Big brace Giant freshwater stingray fishing National Geographic – 19 01 2009
Dr.Zeb Hogan from the National Geographic society along with the Infocus Asia Television production crew joined the Fishsiam team on a Thailand stingray fishing trip to the Maeklong River at Samut Songkran.
The purpose of the visit was to carry out scientific examinations of Giant freshwater stingray and to attach identification tags to all fish caught.
Official approval had been given by the Department of Fisheries for the team to catch Giant freshwater stingray and assist with all scientific procedures.
All fish caught during the trip were intended to be accurately weighed using a custom made weigh sling and 1,000 lb digital scales.
After only one hour of fishing the team was battling a large Giant freshwater stingray out in the middle reaches of the river. An arm aching forty minutes later saw a large female Giant freshwater stingray safely brought to the riverside.
The massive prehistoric predator was transferred to an aerated holding tank erected on the riverside before several groundbreaking scientific procedures were carried out by Dr.Zeb Hogan.
The fish was accurately weighed at a weight of 108kg’s with the aid of a construction vehicle fitted with a crane arm before being released shortly after.
The exact results and procedures carried out during the trip will be shown on the National Geographic Channel later this year.
Some three hours later saw the Fishsiam team once again battling another Giant freshwater Stingray.
This time the battle was a much less protracted affair with the fish being quickly overwhelmed by the heavy duty nature of the big game equipment.
After bringing the fish to the riverside it was quickly transferred to the holding tank for scientific examination.
After recording the fish’s measurements for scientific research the small Giant freshwater stingray was identified as a small male.
The fish was number tagged and weighed at a weight of 45kg’s+ before being released by Dr.Zeb Hogan.
All events during the Thailand stingray fishing trip were filmed by Director Dean Johnson and the Infocus Asia production crew for use in a forthcoming documentary to be shown on the National Geographic Channel later in the year.
