Searching for the Elusive Sebaraus

Caught A Sebarau Look Alike at Rifle Range Trail

Alfie came back from Lisbon yesterday. He cannot fish. So we decided to go trekking instead. I was more eager to explore the forested area at Rifle Range Road for the Sebarau Breeding Spots.

Uncle Chui, Ah Wee, Alfie and I set off after lunch to start at the end of Rifle Range Road. The trail is cool but humid. We reached the “rapids” after a short walk. Then explore the little streams and found T-Barbs and other fishes. I tied a fly on a mono and threw it into the stream and this little fellow whacked it and got hooked. Looked like a baby Sebarau. But we were all not sure about its identity.

After posting the picture on Fly Fishing Singapore Forum, I've got the answer from Huns. The name of this fish is Two-Spotted Rasbora(Rasbora Elegans). Together with the T-Barbs, they are found in abundance in the shallow forest streams in the Nature Reserves in Singapore.

No Sebarau for me again. Not even a little one.
But it was fun trekking.


This stream is home to the many barbs and rasboras. It leads to a pond which had dried up.

My chiongsters


Our new hobby. Trekking the nature trails.


Never fish also kena warned already.


The trail at the end of Rifle Range Road.


Secluded forest. Cool and humid.


Like all places in Singapore, the government's presence is felt here too.


Some trekker’s luxury , others eye sore. Why rangers didn't book them?


Another government installation ahead?


Yes indeed.


With signs like this, some people still got lost.


Must close meh?


A little stream


Drain railingings. But where is the drain?


Railings near a stream or long kang.


Directional signs


Water pipes as a prominent topo landmark


Another little stream


Artificial rapids in a man made river


a view to the top


A Blue Bottle Butterfly. There were more than 20 of them.


My chiongsters are fleet footed.


If this river can flow, sebaraus will breed at the end of this river.


Rapids?


A very steep claim


Cement blocks


Approaches to the source of the river


The source


The source. An over flow pipe.


Upper Peirce Reservoir


Of course we didn't fish. Honest. Scouts Honour.


Very tempting to fish


But the scenery was so beautiful, we didn't want to ruin our trekking by getting book by a ranger.


Lots of fallen trees


An old, corroded lamp post.


The Singapore Government is Omni present in Singapore.


Oh okay. The need to warn off idiots who may stray into this place and get shot.


Topo signs?


How do you find your way here?


Back to where we came from


To s little stream with a bit of water flowing


The source of the little stream


From deep in the jungle


Looks a bit man made too


3 T-Barbs


Sebarau babies?


Caught one with a twig


Caught it with a New Zealand River Special size 20 fly


This little fellow was really aggressive


Caught another one. And Ah Wee shoot the "rod" for me.


Look at this beautiful fellow


The fly close up


There are a lot more here.


But I was more interested in the hut in the middle of the dry up pond


Another stream leading to the dry pond


Two structures as gates if wooden boards are place across it


Nice scenery too


Look like a temple or shrine


Could it be an old pump house


What is this line?


No fishing sign. So this place was once a pond or something.


How did it dry up?


Where did the water go?


No fishing. How to fish without water?


Maybe the valve technician over slept and the water run dry. Muahahahahahaha


This is a secret spot for Bamboos. Uncle Wong would like some of these. Straight and look like Kuan's Black Bamboo.


This place need to be gazzatted before Uncle Wong arrive.


Tall and straight


A sign to show that it is nobody's secret spot. Kekekekeke


Chiongsters meet


Somebody broke off the signages to prevent people from reaching their secret spots. Who.............?


Another sign


If you still can't get here, here is a prominent object. If you still don't know the secret spot, then.......


The apunehneh cleaner was sleeping up on the Jelutong Tower.


Aiya......... can see map or not?


Please observe these etiquettes


Hiking is fun. Fishing is .............

Midge Rod Poison PH Chua

PH Tried Out The Midge Rod

Rain was torrential in the late afternoon. But I had already prepared to go visit the New Zealand River to try my luck on some Sebaraus which I had spotted a few days ago. Meet up with PH Chua at the Casuarina Coffe Shop for a sip of coffee. Waited for the downpour to ease down before making our way to the Secret Spot.

The technician was on duty and he duly opened the valves to let the over flowing water from the Upper Peirce Reservoir run into the Lower Peirce Reservoir. I was looking forward to catch a Sebarau. PH was fascinated with the beautiful 5-Foot Midge Rod and wanted to see me fish it. He later had a go at the rod and was poisoned by it when he landed a good size Peacock Bass.

I walk away satisfied with today's catches, but was dreaming of the Sebaraus. Maybe next time.


The Midge Rod injected PH with Bamboo Poison.

Road to the river


A walk to the river is always refreshing.


I had evil intentions in my mind


When he least expected, I'm gonna poison him.


Approaches to the river. Beautiful after the showers.


And the river is flowing................. sebarau?


Hope to get an elusive sebarau today.


Scerenity takes over and only the sound of the rushing river can be heard.


A little bit artificial for a rushing river. But that's what we've got nearest to the rapids in other countries.


And the white waters look so real too.


Anyway, PH took a few pics of me trying to con the 3 sebaraus swimming near the rapids.


First catch is a wee peacock bass.


My evil mind took over and I let PH had a little fun with the soft bamboo rod.


And he was poisoned.


By this small little fish which put up an unexpectedly remarkable fight.


I showed off my new lip grip to PH and he wanted one also.


He was so excited and poison by the bamboo that he keep shooting away with my camera.


My evil mind was made up to make sure I let the bamboo poison flow deeper into PH's veins.


And the evil grin betrayed what I had in mind for PH.


The fish unhooked itself.


Another peacock bass and I was sure PH fell for the bamboo already.


Dah...dah............... He asked to try it. Muahahahahahaha


Look at the poison working its way into PH's veins.


Concentrating on the retrive.......


........he kena poison already.......


A good size peacock bass


A very dark coloured peacock bass


Caught with the New Zealand River Special Fly


Close up of the peacock bass


I let PH fight a bigger peacock bass


He had so much fun with it, and was awed with the Midge Rod.


This fellow bend the Midge Rod into a "U" shape. PH was impressed.


I gave him a New Zealand River Special Fly.


This peacock bass put up a really powerful fight


A few more casts before calling it a day


The river slowed down a bit


And PH stopped by to admire the river and the scenery


But in my mind, I can imagine the bamboo poison circulating in his blood. One day he will be begging Uncle Wong to make him a bamboo rod. Kekekekekekeke..........