Malaysia

Rompin, Sailfish Capital of Asia

Malaysia

Tip

The world’s fastest fish that can reach speeds up to 60 miles per hour that has the most stunning acrobatic moves and vibrant colours is a dream for every angler. It is the elusive sailfish. A fish that is on many fisherman’s bucket list. And when you want to realize that dream we advise you to go to Rompin in Malaysia because this is the Sailfish capital of Asia.

Kuala Rompin is a little town in the Rompin District in the state of Pahang, Malaysia. Located on the South-East Coast of the Peninsula Malaysia, it faces the South China Sea. Once a simple fishing village, Rompin today, has a supermarket, a Pizza Hut and even a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. Nevertheless this small town is still quiet and relaxing and has a pleasant and friendly atmosphere.

Let us take you fishing in one of the world’s best sailfish grounds, come experience the fishing holiday of a lifetime fishing for the world’s fastest fish, on light tackle or fly. The fishing for this elusive fish is possible for beginners up to experienced anglers. Situated near the equator, means abundant sunshine and warm tropical weather. The fishing season runs from mid March till early November with the peak season being from august till October. This is when the baitfish arrive producing more surface activity and bigger fish. . Early season sees smaller but more aggressive fish. The fishing area is in 80-100ft depth, relatively shallow water and a short run from the harbour.

Sailfish is not the only species that one can find in Rompin coast. Additionally you will find juvenile black marlin, Spanish mackerel, , barracuda, cobia, queenfish, dorado, threadfin/diamond trevally, golden trevally, giant trevally, and needlefish are frequently caught.

Our local partner has specialized in fishing for sailfish on light tackle and flyfishing. The following options are possible:

1. LIVE BAITING: A live bait free lined or under a balloon is the most common method used in Rompin. A slow trolled live bait usually does the trick if the sailfish get finicky.

2. BAIT & SWITCH: For more excitement, you can pitch a bait to a teased up sailfish. We will tease them up for you to pitch a bait to an angry sailfish. The visual impact is simply stunning.

3. LURE CASTING: Poppers and stickbaits are another specialist approach. Searching out active feeding sailfish and manoeuvring the boat so that the angler is within casting range is the easier part. Accuracy of the cast, working the lure enticingly and setting the hooks successfully is a whole other matter especially when you are battling the adrenalin rush induced by the sight of an angry fish chasing your lure.

4. FLY FISHING: You can also choose to catch the sailfish on the fly! The team is very experienced and an extremely spectacular way of fishing. The fly fishing is managed equally as the bait & switch mehtod

Our partner has been operating here since 2005, he and his team have ample experience and is a keen fisherman himself. They have a strict catch & release policy for all billfish and any unwanted by catch.

You can make this trip even more memorable when you are fishing 5 days or more by fishing your way to the beautiful Tioman island for snorkelling and sightseeing . This would mean staying one night on the island at least. It is good fishing as well and there is no extra charge. You can decide when you are on your charter.

As accommodation we organise a typical home stay for your group which is very comfortable, fully air conditioned, ensuite bathrooms, cable tv and wifi. Your fridge will be stocked with water and whatever soft drinks you fancy. Beer is available on request. Snacks and bites are also supplied. The units are serviced daily and also towels and bedlinen are supplied. The only thing you have to bring yourself are your own toiletries. The stay at this location is everything you require and a bit more for your perfect fishing trip.

During this impressive adventure all food, water and soft drinks in Rompin are included for your trip. Breakfast, lunch and dinner! And you will most likely love it. The food is extremely good which is mostly Chinese and local Malaysian food. Western style omelettes with toast and seasonal tropical fruits are also part of the breakfast experience. And in the evening all table fish can be processed for dinner at the local diner.

Also laundry services are available at no extra charge.

Several boats are available and they are all 35 foot and have twin outboard engines 150 HP, GPS, fishfinder, live bait tank and all required safety gear. Also they have a rooftop to give the necessary shade that is very welcome during fishing. When live baiting we recommend a maximum of 4 fishermen per boat.

For the fishing all tackle is supplied unconditionally! So as an angler you can fish with peace of mind. Only the best of materials are used from Daiwa and Shimano. More detailed; Saltiga 6500, Dogfight, Twinpower and of course the always perfect TLD20. The rods that are used at this location are Shimano Backbone and Shimano Terez as well as custom built Calstars.

When you want to go fly fishing the gear will be from Sage and Reddington. Also top of the line! The flies for this specific type of fishing are custom built and designed by the owner. But of course you are free to bring your own personal gear and the crew will be happy to assist you and rig it according to the local requirements.

When flyfishing we advise to not go with more than 3 fishermen per boat where one or two are of course better. The reason for this is that only one fly fisherman can have a go at one time. The more fly fishers there are, the more days you need to spend out there on the water to improve your chances.

