Try Deep Sea Fishing in Sabah

 

Third Place in the Sabah International Fishing Tournament

There are many fishing spots in Sabah but one that is near to Kota Kinabalu and is a favourite spot for many anglers here is the sea near Pulau Mengalum, also called the "Mysterious Island". It is called a mysterious island because not many locals have been to that place and the sea there is said to be always calm.

I have interviewed one of the KK anglers. His name is Liborius Kasun and currently works full time helping his family supervise their family-owned rubber plantation at Kimanis, Papar. Fishing is his favourite hobby and together with some friends who themselves are 'part-time' anglers will plan for their fishing outing whenever they can afford to take a few days off from their work.

Second Place in the Discovery Anglers Tournament

The conversation below is based on Liborius's fishing experience in the deep sea off the coast of Sabah.

One of the big catches

KKTCom: Where is the fishing spot? (referring to the video posted here)

Lib: I'm not sure of the exact location but we went past Pulau Mengalum (Mengalum Island). So, I would say maybe a few miles away from that island. Pulau Mengalum is on the northwest of Kota Kinabalu.

KKTCom: How many days is the fishing trip?

Lib: We spent 3 days and 2 nights enjoying our fishing adventure.

KKTCom: Where do you hire your boat?

Lib: We have a friend who has a boat. He charges between RM2,800.00 to RM4,000.00 depending on the size of the boat and number of days of the trip.

KKTCom: When is the best time of the year to go for fishing?

Lib: It is usually between May - July when the sea is calm and less rainy. But it is difficult to say now because the weather is becoming very unpredictable. So I advise it is best to check the weather forecast first.

KKTCom: Can you recommend the best fishing spot in Sabah?

Lib: I am planning to go fishing at Pulau Layang-Layang with my friends. I heard there's an abundant of fish in that part of the sea. Other places I've heard are Pulau Mantanani near Kota Belud, and Pulau Tiga (the Survivors Island). There are also other many good fishing spots in Sabah but are less known.

Another big catch - a Red Snapper

KKTCom: Can you share with us some of your best fishing experiences?

Lib: In one of my deep sea fishing trips, I used a small live Baraccuda fish as a bait. We were fishing at night and to my surprise I caught one big Garouper weighing 13kg (shown in the video in this posting). It was very exciting and I had to struggle for more than 10 minutes to pull a fish of that size out of the sea. It was awesome and a very fulfilling experience.


KKTCom: Did you ever participated in any of the local fishing tournaments?

Lib: Oh yes! many from kampung (country) to state level, I have done that. The biggest win I and my angler friends have achieved so far was our participation in the Sabah International Fishing Tournament, which was held in 2010. We were placed third and we received RM5,000.00 cash reward.