Species List (Chronological Order)
Species are arranged in order of identification, not documentation
Species #1: White Sardinella (Sardinella albella), Caught 15 March 2011
The primary baitfish used in Singapore and colloquially named "Tamban", this is the fish many Singaporean anglers start out targeting, due to their abundance and the low skill level required to catch them. I spent the majority of my earlier fishing trips jigging for these herring using a couple of small feathered hooks called Sabiki at Bedok Jetty, catching up to 5 at a time! The number of times I have caught this fish lies in the thousands.
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty, Labrador Park
Technique Used: Sabiki Rig
Number Caught: 1000+
Species #2: Decorated ponyfish (Nuchequula gerreoides), Caught 15 March 2011
Considered a nuisance catch by many anglers due to the slimy coating on their bodies, this was another species ever-present in my early angling years (and still are now). It was often a by-catch when jigging for Tamban, and my mother and I would affectionately call them "kek-kek" or croaker due to the croaking noises they made when caught. Nowadays, when I catch one of these, I often move spot, as these little fish attack your bait voraciously before it even hits the bottom, rendering it impossible to get any other species!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty, Labrador Park
Technique Used: Sabiki Rig, Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1000+
Species #3: Vachelli's Glass Perchlet (Ambassis vachelli), Caught 15 March 2011
Another by-catch when jigging for Tamban, these fish have always fascinated me with their translucent bodies, allowing you to see right through to their spinal cord! If you go to Bedok Jetty and see huge schools of these fish in the water, it's probably them! (Or "kek-kek)
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty, Woodlands Waterfront Jetty
Technique Used: Sabiki Rig, Size 14 hooks tipped with Prawn
Number Caught: 100+
Species #4: Yellowstripe Scad(Selaroides leptolepis), Caught 21 June 2011
Another highly-favoured baitfish in Singapore, I have caught this species on both sabiki and on pieces of prawn. These fish move in highly active schools, making it a challenge to locate them in the water column.
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty, Finger Pier
Technique Used: Sabiki Rig, Size 10-14 hooks tipped with Prawn
Number Caught: 100+
Species #5: Freckled Hawkfish (Ambassis Kopsii), Caught 5 December 2011
These Freckled Hawkfish often mingle with fellow glassfish species such as Vachelli's Glass Perchlet, but from my experience, only take hooks tipped with prawn. I have caught these fish all over Singapore, and these fish have saved me from blanking countless times!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty, Pasir Ris Beach, Changi Village, Sembawang Park, Punggol Waterfront
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 200+
Species #6: Threespined Frogfish (Batrachomoeus trispinosus), Caught 5 December 2011
This fish was caught on my first time fishing at Punggol Waterfront, when I was also using baited hooks for the first time. Since then, I have only caught this fish twice. These fish barely fight, even on ultralight tackle. Some sources say that they are edible, but with other members of its family potentially lethal when consumed, I'm not going to take the risk anytime soon......
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty, Labrador Park, Punggol Waterfront
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 3
Species #7: Lunartail Pufferfish (Lagocephalus lunaris), No Recorded Catch Date
Loaded with deadly tetrodotoxin, you don't want to be eating these fish either! I've only caught this fish once at Bedok Jetty but have seen many anglers land them too. Every single time, their appearance is met with disdain, as they often steal bait left out for larger fish. Their razor-sharp beaks can also easily cut through fishing lines and bend hooks. A true saboteur of the seas!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks
Number Caught: 1
Species #8: Hound Needlefish (Tylosurus crocodilus), Caught 30 November 2018
My first species caught after my I started my lifelist, I often dreamed of catching this fish as a young boy, seeing experienced anglers catching it at Bedok Jetty using live Tamban under a float. I caught this species on my first time out at Labrador Jetty in a much more unorthodox manner, excitedly dangling a baited sabiki rig over its head when it swam under the Jetty before it committed. Unlike in past instances when I had seen the fish give anglers screaming drags, this fish barely gave a struggle. I later caught it again at Marina South Pier on aji lure. With their hard mouths, this is a fairly tricky fish to catch, and I am extremely grateful for the two times I have caught it!
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Locations Caught: Finger Pier, Labrador Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn, 2 inch Aji Lure on 1.8g Jighead
Number Caught: 2
Species #9: Butterfly Whiptail (Pentapodus setosus), Caught 3 November 2018
This fish was first caught on my first Singapore offshore trip just off Sentosa Marina, which the captain introduced as "Banana", due to its distinctive yellow stripe. Apparently it's great bait, but using it live didn't attract any interest that day. I then documented it a couple of months later on my first trip to Labrador Jetty (the same one as when I caught the Needlefish). I can usually tell that these fish are around when my bait gets stolen rapidly, as their small mouths are experts at sucking bits of prawn off the hook!
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Locations Caught: Off Sentosa Marina, Labrador Park, Finger Pier, Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 8-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 20+
Species #10: Fan-bellied Leatherjacket (Monachanthus chinensis), Caught 30 November 2018
One of the more peculiarly-shaped fish on my lifelist! Their mouths are tiny, making them nearly impossible to catch in on anything other than size 14 hooks or smaller. I've seen them schooling at Labrador Jetty and Finger Pier in groups of 6-8 with some baby ones in the mix. I hear they taste good, but I haven't gotten the chance to eat one yet. Despite their awkward way of swimming, the larger ones fight pretty well!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty, Labrador Park
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 20+
Species #11: Broadbanded Cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus fasciatus), No Recorded Catch Date
These reef-dwelling fish don't show up often, but when they do, they come in large groups! Catch one of these and you're bound to catch another five in the next five minutes! These fish are not just beautiful with their bronze sheen, but their large mouths also make hooking up extremely easy! Somehow, my friends fishing for the first time always catch them :)
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty, Changi Boardwalk
Technique Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 10+
Species #12: Largescaled Terapon (Terapon puta), No Recorded Catch Date
Largescaled Terapon are often found mingling with their cousins, the Small-scaled Terapon, but are much rarer. They often take the bait before it hits the bottom, so if my spool stops prematurely, I know I'm into one!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 10+
Species #13: Indian Snapper (Lutjanus madras), No Recorded Catch Date
This snapper species doesn't grow very big, well from my experience anyways. What they lack in size compared to other snappers, they more than make up for in numbers. In recent years, they have joined "kek-kek", Terapon and Glassfish as the supreme baitstealers at Bedok Jetty. Interestingly, I had been catching a mixture of the Indian Snapper and the Bigeye Snapper for some time without realising the latter, until I figured out I could differentiate them by the number of dorsal fin-rays using data called meristics.
