California Fishing Withdrawals

[gavin310]

Since it's summer in the states, I've been seeing my friend's mountain camping and fishing photos on Facebook. I'm really missing that and I'm hoping there's something in Thailand that's in some ways similar. Obviously I'm not going to find the Sierra Nevadas in Thailand, but I want to find a freshwater lake with cooler temperatures where I can camp and fish. In the past in Thailand when I've camped in a tent it got so hot at 8am that I couldn't stay inside the tent, so i want a cooler climate. I know in the north in the mountains it gets chilly... are there any lakes there where you can camp that has some decent fishing? (Shore fishing, not boat fishing.) I'm not looking for places where you can "probably" camp, I want to find somewhere that's known for camping. Mainly for safety reasons since my girlfriend would probably be coming with me. Any ideas?

[Utley]

Might I suggest you research the Thai national parks in the North via Google.

[Suradit69]

...when I've camped in a tent it got so hot at 8am that I couldn't stay inside the tent...

I thought the camping, fishing, back-to-nature types were usually out and bounding about at sunrise. Wouldn't it be better to find an air conditioned lodge or cabin with breakfast brought to the room at 10:00 am and a stocked pond with underfed fish ready to leap onto your pre-baited hook? That sounds very California-ish.

[jackinbkk]

Fishing around the US is outstanding. You'll struggle to find it in Thailand. Definitely the northern provinces offer the potential of being able to camp by some waters without cooking yourself. You may find it difficult to find fish with all the netting etc. Try some of the larger reservoirs.

[NeverSure]

...when I've camped in a tent it got so hot at 8am that I couldn't stay inside the tent...

I thought the camping, fishing, back-to-nature types were usually out and bounding about at sunrise. Wouldn't it be better to find an air conditioned lodge or cabin with breakfast brought to the room at 10:00 am and a stocked pond with underfed fish ready to leap onto your pre-baited hook? That sounds very California-ish.

My apologies, but the fishing in the US is far too good for the market to support a fake fish farm.

Just some King (Chinook) salmon taken by ordinary people from a California river: LINK

This same would be found all up and down the W. Coast, up through Canada and in Alaska. Other states have other species.

And of course the US has 88,000 miles of saltwater shoreline if you like ocean fishing.

[impulse]

My apologies, but the fishing in the US is far too good for the market to support a fake fish farm.

Just some King (Chinook) salmon taken by ordinary people from a California river:

This same would be found all up and down the W. Coast, up through Canada and in Alaska. Other states have other species.

And of course the US has 88,000 miles of saltwater shoreline if you like ocean fishing.

Beg to differ. Google Lakes of Danbury or Bieri Lakes. Both fish farms in the middle of some of the best bass fishing in the country in Texas. Hundreds more all over the country- most not as famous.

Years ago, I belonged to Lakes of Danbury- and loved it. Costs were about the same as a low end country club ($2500 to join and $140 per month- in the '90s). For that, I showed up, tossed my gear into their 16' Skeeter bass boat with a charged up battery and trolling motor (no gas engine required), fished to my heart's content, then loaded up the car and they cleaned up behind me. No muss, no fuss, no boat payment, no storage issues or requirement to own a truck to haul my boat.

Float tube fishing on the fly was also available- and popular.

Even an hour of fishing was worth the 40 minute drive from home. If the fishing was off that day, it wasn't a great loss- unlike those epic trips to Alaska where "you should have been here last week- we were killing 'em" was my most common greeting on arrival.

And the fishing ranged from 10x as good as the best public waters to 2x as good. All in all, a much more cost effective fishing experience than owning a bass boat, and they managed it so it didn't feel like a fish farm. Also much cheaper than hiring a bass guide and a boat even 6 times a year.

If they were to put a BSR, or a Pilot 111 (properly managed) in the middle of Texas or Oklahoma or California, they'd be taking reservations into the middle of 2015 right now, at $$$ hundreds per day. (They'd starve to death in Wyoming, Montana, or Alaska)

Because, while there is great fishing all over the USA, some folks don't have enough time off or a place to keep a boat, which is almost a must on most big water nowadays. The days of easy fishing from my youth are long past. The easy ones have been taken.