We left home pretty early at about 6.30am after sending the 2 bigger boys to school. We had breakfast (roti canai and nasi lemak) at the normal gerai 2km to Fish Valley. Arrived at the pond at 8, got to casting with worms, pellets and hong almost immediately. I decided to focus on catching the Thai Catfish (plabok) which is known to be a gentle toothless fish yet fast swimmer. At 9, my reel started running. I called to Derrick who was sitted some distance away that I had a hit, that my line was running. He came over, had a feel on the rod and said that it was a big one. He told me to let the line run with the fish. The fish went left of the pond, then went 180 degrees to head right. I was exhilarated. Suddenly the fish started to head my way and the line became lose. I tried to reel back but it was too late, the fish managed to free itself. What a waste! My first experience of a fish running, the feel of my rod bent and the line taut and tense - gone in less than 5 minutes!
Of course the day did not go wasted as we caught many black tilapias, some white ones, some small baung catfish and some lampans. Disappointed that I did not manage to land the big one, I told Derrick that I would like to come back one more time to try my luck to be the Plabuk Queen.
