Phuket Game Park

Steve El Crusty Thorne and Capt'n Whittall of Weymouth's latest excursion to the Phuket Game Park resulted in the Capt'n (me) attracting hoards of adoring crowds and small children to view the biggest catfish ever recorded (I lie) from this water. This fine 16kg catfish fell to a deftly presented bit of bread squeezed onto a size 14 (hmmm...dunno how sizes are worked out over here....looked like a size 2 to me) thick shanked hook to a 30lb braid trace. The running leger rig incorporated a bait cage with a good handful of bread/fruit/stuff crammed into it. The filled 'bait cage' acts as the weight to cast the bait into the middle of the lake which is apparently 10 metres deep.


This was though, take note Mr Derby and other followers of the legendary Crusty's angling exploits, Mr Thorne's day. His Siamese carp was just on 19kg (over 40lb!) and was the biggest fish of the day and the heaviest to be caught from the lake so far this year....well, it IS the 10th Jan already!

This has made Steve's lake fishing something very special....a 40lb plus freshwater fish is a very fine catch.

And one more before it was released...to show the justifiably ecstatic angler enjoying a final wet wriggle against his toned and tanned body before the fish was returned.

That's the end of Steve's fishing for this holiday. The next fishing adventure will be when I meet Gary and Bert in Bangkok on 22nd Jan. I have arranged for a Thai fishing guide to take us to two waters to the north of the Capital. Our first venue contains some monster catfish...up to 350lb!!!! (I've seen the photographic evidence) Day 2 will be fishing for baramundi using spinning tackle. I am assured to expect anything between 20 to 50 fish each in the 5kg to 12kg range per day. I'm going to invest in a couple of rods/reels for this second day as then we'll have some tackle for the lake in Phuket. It costs quite a high percentage of the overall daily cost in Phuket if we hire rods....so this may be a way to reduce the outlay a bit.

I have made enquiries at Gillhams Fishery over in Krabi. These venues are not cheap...Gillhams is £100 per day (approx) but it has to be regarded as one of the top freshwater venues in the world now. I know that's the sort of stupid claim made by many venues or in various tourist guides...but in the case of Gillhams, it is definitely an accurate description.

It seems like Gary and Bert won't have time for my proposed trip there after the Bangkok lakes....so, I can see me going there on my own at the end of February.

The point of this drivel though is to emphasise just how much amazing freshwater fishing there is available. For you keen anglers, there is just so much on offer....what a winter's holiday you could have here!!