New program available at Pilot 111, private fishing across the street.

[impulse]

Just got back from fly fishing for pacu at Pilot 111.

Noticed they had a banner advertising "Private Fishing" from 9:00 to 1:00, for 2500 Baht.

Fear gripped me as I figured it meant they were raising their rates... But no, they still charge 500 baht for fishing Pilot 111.

The manager has another lake across the street, at her home. They're offering fishing there for 2500 baht. I asked what for, and she said "barramundi, big ones, just about every cast".

The deal is, you show up at Pilot 111 and at 9:00 they take you across the street to fish until 1:00. Then you can go back to Pilot 111 and you can keep fishing.

I haven't tried it, so I'm not endorsing it. But I plan to take my fly rod there next time I get a chance to go fishing. Fly rod fishing for BIG barras for $85. Yeah, it's expensive but it would cost 5x that back home for a day of bass fishing at the good pay lakes. Besides, I like the folks that run Pilot 111- very friendly people and very good fried rice with shrimp.

BTW, when I finally gave up on barra in the middle of the sunny day, I caught 5 pacu from 1 kg to 4+ kg, plus a tilapia on a 3 weight fly rod tossing a bead head nymph. They all hit within an hour and then I realized I was frying in the sun and left, with the fish still biting behind me.

[jayci]

Nice report. Can you post a photo of your nymph?

[impulse]

Nice report. Can you post a photo of your nymph?

That's not mine, but the same pattern. I've been using about a size 12, only because that's what I have. Use a braid tippet because they chewed off too many mono tippets.

As you enter Pilot 111, fish the first pond on the left with just about any nymph. Pacu, tilapia and knife fish.

I've coached other guys to fish there and they do well on several different nymph patterns so don't worry if you can't match this one.

I'd recommend a light rod for the most fun. I use a 3 weight on these fish, and have been just about spooled by a couple of 10+ pound pacu.

[jackinbkk]

3wt wow! Sounds like a lot of fun.

[stbkk]

Absolutely!

Its fantastic.

Don't worry too much about the pattern, they seem to take all sorts. I've had success on Montanas, woolly worms, general 'bugs'..... etc. etc.

My 9 year olds favourite method is to drop any old fly about 2 metres in front of him after a humungous tangle. Invariably a Pacu will take it while he is trying to untangle things, and they have a right old pulling match until (usually) the fish gets away. Luckily thet don't grow to giant Mekhong size, or I could end up fishing him out of the pond!

Honestly though, be prepared for the fight of your life. I've had rainbows of 10lb in the UK, and my biggest Pacu to date at pilot was about 3kg, and took all my flyline off in one run! It's the first time I had seen the backing on that reel since I loaded the line on it, and I was REALLY worried about what sort of knot I had tied it on with. Luckily it seems I was a bit more patient and throrough in my younger days, and it was a nice secure needle knot!

Have fun.

Steve

PS. Make sure you use a braided leader. You'll see why when you unhook your first Pacu.

[riceyummm]

Where is Pilot 111? Thanks in advance.

[impulse]

Point your GPS to:

13°32'55.20"N 100°56'54.91"E

[stbkk]

Be careful, the turning off the main road is quite easy to miss.

Coming from Chon-buri to Bangkok on the Bang-na, you need to be in the local access lane immediately after the big junction with the road that goes across to highway 7.

You then turn left immediately after some sort of building supplies type of place, down what looks like the access road to a Moo-baan. The access to this road is not very 'road like' at all though, so its not very obvious!

Once you are on that road its easy, Pilot is a couple of 'k's down on the left, with a big sign.

[impulse]

Good point. Coming from BKK on the Bangna Trad, my Garmin GPS tries to get me to take the exit and head north toward the motorway. I did it once and didn't find a decent U-turn for miles.

I take the exit from Bang Na Trad, and go straight on the access road. When possible, get onto the main lower road (dicey merge to the right) and then take an even dicier u-turn around the Tesco. (To be even safer, stay another mile or so on the access road and take the u-turn bridge)

Now you're on your way back toward BKK on the main lower road. Get off the main lower road to the access road again (dicey left merge this time) (you'll be on the access road already if you took the u-turn bridge). You'll start making the curve from north to west, and just after you pass the nervous merge of big trucks getting off the motorway, you'll want to make a left turn into a road that looks hidden. If you miss it, go another 50 meters and turn into the expensive looking subdivision entry and you'll end up on the correct road anyway.

It's easier to do than it is to describe, and once you've done it once, it's very easy. Or call Pilot 111 and hand your cell phone to the taxi driver and they'll talk him in. You'll have to Google their number and write it down before you head off.

It's about 45 minutes from my place around Asoke.

[impulse]

Recently went to Pilot 111. Been busy and hadn't been for a couple of months. Had a great day of lure fishing for barras and pacu on the fly.

Reason for the bump is to inform that their selection of lures on sale has increased quite a bit. So it's not as critical to stock up before you go. No real bargains, but not outrageous, either.

Even better, they're now selling a small selection of nice streamer flies on site. 80-100 baht- mostly large, in dark colors and all geared toward the predator fish.

On a side note, they had a poster for a tackle shop on Suk Soi 2 in the men's room. I don't remember the name of the shop- maybe someone can help on that. It may not even be a new shop, but last week was the first I heard of it...feeling a long lunch coming up one day in the next weeks.

And for anyone that's never been, the people are nice, the food is great, fishing is great, and the cleanliness of the men's room puts my bathroom at home to shame. Even smells nice.

[stbkk]

According to the poster for the shop, its not really a tackle shop more for 'chado' branded t-shirts and stuff, so I'll be pleased to see your feedback.

Also, how were the Pacu taking the fly? I didn't get a single take at all last time I went, which is a real first on that lake.

Steve

[impulse]

According to the poster for the shop, its not really a tackle shop more for 'chado' branded t-shirts and stuff, so I'll be pleased to see your feedback.

Also, how were the Pacu taking the fly? I didn't get a single take at all last time I went, which is a real first on that lake.

Had one in the first 5 minutes. Silly me, I horsed him in and broke my fly rod- possible only because of the 47lb braid tippet I use to prevent bite-offs. He was my last for the day before I went back to tossing lures for barra.

Saw more fly rods than usual, and some were doing okay on the barra. Nobody else was fly rodding the pacu.

[impulse]

According to the poster for the shop, its not really a tackle shop more for 'chado' branded t-shirts and stuff, so I'll be pleased to see your feedback.

Boy, am I embarrassed. Their website was nothing but T-shirts, caps and coffee mugs. Thanks for saving me 20 minutes of walking in Sukhumvit heat.

[stbkk]

No problem, you are very welcome! The only reason to be out in this heat is fishing, in my opinion....

I agree with you about the more fly rods around, I was there a couple of weeks ago and there were probably around 10 after the barramundi.

[tingtongfarang]

Pilot 111 is a great place for the day but i cant imagine myself paying 2500bht to fish the big barra, although i have fished boon mar a couple of times just around the corner for 2200bht it gets boring when its a fish every cast no matter what lure or fly you throw at them and i,m guessing the new barra pond at pilot is the same,

Bor num is another option and just a few minutes from pilot for 180bht, they have 3 ponds, some of the barra are quite big but there are also redtails which go for a small rubber minow,

Of course there is more traffic because of the low price and the toilets are,nt upto the standards of pilot,

These days when i feel willing to splash over 2000bht on a days fishing i find with 2 people in the car 2500 each will more than cover the cost of fishing + fuel at amazon bkk, circa 60kg arapaimer on a 9wt fly rod feels nice.