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 100+
Species #14: Chocolate Hind (Cephalopholis boenak), Caught 17 February 2018
The Chocolate Hind is by far the most common species in Singapore, and very possibly the smallest (the one in the photo is really a baby). Due to its widespread availability, the locals have named it "Aramugam", which is the Singaporean equivalent to any "Tom, Dick or Harry". However, this species packs a real punch, fighting like a fish several times its size (I'm looking at you, three-spined frogfish) and can get your line stuck if you don't react quickly. When I get a strong tug on my ultralight at Bedok Jetty, I get a surge of adrenaline, but deep down, I know - it's probably Mr. Aramugam.
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty, Johor Strait, Off Sentosa Marina
Technique Used: Size 4-10 hooks tipped with prawn, sliding sinker rig with live prawn
Number Caught: 75+
Species #15: Russell's Snapper (Lutjanus russelli), No Recorded Catch Date
My first encounter with this fish was sometime in 2018, shortly before I began my lifelist, at Changi Village. Somehow, my naive 13-year-old self thought it was a blackspot snapper - it has a black spot, right? *insert facepalm* The more common misidentification is with the John Snapper, as juveniles of both species look extremely familiar. I've also come across some weird genetic variations in this fish, with a Russell's Snapper with stripes the colour of the Brownstripe Red Snapper, similar traits to a Dory Snapper and with a similar stripe pattern to Spanish Flag Snapper. What?!! Weird, wacky and wonderful Mother Nature.
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Locations Caught: Noosa River, Changi Village, Finger Pier, Sembawang Park
Technique Used: Size 1-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 20+
Species #16: Eye-line Sand-goby (Istigobius diadema), No Recorded Catch Date
The first goby on my lifelist, I've only caught the Eye-line Sand-goby once, as did my mother. We caught this species on two different occasions, but almost at the exact location - near a bridge crossing the estuary at Changi Village. Makes me wonder if it is a residential fish......
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Locations Caught: Changi Village
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #17: Humpbacked Cardinalfish (Yarica hyalosoma), No Recorded Catch Date
I usually encounter this species in slightly brackish water, at the mouths of canals and estuaries. As with all cardinalfish, they are one of the easier fish to hook up by virtue of their cavernous mouths. Not to be confused with the "humpback cardinal", another confusingly named member of the Apogonidae family!
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Locations Caught: Changi Village, Finger Pier
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 20+
Species #18: Silver Sillago (Sillago sihama), Caught 1 November 2018
While I had definitely caught this species earlier, I only got a good documentation late in 2018. The purplish tinge along their sides make them absolutely beautiful, and their small mouths make them a challenge to set the hook on. They say that these make great bait for stingray too.
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty, Changi Village
Technique Used: Sabiki Rig
Number Caught: 30+
Species #19: Malabar Blood Snapper (Lutjanus malabaricus), No Recorded Catch Date
If you had told me that this fish is from the snapper family the moment I caught it, I would have scarcely believed you! When I landed it, my first thought was that it was some kind of damselfish. Turns out it is a juvenile of one of the coolest sounding species on my lifelist, and can grow to weigh several kilos! Good thing I released the two I caught that day!
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Locations Caught: Changi Village
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 2
Species #20: Buffon's River-garfish (Zenarchopterus buffonis), No Recorded Catch Date
What comes to mind when I say "river-garfish"? River monster? Nah, just a 3 inch fish, but no less precious in my eyes! I first saw these fish skimming the top of the brackish waters in Changi Village, and was initially skeptical over my chances hooking them in their oddly-shaped mouths. Surprise! I got one on my first attempt. Luck or not, good thing that I wouldn't be forced to do it again!
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Locations Caught: Changi Village, Woodlands Waterfront
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 3
Species #21: Olive Flathead Gudgeon (Butis Humeralis), Caught 1 November 2018
If the Malabar Blood Snapper is the coolest sounding species on my lifelist, then this Olive Flathead Gudgeon is bound to be the coolest looking one! When I caught this tank of a fish, I was puzzled - a saltwater marble goby?! Turns out, this species is the highly prized marble goby's cousin, a fellow sleeper goby in the Butidae family. Not as good table fare but much better looking! The photo really doesn't do it justice, does it?
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Locations Caught: Changi Village
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #22: Sand Drum (Umbrina coroides), Caught 20 December 2018
On an impromptu fishing trip when my family was out in Florida, I caught my first ever drum! On a 4-foot toy rod with sabiki from Walmart! Tried to use it as bait per the locals' advice, and got on to a nice red drum, but it wasn't to be :(
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Locations Caught: Cocoa Beach
Technique Size 8 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 2
Species #23: Florida Pompano (Trachinotus carolinus), Caught 20 December 2018
Another species caught on that impromptu trip on the pier, this Florida Pompano look extremely similar to the Golden Pomfret that we love to eat in Singapore! I'd only caught the latter in ponds, so having the opportunity to catch its cousin in the wild was really great. It was one of the more abundant species that day, and I kept pulling them out of the water, sometimes in double-ups! Sure put that 4 foot rod to the test! Locals were staring at me like "how's this Asian dude catching so many fish?" 😂
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Locations Caught: Cocoa Beach
Technique Used: Size 8 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 10+
Species #24: Permit (Trachinotus falcatus), Caught 20 December 2018
Mixed in with the pompano that day were some of their close cousins, the permit! They can grow substantially larger than many other species in the family, so the ones I caught that day were definitely the juveniles!
