On 31st January 2012, our yahoo email was hacked into by some unscrupulous individual. As a result of this, you may have received an email purporting to be from 7 Star Fishing Adventure, Steven Tham.

The email is as follows:

I’m writing to let you know that my family and i are stuck in London, UK has been a mess We got mugged last night at gun point and lost all cash,credit card and cell phone. It has been a scary experience,Thank God we still got our life and passport saved here with us.
Our return fight leaves in some hours from now but we are having problems settling our hotel bills, i need you to loan me some money, I’ll refund it back to you as soon as we arrive back home Kindly let me know if you can be of help so that i can tell you how to wire the money to me via western union.

Awaiting your positive response,
Steven

This Email Is A Fake

If you have received this email, be advised: The Email Is A Fake.

At no time did Steven Tham or myself issued such an email.

If you are using gmail, that email would have carried a warning like this:

Warning: Fake Email, our email account was hacked.

We apologize for any mis-understanding or spam, you might have received as a result of hackers gaining access to our yahoo email account.

NOTE: We have since recovered the use of our email account. Our regular clients are now able to communicate with us.

Send Us An Email When You Read This

As a result of the comprised email, we may have lost some of your email address. While we have a record of your bookings, it is possible that we have lost some of your addresses.

We hope you will take a moment to send us an email to keep in touch. and we look forward to seeing you again.

When Singapore Anglers Come To Town

We say hello to Shannon Sim, Noel, Max, Sherman, David Adrian, Han and Perry, all professionals from Singapore who came over to go fishing in Sabah on a well deserved break. They went for 4 days and 3 nights on the 7 Star in April. And since they had such a good time fishing with us, we really look forward to their return.

Singapore Anglers In Sabah

Surprisingly well dressed for a 4 day, 3 night fishing trip in the waters around Sabah. This is in the running for this year’s Best Dressed Angler of the Year on board the 7 Star.

How Was The Fishing?

The Entire Haul Of The Fishing Trip

When the fishing is so good, it is no wonder everyone was in such high spirits. This catch is a great haul by anyone’s standard.

Sometimes I wonder if our readers are so used to see catches of this size on board the 7 Star. For the crew of the 7 Star, it is about the enjoyment our clients get when they quite literally land the biggest catch of their life. Our clients get to do this after having booked their fishing trip 3 months in advance, feeling thousands of miles and being on a boat in the middle of the South China Sea.

It is the fishing enthusiasts dream vacation. Being out to sea, with a group of friends who knows how to enjoy what life has to offer. What is it about fishing that only anglers can understand? It is hard to explain; just imagine hanging a sign outside your door, and the sign says “GONE FISHING“.

Anglers from all over the world set sail from the Labuan International Seasport Complex, the starting point of the IGFA Labuan International Game Fishing Tournament 2011. This year’s tournament ran from 19th to 24th April, organized by Labuan Corporation and Ministry of Tourism Malaysia, and co-organized by the Labuan Watersports Association.

All participants had be in Labuan on the 18th April 2011 for the registration which is only opened from 1700 hrs to 1900 hrs.

The fishing competition will commence at 0800hrs on 20th April 2011 and will close at 1000hrs on 23rd April 2011. As this is an international tournament, all rules which every competitor will have, are observed.

Registration for Labuan IGFA 2011

Team 1 Borneo – The Anglers

The members of Team 1 Borneo 2011 are Cheng Kok Mun, Mohd Rahim bin Malik, Abd Razak bin Sakdom, Chong Kian Voon, Zulkarnain bin Zainal Abidin, Chung Yon Kim and Chung Kim On. Team 1 Borneo are a group of anglers from West Malaysia.

1 Borneo fishing tournament team

7 Star charter fishing boat

Note: 1 Borneo is the largest lifestyle hypermall in Sabah and is one of the most popular shopping, dining and entertainment destination in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Popular with locals and tourists alike, there are 4 hotels located at 1 Borneo, including Air Asia’s Tune Hotel.

