Many Lakes Too Expensive

[gray42]

Just wanted to throw this in... I went to Top Cats in Koh Samui and had a great time catching monster catfish, carp, and arapaima. It was the low season and it was only myself and one other person there that day. I think the total bill for an entire day of fishing (two sessions) including a hamburger and a beer was almost 5,000 baht. It was fun to do, but I'm not going to make it a regular thing. No doubt if they brought down the price there would be more than 2 people fishing that day. Also no doubt if they brought down the price the fishing wouldn't be nearly as incredible as it was that day. I caught 12 fish: 9 huge redtail catfish, 1 mekong catfish, 1 giant siamese carp and 1 arapaima. ALL of the fish I caught that day were bigger than some of the smaller ones I've seen people catch at the more popular places in YouTube videos. Although I'm not keen on falang-only venues, I had an awesome day and I think the price was justified.

One more thing to add, local fishing in Thailand can be amazing if you put in the effort to find where they live and haven't been fished out, and it usually requires getting advice from Thai people. Snakeheads, especially pla chadow, are some of the hardest fighting fish I've ever caught. I live near Chanthaburi and if you ask [Thai] people were to find the pla chadow or pla chon they'll tell you the standard places... popular lakes, bridges, etc. If you fish with them a while and you're a nice enough person they'll take you to the good spots. They don't use the same methods as me (I lure fish with a rod and reel) but the biggest chadow I've seen was taken by my Thai friend using a hand line with raw chicken on the end. It was bigger than the biggest chadow I caught on a GUIDED fishing trip in mountain reservoirs. Right now I live on a river and fish from my balcony some nights for pla dook (the real pla dook with the eel-like tails) or pla gote (a type of silver catfish). Some nights I can get 12 fish in 45 minutes. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is even though it's not the freakishly big fish you catch at the pay-lakes, there's still great local fishing to be found probably everywhere in Thailand. And it's free.

[GarryP]

Just wanted to throw this in... I went to Top Cats in Koh Samui and had a great time catching monster catfish, carp, and arapaima. It was the low season and it was only myself and one other person there that day. I think the total bill for an entire day of fishing (two sessions) including a hamburger and a beer was almost 5,000 baht. It was fun to do, but I'm not going to make it a regular thing. No doubt if they brought down the price there would be more than 2 people fishing that day. Also no doubt if they brought down the price the fishing wouldn't be nearly as incredible as it was that day. I caught 12 fish: 9 huge redtail catfish, 1 mekong catfish, 1 giant siamese carp and 1 arapaima. ALL of the fish I caught that day were bigger than some of the smaller ones I've seen people catch at the more popular places in YouTube videos. Although I'm not keen on falang-only venues, I had an awesome day and I think the price was justified.

One more thing to add, local fishing in Thailand can be amazing if you put in the effort to find where they live and haven't been fished out, and it usually requires getting advice from Thai people. Snakeheads, especially pla chadow, are some of the hardest fighting fish I've ever caught. I live near Chanthaburi and if you ask [Thai] people were to find the pla chadow or pla chon they'll tell you the standard places... popular lakes, bridges, etc. If you fish with them a while and you're a nice enough person they'll take you to the good spots. They don't use the same methods as me (I lure fish with a rod and reel) but the biggest chadow I've seen was taken by my Thai friend using a hand line with raw chicken on the end. It was bigger than the biggest chadow I caught on a GUIDED fishing trip in mountain reservoirs. Right now I live on a river and fish from my balcony some nights for pla dook (the real pla dook with the eel-like tails) or pla gote (a type of silver catfish). Some nights I can get 12 fish in 45 minutes. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is even though it's not the freakishly big fish you catch at the pay-lakes, there's still great local fishing to be found probably everywhere in Thailand. And it's free.

I think that is the dream of many. To live on the bank of a river and fish from the balcony. If only I didn't have to work for a living.

[robblok]

Just wanted to throw this in... I went to Top Cats in Koh Samui and had a great time catching monster catfish, carp, and arapaima. It was the low season and it was only myself and one other person there that day. I think the total bill for an entire day of fishing (two sessions) including a hamburger and a beer was almost 5,000 baht. It was fun to do, but I'm not going to make it a regular thing. No doubt if they brought down the price there would be more than 2 people fishing that day. Also no doubt if they brought down the price the fishing wouldn't be nearly as incredible as it was that day. I caught 12 fish: 9 huge redtail catfish, 1 mekong catfish, 1 giant siamese carp and 1 arapaima. ALL of the fish I caught that day were bigger than some of the smaller ones I've seen people catch at the more popular places in YouTube videos. Although I'm not keen on falang-only venues, I had an awesome day and I think the price was justified.

