Giant Snakeheads Isaan

[bailly]

Hi All,

I am heading back to Khon Kaen next month and as much as I enjoy catfish and carp, I much prefer lure fishing and would really like to go for Giant Snakeheads.

Now I don't have the first clue about catching them, Is there anywhere in Issan I can go?

What sort of ground do they usually reside in? What lures? Surface?

Any information at all would really be appreciated,

Thanks,

Steve

[Gonsalviz]

Pla Chon. Never seen them caught with anything but a net. I have tried to catch them with live bait (worms) to no avail. Minnows would probably work but I have had no luck. The family eats all the minnows.

[bailly]

I am lead to believe that surface frogs are used, Been given the details of a guide so hopefully that works out!

[jack2964]

Google bkkhooker-there are several chado chasers there and lots of other info specific to thai fishing.

[jack2964]

Pla Chon. Never seen them caught with anything but a net. I have tried to catch them with live bait (worms) to no avail. Minnows would probably work but I have had no luck. The family eats all the minnows.

For some unknown reason, pla chon is very much rarer than chado here. I've tried in vain to catch a chon with lure but only managed to get chado up till now. When I was in Malaysia, the reverse is true, chon all the time and chado only in more remote waters. Strange.

Come to think of it, even tilapia don't seem common enough in the wild.

[DerkMR]

Come to think of it, even tilapia don't seem common enough in the wild.

That's just because Tilapia are from Africa.

Bye,

Derk

[coobah666]

I live in the Mukdahan province and have found 3 local dams with chado in them, the only reason I found out was the wife talking to the local tackle store man who was more than helpful in telling us good places to try.

Surface lures of any type retrieved as fast as you can reel is the way to go.

They love hanging in and amongst the water lilly's so a lure with a weed blocker on it is the go,one that can skip across the top of the lilly pads

I much prefer casting lures but the wife live baits them with small eels and she leeds the score board 11 - 4 ( I say it's cheating)

Good luck but my advice is to ask a local

[tomtom47]

I love fishing for pla chon. I have a fair amount of luck using Mepps spinners, usually a size 1. I fish in smaller ponds or near the shore where it's grassy in larger ponds. They put up a real good fight if they latch onto the Mepps.

[tomtom47]

There's a small river north of Khon Kaen near the Phoenix Paper and Plywood factory. I've caught several fair sized pla chon there using my trusted mepps.

[Ewamoon]

I have seen a fishing show here in the states about catching monster fish. Not sure of the title of the show at the moment but will research and reply back. I do remember the location was very much like alot of the "ponds" that I see around the Thai country side. His guides were Thai and took the fisherman to specific spots to catch the monster fish, I am not sure of the type of fish, some sort of catfish.

[BudRight]

My neighbor's wife knows how to catch one eyed trouser snake.

[GlobalCtzn]

I have a friend in CM who has a fly tying company and fishing is his life. He fishes for the snakeheads with a bait casting type of setup with minnow type surface lures. He casts and reels it back in like his hair is on fire. He is also using steel leader, as their teeth will shred mono.The snakeheads are aggressive and respond to noise and splash. He says when they are spawning it can be very dangerous to be in the water near the big ones. Have fun!

[Dap]

Come to think of it, even tilapia don't seem common enough in the wild.

That's just because Tilapia are from Africa.

Bye,

Derk

Certainly doesn't mean that's the only place you find them DerkMR.

Some research might be in order before you make such an "off the

cuff" and "all knowing" statement

[callaway]

Have about 5000 in the ponds in my back yard and have caught 2kg plus from my jetty. And i can assure you that is not in Africa. I work in Africa (Tanzania ) but my ponds are in Esan. Here is one my friend caught.

[bailly]

Thanks for all your replies, I have spoken with the guide and he says that the water level will be too low when I am there next month, so that is a shame.

Anyone got any other ideas? I would really like to fish in the wild instead of stocked lakes.

