67kg Giant Mekong Catfish
Posted on 2009-04-21
Darren waits it out for a big fish on Bungsamran
Returning angler Darren from Enfield, was in Thailand for a happy occassion this year, his marriage to "Pim". Now both are looking forward to a new life in the UK, but not before Pim allowed Darren a few days fishing here in the land of smiles!
Bungsamran at times is an unpredictable place, we have long advised anglers that fishing much beyond an hour into darkness is not very productive, but due the fact we struggled to get our previous guest Rasmus a big fish in 2 days fishing, we felt obliged to honour Darrens request to fish on for a few hours into darkness. The daytime came and went with very little in the way of excitment (although plenty of whisky for the girls!)a few striped catfish and 3 Mekongs. So having persuaded Boonsong, onwards into darkness we fished. I was surprised to take another Mekong off the bottom at around 7:30pm. The rods where rebaited and returned into position. 8'pm came and went, and I was very much of the view the fishing was over. Then out of the blue at around 8:25 a very positive run was struck, and the solid resistance of a big Mekong heading off out into the lake was a very welcome break from the monotony! Boonsong sounded the big fish horn!
Darren did a good job of controlling the fish for 20 minutes or so, until it managed to get around the side of the bungalow, which forced us then to take the rod down the side of the bungalow and have Darren finish the fight off the walkway. We had felt the fish was in the 50kg to 60kg range for the first 20 minutes or so of the fight but as the fight continued it was clear the fish may be bigger, and after a few hart stopping moments with the fish finding its way into a sunken tree and around an aeration system , which saw our guide having to enter the water, the fish was finally netted.
At 67kg/148lb it beat Darrens previous PB by 25kgs! A great wedding present we thought!
Darren waits it out for a big fish on Bungsamran
Returning angler Darren from Enfield, was in Thailand for a happy occassion this year, his marriage to "Pim". Now both are looking forward to a new life in the UK, but not before Pim allowed Darren a few days fishing here in the land of smiles!
Bungsamran at times is an unpredictable place, we have long advised anglers that fishing much beyond an hour into darkness is not very productive, but due the fact we struggled to get our previous guest Rasmus a big fish in 2 days fishing, we felt obliged to honour Darrens request to fish on for a few hours into darkness. The daytime came and went with very little in the way of excitment (although plenty of whisky for the girls!)a few striped catfish and 3 Mekongs. So having persuaded Boonsong, onwards into darkness we fished. I was surprised to take another Mekong off the bottom at around 7:30pm. The rods where rebaited and returned into position. 8'pm came and went, and I was very much of the view the fishing was over. Then out of the blue at around 8:25 a very positive run was struck, and the solid resistance of a big Mekong heading off out into the lake was a very welcome break from the monotony! Boonsong sounded the big fish horn!
Darren did a good job of controlling the fish for 20 minutes or so, until it managed to get around the side of the bungalow, which forced us then to take the rod down the side of the bungalow and have Darren finish the fight off the walkway. We had felt the fish was in the 50kg to 60kg range for the first 20 minutes or so of the fight but as the fight continued it was clear the fish may be bigger, and after a few hart stopping moments with the fish finding its way into a sunken tree and around an aeration system , which saw our guide having to enter the water, the fish was finally netted.
At 67kg/148lb it beat Darrens previous PB by 25kgs! A great wedding present we thought!
