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[jackinbkk]

So when I do get to fish in Thailand I love to get my girlfriend to ask the locals or the people that work there how big the biggest fish in the lakes are?

So I ask forum members what is the biggest fish you have caught or actually seen caught with your own eyes at each venue you have tried.

I suppose it would also be a good idea to say what you think is a typical catch from each venue.

I'm sure most people have seen the picture of the 120Kg siamese carp from bungsamran, but I wonder if there are yet bigger fish in these lakes?

I do hear rumors of 150kg pla bueks in some lakes and 151kg is the record, but i've never seen one this big myself caught from a pay ponds.

[tingtongfarang]

2 weeks ago at bsr....1.5 hour fight!

Edited March 7, 2012 by tingtongfarang

[jackinbkk]

Brilliant!

Wow 1.5 hours. I've had 50kg bueks challenge an abu 6000 reel for 40 minutes, but that was on a 200 baht spinning rod for fun. Do you know what reel this was caught on? Probably a shimano baitrunner.

What was the weight of the fish?

Thanks

-Jack

[tingtongfarang]

yes it was a 6500 shimano baitrunner, The fish went under the bungalow numerous times but the guy managed to fight it back out all but one time...then one of the group stripped off and went swimming under the bungalow rod in hand around the pilons to untangle it reapearing on the other side to hand the rod back to the angler to continue the fight,

Two bsr guides who had been watching from a distance on the pier came rushing over as it was landed claiming this fish had been on the scales before at 90kg, They also said most people who hook into a fish like that dont manage to land it,

[jackinbkk]

yes it was a 6500 shimano baitrunner, The fish went under the bungalow numerous times but the guy managed to fight it back out all but one time...then one of the group stripped off and went swimming under the bungalow rod in hand around the pilons to untangle it reapearing on the other side to hand the rod back to the angler to continue the fight,

Two bsr guides who had been watching from a distance on the pier came rushing over as it was landed claiming this fish had been on the scales before at 90kg, They also said most people who hook into a fish like that dont manage to land it,

I can believe that. Fish over 50kg seem to just go where they want as if they don't even know they are hooked some times. The only way to land them is to turn them and get them to swim toward you themselves.

Great fish. I wouldn't fancy going between the pylons to get it though.

[jacnl2000]

Only a few weeks ago, in 2012, in a small Dutch village, Oirschot, a 13 year old boy Stijn of 1.53 meter caught a most likely farmed catfish (in Dutch called a meerval) of 1.58 metres. References to the Dutch local and national news:

http://www.youjotube...tch/xYAqZNoi-PY (Dutch local news)

http://www.telegraaf...8_meter___.html (Dutch national news)

That length’s not spectacular but rather close to a reported normal largest average size of 1.60 metres (5.2 ft,).

Here’s the most recent European record holder, Jessica, a girl, 11 years old in 2009. She hooked a fish in Spain in the river Ebro which measured in length 2 times her size:

http://www.telegraph...nster-fish.html

According Wikipedia the largest specimens on record measure more than 2.5 metres (8.2 ft.) in length and sometimes exceeded 100 kilograms (220 lb). With recorded sizes of up to 10.5ft (3.2m) and 660lb (300kg), the Mekong’s giant catfish currently holds the Guinness Book of World Records position for the world’s largest freshwater fish. Here you’ll find more references to pictures of very large sized catfish in Thailand:

http://news.national...antcatfish.html

Glad to believe I’m much too old (in comparison to the ages of Stijn and Jessica) to accidentely hook such a fish up in the north of Thailand.

Btw. as an aside unmanageable killer whales, at least one of them, recently, understood the concept of a hook:

http://www.outdoorli...ks-killer-whale

Personally I do not really want to catch such large unmanageable creatures. Glad to read that they seem capable of learning to understand for example the concept of a hook.

[jackinbkk]

Only a few weeks ago, in 2012, in a small Dutch village, Oirschot, a 13 year old boy Stijn of 1.53 meter caught a most likely farmed catfish (in Dutch called a meerval) of 1.58 metres. References to the Dutch local and national news:

http://www.youjotube...tch/xYAqZNoi-PY (Dutch local news)

http://www.telegraaf...8_meter___.html (Dutch national news)

That length’s not spectacular but rather close to a reported normal largest average size of 1.60 metres (5.2 ft,).

