Fishing trip to Batang Ai

Been thinking about this trip for so many years,been reading and listening to stories about this place for many times...and yesterday,we made it after a call to someone we know there and he arranged the trip for us.
Departed at 4 am from Kuching,four of us made it to the reception jetty of Hilton Batang Ai around 7.30 am after a breakfast stop at Jelukong.
The boatman took us to the resort where his 'co-pilot' waiting for us.
About 2 hours journey,we reached our first stop at the almost crystal clear water rapid,where some of Sarawak Forestry workers collecting sand for some paving work at their office by the dam lake.
The water was a little bit cloudy after the rain the night before but the water level is still very low.
Casting for a couple of hundred times here before we heading upper river.Got few strikes but no hook on until a couple of stops later...when the boat almost docking at the river bank,a cast near a dead tree received a strike from a 'Sergeant'..the three stripes jungle perch,locally named Juak.The new ultra light Shimano rod bended to the max.And the best part,it was the oldest,the cheapest,and the worst spoon lure in the collection,the treble hook only have 2 hooks,one is broken from the previous trip and never been changed !
Couple of local boats passed us,they went upriver for net fishing...after that,it became quite,no more strike..probably because the fish are spooked(hehe)..in Iban we call it 'regu'.
After the lunch with baby fish cooked in the bamboo,we drifted down river again,and where the river water meets the lake water,here we received more strikes from Juak and their cousin,Adong,the single stripe Hampala Barb,some hooked on and some just chasing the lure.Spoon lure,spinner,shad rap and jointed rap worked equally the same.
About 5.30pm,we headed back to Hilton Batang Ai,and by sunset,we reached the reception jetty.
One of us get addicted and still don't get enough..did some casting here and get a strike but didn't hook on.
After the bath in the lake,we say goodbye to the boat man and drove back home...
We'll be back...

The Captain

Heading up the dam

The team

Optimistic

Calm...

Sun coming up..

The glory in front..

Approaching Hilton Batang Ai

Jetty at Hilton Batang Ai

Longhouse folks going down the dam

Rural clinic

SK Nanga Delok

Sarawak Forestry office

Entering the river...

Approaching the first casting point

The Forestry staff collecting sand for some paving work...

Underwater view of slight cloudy river

And the action begins...

The 3 stripes..

Jungle perch have no teeth,they swallow their preys and crunch them with their sharp parts inside their mouths.

Juak have three stripes,while their cousins,Adong,have only one.

The tips to success is...keep on trying

Borneo wildcat on the sponsor boat,Marlboro..

Keep casting

This is the source of Sarawak energy..

Wild kittens can become earings too...

'I am too hungry that I have to eat Matan's cat'

Pansoh Ikan...baby fish cooked in the bamboo

Our special custom made table for lunch..

Sunset on our way back  through the dam

Satisfaction guaranteed

Bliss for the blessed ones..

Happiness..

Half peace..

The sun goes down...

...feel the light betray me

back to the reception...

Adong (top) and Juak (bottom)

Till next time around...

Bujang...bujang...

This is all we took..the rest,we let them stay where they belong, for the food of the longhouse folks and for the other anglers to enjoy their thrills.