Bob9863

A lot of carp anglers, probably m9st use braid to the hook so the boilie works more freely, I've done it for other species when fishing like that, even used a lot of kevlar line when bait fishing for sharp tooth critters.

But for trout you definitely are better off with a leader so it might really depend on how skittish a fish you are chasing.

That's true of any rod, and with any reel, you need to balance it for yourself.

Can tie an fg in the water by sticking the rod butt in my pants, and hanging the the rod with my line in my teeth, but I'm pretty sure it looks ridiculous.

I usexthe double uni on light line and leader, you van tie that while holding the rod under your arm, it should work.

Not even close, my target was about another 20kg heavier, which was probably close to the one I lost.

But next year I've got a shot at some 200kg ones down near krabi. But with two more days at that park I could still hit my 200lb mark there.

Although a funny story about the big one, I've got video of fighting it from across the lake. While I was fighting it a fire ant decided to grab onto my inner thigh and not let go, it hurt like he'll but made for a funny video.

3 minutes ago, Jono4500 said:

What's the monster eeltail catfish looking thing? Snake head?

If I understand correctly it's a sharp tooth catfish from Africa.

There were 3 Germans there yesterday that caught 9 arapima between them.

I'm going back to that park twice more before I go. The staff are super friendly and helpful and they will sell me some young arapima to put in my pond on the family farm up north.

I'm going to have pet arapima, that's bloody awesome.

Oh this park, to fish, for transport, lunch, beer and tips at the end l, it only cost a bit over $200 ,for the day.

Fishing and tips were only $140 for the day.

Bugger, I just lost a 70kg arapima, great video of it.

Never mind, as I was writing that last bit I caught two arapima, so all is good now.

Then you should be set for next trip.

That's why I usually have 3 of every lure in 3 or 4 different colours in my box, that way if one colour and style is working and I loose it, I've got two spares.

That practice has caught me a lot of fish that I otherwise wouldn't have caught when i lost a magic lure.

I'm sure there's somebody that can fix it, even if it will only be good for a decoration.

But despite havecrods fixed in the past, I've never really trusted them again.

It's one reason I like good 2 piece as well as multi piece travel rods, I buy the rod and if I like it, I buy spare end sections for when I break them.

I just realised I forgot to say much about the park. But then I did the report while drinking with the neighbours that took me there. Due to my darlin wife who got me to come back an hour early from fishing had gone our for dinner with a friend and locked me out of the house.

Anyway, that park is called Amazon BKK, it has some great fish but it's very hard fishing compared to other parks. It's also changed hands a bit in the last few years. It was originally owned by a thai family, then last time I was there it had been bought by an English guy that wanted to build a resort there (just before covid) and now it's been bought by a Burmese couple. The price has gone up too, it used to be 3000baht now it's 4000baht plus 500 baht for a guide that was always included before.

But despite the difficulties at that park, every fish I get there I know I worked for it. So now to book into an easier park with more water, more fish and some proper arapima.

I use a nitro tournament finesse and a Nitro power bream finesse for that size reel.

Super light, super sensitive and casts beautiful.

Well today I tried big jackals and some down under boomerangs but what did the trick was soft plastics under a popping float.

I got 5 big red tail catfish and a big alligator gar. I was connected to a dream arapima for almost two minutes before it threw me.

But I'm of to a special park for them this weekend.

Going to e doing s lot of that on Friday I'd say, I'm off to a place called Amazon BKK tomorrow that a lure fishing only park.

Lots of Arapima and Red tail catfish, with a heap of other exotic species as well. The biggest Arapima ie caught there was around 150lb, that was 3 years ago so there must be a few 200lb ones by now.

Fingers crossed for a monster.

I already had an account somewhere, I've found it now so I can finally upload some pictures.

It doesn't help that the moment I get home someone gives me a beer that never empties and shots of rice moonshine. The trouble with thailand is the moment your beer is half full, somebody will top it up so you have no idea how much your drinking until you try to stand.

But anyway the photos, it was a stretch of the Chaophraya River north of Bangkok, I also got told by a regular there that you can catch the giant stingray there so I might have a go at that some time.

Getting to the river took hours longer then expected due to some serious traffic delays moving a backhoe 1st but we got there in the end.

Anyway it started good, people were catching as we arrived and I got two in pretty quick succession, unfortunately we got hit by a monsoon downpour. I went and gutsa jumping a drain to get to the car and after it stopped the bait got soaked and wouldn't stay on the feeder so we left early.

I've got the wife booking me into those arapima parks today so at least I know I'm in for some big fish this week.

The river

Popular spot

The BIL getting set up

The bait rig, everyone uses them.

My tiny haul.

If someone can tell my why they didn't work I will fix them, bugger.

8 hours ago, mzaakir said:

Thanks guys for all the help, appreciate it. Keen to try the new setup. Spartan is super light which i love

I'd probably go a 2500 size reel then, keep the whole thing light.

I'm starting to get the PE thing, unfortunately it makes as much sense as everything else.

PE or Kg don't actually mean how strong the rod is, max drag weights are only on a few rods, lure or jig cast weights ect.

It's all a bloody mess.

The only way to know what a rod can actually do is to break it.

I'm starting to get the PE thing, unfortunately it makes as much sense as everything else.

PE or Kg don't actually mean how strong the rod is, max drag weights are only on a few rods, lure or jig cast weights ect.

It's all a bloody mess.

The only way to know what a rod can actually do is to break it.

My main rod is a PE3 and its got a Stella 2500 9n it that balances perfectly.

It is a lighter one piece rod, but a PE2-3 probably isn't any bigger, but I could get away fine if I put the Stella 4000 on it.

Different reels tend to have different sizes for their number, you know not all 2500's are the same size. But a reel in between those two in size will fit it perfectly.