Here’s the most recent European record holder, Jessica, a girl, 11 years old in 2009. She hooked a fish in Spain in the river Ebro which measured in length 2 times her size:

http://www.telegraph...nster-fish.html

According Wikipedia the largest specimens on record measure more than 2.5 metres (8.2 ft.) in length and sometimes exceeded 100 kilograms (220 lb). With recorded sizes of up to 10.5ft (3.2m) and 660lb (300kg), the Mekong’s giant catfish currently holds the Guinness Book of World Records position for the world’s largest freshwater fish. Here you’ll find more references to pictures of very large sized catfish in Thailand:

http://news.national...antcatfish.html

Glad to believe I’m much too old (in comparison to the ages of Stijn and Jessica) to accidentely hook such a fish up in the north of Thailand.

Btw. as an aside unmanageable killer whales, at least one of them, recently, understood the concept of a hook:

http://www.outdoorli...ks-killer-whale

Personally I do not really want to catch such large unmanageable creatures. Glad to read that they seem capable of learning to understand for example the concept of a hook.

I am considering a trip to the Ebro this year now that the missus has UK residence. But darn those wels catfish are ugly!

I would prefer some bullshark fishing but Europe doesnt seem to offer it. South Africa or Florida being the options. Thai's can apparently enter SA with a visa on arrival, which I found surprising. The US sounds a no go though according to a friend.

Bulls have a profile just like the bueks but on steroids!

So is flipper a bit smarter than the killer whales?

meanwhile polar bears just dont care about hooks either

Adult males go up to 1500lbs, but I wouldn't like to unhook the bear for that record!

[jackinbkk]

How about this gar from Texas caught last week.

How big do these things get in Thailand. I've only ever seen them up to about 30lbs. Caught 15 pounders before. They sure were lively on the bank!

[jacnl2000]

How about this gar from Texas caught last week.

How big do these things get in Thailand. I've only ever seen them up to about 30lbs. Caught 15 pounders before. They sure were lively on the bank!

We´ve to go back in time to find and see the really large ones

http://faculty.evansville.edu/ck6/bstud/hugegar.html

Some people believe that in the far away past, at the start of the 18th century, those things, not the alligator gars, but other simular fish in Thailand, could get really big, up to 4 meters.

[jackinbkk]

I certainly wouldn't doubt an equivalent of the arapaima in Thailand. The pla shun is like a mini arapaima but obiously survival of the fittest favours small size (for air breathers) in Thailand these days. Otherwise you'll be on the finner plate.

[jackinbkk]

There are still some whoppers hiding out there. The fun is finding them.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2122186/Now-thats-whopper-Fisherman-smashes-190-year-old-record-catching-46lb-pike.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

[jacnl2000]

Following page of the WWF describes an European fish which can grow up to an unbelievable length of 5.5 meters.:

http://wwf.panda.org...ecies/sturgeon/

( documentary )

At Thursday the 10th of May 2012 47 atlantic sturgeons will be reintroduced into Plas De Kaliwaal, a floodplain connected to river De Waal near Nijmegen in the Netherlands. The behavior of each of these fishes will be closely monitored via surgically implanted transponders. These relative young fishes were born in 2007 and 2009 in Bordeaux (in France) and can reach each an age of 100 years.

Source: http://www.visstandb...amer-steur.html.

In the far away past a very unfriendly bull was walking on one of the banks of a popular floodplain of De Waal in Heerewaarden who was well known for throwing fishermen into the water : - )

On this page you’ll find more information about the European sea sturgeon, including a clarifying slideshow:

http://www.arkive.or...turio/#text=All

[jackinbkk]

Following page of the WWF describes an European fish which can grow up to an unbelievable length of 5.5 meters.:

http://wwf.panda.org...ecies/sturgeon/

( documentary )

At Thursday the 10th of May 2012 47 atlantic sturgeons will be reintroduced into Plas De Kaliwaal, a floodplain connected to river De Waal near Nijmegen in the Netherlands. The behavior of each of these fishes will be closely monitored via surgically implanted transponders. These relative young fishes were born in 2007 and 2009 in Bordeaux (in France) and can reach each an age of 100 years.

Source: http://www.visstandb...amer-steur.html.

