Mangrove Fishing With Soft Plastics.

Lagoon in the Mangroves during low tide

A couple of weeks ago i went to Pulau Ubin with Adwin and Oswald. We decided to head into the island's river systems to target barramundi during the outgoing tide when the fish would be confined to smaller pools as the water drained out of the mangroves back into the sea. 


These lures remind me of candy.

We took the Gummy JR from Kaigyo Garage for a spin on this trip. These soft plastic lures are made with super soft PVC material, and have a tail that undulates realistically with the slowest crank or slightest movement of the rod tip.

Grabbed these at  Lure Haven 

I rigged these with some weedless worm hooks from Decoy and some jig heads (3.5g, 5.2g and 7g) from Gamakatsu. The action was better on the weedless, but the soft plastics were too light to be able to cast a fair distance. They also don't snag easily rigged this way. I will try weighted worm hooks the next time i guess.

Kaigyo Grarage Gummy Jr  2.5" Chartreuse colour

Oswald caught a little Threadfin while twitching his lure as he worked it back. The water level was still a bit high so we fished from any openings or leeways we could find through the trees.

Kaigyo Grarage Gummy Jr 2.5" in Kawamutsu colour

Adwin's reel was screaming as this feisty Mangrove Jack smashed his lure and tried to take it back into the snag where it was hiding. Casting to snags and overhangs proved effective on this trip. 

Kaigyo Grarage Gummy Jr 2.5" in Bone Ayu colour

A small Barramundi hooked up further up from where Adwin and Oswald caught their fish. It was nice to see a silvery silhouette come up and grab the lure as i cranked it past the drop off where the water drained off into a deeper pool.

Kaigyo Grarage Gummy Jr 3.5" in Ghost colour

Meanwhile, the other two were at the honey hole as Oswald hit a Mangrove Jack barely a meter away from where Adwin landed his. This fish was caught on the 3.5" size as soon as he started cranking.

Kaigyo Grarage Gummy Jr 2.5" in Cherry Pie colour

Adwin hooked up a Barramundi as i was taking Oswald's photo! Same spot, 3 fish! Caught on the Cherry Pie colour of the 2.5" size with a slow crank. I was so busy taking  photos i barely had a cast!

Kaigyo Grarage Gummy Jr 2.5" in Lumo Ghost colour

A Flathead for Oswald who was bottom hopping at a shallow non- snaggy area. He was using a lift and drop method and hit the fish as the lure was dropping.

Kaigyo Grarage Gummy Jr 2.5" in Chartreuse colour

As the water drained out, Oswald hooked up an aggressive Archer fish to round off the trip. The fish were small but the action was decent for a couple of hours of fishing.




A couple of things to take note if you are planning on heading to Pulau Ubin to fish the mangroves.
  • Proper Footwear - It's very muddy and slippery. The last thing you want is to lose your footwear and be barefooted in the mangroves.
  • Travel Light - It is exhausting to traverse this terrain so take what is essential. (Insect Repellent!!!)  A back pack will be more useful than a luring bag.
  • Hydration - It is an extremely humid environment. Please make sure to bring enough water. 
  • Environmental Awareness - We encountered several snakes during our trip so be aware of your surrounding. It's the ones you don't see that you have to be worried about from trees and holes.
  • Fish With Friends - This is simply for safety reasons. In some areas there is no mobile signal so getting help if your hurt or lost will not be easy.
  • Do Not Litter - Please make an effort to clean up before you leave. Dispose of your trash at the Jetty. Leave nothing but footprints and take nothing (if you can) but photographs.
Other Useful Information

Photo: www.straitstimes.com

Bumboat costs $3 per head each way. They will only leave with 12 people. You can book the whole boat for $36. Weekdays will be tricky especially in the evening as there a fewer visitors to the island.

Photo: www.trover.com

Taxi is $10 per way can sit 6 people i guess. They will leave a number and you can call them to pick you up. Last pick up is 5-6pm. Check with your driver when he drops you off.


Available in 4 sizes and 6 colours.

Special thanks to my friends Dave from Lure Haven, Ryan Ngler and Adam Xu for the tips and pointing us in the right direction. 

Read about Alan's fishing adventures at his blog

Before i Sign Off, i'd like to take a moment to dedicate this post to the late Alan Chan. A humble friend who was always generous with his knowledge. Thank you for being an inspiration and encouraging me to continue blogging. You will be missed. Rest in Peace Bro.


Connect With Us
Facebook | Instagram | Shop |

Comments