Fishing Thailand Mekong Catfish – 20 03 2011
Paul and David from the UK visited Bungsamran Lake in Thailand fishing for Mekong and Striped Catfish.
On arrival at the lake the anglers began fishing from the public bank and cast large sliding float set ups packed with groundbait towards the central part of the lake.
With lots of fish continually topping out in the centre the anglers did not have long to wait before one of the rods ripped off!
With line streaming from the spool David clamped down on the bale arm and bent into the unseen catfish.
A large bow wave appeared out in the lake as a Mekong Catfish broke through the surface before diving back into the depths.
Several minutes later the Mekong Catfish was brought within netting range where it as scooped up by the guide.
Paul was next up landing another Mekong Catfish of a similar size estimated to weigh 20kg’s.
As the days fishing progressed both anglers caught regularily catching plenty of Mekong Catfish between 20-25kg’s.
Later in the afternoon David hooked a much larger specimen that tore off towards the opposite side of the lake.
Applying as much pressure as he dared the angler managed to turn the Mekong Catfish causing it to embark on another powerful run.
David battled the Mekong Catfish for a further fifteen minutes before he managed to regain control of the catfish bringing it within a few yards of the fishing platform.
After several fraught moments at netting the guide expertly scooped the Mekong Catfish into the net and hoisted the catfish onto the unhooking mat.
The Mekong Catfish was estimated to weigh 40-45kg’s and was released shortly after a few trophy shots were taken with the camera.
At the end of the days fishing in Bangkok the anglers had landed a twenty fish haul of Mekong and Striped Catfish topped by David’s beast weighing in the excess of 40kg’s