Team 1 Borneo chartered our fishing boat, 7 Star for the tournament. We will head towards the waters off Layang-Layang where the fishing for the Labuan IGFA tournament will be conducted. The sea around Layang Layang is ideal as it is in deep waters, making the fishing bountiful and fishes in deep water are large.

Before The Competition Starts

All participants had be in Labuan on the 18th April 2011 for the registration which is only opened from 1700 hrs to 1900 hrs. After the competitors are registered on the 18th, there is an official welcome and a briefing to attend. There will be a marshal, who is called the Safety Official assigned to each boat. In addition, an observer may also be assigned to the fishing boat at random according to IGFA rules.

On the following day, the 19th, the crews and competitors spend the morning loading up the boats which will be their home for the next 6 days. Last minute checks are performed, and the event organizers ensure the head count is correct.

At 11.00am, we depart to Layang Layang. The travel time to Layang Layang can take up to 12 hours or more, depending on the boat. As it was, we will be travelling through the night and arrive at our destination in the early hours of the following day.

All competitors are expected to arrive at Layang Layang by 6.00am on the 20th. After Navy security clearance has been obtained, the competition is officially under way. All teams will have until 1000hrs, 23rd April to make their catch.

Heading towards Layang Layang during Labuan IGFA

What a sight! A fleet of anglers heading out.

The Fishing At Layang Layang

Ask any angler, fishing boat or anybody in the know, and they will tell you that the waters off Layang Layang is one of the best fishing ground in this part of the world. The Labuan IGFA Tournament has been fished here for last few years.

There are 3 categories that the teams will be competing in:

• Team Event – the heaviest total weight of 6 different species caught by the team.
• Individual Events – the heaviest fish for each species.
• Billfish Catch and Release category – the most number caught and released by an individual based on photo evidence.

Let's get on with fishing!

The catches started coming

The catches still kept coming

Right on through the night

And starts again the next day

This is what they came to do

Tournament Rules: All Billfishes, Rays, Sharks and Eels that are caught are to be released unharmed.

If this doesn't win us a prize

The End Of The Tournament

The Labuan International Game Fishing Tournament 2011 came to a close at 10.00am, 23rd April 2011. All the boats assembled at Layang Layang Lagoon before heading back to Labuan. We arrived in Labuan in the early hours of 24th April at the Labuan International Seasports Complex.

The catches are off loaded and weighed in, sorted into the respected categories and team results. The judging are conducted by a panel of 3 judges and the results were released in the afternoon.

Did We Win?
Team 1 Borneo came in 4th place for the Team Event for Labuan IGFA Tournament 2011. They got a RM7,000 cash prize, had a great time and landed a lot of catch. They did pretty good. We will get them next year.

Labuan IGFA 2011 Prizes

Team Event
1st prize: RM25,000.00 + Souvenir trophies + Challenge Trophy
2nd prize: RM10,000.00 + Souvenir trophies
3rd prize: RM8,000.00 + Souvenir trophies
4th prize: RM7,000.00 + Souvenir trophies
5th prize: RM6,000.00 + Souvenir trophies
6th prize: RM5,000.00 + Souvenir trophies
7th prize: RM4,000.00 + Souvenir trophies
8th prize: RM3,000.00 + Souvenir trophies
9th prize: RM2,000.00 + Souvenir trophies
10th prize: RM1,000.00 + Souvenir trophies

Individual Prize
Heaviest Coral Trout: RM500.00 + Souvenir Trophy
Heaviest Yellowfin Tuna: RM500.00 + Souvenir Trophy
Heaviest Dogtooth Tuna: RM500.00 + Souvenir Trophy
Heaviest Trevally: RM500.00 + Souvenir Trophy
Heaviest Giant Grouper: RM500.00 + Souvenir Trophy
Heaviest Escolar: RM500.00 + Souvenir Trophy
Heaviest Amberjack: RM500.00 + Souvenir Trophy
Heaviest Dolphinfish: RM250.00 + Souvenir Trophy
Heaviest Wahoo: RM250.00 + Souvenir Trophy
Heaviest Ruby Snapper: RM250.00 + Souvenir Trophy
Heaviest Baracouta: RM250.00 + Souvenir Trophy
Heaviest Kerisi (Jobfish): RM250.00 + Souvenir Trophy
Heaviest Bigeye Jackfish: RM250.00 + Souvenir Trophy
Heaviest Rainbow Runner: RM250.00 + Souvenir Trophy
Heaviest Barracuda: RM250.00 + Souvenir Trophy

Catch and Release Prize
Most Number of Billfishes: RM2,000.00 + Challenge Trophy + Souvenir Trophy

Tournament Entry Fee
RM 400.00 per person, fishing boat charter not included.