The fish will be teased to the boat by the bait and switch method. A spread of hookless teasers are trolled behind the boat. Once one or more sailfish come to investigate these fleeing “baitfish”, the team lure them towards the boat within casting distance. The fly angler must by now be ready with the rod in his/her hand and have enough fly line out of the rod tip to present the fly to the fish when signalled by the crew to do so.

The cast will be made after the boat is put out of gear and the teaser is taken out of the water. If everything goes as planned, the sailfish will engulf the fly and swim away with it and your line comes tight. Line management comes next and before you know it you will be into your backing, your reel is screaming like never before and one angry sailfish is tail walking behind the boat.

Other methods that are deployed and had success when fly fishing for sailfish is by casting hookless poppers or lures as teasers. This is done from a drifting boat. We have also had some success with casting to free swimming sailfish. Possibly the ultimate sight fishing thrill which can be extremely challenging and frustrating.

When requested a practice session can be conducted to get the angler comfortable and in synch with the skipper and teaserman. It is very much a team effort and is truly satisfying for the crew too when the angler lands the fish.

All the proper teasing equipment and all stitch baits will be prepared beforehand so you will not have to waste any time looking for bait. All our crew and guides are fully conversant in English.

In case you want to bring your own equipment you should consider the following which the crew will be happy to rig up for you:

a standup trolling or boat rod 20-30lbs class with matching conventional trolling reel that holds min 400 meters of line
6 to 7 ft spinning - jigging outfit 12-16 lbs class for bait catching, jigging and bottom fishing
an extra 7 ft heavy spinning outfit 30 - 50 lbs class for surface popper casting or sight casting for sailfish
a class 12 - 15 fly rod with matching reel with a good break system, filled with min 300 meters of 50 lb backing, WF floating line, sailfish flies and leaders

So if you want to catch a sailfish on the fly but have never done it before and might not have the right setup? The crew will supply all the gear, down to the terminal tackle and flies, unconditionally, so you can fish with full peace of mind.

The team will take the time to explain the technique in theory first before hitting the water so the angler understands the why, what, how and when… Having a full understanding only enriches the whole experience.

When fishing with live bait the leader is relatively simple with an Owner 5/0 mutu light circle hook attached to a 60-80lb fluorocarbon leader. When casting with lures, poppers or stick baits 180 degrees opposed hooks trailing about 1 to 2 inch at the end. Smaller versions in the 5 to 7 inch range work best. When fly fishing a tandem rigged Owner 5/0 SSW on an 80lb straight through leader is used as well as custom made flies ranging from 7 to 11 inch.

This is an almost all inclusive trip. Everything required for your fishing trip will be supplied down to the sun lotion. All tackle is supplied unconditionally. All meals, accommodation, transfers are included. The only extra costs are for alcohol, personal expenses, tips and eventual hotel stay in Singapore/Kuala Lumpur if required.

The best way to travel to this location is to fly to either Singapore or to Kuala Lumpur. There you can be picked up directly from the airport and travel to Rompin by private transfer in 3,5 to 4 hours. In case you arrive late in the evening we will arrange a hotel for you. You will than be picked up the next day after lunch. The transfer is done by an 11 seater MPV which is very comfortable with ample space for luggage and fishing gear.

This location is situated near the equator and as such has abundant sunshine and warm weather that make Rompin perfect for this fishing adventure. Temperatures can hit high of 35°C during the day and low of 25°C at night.

There are two monsoon seasons: Southwest and Northeast. Southwest monsoon is from May to September but it hardly affects Rompin coast as it is sheltered by the mountain range; however, do expect occasional heavy downpour and strong windy condition. So a wind-/rain breaker coat might come in handy as well. Mid November to March is the start of the Northeast monsoon. This monsoon wind is particularly very strong and often brings strong rainfall to the east coast of Malaysia. The boats are pulled out of the water for maintenance and no fishing is done in Rompin due to strong winds and choppy condition.

It is advisable to carry high UVA / UVB waterproof sun crème, fishing shirts with long sleeves and sun protecting factor. Also good quality polarised sunglasses and fishing hats should be worn at all times during exposure to the sun.

With regard to the price there are two options:

Live bait
Fly fishing

The fly fishing is a bit more expensive as you have full days trolling/teasing with a half hour lunch break. All stitch baits will be prepared beforehand so no time will be wasted looking for bait. In case you want to cast with a regular rod but also want to bait & switch the price is based on fly fishing as both these options take significantly more petrol and one extra deckhand is on board to handle the teaser.

Live Bait 2 days 3 days 4 days 5 days 6 days 7 days

4 pax 945 1255 1465 1775 2065 2355

FLY 2 days 3 days 4 days 5 days 6 days 7 days

4 pax 995 1295 1595 1895 2195 2495

Prices are per person in Euro’s

Including: