Unexpected catch - Hello Mr Barramundi, long time no see!

Decided to go for a short session at Changi Boardwalk. Wasn't trying to catch any fish, only practising my casting using a baitcaster.

Armed with my Shimano Curado baitcaster and a pack of Squidgy Slick Rig, I began casting around the boardwalk.

The wind was pretty strong but the soft plastic had enough weight on it for some nice casts. Worked my way along the boardwalk, casting in and around the bottom structures.

Tide was on the way down and the wind got stronger.

On one of the casts as I was retrieving the soft plastic back, I felt a thump. I thought I had hit a snag then I felt the soft plastic "moving away". Quickly set the hook and it was FISH ON!

The fish jumped, showing itself as a Barramundi. Not big but he was giving a few nice leaps out of the water. I was so afraid of it throwing the hook. Managed to control the fish and landed it.

Woo hoo!!

Unexpected catch on a soft plastic! Ecstatic!!!

+++TIPS+++
When using lures/soft plastics, it's essential to try to aim your cast right at the edge of structures, be it rock bars, submerged boulders, boardwalk pylons, mangrove roots, fallen trees...etc.

It's risky and expect to lose a few lures from casting so close to snags. But the gamble is worth it as fish will surely hold very close to a structure for protection and also predation.

Try different types of retrieve - slow retrieve, short hops, side twitches....etc
+++TIPS+++

Gear used
Rod - Berkley Nomadic Travel Trigger PE0.8-1.2
Reel - Shimano Curado 201HG
Line - generic 20lb braid
Bait - Squidgy Slick Rig iFish Series (Red/White)
Rig - 15lb FC leader to soft plastic using a Kreh loop

Fish ID - Barramundi aka Kim Bak Lor aka Siakap (Lates calcarifer)