One more thing to add, local fishing in Thailand can be amazing if you put in the effort to find where they live and haven't been fished out, and it usually requires getting advice from Thai people. Snakeheads, especially pla chadow, are some of the hardest fighting fish I've ever caught. I live near Chanthaburi and if you ask [Thai] people were to find the pla chadow or pla chon they'll tell you the standard places... popular lakes, bridges, etc. If you fish with them a while and you're a nice enough person they'll take you to the good spots. They don't use the same methods as me (I lure fish with a rod and reel) but the biggest chadow I've seen was taken by my Thai friend using a hand line with raw chicken on the end. It was bigger than the biggest chadow I caught on a GUIDED fishing trip in mountain reservoirs. Right now I live on a river and fish from my balcony some nights for pla dook (the real pla dook with the eel-like tails) or pla gote (a type of silver catfish). Some nights I can get 12 fish in 45 minutes. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is even though it's not the freakishly big fish you catch at the pay-lakes, there's still great local fishing to be found probably everywhere in Thailand. And it's free.

I think that is the dream of many. To live on the bank of a river and fish from the balcony. If only I didn't have to work for a living.

Same here.. i dream of fishing from a house next to the mekong. I am sure the fish are not that big in the river though some of them must be monsters. Too bad money is not in an unlimited supply.

[impulse]

Went to Bungsamran yesterday with a work permit and the price was 400 baht. A pleasant surprise- 100 less than last time.

Getting there has gotten slightly more difficult with construction continuing on the Soi 42 bridge. But I had the taxi drop me off at the bridge and caught a scooter from there, over the bridge and the last km or so. Much faster than having the taxi take me on the loooong detour.

Getting out, they had me hop on a scooter to the main road and get a taxi from there. Taxi's are a little scarcer now the bridge isn't open and scooters make life easier and save time (but not as safe).

[realfunster]

Went to Bungsamran yesterday with a work permit and the price was 400 baht. A pleasant surprise- 100 less than last time.

Getting there has gotten slightly more difficult with construction continuing on the Soi 42 bridge. But I had the taxi drop me off at the bridge and caught a scooter from there, over the bridge and the last km or so. Much faster than having the taxi take me on the loooong detour.

Getting out, they had me hop on a scooter to the main road and get a taxi from there. Taxi's are a little scarcer now the bridge isn't open and scooters make life easier and save time (but not as safe).

So are they now charging 'Thai' prices to foreigners with Thai WP/Driving License ? Or is 400 still more than the Thai price ?

I haven't been to BSR for a long while after on 2 separate occasions the foreigners were double priced (800 Baht from memory?) in a mixed Thai/foreign group - even when presenting a Thai ID.

I got my own back the third time and my wife paid for the rod, whilst I fished with it. It was quite satisfying watching the shoe on the other foot as the staff grumbled at our obvious ploy but my wife firmly assured them she would be doing the fishing.

Unfortunately, the ill-feeling caused by the first couple of incidents meant several people refused to go back there on principle, and our little BSR fishing group dissipated, we now do the occasional boat-fishing weekend instead.

[robblok]

Went to Bungsamran yesterday with a work permit and the price was 400 baht. A pleasant surprise- 100 less than last time.

Getting there has gotten slightly more difficult with construction continuing on the Soi 42 bridge. But I had the taxi drop me off at the bridge and caught a scooter from there, over the bridge and the last km or so. Much faster than having the taxi take me on the loooong detour.

Getting out, they had me hop on a scooter to the main road and get a taxi from there. Taxi's are a little scarcer now the bridge isn't open and scooters make life easier and save time (but not as safe).

So are they now charging 'Thai' prices to foreigners with Thai WP/Driving License ? Or is 400 still more than the Thai price ?

I haven't been to BSR for a long while after on 2 separate occasions the foreigners were double priced (800 Baht from memory?) in a mixed Thai/foreign group - even when presenting a Thai ID.

I got my own back the third time and my wife paid for the rod, whilst I fished with it. It was quite satisfying watching the shoe on the other foot as the staff grumbled at our obvious ploy but my wife firmly assured them she would be doing the fishing.

Unfortunately, the ill-feeling caused by the first couple of incidents meant several people refused to go back there on principle, and our little BSR fishing group dissipated, we now do the occasional boat-fishing weekend instead.

If you have a Thai drivers license it will be 400 bt same as Thais are paying. But foreigners without a driving license (often tourists) still pay 1000 bt.

[realfunster]

Thanks Rob- will let the guys know, hope we can get back there soon.