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Locations Caught: Cocoa Beach
Technique Used: Size 8 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 10+
Species #25: Atlantic Spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber), Caught 20 December 2018
After catching wave upon wave of permit and pompano, I came across this beauty - the Atlantic Spadefish. I had not heard of this species before arriving in Florida, but it was a refreshing catch nonetheless!
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Locations Caught: Cocoa Beach
Technique Used: Size 8 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #26: Black Drum (Pogonias cromis), Caught 20 December 2018
The last of the species landed that sunny day in Florida, I embarrassingly identified this one as a sheepshead to the locals, much to their amusement. (Not all black and white fish in Florida are sheepshead, stupid!) In truth, this fish is a prized game fish in the area and good eating, but this one was well short of the size limit......
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Locations Caught: Cocoa Beach
Technique Used: Size 8 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #27: False Scorpionfish (Centrogenys vaigiensis), Caught 31 December 2018
Back in Singapore and on the last day of 2018, this curious mottled, green-eyed, scorpionfish-like species showed up. My fishing buddy on the day from Australia told me it was a rock cod, but after closer inspection, I identified it as a false scorpionfish. As its name suggests, this fish is equipped with first-rate survival skills by using mimicry - it looks like the poisonous scorpionfish to deter predators from making a meal out of it, but is in reality harmless! Interestingly, I've caught this guy at the same location at Bedok Jetty all 3 times, so it is probably a residential fish among the reefs there.
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 3
Species #28: Common Ponyfish (Leiognathus equulus), Caught 31 December 2018
Much like all the other fish in the ponyfish family, this species is a bottom feeder, using its extendable mouth to filter out small crustaceans in the sand. They don't survive out of the water very long, so I always try to release them as soon as possible!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 4
Species #29: Grass Emperor (Lethrinus laticaudis), Caught 31 December 2018
With its exquisite olive coloration that fades with maturity, it is no wonder why this fish is called the grassy emperor! I definitely underestimated the rarity of this species in Singapore when I first caught it, as I haven't recaptured one, nor seen anyone else land one since!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 10 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #30: Bubblefin Wrasse (Halichoeres nigrescens), Caught 31 December 2018
You may expect to find these fish in an aquarium, but this reef-dwelling species can be regularly caught along the shores of Singapore as well! Their faint bites are hard to detect at first, but successfully set the hook and they will respond kindly! Care should be taken when handling these wrasses, due to their slippery coating and viciously sharp teeth.
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty, Changi Village, Finger Pier
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 30+
Species #31: Greater Lizardfish (Saurida tumbil), Caught 31 December 2018
These guys look like mini sharks with lizard faces :) Lurers often find lizardfish a nuisance - their aggressive nature compels them to beat target fish to any sort of jig! I caught this one on a piece of tamban I had caught that day and dragging it along the sandy bottom. Fascinatingly, they are said to have no dorsal or anal rays......
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 10 hooks with strips of tamban meat
Number Caught: 1
Species #32: Pink Ear Emperor (Lethrinus lentjan), Caught 31 December 2018
By far the most common emperor in Singapore, it's a wonder how I didn't come across this one earlier! Ever since I landed my first one, they make an appearance nearly every trip I make to Bedok Jetty, congregating around the pillars and stripping bait incessantly. Their stress coloration makes them quite confusing to identify, but the telltale sign is always their reddish-pink "ear" just behind the gill plate!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty, Labrador Park
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 30+
Species #33: Saddle Grunt (Pomadasys maculatus), Caught 2 February 2019
Cast into the sandbeds just off the sides of Bedok Jetty and it's impossible not to catch these. I've never seen any large specimens, but apparently they can grow to over 3 kilos! Very cute and very fun to catch!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 30+
Species #34: Reeve's Moray (Gymnothorax reevesii), Caught 2 February 2019
Very much a surprise catch on the day. Crazy fish tried to strangle itself! Not a particularly large species of moray eel, but this one was definitely a baby! Poor guy literally tying himself in knots!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 10 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #35: Candystripe Cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus endekataenia), Caught 2 February 2019
Although I'm pretty sure I caught my first one on a night fishing session at Bedok Jetty in 2012, this was my first properly documented specimen. One of the most eye-catching reef fish you can get in Singapore, and a staple to catch along the reef sections of Bedok Jetty!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty, Marina South Pier
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 20+
Species #36: Peacock Shrimpgoby (Cryptocentrus pavoninoides), No Recorded Catch Date
Another incredibly beautiful member of my lifelist! I was extremely surprised when I first caught it, since I had never heard of such a species being caught in Singapore. Nevertheless, I was absolutely mesmerized by its iridescent bluish-green spots along its cheek. This fish can also fetch $75 USD on the aquarium market, but I always make sure to release it since this species has a symbiotic relationship with alpheid shrimp - remove this goby from its habitat and you're basically removing its shrimp buddy as well!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 10+
Species #37: Talang Queenfish (Scomberoides commersonnianus), Caught 18 May 2019
The Talang Queenfish is one of the most iconic sportfish in Singapore. Its fame stretches to mythology as well, as the spots along its body are said to be the fingerprints of a deity. Due to its sacredness, it is not eaten by the Chinese. Nevertheless, these feisty fish provide great sport even as juveniles, which often cause frenzies around Bedok Jetty! The most common method to catch them is with live tamban under a float, since queenfish are pelagics.
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty, Sembawang Jetty
Technique Used: Jigging with Sabiki Rig
Number Caught: 2
Species #38: Spanish Flag Snapper (Lutjanus carponotatus), Caught 20 May 2019
I had long yearned to catch one of these Spanish Flag Snappers, due to their beautiful golden stripes and relative rarity in Singapore. In fact, landing one was one of the main objectives in mind when I fished St. John's island and sure enough, it was the first fish I caught on the trip! A truly memorable species on my lifelist :)
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Locations Caught: St. John's Island, Bedok Jetty, Marina South Pier
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 3
Species #39: Orange-dotted Tuskfish (Choerodon anchorago), Caught 20 May 2019
Much like the Chocolate Hind, these members of the wrasse family have the habit of wedging them between rocks when caught, requiring quick reaction time to persuade them from their lairs. They punch far above their weight and the sharp canines that they are named for are no joke either! This was the other new species caught on my first St. John's Island trip, during which I caught 3 of them.
