IT'S squid jigging season again in the East Coast and a bountiful catch is expected this year. During the Terengganu's Fiesta Candat Sotong (Squid Jigging Festival) in Pulau Redang from May 9-11, some participants hauled in 22 squids, measuring 20cm long, in just four hours. Two of the 20 boats brought ashore 38 big squids each - making one of them the winner with the biggest catch. This year, the boat with the heaviest catch was named the winner. Traditionally, prizes go to the longest squid and the most number of squids for individual and team. No boat came back empty-handed. The least one could bag were three to five squids while more than half of the night's catch were squids more than 30cm long. The longest was a staggering 40cm - the length of its body (excluding head and tentacles) as according to official measurement.

All About Timing

Jigging for squid

Still, according to a staff of one of the resorts on the island, the timing for the event was "a bit off". "It should be done on full moon nights. You will see the water turning red as the squid, attracted to the bright moon, comes to the surface," he whispered, trying not to offend the event organisers. Hmm, no wonder we only managed to jig two squids after two hours on the first night which was reserved for VIPs and special guests, including the media. The VIP boat, which ferried the guest of honour, State Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage exco member Datuk Za'abar Mohd Adib and his wife, and State Tourism Action Council general manager Ahmad Fathil Abd Ghani, beat us with a total of five squids.

Annual Activity

The following day, Za'abar officiated at the Fiesta Candat Sotong 2008 and simultaneously declared open the Terengganu squid jigging season which is from April to July. Nonetheless, the two-night festival did not fall short on catch and excitement as there were pockets of activities like karaoke contest, tug of war and beach volleyball. Interestingly, apart from the contestants, guests staying at the resorts along the beach joined in the fun, too. The Fiesta Candat Sotong 2008 was organised by Terengganu State Government together with the Terengganu State Tourism Action Council and Persatuan Pengusaha-Pengusaha Resort Kepulauan Redang. What started off as an annual folk activity was turned into a tourism event in 1991 and has since become a trademark activity on the State's tourism calendar. It moved from its traditional venue of Pulau Kapas to Pulau Redang in 2000.