By the lake with a hard-bodied paddleboard on the roof of a 4x4 vehicle, with a cast-net and backup fishing rod displayed on the deck.
Entering a new level of incompetence can be daunting because the fear of failure seems ingrained in adult life. Imagine if toddlers feared failure – they might never learn to walk.
As adults, indulging this fear is a path to stagnation; we end up sticking only to what we’re good at and stop learning new things.
The challenge of being a novice is frustrating, especially when it comes to overcoming the fear of making mistakes.
The process of learning through failure can be discouraging, and that agony of defeat often keeps people from trying new things.
A crate at the stern for holding gear, a firm foam pad as the seat, the paddle plus cast-net and one is good to go.
This was certainly the case for me when I first attempted to throw a cast net while sitting on a paddleboard. The force needed to throw the net could easily overturn the narrow paddleboard, making the prospect intimidating.
I bought the net in 2022 but procrastinated until recently.
I am a beginner at throwing a cast net. I’ve learned the basics, but I can’t yet make the net unfurl into a perfect circle with every throw.
By contrast, I have been paddleboarding since 2010 (I own two), so my hesitation stemmed from knowing how the board behaves on the water and fearing an embarrassing spill.
Jelawat fingerlings caught in a cast-net, quickly released to ensure they live.
Despite my doubts, I wanted to try. I wanted to overcome pessimism, fear and my aversion to making mistakes.
I was also eager to catch the hundreds of little fish darting beneath my paddleboard.
Many people assume anglers fish to catch a meal, but for many of us, it’s more about appreciating the beauty of the fish. As the quote from the animated movie Finding Nemo goes, “Fish are friends, not food.”
Many anglers respect their quarry and use gentle techniques to release them unharmed. We want to admire the fish, perhaps take a photo, and then quickly release them to swim another day.
White bread liquefied in a diluted solution of coconut milk and condensed milk can help attract fish.
My goal was to learn how to throw a cast net from a paddleboard, allowing me to silently paddle to where the fish gather and observe them closely.
I chose a lake called “Lombong Kapal 7”, located 25km west of Tapah in Perak. You can find it on Google Maps with the satellite view, but don’t attempt to drive there yourself. The 5km off-road journey requires a 4x4 vehicle with all-terrain tyres and can be quite challenging.
To mitigate my fear of overturning, I steered my paddleboard onto floating water mimosa.
“Parking” the board on the thick, buoyant roots of the water mimosa greatly enhanced my stability.
The sheer simplicity of a lightweight paddleboard makes it a cinch to go fishing on lakes.
For six hours, I threw the net over 100 times. It’s crucial not to throw the net with excessive force, as that would surely overturn the board. Instead, a controlled throw using the strength of the arms, shoulders and upper back is necessary.
To keep the fish interested in my zone, I prepared a berley of white bread liquefied in a mixture of coconut milk and condensed milk, diluted with lake water.
I finally caught sight of the little fish: they were fingerlings of the jelawat, also known as sultan fish, Joven’s carp or mad barb.
I learned a lot from my first attempt as a novice. I now go to the gym more often to strengthen my upper body and have ordered more cast nets, including one just 1m in diameter. Most fishermen on the shore or large boats use nets over 3m in diameter, but those are unsuitable for paddleboard net-throwing.
I am not yet a master at throwing a cast net from a paddleboard, but I’m determined to improve.
Embracing the novice mindset and pushing through the fear of failure has opened up new possibilities for me – and I’m excited to see where it takes me.