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Locations Caught: St. John's Island, Bedok Jetty, Marina South Pier
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 10+
Species #40: Common Silver-biddy (Gerres oyena), Caught 9 October 2019
While these fish put up a good challenge on ultralight tackle, they don't fare out of the water very well. Much like the ponyfishes, mojarras like these have extendable mouths, allowing them to pick out tiny crustaceans among the sandy substrate. Their small mouths also make them a somewhat rare catch in our local waters.
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Locations Caught: Labrador Park, Finger Pier, Changi Boardwalk
Technique Used: Size14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 3
Species #41: Bluelined Hind (Cephalopholis formosa), Caught 9 October 2019
With "formosa" in its name the latin-based portuguese word for "beautiful", it's not hard to see why! The electric blue stripes across its body make this species prized in the aquarium trade - definitely also helped by the fact that they are no picky eaters! While they are known to reside near the seabed, I caught my first one wandering below a seawall ledge! This species also holds the record of being my first species caught on lure!
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Locations Caught: Labrador Park, Marina South Pier
Technique Used: Size 10 hooks tipped with prawn, Aji Lure with 6g Ball Sinker
Number Caught: 2
Species #42: White-shouldered Whiptail (Pentapodus bifasciatus), No Recorded Catch Date
I initially confused this with the Butterfly Whiptail, but after a long fishing hiatus, I was elated to find that this was indeed a new species! I have since come by this fish considerably less compared to their more vibrantly coloured cousins, making them a welcome addition to any fishing trip!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty, Changi Boardwalk
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 2
Species #43: Largescaled Terapon (Terapon Theraps), Caught 12 October 2019
These tigerperches are one of the most aggressive species out there. They are known to even eat members of their own species, and if a school of then is around, you can expect your bait to be decimated in a matter of seconds. Much like their local name "kelong chi" suggests, they are a common sight around wooden floating platforms purposed for fishing in Southeast Asian waters.
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 50+
Species #44: Painted Scorpionfish (Parascorpaena picta), Caught 12 October 2019
This guy was another species on my wishlist for a long time. That wish came true when I used a Pink Ear Emperor as live bait one day, and the take was so violent that it knocked my rod down! After a couple minutes negotiating it out of its hidey hole, I came face to face with this beauty, with its colourful fanned-out fins beyond my prior imagination!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Running sinker rig with live pink ear emperor and size 4 hooks
Number Caught: 1
Species #45: Javelin Grunter (Pomadasys kaakan), Caught 18 October 2019
The only species of grunter that I have caught both mature and juvenile specimens of, the Javelin Grunt lives up to its name with its speedy runs. While the young ones don't pose as much resistance, their dorsal fins fiercely flare up when engaged in battle mode :)
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty, Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 1-14 hooks tipped with prawn and squid
Number Caught: 5+
Species #46: Smallmouth Scad (Alepes alpercna), Caught 21 October 2019
This species had largely been off my radar prior to my first encounter with it, but the non-stop landing of them by my two fishing partners next to me had me frantically searching the water column for a potential new species. Sure enough, I added my 2nd species of scad to my lifelist! Seems like fishing with friends pays off after all! (Well, most of the time)
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Locations Caught: Marina South Pier, Finger Pier, Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 10+
Species #47: Blacktail Chromis (Chromis nigrura), Caught 21 October 2019
Showing up in the heat of my chase for new species in the Sergeant Major and Barred Soapfish frolicking around the rocks of Marina South Pier, I initially felt resignation at what I thought would be another bycatch. Serendipity! A new species that I hadn't even spotted in the crystal clear waters. Sorry little damsel, I never doubted you!
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Locations Caught: Marina South Pier
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn and squid
Number Caught: 3
Species #48: Hardyhead Silverside (Atherinomorus lacunosus), Caught 29 October 2019
I caught two of these silversides in quick succession while jigging for tamban off Sembawang Jetty. There must have been a school around as I haven't seen one since. A morale booster on the day for sure :)
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Locations Caught: Sembawang Jetty
Technique Used: Jigging with Sabiki
Number Caught: 2
Species #49: Long-spined Glass Perchlet (Ambassis interrupta), Caught 29 October 2019
This was another fish caught from my sabiki jigging that day. I initially thought that it was just a Vachelli's Glass Perchlet, but its yellowish tinge suggested otherwise. After a quick search through the ambassis family, I found out that it was my 3rd species of asiatic glassfish!
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Locations Caught: Sembawang Jetty
Technique Used: Jigging with Sabiki
Number Caught: 1
Species #50: Goldstriped Ponyfish (Karalla daura), Caught 30 October 2019
One of the more beautiful members of the ponyfish family, the Goldstriped Ponyfish is also often victim to sea lice. These parasites take the role of the fish's tongue, siphoning nutrients off its meals. I've done many of these fish a favour by prying the stubborn pests off them!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 5+
Species #51: Yellowspotted Ponyfish (Nuchequula flavaxilla), Caught 30 October 2019
Another more ornately patterned ponyfish, the scientific name "flavaxilla" means "yellow axil". This is in reference to the yellow markings just behind the pectoral fin. From my experience, this is one of the rarer ponyfish as well.
