Hooked on fishing

Think of fishing and you may well think it's only a question of patience as you sit waiting ... and waiting for a fish to bite. But 18-year-old Hongkonger Ronald Chow Lung says this is wrong. 'We need some patience for fishing, but the most important part is the technique,' he says. 'Without technique we merely sit on the pier and, no matter how patient we are, we never hook a fish.'

Fishing is not all about sitting, either. Maeuchi, a Japanese form of fishing, is Ronald's favourite. 'Maeuchi involves a lot of walking. I constantly change my position when I am fishing,' Ronald says.

'It is probably the lightest way of fishing. The shrimp bait floats as there are no weights on the bait. This makes them look alive, attracting fish easily.'

Another misconception is that you have to travel to some isolated spot to cast your line. Ronald says a busy public pier is actually ideal. 'Piers provide the best shelter for fish - they get protection and food. Piers are ideal places for fishing.'

The Form Five student from StLouis School, in Sai Ying Pun, began fishing when he was aged seven. 'My dad took me to the seaside at Sai Wan to fish. I liked it, but I stopped fishing in Primary Five to focus on my exams,' Ronald says.

Now he can spend more time on the sport; when he is not by the water's edge, he can be found checking out what's new on the internet. 'I surf the net and check out the fishing forums. I study different ways of fishing and discuss it with online friends,' Ronald says. He also buys second-hand fishing rods and other equipment at online auctions.

Along the way, he has developed his own philosophy for fishing. 'I always release the fish that I catch after recording their sizes and taking a picture,' he says.