Fishing In Issan ( Near Ubon Ratchatani ) Need Some Help

[asia_pilot]

Hello,

we are off to the extended family tomorrow. I thought we could use the time for some fishing, as there is a pretty big lake (dam) near the Boarder to Laos. having only fished on in the colorado river for trout, I would like to get some tiips for fishing here in NE Thailand.

What kind of bait are u using. Lure and hooks ? What kind of fish to expect when fishing from shore ? Is a lisence requiered ?

Thanks for all ya help.

[rfukata]

the lake in Ubon is nothing compared to lakes/river in the US and Canada (North America).

I live in Ubon now and never had the urge to go fishing despite having a fly rod and reel. The quality of water and fishes inside the

river, lakes, buffalo pond holes, gorges, and canal sewers really don't give me the appetite for fishing.

I really miss the river trout, upriver salmon fishing, lake bass & walleye in North America... along with the array of ocean fishing.

anyhow goodluck to you.

[PoeDogg]

Good luck to ya!

I've been salt and freashwater fishing here in Hua Hin quite a few times in numerous public places and haven't cought jack sh*t.

I think they have already eaten all the fish (just throw a net and eat everything that comes up in it)!

Used cut squid and a spoon lure each time.

Went to a couple of stocked ponds and did really well with the same bait.

I miss southeast Texas.

And deer season just opened last weekend.

[waza]

If you mean the lake in Ubon I probably wouldnt eat anything caught there, if you mean the reservoir near the Loas border I dont think you can fish there, as many people go there to feed the fish. last time I was there I saw many very large fish and fed them.

Edited November 12, 2009 by waza

[IanForbes]

As I've said on many of these fishing threads, there are fish in EVERY waterway in Thailand... even the polluted ones. GaryP has given a bunch of bait recipes for various fish species. Knowing the local species will tell you what bait or lure to use. I mostly fly fish, but will use whatever is necessary if I actually want to catch something. There are clear, mountain rivers near the border of Burma that have various species that take flies quite well. On some of the lakes in National parks and a few municipalities there is no fishing allowed. That is to protect the few native species. Thais tend to kill and eat everything that crawls, swims, hops, runs, flies, slithers, or just lies there inert. That doesn't leave much for the sporting angler. I know there are restricted places along the big rivers that are closed to fishing. They are usually in connection with some temple and the locals feed the fish. But, a kilometer down the same river the fish are open for everyone to catch. Same goes at some of the reservoirs.

[asia_pilot]

Yes - I was talking about the lake at the Sirindhorn Dam near the chong mek boarder.

[GarryP]

Just got back from Ubol on Sunday from my annual fishing break. I was fishing in Sirindorn Dam on Friday 13 Nov. Must have really been an unlucky day for me, from three hours fishing managed to catch only one decent Pla Chon (snakehead), not to be confused with the giant snakehead. It turned out to be quite a windy day so some for the most part was limited to shore fishing. The captain of the boat wouldn't go too far from shore as the dam was quite choppy and he didn't want to risk taking me to the islands where I usually fish. Typical sod's law, the previous day the dam had been as smooth as a mill pond.

Fishing in the dam, whether from shore or boat, your best bet is with spinners, spoons, buz bait and other lures. My fishing was limited to the shore where there were many submerged paddies (the rice kind). If you are in a similar area, cast along side the paddy embankments, so when you are winding in your spinners the follow the edge of the banks. Because there are a lot of rice stalk stumps, go with a surface bait which uses upturned doubles rather than trebles, to avoid snagging in the stalks. I was using a small frog lure and had no problems. Good luck.