Our new angler friends from Singapore had a blast when they flew in to go deep sea fishing in Sabah. Nurahaiyu, her husband Iskandar and four friends booked a 4 day, 3 night fishing trip onboard the 7 Star.

Nurahaiyu and friends arrived on the evening of 16th March, flying in from Singapore with Air Asia. They stayed at the Gaya Center Hotel, which is located along the waterfront in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. This is one of the best places to watch a sunset in Kota Kinabalu, and you wake up to a beautiful view of the South China Sea.

Heading out to sea

The 4D/3N Fishing Trip

The weather was sunny and the seas were calm, it was a good day to fishing! The anticipation was high as this trip was booked at the end of December 2010. It was a good thing the fishing did not disappoint our guests and they thoroughly enjoyed the adventure.

Everyone landed a catch

4 days is just about the right duration, it gives you the time to do some serious fishing, and enjoy yourself. All meals are provided by 7 Star, and you get a crack at night fishing as well.

Every catch is a good catch

Nurahaiyu sent us photos of the trip and you can see how they enjoyed the fishing experience. She sent us a very nice email after their fishing trip. Thank you for the kind words!

A good trip and experience

It has been truly a great pleasure deep sea fishing with 7 Star at Sabah. Thank you for your hospitality & great service during our stay in KK. It has been truly a 7 Star fishing experience! Will definitely come back for more! Once again, Thank You from the bottom of our hearts! We’ll see you again!.

Our 7 Star Service

We pick up our guests at the airport and send them to their hotel when they arrive in Kota Kinabalu. We do all we can to make sure your fishing trip is stress free. This includes transportation, fishing gear and bait, meals on board the 7 Star, and freezing and packing of your catch. And of course, the trip to the airport when you leave.

We look forward to your next trip with us!

A good sized catch!

Competing for the catch of the day

In the running for catch of the day

Yet another catch

The catch for this trip

Once you book your trip with us, we will continue to communicate by email or telephone until your arrival. So if there is anything you need, just let us know in advance and we will see how we can accommodate you. You can also stay an extra day or two in Kota Kinabalu to take in the sights.

2010 was a good year for fishing in the waters around Sabah. The fishing grounds are still rich and teeming with marine life, and although the weather was quite unpredictable at times, most of our clients managed to enjoy themselves.

Going deep sea fishing in the waters of Sabah should be on any angler’s list for 2011. The cost of flying to Sabah, hotel accommodations and fishing charter is still one of them most affordable holidays you can find. Fishing lets you get away from everything for a while, and when you are out in the open sea, it is a good place to be.

This year, we have seen a lot of new faces from many countries, as well as many local anglers who jumped at the chance to go out to sea. We have met new friends from Hong Kong, Singapore, France, Brunei, Philippines and Australia. We have also met many old friends from outside Malaysia who came back to fish with us.

A New Experience For Many
Deep sea fishing in Sabah is a new experience for many anglers. Most memorable were two gentlemen from Singapore who came over with their sons to go fishing. The following month, the gentleman flew over to Sabah again to do some more fishing.

We look forward to seeing many of you again in 2011.
Best wishes for the new year from the owners and crew of 7 Star!

Damian from Perth Australia, on board the 7 Star.

We headed out to the waters around Mengalum island, north-west of Kota Kinabalu, which is a 3 hour boat ride on the 7 Star. The weather and sea condition was good, as you will see in the video below. Damian landed a number of catches, and he brought some back to show them to his wife (who did not accompany us). They stayed at Sutera Harbour resort, and the resort kitchen cooked dinner and breakfast for them with the fishes he caught.