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 2
Species #52: Pearly-spotted Wrasse (Halichoeres bicolor), Caught 30 October 2019
Search this species up and you will find two uniquely patterned specimens. I initially thought that the two variations were different species, then I suspected that it is because this species could express sexual dimorphism. In reality, much like their relatives, the parrotfish, these wrasse have different stages of life meaning they vary their different pattern and coloration with each stage!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 10+
Species #53: Yellowtail Damselfish(Microspathodon chrysurus), Caught 3 November 2019
Cute little damsel sample #2! I caught this one on my first cast after spending nearly 30 minutes helping my 5 fishing companions set up (and tie their rigs). Selflessness catches you new species guys!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #54: Whitespotted Spinefoot (Siganus canaliculatus), Caught 4 November 2019
A prized fish to eat around Chinese New Year, the rabbitfish had proven elusive for much of my fishing life. However, the few that I have caught are incredible fighters and will try to wrap your line around structure if you're not careful. Their small mouths also make their bites largely undetectable, so the resistance felt upon striking can often come as a pleasant surprise!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 2
Species #55: Peter's Monocle Bream (Scolopsis affinis), Caught 4 November 2019
I caught this one during my pursuit of its snapper lookalike, the Brownstripe Red Snapper. I initially misidentified it as such when I caught it, and was distraught when I found out it was not what I had been looking for. Nevertheless, it was a welcome new species for me!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 3
Species #56: Charcoal Damselfish (Pomacentrus brachialis), Caught 7 November 2019
Another damselfish on my lifelist! These sometimes have a slight bluish coloration, but for now I take that as a genetic variation as opposed to a different species. Considering the huge number of damselfish out there, you never know!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 4
Species #57: Bengal Sergeant (Abudefduf bengalensis), Caught 7 November 2019
A close relative to the Sergeant Major that I have been earnestly chasing, I first caught this fish on my recce trip to Changi Boardwalk. Much like the Sergeant Major, they bite hard! I also caught loads of these along Noosa River during my week there, where they also had an exquisite iridescent rainbow tinge on the tips of their dorsal spines!
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Locations Caught: Changi Boardwalk, Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 20+
Species #58: Lagoon Shrimpgoby (Cryptocentrus cyanotaenia), Caught 8 November 2019
I had seen many of my friends catch this shrimpgoby prior to landing one myself, much to my dismay and frustration! However, being able to admire the golden beauty of the Peacock Shrimpgoby's cousin firsthand definitely made it worth the wait!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 3
Species #59: Malabar Glassy Perchlet (Ambassis malabaricus), Caught 13 November 2019
On my first trip to Finger Pier, I immediately noticed immense schools of these glassfish. While I assumed that they would be Vachelli's Glass Perchlets, I decided to try and catch one just in case. After a grueling 45 minutes trying to entice a bite, I finally got one and found that it was a new species! I can't imagine why, but after that, I started to catch fish after fish of this species. I guess that once you break the ice, even the fish will oblige!
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Locations Caught: Finger Pier
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 10+
Species #60: Saw-jawed Monocle Bream (Scolopsis ciliata), Caught 13 November 2019
This fish is the second of four new species of monocle bream caught in quick succession! (The first being Peter's Monocle Bream) It was probably around the area due to the abundance of silty reefs in the area, which is one of its main habitats.
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Locations Caught: Finger Pier
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #61: Lattice Monocle Bream (Scolopsis taenioptera), Caught 13 November 2019
Monocle bream #3! The curled blue pelvic fin on this fish initially puzzled me as I had not seen this feature in any species of its genus. After some research, I settled on Scolopsis taenioptera, due to almost all of its characteristics, patterns and meristics lining up.
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Locations Caught: Finger Pier
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #62: Humpback Cardinalfish (Fibramia lateralis), Caught 19 November 2019
​The photo quality on this fish was not the best, resulting in a darker coloration being depicted. I am keen to get a new sample in order to display it in its true colours! Much like the closely named humpbacked cardinalfish, this fish is dubbed as such due to its rather rotund body shape.
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Locations Caught: Finger Pier
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 10+
Species #63: Orbiculate Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia orbicularis), Caught 19 November 2019
​One fascinating aspect of this fish is that, like some other cardinalfish species, it is a mouth brooder. That means that a male Orbiculate Cardinalfish can hold up to 3000 fertilised eggs in its mouth before hatching! The one I caught was definitely not on egg-keeping duty, as it engulfed my bait without a moment’s hesitation!
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Locations Caught: Finger Pier
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #64: Brownstripe Red Snapper (Lutjanus vitta), Caught 4 December 2019
Finally, an actual Brownstripe Red Snapper! Often sold as “Kee Fish” in local supermarkets, this fish had proven rather elusive to me, despite the success enjoyed by my peers in catching them. Like most snappers, they have a wide diet of small invertebrates, fish and crustaceans.
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 5
Species #65: Monogrammed Monocle Bream (Scolopsis monogramma), Caught 4 December 2019
Rounding off my monocle bream streak is the Monogrammed Monocle Bream! While it has a similar appearance to that of the Peter’s Monocle Bream, species #55, it does have a distinct variegated pattern across its body that gives away its species. Much like many monocle bream, its juvenile and mature appearances may differ largely.
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #66: Wispy Waspfish (Paracentropogon longispinis), Caught 4 December 2019
It’s named a waspfish. What else do you expect other than lethal poison that could give you an express pass to the emergency room? This fish may be small, but it sure does pack a punch, and I have always made sure to handle it with utmost respect whenever I encounter it!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 2
Species #67: White-patch Tuskfish (Choerodon oligacanthus), Caught 4 December 2019
My second tuskfish and fourth species from the wrasse family! One of the larger fish that I have caught at Bedok Jetty, this fish put up a decent fight on my ultralight tackle and gave me the perfect sendoff to a week-long fishing trip in Australia! In hindsight, considering the number of new species I caught during that the next seven days (all subsequently depicted), this fish was a truly a fitting sign of what was to come :)
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #68: Bigeye Snapper (Lutjanus lutjanus), Caught 4 December 2019
This species had been swimming under my nose this whole time! I had recently found out that the Indian Snapper that I had always assumed I was catching often schools with a close lookalike – the Bigeye Snapper. These fish look extremely similar, with one of the only reliable distinctions being the number of dorsal fin rays on each fish. Sure enough, during my last trip before Australia, I caught specimens of both species!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 20+
Species #69: Surf Bream (Acanthopagrus australis), Caught 7 December 2019
First fish of the Aussie trip! I firmly remembered catching loads of these the last time I fished around the area two years ago, so it came as no surprise that this was the first species of the trip to be added to my lifelist! Just like it had been previously, this species was by far the most abundant catch over the next week or so.
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 50+
Species #70: Goldlined Seabream (Rhabdosargus sarba), Caught 7 December 2019
I had previously made the common mistake of misidentifying this species as the previous listed species, the Yellowfin Bream. Armed with new fish ID knowledge and the objective of adding new species to my lifelist, I was determined not to make that mistake again!
