Simon and Karen Spavin

Sunday, February 25, 2018

Dusky Langur, Kaeng Krachan, Thailand

Fantastic to see a family of langurs come past, stopping to feed on select leaves and buds.

Giant Mekong Cat Fishing, Bungsamran, Bangkok

This was such an amazing day, one that we will remember forever.

The main lake at Bungsamran. These green things are the aerators that help keep the water oxegenated. There were just a couple of other chaps who had booked and their chalet was about 6 down from us (they didn't catch as many fish !). It was such a lovely setting, birds everywhere !

Recon this was Simon's first catfish of the morning, weighing in at 25kg.

A good start 10 minutes after the first cast.

You need tremendous upper body strength to hook the fish and then to land them....

definately not for the weak !

The chap on the right was Simon's fishing buddy. They load the bait and cast for you (you would hook the roof of your chalet every time you cast and spend all day hooked up and taffled!), then help with the net and the landing of the fish. It would be impossible to fish without a lad to help. It's a very small world because he remembered our son, Tom, from when he went to Bungsamran last year. He even remembered the weight of the fish he caught, probably because it was one of the biggies at 50kg.

This was Simon's biggest Mekong Catfish weighing in at 40kg. He could just pick it up and was definately done for after this one so we finished on a mighty high x

Our fishing buddy was unhooking (they always do that as they are experts and look after their fish). Our taxi driver was helping hold the net and another fishing buddy stopped by for a chat. Lovely lads. Would definately go back if we were ever in Bangkok and would recommend it for any fisherman to visit.

After the mornings fishing, Simon gave our taxi driver a go. He was exhausted after landing just one catfish, sweat was running off him so he sat in our fridge to cool off !

Hot, sunburnt, sweaty, knackered, covered in fish slime and happy. That's fishing for you !

The sunnier it got the more clothes our chap put on and the more I took off.

The binoculars are on the table, just incase.

A day at Bungsamran fishing for Giant Mekong Catfish. What a day, it was fantastic. We were picked up at our hotel at 5.30am and Simon was fishing by 7am. He landed 10 catfish and lost 3. It was a lovely change to do something different before our birding holiday and our Tom had been here a few times before and highly recommended it. His record was 50kg and was pleased that Simon didn't beat that. Simon's biggest was 40kg and that was a whopper. It's exhausting pulling the fish in which can take some time. What with the heat and the strength needed, you are soon flagging. Water is provided throughout the day, along with lunch. A fantastic day, one that we will remember forever.