A good sized Wahoo landed by Damian.

They flew over for a 3 days, 2 nights fishing trip on 17th October 2010. Altogether, they were 6 anglers heading out to sea in the Pulau Mengalum area. While the catch from this trip was modest, they did land a whopper of a karapu (local name for this fish).

Since many of anglers tend to come to go deep sea fishing with us, we will look forward to their next trip.

KL angler, Zul with their whopper of a catch.

KL anglers on a 3D/2N fishing trip.

Some of the catch, along with the whopper.

We took them out to the sea around Mengalum Island, going out further where the waters were deep. This increases the travel time but deeper waters mean bigger catches. Booking a longer trip allows more time to find good fishing spots. Since anglers come from all over the world to go deep sea fishing in Sabah, we do all we can to ensure a good fishing trip for them.

Mr Aleman Wong form Hong Kong.

Mr Chows, angler from Hong Kong.

I am told that you just don’t get to do this kind of fishing around Hong Kong waters. Sabah happens to be located in the right place, with easy access to sea. Price-wise, fishing in Sabah does not cost as much as in many developed countries. Many of our clients come back to us for another shot at the fishing in Sabah.

Mr Kwong, Hong Kong angler fishing in Sabah.

The total catch from this trip, some really good eating, and some huge fishes. You don’t necessary have to bring your own gear. The fishing gear we have available are good quality gear and have satisfied many anglers.

A pretty good haul.

Look at the size of the catch on the right.

All in all, it was a successful trip and we look forward to Mr Aleman and company on their next deep sea fishing trip.

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Since the holidays extended 3 days, this was a perfect time for local anglers charter the 7 Star fishing boat and head out to sea for a bit of fishing. On this charter, Mr Chang came all the way from Ranau and headed out for some deep sea fishing with 5 other anglers. Accompanied by our co-owner, Steven, the 7 Star fishing boat headed out towards the waters around Mengalum Island, northwest of Kota Kinabalu for a 2 Day/1 Night charter. The long weekend was perfect for our local anglers to indulge in their favorite past-time.

Mr Chang from Ranau, Sabah.

This fish is known locally as Ikan Putih (White Fish).

This fish is known locally as Ikan Tikus (Mouse Fish).

Overall the catch was a fair one for a 2 Day/1 Night fishing trip. Normally, we would need more traveling time to get out to deeper waters for some deep sea fishing around Sabah. The weather and sea condition was fair for this September trip.

The anglers, Jeffery and Robert, together with their sons had wanted to experience deep sea fishing in Sabah. They also wanted to take this opportunity to spend some time with their sons on an adventure before the two boys had to report for their national service.

On board the 7 Star charter fishing boat.

The Fishing Trip
As luck would have it, the weather and sea condition during their trip turned out to be quite ideal. There were some light rain, but mostly sunny, and the sea conditions were mild. We had decided on fishing around the waters near Pulau Mengalum as their trip was short and we didn’t want to spend a lot of time getting to the fishing spot. Pulau Mengalum is a very good fishing spot, as well as a scuba diving spot. We went to what is known as the oil rig area.

Jeffery and Robert rented fishing rods from us, for themselves and their sons. As you will see in the following video, landed some decent catch. Only anglers will understand what it is like to land a big one out in the deep sea.

The fishing was good on this trip, as a result of the fine weather and calm sea. Jeffery and Robert had the opportunity to bond with their sons, and they thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We look forward to see them again in the future.

A group of friends fishing in Sabah

A good haul of fishes.

Catch Of The Day
They managed to catch a good variety of fishes, including some gold spotted trevally, groupers, barracudas. Some of which were cooked at meal times, so you can enjoy the freshest seafood found anywhere. After a day of fishing, it is always nice to enjoy a good meal.

Lunch is whatever you catch

This fish even looks heavy

A favorite of many anglers

After a haul like this, we head back to Kota Kinabalu city and bring the catch to a restaurant where they are cooked for dinner. Another reason to come to Sabah, the seafood is always fresh and the price is fair.

A Little Scrapbook