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 30+
Species #71: Silver Moony (Monodactylus argenteus), Caught 7 December 2019
Seeing one of my fishing buddies catch one of these at St. John’s island put this fish on my wishlist for quite a while, so I was ecstatic to catch one on the very first day of my Australia trip! Like clockwork, schools of them would pay me a visit at dusk, providing brief entertainment before moving on to the next pontoon.
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Locations Caught: Noosa River, Finger Pier
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 20+
Species #72: Dory Snapper (Lutjanus fulviflamma), Caught 7 December 2019
Another species ever-present over the trip, I have been debating over its identity as a Dory Snapper (Lutjanus fulviflamma) or Blackspot Snapper (Lutjanus Ehrenbergii). I’ve settled on Dory Snapper for now, but will have to scrutinize the specimens I have documented further, which I have no shortage of after the trip!
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Locations Caught: Noosa River, Finger Pier, Sembawang Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 30+
Species #73: Mottled Spinefoot (Siganus fuscescens), Caught 8 December 2019
An unexpected catch in Australia, a new species of rabbitfish! Wary as ever of their venomous spines, I couldn’t help but notice the textbook stress coloration changes in this fish, as their black spots were replaced by white ones and their bodies emitted a green hue. Once they returned to the water, they reverted back to their original appearance. Hulk fish?
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 4
Species #74: Redlined Wrasse (Halichoeres biocellatus), Caught 8 December 2019
I’m so proud of myself to have sightfished this guy! In the crystal-clear rocky banks next to the pontoon, I spied upon this beautiful wrasse gracefully swimming around the area, along with another blue one of a different species. It took almost an hour before I got this one, but man was it worth it! Unfortunately, the blue one eluded me for the rest of the trip, but I am grateful nonetheless!
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #75: Stripey (Microcanthus strigatus), Caught 8 December 2019
On my first morning in the Sunshine Coast I noticed a school of these bumblebee-coloured fish busying themselves around the bank, and instantly recognized them from a wildlife montage I had watched before I arrived. With their minute mouths, I seriously doubted my ability to catch them, but their voracious and feisty attitude gave me plenty of chances! While the euphoria of a new species was certainly present, this fish proved to be an obstacle later on which chasing other micro species!
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 6
Species #76: Spangled Emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus), Caught 8 December 2019
When I caught this emperor and saw that it was a Spangled Emperor, a species already on my lifelist, I was about to release it immediately when I decided to take a photo of this beautiful specimen. Turns out that the specimens I had previously caught and assumed to be Spangled Emperor were misidentified, so this one ended up being my only proof of having landed this species! Phew……
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #77: Common Toadfish (Tetractenos hamiltoni), Caught 8 December 2019
These cute pufferfish were found in schools swimming around the sandy shores of another part of the river. Apart from their schooling behavior, they have also been observed to be opportunistic predators, burying themselves in the sediment with only their eyes exposed, primed to ambush unwary prey.
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 6-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 5
Species #78: Longfin Grouper (Epinephelus quoyanus), Caught 8 December 2019
Moments after my fishing partner had wrestled one out of the rocks, it’s miniature version showed up! These groupers have a couple of species that look similar, but the patterns on it helped me distinguish it from a Honeycomb Grouper. An unexpected but extremely welcome addition to the Australia species list!
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #79: Brassy Trevally (Caranx papuensis), Caught 8 December 2019
In the midst of waiting for another bite, the unattended handline of my fishing buddy started screaming, and I managed to bring this sizeable fish in. Since trevally are known for their blistering speed, I consider myself fortunate not to have been cut by the line in the process!
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 2/0 hooks with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #80: Castelnau's Herring (Herklotsichthys castelnaui), Caught 9 December 2019
Just like the moonies, the Australian equivalent of Tamban would sweep through the pontoon every night, leaping out of the water as silvery streaks under the faint light. Over the course of our offshore trip, our boatman expertly located and netted a school of these for bait, and it yielded a huge shovelnose ray for my fishing partner! I guess these herring are universally loved by big fish!
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Jigging with Sabiki
Number Caught: 20+
Species #81: Orange-spotted Grouper (Epinephelus coioides), Caught 9 December 2019
Having been met with frustration in my efforts to catch one of these in Singapore, I went to Australia in hopes that I would fare better there. I was right! Over the course of the week, I landed several of these groupers, while nowhere near their monstrous potential, finally got that monkey off my back!
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 2/0 Hooks with Pilchard
Number Caught: 2
Species #82: Malabar Grouper (Epinephelus malabaricus), Caught 9 December 2019
As if one highly sought-after species of grouper was enough! Australia truly spoiled me with another coveted fish species among Singaporeans, the Malabar Grouper! Called the rockcod in those parts, the strict size limits were much to my family’s dismay as we were unable to harvest the undersized but oh so delicious fish…….conservation and selective harvesting, everyone!
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 2/0 Hooks with Pilchard
Number Caught: 1
Species #83: Common Silver Belly (Gerres subfasciatus), Caught 9 December 2019
If I thought that the herring were the go-to bait for huge predators down-under, I was wrong! Seeing that there were no size-limits for this fish, my fishing partner and I decided to rig them up. On two occasions did we use them, and on two occasions did they deliver! One drag-peeling stingray and a ferocious barracuda! This mojarra certainly has a knack for attracting these powerful predators, but I don’t think they would be as happy to have such a reputation!
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 2
Species #84: Silver Grunt (Pomadasys argenteus), Caught 9 December 2019
This grunter is another fish that can be caught in Singapore, but has eluded me in my homeland. A hard take, a screaming drag and an exhilarating fight later, that duck was broken too! A nicely sized silver bar of muscle, and a majestic specimen to behold!
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 1/0-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 2
Species #85: Banded Toadfish (Marilyna pleurosticta), Caught 10 December 2019
An estuarine pufferfish, this Banded Toadfish was sightfished in the Maroochy River, several kilometers away from the Noosa River that I spent most of my time in Australia fishing at. As with most pufferfish and toadfishes, these Banded Toadfish are loaded with copious amounts of the poison tetrodotoxin.
