If you want to try something different, somewhere new, a form of fishing most would not have tried then a trip to Thailand is a must.
After lots of research and looking around the trip this year would be to target massive freshwater fish species at the world famous Gillham’s Fishing Resorts near Krabi, Thailand.
Gillhams Fishing Resort
http://www.gillhamsfishingresorts.com/The top of the list for me was the Arapaima having watched many videos and tv shows about this powerful yet stunning looking fish, I wanted to get a chance of hooking one of these river monsters myself.
A weeks’ vacation with my wife Jo in the seaside town of Patong settled us into the heat of Thailand and the stunning scenery. We hired a taxi to take us the 3 hour trip around the bay to Gillham’s, some great scenery with miles of rubber trees and pineapple plantations amongst the local forests.
Arriving at Gillham’s you are awestruck by the beauty that surrounds you with massive limestone mountains towering over lush green vegetation. The main lake is at the foot of the reception-bar area and runs away to the mountains. To the right hand side of the lake comfortable bungalows line the water’s edge with “Pins” (manmade fishing spots). On the left hand side of the main lake there are more pins, a total of 26 different areas you can fish. On a busy day they cater for a total of 16 anglers giving you plenty of areas to fish if you choose to move.
Stunning scenery
View from our bungalow unit with fishing spot 20 meters away!!
There are 49 different species in the lakes with the top targeted fish being
Apapaima – (500lb +)
Chao Phraya (130lb)
Giant Freshwater Stringray (200lb)
Mekong Catfish (300lb)
Siamese Carp (160lb)
Wallago Leeri (110lb)
Our check in to our unit was delayed as head guide Joel was having a fish next to the restaurant and was hooked up to a very nice Siamese Carp. I thought this trip was going to be wicked, how often do you have to wait to check in because of fish getting landed nearby!!!.
We settled into our unit and took a walk around the grounds looking at the lake and breeding ponds. I must say the first time I saw a 200lb fish jump in the lake and smash back down not 20 meters from me I thought my heart had stopped. The noise and sight of a fish so big, so close smashing the water took me back to Mexico and giant YFT doing the same, but wait, this was fresh water!!
After a quick walk we decided to have a fish as I couldn’t wait to start till the next morning after seeing fish like that.
Guide Steve set us up and took me through how things worked there. First question was have you read our rules (available on their website). I would suggest anyone thinking of going there read them first so you know what they expect from you and vice versa.
The rigs they used were like nothing I have used before being made of a bead placed above a foot long length of rubber tubing slipped over your leader, then it run though a sinker and onto a swivel. They then attached a length of around 80lb braid which was snelled onto a hook with a 100mm length of braid left hanging down with a large loop in it.
The loop was feed through two large fish pallets with a needle and then looped on itself. This was the main rig with a few different variations of it for dead baits and maize / boily baits. The first thing that struck me about it was the hook didn’t have bait on it, only the braid dropper leaving the hook fully exposed.
This rig was for Giant Siamese Carp, it had maize threaded onto a string and a dissolvable bag of pellets attached
This was cast out and then baiting of the area took place by bombing it with fish pallets by either sling shots, plastic scoops or my favourite a device that looked like a bomb that you filled with pallets and cast out, when it hit the water it opened up and dispersed the feed.
So the gear was set, the ground baiting finished for the moment and it was time to sit down on the chairs provided and take in the scenery. They use stands to lay the rods in and they are hooked up to bite alarms. The first hour went by with no luck but the sound of a whistle getting blown further down the lake (you blow a whistle to let the guides know you are hooked up so they can come and help you clear rods and land the fish) indicated someone had got hooked up.
First “fish On” call for me came not long after with the bite alarm going mental as the line got striped from the reel, I bolted out of my chair picked up the rod and struck to set the hook, the fish didn’t stop peeling line off only increased its speed, not even hesitating a moment I saw 30, then 40 meters of line go still it ran, 50, 60, 70 and then 80 meter of line off in a single non-stop run. I was just about to start thumbing the spool when ping the 36lb main line broke. What a fish!! That really got the juices flowing. Later on that afternoon I landed an Amazon Red Tailed Catfish weighting approximately 45 pound's. This was a good fight and certainly kept the adrenalin running.
First up a 55lb Amazon Redtail Carp, awesome looking fish that go hard.
Next day was to be a full day so up early and on the stand by the 7am start time the resort has. You can fish until 8pm (1 hour of darkness). The first fish came quickly with Jo nailing a Pacu (the fish with human teeth that looks like a piranha on steroids).
Jo with a nice Pacu
I got one not long after which started a great days fishing. Jo got another fish this time a 50lb Giant Siamese Carp which was a great effort before she called it a day and went shopping for the afternoon in Ao Nang a seaside town not far away.
Time for a Pacu for me, cool colours
Jo with her first Giant Siamese Carp - These fish fight like there's no tomorrow
While she was shopping I managed to get my first Arapiama which came in at 80lb. The runs were long and the fish stayed deep before giving us a chance to net him in the specially designed landing cages. That put the big tick on my bucket list on the first day.
80lb Arapaima
I managed 10 fish for that day, a good effort I thought considering some people only got 1 fish. That’s just the way it goes on the day, some days are blinders others can be average but that’s why they call it fishing.
Another good Amazon Redtail Carp
Giant Siamese carp for me. The look like a giant gold fish but pull string hard.
I managed to get another 2 Arapaima for the 3 days fishing with a 150lb followed up on my last day with a stonker 250lb fish which blew all my expectations away.
The fish I went there to get, a 250lb RIVER MONSTER, Arapaima
Here the guides help me support this fresh water beast.
Some of the fish like the Giant Siamese carp were very hard fighters not giving an inch, staying deep and just when you thought you had them beat they would tear off on another blistering run leaving you feeling like you are getting no-where. This is not lake fishing, this is LBG!
So if you are wanting a place to take the whole family (yes the kids can fish in the breeding ponds getting fish up to 25lb) to see Thailand and do a bit of fishing I would highly recommend you check out Gillham’s Fishing Resorts. Some of the best freshwater big fish action you will get while being in the comfort of a motel.
Local attractions like Phi Phi Island and shopping in Ao Nang or Krabi will satisfy the partner if she’s not into fishing or she can stay at the resort by the huge pool, read books from their library or surf the internet with the free wi-fi available around the lake.
After a hard days fishing you don’t need to go far for a refreshing shower then walk to the restaurant at the end of the lake for a few cold beers and excellent food (they cater for both western and Thai cultures)
We went in June the start of their raining season with temperatures around 32-33 every day with humidity around 80-90%. Nice and toasty for those that like it. The bungalows do have air-conditioning and fans to make it more comfortable at night when sleeping although I found it not to bad inside and out during the day.
This place has it all, I’ll be going back for sure. Get 16 mates and book the whole place out for yourselves. High season is between October and March when the mostly European winter travellers arrive. Fish health is their #1 priority which made it so attractive to me as catch and release is something I promote myself.
Prices are very reasonable, all available on their web site and the guides are top notch.
It didn't come easy beating her and the guide up when posing for a picture.