Giant freshwater stingray fishing Thailand.

Giant freshwater stingray fishing Thailand. - 18 05 2011

After an enquiry from a Hong Kong based company which specializes in computer animation and graphics a team from ‘Different.com’ travelled to the Maeklong River.

The graphic design team had expressed a wish to photograph and video Giant freshwater stingrays in high definition to assist in an animated film sequence featuring stingrays.

Timing the visit to coincide with the tidal influx the graphic design team were soon positioned in the Area 51 stretch of the Maeklong River on a fishing boat.

After positioning baits at various intervals across the river the Hong Kong design team waited patiently for events to unfold.

The river level slowly began to creep up as the incoming tide from the Gulf of Thailand edged further up the river.

A slow but determined run soon developed which caused the fishing guides to engage the clutch on the Okuma stand up reel and notch up the pressure.
The heavy duty Okuma stand up rod bent over towards the water and began to creak gently as it began to soak up the power being transmitted from below.

The Giant freshwater stingray below slowly moved off across the bottom pulling line from the tightened reel and causing the boat to swing round in the current.
The anchor was quickly pulled up and the boat was expertly maneuvered by the captain using the long scaffold tubing rudder to allow the angler a direct line of pull on the stingray.

As the anglers piled on the pressure the Giant freshwater stingray suddenly stopped in its tracks deeply embedding itself in the muddy riverbed.

The fishing boat was quickly positioned above the Giant freshwater stingray and maximum pressure was applied.
After several minutes of the heavy stand up being bent into the unseen freshwater stingray the stingray finally released its grip on the bottom.

As the rod sprang back the angler quickly reeled to replace line back onto the reel and keep the stingray off of the muddy bottom.

Several more minutes followed with the Giant freshwater stingray effortlessly gliding around under the boat.
Slowly but surely the Giant freshwater stingray was pulled up through the water column until it was just below the surface.

Several more minutes followed as the anglers inched the stingray towards the waiting landing net.
Finally the stingray wildly thrashing its tail was pulled into the boat side net before the net was quickly secured to the boat.

After bringing the Giant freshwater stingray to the riverside the Giant freshwater stingray was observed to be a female and was measured at a width of 1.4m’s.

The Giant freshwater stingray was estimated to weigh 90kg’s+ and was filmed and photographed by the graphic design team.

After releasing the Giant freshwater stingray the team headed back towards the river for the last few hours fishing.

Another take was soon forthcoming and on this occasion saw the Giant freshwater stingray landed after a relatively short five minute battle.

The Giant freshwater stingray on this occasion was another small female measuring 1.1m’s which was estimated to weigh only 25-30kg’s.

Once again the Giant freshwater stingray was filmed and photographed by the computer graphic design team before being released back into the Maeklong River.