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Locations Caught: Maroochy River
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #86: Sand Sillago (Sillago ciliata), Caught 10 December 2019
When I caught a couple of these whiting in the Maroochy River, I was optimistic over the chances that it was a new species, with the black spots on their second dorsal fins. While they are called the sand whiting, which I already had on my lifelist, they are actually a different species, just with the same common name. More often than not, good fish ID alone can grant you loads of new species!
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Locations Caught: Maroochy River, Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 5
Species #87: Shadow Goby (Acentrogobius nebulosus), Caught 10 December 2019
While it is common knowledge that pufferfish contain the deadly poison tetrodotoxin, it turns out that this shadow goby does too! From the top of a bridge, they looked like juvenile flathead, sunbathing on the sandy riverbed. While they were not the targeted fish I expected, I was still thoroughly pleased with the 19th species in Australia!
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Locations Caught: Maroochy River, Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 5
Species #88: Dusky Flathead (Platycephalus fuscus), Caught 10 December 2019
Speaking of flathead, that was the next new species I caught in my Australia trip! Technically, this was not my first duskytail flathead, as I had previously landed one the last time I came to the Sunshine Coast, but this was the first with proper markers documented for identification, specifically its tail. While the fish is of good eating quality and met the size limit, we chose to release it, as we already had our fill of fresh seafood throughout the trip, courtesy of some wonderful catches!
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 1/0 hooks with pilchard and tamban
Number Caught: 2
Species #89: Highfin Moray (Gymnothorax pseudothyrsoideus), Caught 10 December 2019
These morays seemed to come endlessly for my fishing partner, who responded to each catch with disdain. This is because with its slimy coating and tendency to coil itself defensively, these morays are a pain to unhook, and the fight they give provide false hope for a prized gamefish. Fortunately, I caught it just the right number of times – one – just enough to add it to my lifelist without minimum fuss! Perfect :)
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 1/0 hooks with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #90: Swallowtail Dart (Trachinotus coppingeri), Caught 11 December 2019
Fishing at Sunshine Beach with a rod barely long enough to reach 10 meters out into the surf, I was highly skeptical over my chances of landing anything at all. Completely unexpectedly, I caught two specimens of a new species from the Trachinotus genus, which is shared also with the pomfrets! It’s always worth a try!
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 6 hooks tipped with squid
Number Caught: 2
Species #91: Goldsilk Seabream (Acanthopagrus berda), Caught 12 December 2019
Another bream known to prowl the Noosa River, the Goldsilk Seabream is a protandrous hermaphrodite. Sounds cheem? Basically, it is born male and gradually grows into a specimen with both male and female reproductive organs, similar to the protogynous hermaphroditism found in most groupers, which allows them to mature from female specimens instead.
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #92: Yellowfin Surgeonfish (Acanthurus xanthopterus), Caught 13 December 2019
With the species drying up and time running out, this was a beautiful end to my Australia species hunt! My fishing partner had caught two of these a few days prior, and I was smarting from not being able to capitalize on their presence. Redemption is sweet, especially at the last moment!
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Locations Caught: Noosa River
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #93: Whipfin Ponyfish (Equulites leuciscus), Caught 18 December 2019
Back in Singapore and at Labrador Park, I noticed something odd about the ponyfish that I was catching, with long white dorsal fins I had never seen before. In my research, I found that the only fish in the genus with such a feature is the aptly named Whipfin Ponyfish. Seems like the new species form followed me back home!
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Locations Caught: Labrador Park
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 2
Species #94: Yellowtail Scad (Atule Mate), Caught 18 December 2019
The very target of my trip to Labrador that yielded me the Whipfin Ponyfish, the Yellowstripe Scad is a prized local fish for both the avid eater and ajing enthusiast alike! I opted for a much simpler method of catching them, knowing that their season was in its prime, with a basic shrimp and sabiki setup. While I only caught one small one that day, that’s just what I needed to get it on my lifelist!
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Locations Caught: Labrador Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn, Sabiki Jigging
Number Caught: 10+
Species #95: Brownback Trevally (Carangoides praeustus), Caught 19 December 2019
While targeting the scads as bait for an offshore fishing trip in the Johore Straits, I hooked this scad-looking fish that fought slightly harder than usual. My fishing partner insisted that it was just a Smallmouth Scad, but upon closer inspection when I got home, I found that it was a Brownback Trevally! Oops!
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Locations Caught: Finger Pier
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #96: Barramundi (Lates calcarifer), Caught 20 December 2019
A familiar friend from my pond-fishing days, I had been dying to catch a barramundi in the wild. With its aggressive headshakes and leaps out of the water, this one definitely didn’t disappoint! It is also a protandrous hermaphrodite, which means it can transition from male to a specimen with both male and female reproductive organs!
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Locations Caught: Johore Straits
Technique Used: Size 1/0 hooks with live prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #97: Veined Catfish (Arius venosus), Caught 20 December 2019
This fish is another species considered by many anglers to be a nuisance, due to their scavenging nature and knack for stealing bait left out for larger fish. In fact, I had to beg the boatman to let me have a photo of it before throwing it back, as his face held such resentment that I thought he was going to obliterate it there and then. No exaggeration. Chill, it’s just a fish!
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Locations Caught: Johore Straits
Technique Used: Size 6 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #98: Oriental Sillago (Sillago aeolus), Caught 20 December 2019
While I am certain that I caught this fish prior to that offshore trip, the faint patterns of previous specimens never gave me solid proof to add the Oriental Sillago to my lifelist. After this catch, there was no doubt, with streaks of brown mottling its sleek silver body.
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Locations Caught: Johore Straits, Changi Village, Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 3
Species #99: Whitecheek Monocle Bream (Scolopsis vosmeri), Caught 26 December 2019
Species #99! My goal for 2020 had been to reach 100 species by the end of the year, but I heartbreakingly fell short at this one. I first caught this offshore over a reef, but this was the first properly documented specimen. As a juvenile, the white band over the gill plate makes this monocle bream look like a clownfish!
