Cha-am Fishing Park

[migrant]

Nice!

[StevePIraq]

I was at Cha Am Fishing Park today, only checking it out for the future. A few people caught and released some whoppers, it looked pretty impressive.

[buksida]

Went back for another go yesterday, far fewer people out of the weekend.

They also have bungalows for rent from 500-1000 baht a night and have two lakes to fish from.

[Big Boy]

A friend suggested giving this place a go today. Now, I enjoy Hua Hin Fishing Lodge, but thought it would make a change. I agreed, saying I don't mind roughing it now and again.

I've been here before, but not for a few years. Yes, the catch rate was high (around 10 a hour on a good day), but mainly 2-3Kg catfish).

I returned, and what a pleasant change, They've obviously spent some cash tarting the place up, but boy, the biggest change was the fish - they've grown up. There were 2 guys fishing the East bank, who continued to catch 2-3Kg catfish, There were 4 rods on the South shore and 4 on the North shore, where we were. Fish were caught fairly regularly, and I don't think I saw a fish come out under 4' in length. Personally, I had 11 between 4 and 6' long - I'm knackered now .

Yes, I got my hands dirty mixing bait etc, and I had to unhook my own fish, but if you don't mind a bit of rough, I recommend you give this place a try. The transformation in a couple of years is incredible.

Of course the Lodge won't be ignored, but so many large fish can't be ignored either.

[deptrai]

Looks like a blast. I might have to try it this year. Do they have a whole package for rent for some tourist like me? I'm a professional fisherman, but won't have any gear whatsoever. After rod rental do you need to buy all terminal tackle separately? I suppose it wouldn't take up too much space in my luggage to bring my own terminal tackle. What about a landing net and pliers for hook removal? Are the fish required to be released or do some people keep them? Do you have to specify which lake you intend to fish or can you do both/either? I think there are two? Would I have to pay admission for my wife if she was just there spectating?

[Big Boy]

Looks like a blast. I might have to try it this year.

Do they have a whole package for rent for some tourist like me? There isn't a full package as such, but most things you need are there.

I'm a professional fisherman, but won't have any gear whatsoever. After rod rental do you need to buy all terminal tackle separately? Rod hire is cheap, and it comes complete with float, hooks, feeder etc I suppose it wouldn't take up too much space in my luggage to bring my own terminal tackle.

What about a landing net and pliers for hook removal? Nets are provided at each swim, although they are very heavy,
and totally inadequate for the lakes larger fish. Long nosed pliers are required. The removal of hooks must be the most traumatic thing for the fish. They can be very hard to remove, and you often see Thais running around trying to borrow pliers because they can't remove the hook.

Are the fish required to be released or do some people keep them? It is strictly catch and release.

Do you have to specify which lake you intend to fish or can you do both/either? There are 2 lakes, but I've only seen the 2nd lake fished once. I'm not sure what fish are in the 2nd lake - it is where the rental bungalows are situatedI think there are two?

Would I have to pay admission for my wife if she was just there spectating? No, you only pay for the rods you use.
e.g. if you stop for lunch, your wife could carry on in your absence.

[deptrai]

Thanks, Big Boy. I'm not familiar with the term "swim" in this context. What exactly is meant by "at each swim"? Is it like an assigned location that you must fish from? I've watched some fishing contests on UK TV where each fisherman is placed at a specific location around a pond.

[Big Boy]

Yes, at the park there are a lot of salas. Just choose one (each one has a sunbed, table and chairs). Your swim is the water in front of your sala.

[404cameljockey]

Yes, at the park there are a lot of salas. Just choose one (each one has a sunbed, table and chairs). Your swim is the water in front of your sala.

Just endorsing Hua Hin Fishing Lodge (I never tried Cha-Am Fishing Park so I can't comment on that).

Quite a few species including huge predator species in the back lake. Very scary indeed. Easy to catch fish, ghillies will bait your hook if you want, and even cast for you if you're not a fisherman. Give them at least a couple hundred Baht at the end, they work hard and all day. If you catch a big predator they will keep it in a floating net in the water rather than land it, and you wade in the water for your photo op.

My son's girlfriend even enjoyed landing some big fish (she and wife sometimes pass the rod to a man for some of the battle).

You can pay for two rods (say one float and one deadbait)and sit between the lakes fishing both if you get there early for the right swim, or just one rod all round the lakes. Plenty of food and drink available and a bar/restaurant to sit in for a break.

Highly recommend.

[buksida]

Had a return trip to Cha-am Fishing Park over the weekend after a six-year hiatus.

We booked a couple of rooms there to get the best fishing times in the hot season (evening and early morning). Rooms were 700 a night but pretty basic. They're overlooking the "Amazon Lake" so the views were impressive and a massive Arapaima lurked just beyond the balcony. It was 4,000 baht per rod to fish this lake, however, so we stuck with the main lake which is still very well priced at 200 baht per rod per day fishing. Food is cheap and readily available at the restaurant and a big beer is 70 baht.

We pretty much had the place to ourselves for the duration and I managed to land the Giant Siamese Carp this time. My son got a 25kg Mekong on a tiny bait caster so it took him 45 minutes to land it for fear of snapping the rod!

The rest of the time was spent hauling out Sawai catfish, our youngest caught 12 of them in a few hours in the morning. There were also a couple of good-sized tinfoil barbs landed.

If you like fishing, it is a great day out for very little expense.

Edit: great to see that this place hasn't hiked its prices like everywhere else in Thailand has. The entire weekend, with two days of fishing, bait, meals, drinks, and accommodation for four people cost less than the one-day single rod rate at the Jurassic Fishing place up the road.

We'll be back https://goo.gl/maps/bqYMMGCjXxv4MSx26

[buksida]

I took my boys there yesterday, and another good day fishing was had, seems to have been a bit more tarting up of the place, painting, new toilet block etc.

Yes, they've hiked prices a little but its still very reasonable at 400 baht for rod hire and day rate (we had our own gear as their reels are a bit shabby). Best time to go is early morning as by 1pm the place was packed (it was a Sunday on a long weekend). My eldest caught three large 30kg+ Mekongs that gave him a good fight.

Quick question (and I think I know the answer to this): Does anybody know of any other similar fishing venues like this that are aimed at the local market with local prices within say an hour of Hua Hin? (I know about the tourist fishing lodges and jurassic parks, not after those.)

[Big Boy]

As you leave Cha-Am and drive around the very sharp bend to join the main carriageway driving North, as you leave the pretty garden in the middle, take a sharp left. A couple of hundred yards up that road there's a lake on the right, which has fish double the size of where you were yesterday. However, they are a lot harder to catch. From memory it is cheaper there as well, but fish aren't so plentiful. You'll never catch a tiddler there.

Mind you, if he caught 3 large 30Kg+ Mekongs, I'd think he's absolutely knackered today.

[buksida]

Yeah, the Mekongs are much stronger than the Sawai catfish (which the lake is full of) ... he's still asleep!

Is it this place? https://maps.app.goo.gl/F5ZYZDG26x1LDEqS8

Looks like its worth a visit.

[Big Boy]

The honest answer is I don't know. I only went once, and there was a long narrow lake split by a causeway. The bigger part of the lake was full of monster fish. The smaller part had a lot of small fish, which people could catch to eat. It wasn't far along that road (you're on the right road, but I can't spot a lake that resembles the one I remember).

I'm sure once close, you could ask.

[buksida]

Will call them, looks like you can camp there also ... which makes for good morning and evening fishing!