SETIU – Squid jigging activities in Terengganu waters typically come to an end by July as the Northeast Monsoon (MTL) approaches.
However, an unusual catch recently took a group of boat operators by surprise after they hauled in a staggering 120 kg of squid in just one night.
Fishing boat operator Abd Hamiz Jazli, 34, described the massive catch as an unexpected blessing and a rare phenomenon, especially since night-time squid jigging trips had largely stopped in the area since July.
He said the decision to head out to sea from Kampung Baru Penarik Jetty was initially just to test his boat after repairs, as well as try out squid jigs from his own brand alongside his crew.
“Squid jigging season in our waters usually begins as early as March and ends in early July. After that, charter boat operators stop night trips and switch to daytime activities due to weather conditions and night-time storms.
“Squid availability is also unpredictable, with catches fluctuating from time to time. Since we had stopped jigging for several months, the usual spots had been left untouched.
“Perhaps that was why we managed to get such an extraordinary catch when we headed out to sea ahead of the monsoon season,” he told Sinar Harian on Tuesday.
Commenting on the massive haul, Abd Hamiz, fondly known as 'Beylie', said he never expected to bring home such a large quantity of fresh squid, particularly as the trip involved only five crew members, all of whom were his employees.
He said they initially received information about the presence of squid from small-scale fishermen who reported finding squid caught in their fishing nets.
“We took the coordinates they provided and headed straight to the area using sonar equipment.
“Thankfully, we found the school of squid and managed to catch around 120kg in just one night, with only five of us involved.
“We used light fishing rod setups and relied entirely on squid jigging techniques, while squid that surfaced were scooped up using nets. The entire catch was divided equally among us,” he said.
Abd Hamiz, who has 10 years of experience taking customers on fishing and squid jigging trips in Setiu waters, added that the sudden abundance of squid ahead of the monsoon season was a rare occurrence in the area.
This was because most fishermen and boat operators had already suspended their night-time operations for several months.
“Unlike other places such as Mersing, Johor, where squid are reportedly still available during the off-season, Setiu waters have their own seasonal patterns,” he said.
On marketing the catch, Abd Hamiz said they would usually sell the squid to fish traders whenever they went out jigging casually.
However, he stressed that their main business remained providing boat charter services for customers from outside the area.
“Locals here prefer to go squid jigging themselves for their family meals, as most of them already own boats,” he added.