of course. Line weight plays an important part of casting and I do agree with you that such light lines are best for casting. I find those circlular spools are best for casting whether the sides are tapered or not, important thing is to fill the line near to the brim so that there is minimum resistance when the line pays out.

While I am familiar with handline fishing but my knowledge are limited to Singapore context. I don't know how it applies to your fishing locality, but I will try my best to advise. I certainly hope to learn something from you too. ;)

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Re: Rule #1. SIMPLICITY

Post by ratbagradio »

Yeah. I think I've become a bit obsessed even though I'm a very new newbie without the fishing stories under my belt.

But it's so true that handline caught my imagination and enthusiasm in a way that normal fishing practice did not. I guess it's like fly fishing for trout. There's also a great book on plastics for Australian waters: Soft Plastics and How to Use Them by Steve Starling and Kaj Busch Well worth looking at if you can obtain a copy.

Whats' lacking from the web -- and its major gap in resources -- are images of handline fishing. The closest you can come to it are sites that focus on ice fishing.At most handlining webside in way of pictorials is limited to off shore escapades landing big fish like Tuna and Marlin, For those who only want fish for supper -- there's not much visual DIY.

An important resource is the FAO publication
http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/003/T0511E/T0511E00.htm
which puts the logic of handlines in its very real food producing context.

I was in Singapore briefly in April and failed to visit the waterfront but next time [...as well as hunting for the best of all possible noodle soups (and Singapore has some of the world's best -- esp that great thingy in the cast iron pot with flame underneath) -- ] but next time (!?) I'm going to set time aside to mix it with the locals fishing.

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Re: Rule #1. SIMPLICITY

Post by Peace »

Thanks for the recommendation for the book but I don't is available locally, at least not from the public libraries. They do however have an interesting selection of flyfishing books though.

I agree with you on the lack of illustration of handline fishing and I will try work from that approach. Many of which will be better understood through a demonstration video, but I am not really want to be the one demonstrating for reasons I shall not discuss here. :sweatdrop: But let's see what we can come up with together.

Singapore is probably the best place to get a taste of asian gourmet, and yes the noodles you spoke of is rather popular here and one of my favourite too. When it comes to fishing, I can only describe Singapore fishing as 'challenging'. But with the right expectation in mind, one can certainly enjoy fishing here.

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