Fishing Help For Thailand

[MuskieBait]

Hi everyone!

My name is Ken. I live in Toronto, Canada and I will be visiting Thailand in December. I LOVE to fish and I have been to many different places to catch many different fish.

I will visit Bangkok for 2.5 days. I was planning to fish Bung Sam Ran with FishSiam. However, after reading what was written here, I read that I may do just as well with a local guide. I read in the previous post that there is a guide named Mr Boonsang you recommanded. May I know how I can get in contact with him to arrange a day of fishing? I am interested in Mekong Catfish and Striped Catfish and I read that they are the most common catches. If I can have a chance at a Siamese Carp, I'll take it. I would also like a chance for a Chao Phraya Catfish as well if there is a chance.

Right now, FishSiam is charging 6000 BHT. How much does Mr Boonsang charge? I figured that each fishing rod is 1000 BHT, the rod hire is 500 BHT, the bait is 500 BHT. If I fish 2 rods, I'm already at 3500 BHT. I wonder if it is better to fish with FishSiam if Mr Boonsang charges over 2000 BHT?

My second leg of the trip will be to Khao Sok. I am hoping to fish for Toman and Hampala Barb with a guide. I also like to have a chance at a Thai Mahseer (Kelah?) if there is a chance. Do you know if I can fish Khao Sok River on my own for Thai Mahseer? Or is it better to fish with a guide? Since I will be fishing alone, the single price for such trip is very expensive. If there are any of you who wish to join me for a trip in early December, please let me know and maybe we can organize a trip.

My third leg of the trip I hope to stay in Rawai Beach for a couple of days. I know there is a pier at Rawai and I read a few post here where some of you live near Rawai Beach. I was wondering what I can catch from the pier. I have also read somewhere else that you can hire a longtail boat for a day to fish on the bottom or on the reef. I would like to catch some small GT and queenfish and a mix of bottom fish like coral trout and snappers. Could you suggest any methods, baits and gear that I need to catch these fish? How much should I expect to pay for a longtail boat to fish for a day? I do not speak Thai. Will I have trouble communicating at Rawai Beach?

Thank you very much in advance for your help!

Ken

[quiksilva]

Hi Ken, for Bungsaran I'd make my own way there and once there ask for a guide, all the guys at the lake can put you on to fish. I do quite well there and have never paid for a guide. Just watch what others do, and copy. Its really not that difficult.

I have no idea about Khao Sok (although its does sound intriguing) and cant help much with costings for long tails off Rawai.

I would say though that when sea fishing in Thailand you can rarely go wrong baiting up with squid (live or dead, either whole or in strips), or small pla daeng (red fish) as live bait. It all depends on where you are fishing and your targets (smaller baits closer to the shore).

Sounds like a cracking holiday though ken, trust you have a good time and please let us know what you found out and how you got on.

[MuskieBait]

Hi Ken, for Bungsaran I'd make my own way there and once there ask for a guide, all the guys at the lake can put you on to fish. I do quite well there and have never paid for a guide. Just watch what others do, and copy. Its really not that difficult.

I have no idea about Khao Sok (although its does sound intriguing) and cant help much with costings for long tails off Rawai.

I would say though that when sea fishing in Thailand you can rarely go wrong baiting up with squid (live or dead, either whole or in strips), or small pla daeng (red fish) as live bait. It all depends on where you are fishing and your targets (smaller baits closer to the shore).

Sounds like a cracking holiday though ken, trust you have a good time and please let us know what you found out and how you got on.

Thank you very much for the reply quiksilva.

I will do as you say and just find a local guide then. I have never done this type of catfish and carp fishing before so I will hire a guide. I only have one day and one shot at it. Don't want to go home with a skunk

I'll use squid for bait like I've used for other areas then. Yeah, hard to go wrong with squid. I like shrimp too for smaller fish and catching bait...but shrimp doesn't last too long with bait thief.

I am not familiar with pla daeng. Is this the fish?

Is it legal to use other small fish for bait as well? Sometimes it's had to find the right bait so I need to use what I can catch

Once I took my trip, I will write a report and let you know how it went and what I found

[quiksilva]

Yes I think that's the one we have used on the boat before, if not its very similar.

I'm not aware of any legal restrictions on the use of live bait, it certainly has never been mentioned by any Thai skipper I have used in the past.

[BigFun]

Hi Muskie,

Most of the fishing, if not all, at Kao Sok is not actually in the river, but the dam. I have been a few times and love it there. Gibbons give the morning roll call ( a bit early sometimes!) and you will see Hornbill's and other wildlife. The area is actually a nature reserve and hence there are no outside boats allowed to be launched - Thai guys love their guns (and shooting things!). Unfortunately this means that the 40k boat ride to the reserve is a bit expensive If you want to go there I would suggest a minimum of 2 nights @ 5k baht a night ( accom., food, 40k go and return trip and daily fishing boats incl.) - contact me if you would like more details.

[McFarang]

Ken,

When you get to Rawai go to the Rawai Beach IGFA Fishing Club (located at AJ;s Bar & Bistro Nai Harn end of Rawai Beach) ask for Jay ,Neill, Warren or Jimmy and they will put you in right direction.

There are many options Beach,Rock & Pier Fishing. Longtail Charter or Day Charter from Chalong.

I will be going out Friday Targeting Dorado Wahoo & at the end of the Day Sailfish always the chance of a Small Black Marlin

Good Luck & Hope to see you in Rawai

President

Rwai Beach IGFA Fishing Club

[MuskieBait]

Hi Muskie,

Most of the fishing, if not all, at Kao Sok is not actually in the river, but the dam. I have been a few times and love it there. Gibbons give the morning roll call ( a bit early sometimes!) and you will see Hornbill's and other wildlife. The area is actually a nature reserve and hence there are no outside boats allowed to be launched - Thai guys love their guns (and shooting things!). Unfortunately this means that the 40k boat ride to the reserve is a bit expensive If you want to go there I would suggest a minimum of 2 nights @ 5k baht a night ( accom., food, 40k go and return trip and daily fishing boats incl.) - contact me if you would like more details.

Hi BigFun,

I can't wait to fish Khao Sok. I am speaking with a couple of guide companies and they will guide me to the Thai Mahseer in the more remote rivers in Khao Sok. I plan to stay 3 days so I hope we will have at least one full day to fish the rivers. The guides will pick me up from Phuket as well.

Quite a price for me to pay...but I'm visiting from so far and the guided trip will worth it. It's better than trying to do it on my own

Ken (MB)

[MuskieBait]

Ken,

When you get to Rawai go to the Rawai Beach IGFA Fishing Club (located at AJ;s Bar & Bistro Nai Harn end of Rawai Beach) ask for Jay ,Neill, Warren or Jimmy and they will put you in right direction.

There are many options Beach,Rock & Pier Fishing. Longtail Charter or Day Charter from Chalong.

I will be going out Friday Targeting Dorado Wahoo & at the end of the Day Sailfish always the chance of a Small Black Marlin

Good Luck & Hope to see you in Rawai

President

Rwai Beach IGFA Fishing Club

Hi McFarang,

I will be sure to visit the IGFA Fishing Club. Maybe I'll see you there too. If I have the money to take a Day Charter, it would be awesome...but my travel is already amounting to a huge sum. I think the longtail charter is my only charter option. I would love to do some beach, rock and pier fishing though

Hope to see you in December. I'll PM you when I have my plans decided and when I know which day I'm in Rawai.

Ken