[Dap]

Unfortunately, most of the "naturals" are low and the "big" Sirikit and Bhumipol are extremely low,

as in 15/20 feet below the weed line. But! smiles coming soon as the rains will do their annual thing

in just a few more months. Snakehead is extreeemely gooood tasting and good luck with the "big"

boys. Good call on the above advice to employ steel leader Those boys and girls carry some

nasty slicers

[Dap]

Ps. and will agree with the posters above in that rarely have I

ever had a bad day with my good friends the Mepps

[tingtongfarang]

I am regular snake head hunter, pla chon for the most part are easy to find here in bkk,

best way is get on the motocyc or bicycle and take a short rod with a few top water frogs in the pocket, just cast a frog into any body of water you can find regardless of how shallow or the amount of vegetation or plastic, klongs or even rice paddys can be quite productive,

Top water frogs i find are best cast onto the bank if possible then jerked into the water or onto the vegetation, if there are lilly pads dont forget to pause the frog ontop then gently move it to alert the fish, learn to skip cast to get under obstructions,

There are quite a few so called street fishing teams or rather groups of anglers who go around doing this...quite popular for the girls too,

[tingtongfarang]

Pla chado are not so easy to find in such shallow or small bodies of water, for chado you really need to go to the dams,

Buzz baits are the go for lures mostly, best to watch for the chado coming up for air then cast a few meters past...get your bait buzzing across the surface.....if they miss it 1st or 2nd time keep casting,

I feel snakehead in the wild are much easier to catch than at a fishing park....no education.

[Wat dee]

Spoons work well also frogs.It is such a aggressive fish so it will take on anything even bigger fish.

[tingtongfarang]

Spoons work well also frogs.It is such a aggressive fish so it will take on anything even bigger fish.

Yes they will go for most lures but the problem is with snakehead in the wild they are almost always in the margins hanging out in the green stuff, cast a spoon in there with a treble and your almost certainly snagged up,

Weedless top water frogs are the way to go...use atleast 30lb braid and no leader, any leader mono or wire will destroy the action of any frog, also tie the braid directly to the frog ie no clip. if the fish takes the lure into the vegetation the braid cuts through like a knife.

[Greg Nixon]

​have noticed that Thai women are exceptional at sucking on the one eyed trouser snake. That snake sometimes goes into ecstasy.

[fatdrunkandstupid]

I am a lure fisherman from Australia. Back home I chase Australian bass and mary river cod.

I live in Phuket and know a number of wild fish spots.

I have caught snake fish on all kinds of surface lures. However the most success has been with a red and black Heddon torpedo.

[tingtongfarang]

I am a lure fisherman from Australia. Back home I chase Australian bass and mary river cod.

I live in Phuket and know a number of wild fish spots.

I have caught snake fish on all kinds of surface lures. However the most success has been with a red and black Heddon torpedo.

have a few heddon lures, some seemed to be gimicks when i got them like beer can lures with a lip or bumble bees with wings which go back and forward, also i have the heddon torpedo with a propeler on the back?

Anyway..they all seem to work

[DerkMR]

Come to think of it, even tilapia don't seem common enough in the wild.

That's just because Tilapia are from Africa.

Bye,

Derk

Certainly doesn't mean that's the only place you find them DerkMR.

Some research might be in order before you make such an "off the

cuff" and "all knowing" statement

As a biologist I might have to explain to you how introduced species spread, and this is they don't cover all natural waters within only 20 or 30 years.

So plainly simple as they are non-native you can't find them anywhere.

The all knowing Derk

[finnomick]

Ps. and will agree with the posters above in that rarely have I

ever had a bad day with my good friends the Mepps

Please excuse my ignorance, but what is Mepps ?

[impulse]

The go-to lure for generations.....

[finnomick]

The go-to lure for generations.....

Ah ha, a brand name of lure. Thank you for the enlightenment.....

[Dap]

Come to think of it, even tilapia don't seem common enough in the wild.

That's just because Tilapia are from Africa.

Bye,

Derk

Certainly doesn't mean that's the only place you find them DerkMR.

Some research might be in order before you make such an "off the

cuff" and "all knowing" statement

As a biologist I might have to explain to you how introduced species spread, and this is they don't cover all natural waters within only 20 or 30 years.

So plainly simple as they are non-native you can't find them anywhere.

The all knowing Derk

So sorry "the all knowing Derk", but I have no idea how that relates to

"That's just because Tilapia are from Africa." when Tilapia are found in

many places today around the world. I have no idea what you are saying.

I am not a Biologist but I am a fisherman who has caught Tilapia and

they were not in Africa.

[Dap]

Ps. and will agree with the posters above in that rarely have I

ever had a bad day with my good friends the Mepps

Please excuse my ignorance, but what is Mepps ?

It's a fishing lure made by Mepps