Amazing One That Got Away

[geronimo]

Hi all,

My name is Paul. I've fished "Gnow nam" or shadow water as it's known to the expats, at least 50 times over the past three years, catching seven big cats (over 50 kg) and countless others including a big carp. Anyway I took three good friends down there yesterday (Mon 14th March) for a day out, promising them a good days sport with the possibility of some big stuff!

All these guys are seasoned anglers and we began with a thirty plus Catfish (Blah Buk as they are called in Thai) then during the course of the day we caught seven more fish. They were all Sawaii averaging 20 kgs and of course my friends were overjoyed. To myself these fish are not so impressive (wouldn’t bother taking pictures) but when you think about it, catching freshwater fish in excess of 40 pounds is really something!

We lost a couple during the day and at about 2pm, as we prepared to pack up, I mentioned it was a shame we didn’t get a real biggie, then one rod screamed away and one of my friends took it.

I knew immediately that it was big as it was running slowly but surely towards the far left of the lake, taking about 75 mtrs of line and it was still going!

The guy who had the rod had fishing in his blood (he once owned a tackle shop) and he was doing it all right. When the fish wanted to take line, he let him take and just held the rod, taking line whenever possible. After 20 minutes of this, the fish had turned and was now motoring steadily down the middle of the lake heading for the central area (we were fishing halfway down the left side). The Thais fishing nearby said this was at least 45 Kgs and I was in agreement.

The tackle was a 10 ft carp rod with a Penn baitrunner with 200 mtrs of 40 lb line and this set up had stood up to the big ones I’d caught here earlier so I wasn’t concerned about the equipment.

After a while it was clear that the fish was making a run for the small gap that divides the two sections of the lake. If it made it to that point we’d lose it so my friend began walking towards the fish taking line as he did this and then slowly walking backwards. This was repeated a few times yet he’d made no ground on the fish as it continued its determined run towards safety!

Suddenly I looked down at the reel and saw to my horror that the line had been completely stripped out and all that was holding us was the knot around the spool! I grabbed the rod from my friend and ran towards the fish winding furiously as I went. I walked the fish back and continued making up line on the fish. Then I handed it back to my friend who was doing an admirable job of holding the fish to this point. I was bloody knackered after just ten minutes so god knows how he was feeling!

After 90 minutes the fish had managed to get into some overhanging trees on the far bank and between us we managed to coax it out of there yet it still wanted to get through that opening! We turned it a couple of times but it always seemed to be able to continue its unrelenting pull. While all this was going on I had been gradually tightening the drag on the reel to make it harder for the fish to take line. I’d gone as far as I dared with that and the rod and reel were really under great strain all the time! Then we noticed that the reel handle seemed to be loose (I checked the locking nut and it was tight) which indicated a problem within the reel mechanism! Then we reached the end of the line twice more and again we managed to save it! By 1 hr 50 minutes my friend and I were very tired and we hadn’t made any ground at all on the fish, when we lost it. The line had given between the feeder and hook. By this time all the locals had gathered and they said this fish was 75kg up. We never actually saw the fish, just the swirls when he turned.

The Penn reel is in need of repair (as are me and my friend) and we all went home a trifle sad but happy in the knowledge that we’d given it everything we had (literally) and that we’d been part of such a mammoth fight!!!!

We plan to return soon although we realize that nothing can compare to that fish and it is “The one that got away” story that will live with us all for the rest of our lives!!!!!

[ThaiFelix]

We plan to return soon although we realize that nothing can compare to that fish and it is "The one that got away" story that will live with us all for the rest of our lives!!!!!

He maybe "The one that got away", but it aint over till the fat lady sings, he only won the first round!

Mr Fish: 1

The boys: 0

I spent 13 years in the fishing tackle trade back in West Australia and have fished the coast from salmon in the southwest, deep sea fishing with pro wetliners for Jewies and Samson in the midwest, to Barra and threadfin in the tidal creeks of the northwest, but I have never experienced anything like yesterday's fight.

Thanks so much Paul for introducing me to Thai freshwater fishing, and thanks to the other guys for contributing to a very memorable day.

And Mr Fish, my compliments to you for such a good contest, but be assured it will be you, not us, who will need that stretcher next time we meet.

Edited March 15, 2011 by ThaiFelix

[kenny999]

We plan to return soon although we realize that nothing can compare to that fish and it is "The one that got away" story that will live with us all for the rest of our lives!!!!!

He maybe "The one that got away", but it aint over till the fat lady sings, he only won the first round!

Mr Fish: 1

The boys: 0

I spent 13 years in the fishing tackle trade back in West Australia and have fished the coast from salmon in the southwest, deep sea fishing with pro wetliners for Jewies and Samson in the midwest, to Barra and threadfin in the tidal creeks of the northwest, but I have never experienced anything like yesterday's fight.

Thanks so much Paul for introducing me to Thai freshwater fishing, and thanks to the other guys for contributing to a very memorable day.

And Mr Fish, my compliments to you for such a good contest, but be assured it will be you, not us, who will need that stretcher next time we meet.

