Prelude to travel log: Indo-Pacific catches

[Ken]

Traveled between Nov 25, 2010 to Dec 9, 2010

Phuket, Khao Sok, Koh Samui, Perth and Langkawi

Total fishing hours was 37 hours between the 13 days.

Fish from Phuket, Thailand

6” Indo-Pacific Sergeant Major



5” A species of anthias



7” Bluefin Trevally



6” Whitespotted Rabbitfish



6” A species of wrasse



Fish from Khao Sok National Park, Thailand

9” Giant Kissing Gourami



11” A species of Tinfoil Barb



9” Grey Featherback



13” Transversed Bar-Barb (Hampala Barb aka Jungle Perch)



9” Golden Barred Gourami



Fish from Koh Samui, Thailand

25lb Giant Barb (aka Siamese Carp)





70lb Giant Mekong Catfish





Bait for Mekong Catfish and Siamese Carp



Fish on!



60lb Mekong Catfish



Last cast…I’ve been waiting for this fish all day…

40kg Redtail Catfish





Fish from Perth, Australia

5-foot Bronze Whaler Shark…cut the line before we got it to the surface



Samsonfish!!! We were fishing in 180 meters of water jigging 400g knife jigs, 50lb braid with 80lb fluorocarbon leader…took about 15 minutes to bring it up…



How big?



Smallest adult on the boat caught the biggest fish All 40kg worth and they made me hold it up.



Annoying pufferfish…the harbour was full of them and there was no way to get way from them. They even chewed up soft plastic lures and they were so thick I even snagged them using crankbaits and Kastmasters



7” Sand whiting (I think…)



Fish from Langkawi, Malaysia

5” Fingermark snapper



7” A species of needlefish



5” Some kind of toothy goby



7” Indo-Pacific Tarpon (on the fly rod no less!)



6” A species of grunter



13” Great Barracuda



13” Talang Queenfish (TASTY!!!)



7” Five Banded Archerfish (These fish were so picky…but I finally fooled them using a hopper pattern on the fly rod )



Regrets…

1) Repeatedly losing Giant Needlefish by having them jumped off the hook…in Phuket and in Langkawi

2) Losing a 2lb Giant Snakehead at boat side, and missing another solid strike from a much bigger one

3) Missing a solid arapaima hit at Koh Samui

4) Didn’t have much time to fish more in Perth

5) Couldn’t find any Giant Trevally or groupers in Langkawi

6) Tami lives in Washington State

[Stan Wright]

Does this mean you'll be doing more fishing in BC?

[Ahnkochee]

Hey you think the State would let us introduce Mekong Cats, Redtail Cats, and Giant Barbs into Lake Wilson. I am surprised there are no Tinfoil Barbs in the lake as they are very common fish in the aquarium trade due to their prolific breeding and thus affordable cost, and their fast growth and hardiness. I have 2 in my tank that I bought a few months back at 1.5 inches and 8 months later they are 8 inches and still growing.

[Ken]

Stan, no...I would like to "fish" in WA more often

Ahnko, now wouldn't that be great, eh? I remember someone here said that there were suribim catfish sightings a while ago. The problem with Wahiawa is that the bottom of the lake has very low oxygen so Mekongs, Redtails and Giant Barb may not be able to survive well. I think they also need special breeding conditions also (Mekongs need to breed in rivers).

But I can see Tinfoil Barbs doing well. They have tall, diamond-shaped bodies so they displace a lot of water...which means they fight quite well on light lines More food for the peacocks also?