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Locations Caught: Off Sentosa Cove, Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 4
Species #100: Flagfin Prawn-goby (Mahidolia mystacina), Caught 15 March 2020
Three months late, I got my 100th species of fish, an a memorable one too! It came on the first cast of my third trip of the year, and is actually considered a rare species in Singapore by local marine biologists! One even asked me to keep the specimen for research purposes, but by then, the fish was already tucked back into its aquatic habitat. Oops again…….
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #101: Duskytail Grouper (Epinephelus bleekeri), Caught 15 March 2020
This fish is commonly misidentified as the Orange-spotted Grouper due to its similar pattern and coloration. The distinguishing feature is that in the Orange-spotted Grouper, the spots cover the entire tail, while in the Duskytail Grouper, said spots are only seen on the top of the tail. Even with this knowledge, I initially misidentified the fish, only realizing that I had caught a new species after a quick release of the juvenile fella!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #102: Bluecheek Grunt (Pomadasys argyreus), Caught 15 March 2020
This is another species I’ve debated the identity of. My current stance is that it is an Bluecheek Grunt. While it looks more like an Olive Grunt with its eye-catching golden blotch on the gill plate, the range of the Bluecheek Grunt is more convincing. I will keep this one updated!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #103: Streaked Spinefoot (Siganus javus), Caught 15 March 2020
Like other Rabbitfish, this species has grooved dorsal spines packed with venom, so handle with care! These fish are also omnivores and have been caught by locals on fruits such as bananas! The fighting prowess of this fish for their size pays testament to the benefits of a balanced diet! 😊
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #104: Fringe-eyed Flathead (Cymbacephalus nematophthalmus), Caught 19 March 2020
One of my fishing partners caught a specimen shortly after I had left the jetty and left me kicking myself for not sticking around a little longer! Thankfully that soreness did not last nearly as long as expected as I caught one for myself a few days later, albeit a juvenile. This fish is named after the delicate fringe over its eyes and even have eyelash-like derma papillae when mature!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #105: Silver Seabream (Pagrus auratus), No Recorded Catch Date
​The equivalent of the Yellowfin Bream in the more northern Noosa River, this species was a mainstay in my Hawkesbury River photos! While it may be called Australasian Snapper as one of its names, it is actually from the same family as the bream from Queensland.
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Locations Caught: Hawkesbury River
Technique Used: Size 8 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 30+
Species #106: Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix), No Recorded Catch Date
This fish has one of the largest ranges I have ever seen! In fact, it has been caught in all continents except Antarctica! During our Hawkesbury trip, we weren’t exactly sure what it was, so called it a mackerel for lack of a better word. Having only seen it feature in fishing videos from the US, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the bluefish was in fact already on my lifelist!
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Locations Caught: Hawkesbury River
Technique Used: Size 8 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 10+
Species #107: Six-lined Trumpeter (Scolopsis taenioptera), No Recorded Catch Date
The subsequent species have been identified years after catching them. Flipping through my albums as a result of severe fishing deprivation, I found this species in the Tigerperch family caught in the Hawkesbury River, Sydney. Like some other members of the family, it was caught in slightly brackish water.
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Locations Caught: Hawkesbury River
Technique Used: Size 8 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 2
Species #108: Torpedo Scad (Megalaspis cordyla), Caught 15 March 2018
Another throwback species, I recall catching this fish in the midst of a Tamban frenzy shortly after a fishing partner landed one. It can grow considerably larger in deeper waters and is revered by ultralight saltwater fishermen for its sizzling runs on the tackle they use. No wonder why they call it the Torpedo Scad!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Jigging with Sabiki
Number Caught: 1
Species #109: Bumpnose Trevally (Carangoides hedlandensis), No Recorded Catch Date
This is frankly one of the only fish on this lifelist that I barely recall anything about when it comes to catching it. All I can recount is that it was on a fishing trip with my family and that my grandfather landed one slightly after. Regardless, this is a prized gamefish in Singapore at their mature size and a valued member of my lifelist!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Jigging with Sabiki
Number Caught: 1
Species #110: Striped Eeltail Catfish (Plotosus lineatus), 1 November 2018
I had absolutely intended to add this guy to my lifelist much earlier than I actually did but for some reason, it completely slipped my mind! As such, I spent 2 whole years assuming that it was already on the list. If I had added this one at the time, I would have made my 100 species target for 2019! Oops! (for the third time, I guess I’m pretty accident prone)
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty, Changi Village
Technique Used: Size 10-14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 3
Species #111: Redbelly Yellowtail Fusilier (Caesio cuning), 21 June 2020
This was on the second day after Singapore entered Phase 2 after the Circuit Breaker period. Seeing the catch reports of large fish the previous day had encouraged me to try using a heavier setup. When I hooked onto it, I sure thought I had succeeded in my change in approach! These fish punch way above their weight and with those colours, it is hard to imagine that they are used to make fishballs......
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Locations Caught: Finger Pier
Technique Used: Size 4 Apollo Rig with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #112: Pennant Coralfish (Heniochus acuminatus), 22 July 2020
The faint bite and strong fight from this stunning fish was extremely similar to that of rabbitfish. After a frustrating day of missing strikes, I never imagined to come across something as rare as this! Sometimes, it just takes one fish (looking like something out of Finding Nemo does help) to make a mediocre fishing trip great!
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Locations Caught: Bedok Jetty
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #113: Silty Wrasse (Halichoeres leucurus), 23 July 2020
This fish was on my watchlist on my second trip to St. John's Island and turned up! It came after a flurry of missed bites, so that could have been a blessing in disguise :)
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Locations Caught: Lazarus Island
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1
Species #114: Sergeant Major (Abudefduf saxatilis), 23 July 2020
The final spot of the St. John's trip screamed this target, as schools of Sergeant Major frolicked in the clear waters. The issue was that they were surrounded by much more numerous and voracious chromis. A mix of luck and drama yielded this nice specimen on the final cast!
Locations Caught: Lazarus Island
Technique Used: Size 14 hooks tipped with prawn
Number Caught: 1