A great storey and an even greater experience, such a shame you could not land it, these Mekong(assuming it was a mekong) are so strong it beggers belief, keep us posted would love to know if you catch this monster one day, good luck and maybe next time it will be a post saying you won't believe the size of the fish I just caught.!!!

Edited March 15, 2011 by kenny999

[robblok]

I probably go there next Thursday ill try to catch it for you guys:P

ITs just great knowing you hooked a big one and you cant do much about it when they are real big.

[kenny999]

I probably go there next Thursday ill try to catch it for you guys:P

ITs just great knowing you hooked a big one and you cant do much about it when they are real big.

Would you have the GPS coordinates for this place?

[robblok]

I probably go there next Thursday ill try to catch it for you guys:P

ITs just great knowing you hooked a big one and you cant do much about it when they are real big.

Would you have the GPS coordinates for this place?

Ill have to look but there is an other tread here with the map location of this place. Its a bit of the beaten track and its a hard lake to fish. But rewarding if you catch something big.

[snarky66]

Might join you if I can find it on a map. google maps that is.

[robblok]

for kenny and snarky

http://bangkokburt.wordpress.com/freshwater-fishing-spots-in-thailand/

made by member quicksilva it shows also ngau nam (shadow lake)

its a lil to the left and below the name nothaburi on the map.

But guys this is a hard lake if you want easy fishing BSR gives you a better chance.

I like this lake its close to me and convenient and i like the challenge. In BSR I just fish with lam because that works there.

Here i experiment and use multiple rods.

Edited March 15, 2011 by robblok

[zoso]

I probably go there next Thursday ill try to catch it for you guys:P

ITs just great knowing you hooked a big one and you cant do much about it when they are real big.

Hello Robblok, are you confirm fishing tomorrow-thursday-at Shadow Lake?

[robblok]

I probably go there next Thursday ill try to catch it for you guys:P

ITs just great knowing you hooked a big one and you cant do much about it when they are real big.

Hello Robblok, are you confirm fishing tomorrow-thursday-at Shadow Lake?

Yes Kim its confirmed I will be there. Ill probably be there around 9am and i will fish on the left side just past the big tree (if its avaiable there)

[zoso]

I probably go there next Thursday ill try to catch it for you guys:P

ITs just great knowing you hooked a big one and you cant do much about it when they are real big.

Hello Robblok, are you confirm fishing tomorrow-thursday-at Shadow Lake?

Yes Kim its confirmed I will be there. Ill probably be there around 9am and i will fish on the left side just past the big tree (if its avaiable there)

Ok first have to find the pond then the big tree. See you tomorrow have to go off earlier to avoid traffic.

Have you seen anyone caught Chao Phraya Catfish at Shadow Lake? Thanks

[robblok]

I probably go there next Thursday ill try to catch it for you guys:P

ITs just great knowing you hooked a big one and you cant do much about it when they are real big.

Hello Robblok, are you confirm fishing tomorrow-thursday-at Shadow Lake?

Yes Kim its confirmed I will be there. Ill probably be there around 9am and i will fish on the left side just past the big tree (if its avaiable there)

Ok first have to find the pond then the big tree. See you tomorrow have to go off earlier to avoid traffic.

Have you seen anyone caught Chao Phraya Catfish at Shadow Lake? Thanks

I havent seen anyone catch them but everyone is always fishing with bread. I dont even know if they are in there. But i have seen someone catch a baramundi there once. So there are predator fish but i wonder how many.

[powderpuff]

Thanks for the map.

[robblok]

Thanks for the map.

Member quicksilva was the one who created it i just remembered that he posted it.

[zoso]

Thanks a Chao Phraya and a big head carp will do. See you tomorrow.

[geronimo]

Thanks for the map.

Member quicksilva was the one who created it i just remembered that he posted it.

How did it go?

Think I'll be taking another group there next week.

[geronimo]

I probably go there next Thursday ill try to catch it for you guys:P

ITs just great knowing you hooked a big one and you cant do much about it when they are real big.

Hello Robblok, are you confirm fishing tomorrow-thursday-at Shadow Lake?

Yes Kim its confirmed I will be there. Ill probably be there around 9am and i will fish on the left side just past the big tree (if its avaiable there)

That's exactly the spot where we hooked that monster!!!

[robblok]

Thanks for the map.

Member quicksilva was the one who created it i just remembered that he posted it.

How did it go?

Think I'll be taking another group there next week.

Not that great because of the cold, one 20kg pla bug (weighted not guestimated) by kim and an other pla sawai by kim. I had around 4 small bug / sawai mixed and i gave my rod 2 times to powderpuff to catch a fish. So all in all 8 fish.

Normally i can have 10+ on one of my rods that goes far out. Still the day was good meeting up with friends. But it was bitter cold.

[powderpuff]

I arrived soaking wet due to the rain. They are widening Puttamon Sai 3 at the Southern end (Phet Kasem) so that was a muddy mess till the big bridge over the canal. I was so glad they had shelters so I could dry out my stuff.

Wish I had taken a picture of the entrance. The sign is disintegrating but once you have been there it's easy. I went home the Northern way. No probs.

Map