In the far away past a very unfriendly bull was walking on one of the banks of a popular floodplain of De Waal in Heerewaarden who was well known for throwing fishermen into the water : - )

On this page you’ll find more information about the European sea sturgeon, including a clarifying slideshow:

http://www.arkive.or...turio/#text=All

That is good news. There is a fishery near Wolverhampton, England which has sturgeon. The biggest is supposed to be 80lbs. It's highly regulated and about 4000 baht a day to fish. Only 2 people are allowed on the lake per day.

Zeb Hogan did a good documentry about restoring sturgeon to US rivers. One big problem was hydropower. Sturgeon need to be able to move between rivers and the sea to get enough food to grow big. The dams often leave them trapped in rivers. For spawning sturgeon need a fast water flow to clear silt off their eggs so they can breath. Dams usually cause pooling of water. Silt builds up suffocating sturgeon eggs. These are the same problems the mekong may soon be experiencing.

[jackinbkk]

[bsacbob]

Maybe not not my biggest, but what about this rare catch whilst i was on a trip down to Cha am fishing park fishing alongside a Dutch chap for Songkran.

After 15 minutes of dragging in what i thought was a tree root, out came this mess which contained some 36 hooks and various other terminal tackle (carefully extracted by my girlfriend), two and a half rod's and a home made grappling hook which i presume was used by the staff to drag in such monsters. I gave the rods to the staff and the reels after some grease and TLC are working fine.

[jackinbkk]

Maybe not not my biggest, but what about this rare catch whilst i was on a trip down to Cha am fishing park fishing alongside a Dutch chap for Songkran.

After 15 minutes of dragging in what i thought was a tree root, out came this mess which contained some 36 hooks and various other terminal tackle (carefully extracted by my girlfriend), two and a half rod's and a home made grappling hook which i presume was used by the staff to drag in such monsters. I gave the rods to the staff and the reels after some grease and TLC are working fine.

One rod in the lake I can understand, but two????

The last time i was at gnao nam I tangled with some broken line. I grabbed a hold and started to bring it in. I must have had 30 yards with no resistance at all. So i continued to wrap it around my hand as you would taking line off a reel. My stupid mistake! I really wasn't thinking. I just wanted the garbage out of the lake. Next thing I feel a fish. Which felt me pulling and it decided it was having none of it. It bolted. The line went tight around my hand. It was like a cheese cutter. Luckily the worst I got was some deep cuts and line burns. The line finally pulled off. I tried to hold it with my other hand before i felt the pain but it snapped the line. I could have lost fingers. Lesson learned.

So there must have been 1 or 2 unhappy anglers at cha am the day(s) those rods went in.

[jacnl2000]

Following page of the WWF describes an European fish which can grow up to an unbelievable length of 5.5 meters.:

http://wwf.panda.org...ecies/sturgeon/

( documentary )

At Thursday the 10th of May 2012 47 atlantic sturgeons will be reintroduced into Plas De Kaliwaal, a floodplain connected to river De Waal near Nijmegen in the Netherlands. The behavior of each of these fishes will be closely monitored via surgically implanted transponders. These relative young fishes were born in 2007 and 2009 in Bordeaux (in France) and can reach each an age of 100 years.

Source: http://www.visstandb...amer-steur.html.

In the far away past a very unfriendly bull was walking on one of the banks of a popular floodplain of De Waal in Heerewaarden who was well known for throwing fishermen into the water : - )

On this page you’ll find more information about the European sea sturgeon, including a clarifying slideshow:

http://www.arkive.or...turio/#text=All

Today, wednesday the 9th of May 2012 the first 3 "royal" sturgeons were released near Rotterdam:

http://nos.nl/video/371446-steuren-uitgezet-bij-rotterdam.html

Tomorrow, thursday, the other 47 sturgeons will follow.

Correction: these 50 Atlantic sturgeons do not seem to become much older than 50 years and 3.5 meters in length maxium. They are said to be extremely difficult to catch by anglers. Atlantic sturgeons are not tasty at all and not suitable for producing kaviar in comparison to Beluga sturgeons in the Caspian sea (those specs: max. 5.5 meters, 2000 kg !). Each of the build-in transponders has a lifetime of 4 years. The approximately 50 rather difficult to breed sturgeons grew up successfully in Europe’s largest estuary (600 km2), called the La Gironde Estuary, in Bordeaux. Btw. the La Gironde Estuary most famous fishing technique (called carrelet) is not very different from the one practiced by elderly Thai females. Current estimate of total numbers of sturgeons worldwide equals 1000.