My girlfriend told me recently that her Mum has 2 lakes (ponds) on the land they have here in Thailand. Originally used for water to help grow the crop her father grew when he was alive, they have since been pretty much left alone for more than 2 years, since the old boy passed away.

We took a trip over to the village this weekend so we could say hi to her Mum… nothing to do with the new water she had been talking to me about obviously! The first thing we did when we arrived in the village was to go take a look at the lakes. A short drive of about 1km down a small dirt road and we were on her land and at the lakes!

The first lake was a decent size of about 1/2 rai (800 sqm.) with a depth of 2 metres. Not large by anyone’s standards, but it’ll be fine for me to have the odd day on when we visit, which might be more often now This lake is the most beautiful of them all and has a few patches of lilly pads and is nicely matured. A quick look around and I could see a few small fry in the edges, but have no idea of what they are.

The second lake, double the size and immediately beside the first lake, covers an area of 1 rai (1600 sqm.) and is the latest addition. As you can see from the photo here, its nowhere near as mature as the first, but size wise its the largest.

Anyway, Sunday morning saw me driving to the local fishfarm where I purchased 350 fingerling Pla Nai (common carp) and 200 Pla Nim (a perch like fish) for the total sum of £3.00 and I was back down to the lakes late this morning to stock ‘my’ new ponds
All 550 fish went into lake 1, but it’ll obviously take time before they are ready to fish for, so I will be looking around for larger sized fish and different species to stock. Maybe a local commercial fishery is my best bet.

After we stocked these fish and did an hours work with machetes (too hot for much more!) we went to look at another lake on their land, which is smaller than the two here and totally overgrown. I’m sure it can be used for something though.

The 2 lakes come complete with ‘fishing hut’

We’re back next weekend for a Buddha day, so I might take a rod and have a chuck about to see whats in these lakes as a mate here reckons they might have some Snakehead fish in already. The fry will be gone by then if this is the case so I will need to re-think the plan if so, but for £3.00 I won’t complain!

30th June 2008.

Really wanted a catfish this year. First time I ever saw one was years ago when out fishing with my dad as a youngster. A guy round the lake (Tiddenfoot) was photographing his mate holding a 14lber and the image of it has stuck in my mind since. This year it was time to catch one myself.

So I went to Claydon which is about 13 miles from home. Really lovely night, full of enthusiasm, only two other guys (fishing together) there when I arrived (about 5ish).

I got the impression that the most cats came from the far end of the lake, so I went straight up there this time. It’s shady there so I think many of the cats hole up there during the day. The guys on the
other bank were fishing across to the trees, so I stayed along the bank a little way and fished one rod out into the middle, and one in the margins thinking when the cats came out in the evening they were
going to along my bank.

Had a double-figure (unweighed) carp about 30 mins in, then nothing for ages. 9.30pm had a short but aggressive pull that was dropped. Could have been a carp but thinking it might have been a cat I took
the bailarms off to give the fish a free run. Only had 30 mins left at this point because packing up time is 10pm at the mo.

Bloke on the other side of the lake had a 31lber!

9.55pm (!) a fairly gentle take which I struck and initially thought nothing was there. Then it moved. And then it woke up. And then it tried to break my arms!!

Very pleased I am at this moment. First catfish, 18lbs 12oz or there abouts, this being from a lake that’s a real favourite of mine. Also, these cats came from Woburn Abbey originally, which were the first cats to be imported into this country. So you could say they are as native as you are likely to find in this country.

Bait was double halibut boilie (thankyou Mr. Rich and Mr. Worth) on a hair, fished in a PVA bag of halibut pellets.

I hate the miserable English depressing rain. Especially as I lost my fishing umbrella last week, along with rod rests. I must have left them on the bank. Ho hum. Strange, if I was about to go trout fishing the thought of rain wouldn’t trouble me one bit - so maybe I ought to go trout fishing? But that’s a waste of good coarse fishing time…But it’s raining. Got it! I’ll acquire a new umbrella!

Had a lovely morning on the Kennet at Newbury, trotting red maggot for a mixed catch of Dace, Roach, Gudgeon, Trout, Grayling, and a very nice 4lb 7oz Chub. Apart from a couple of showers, it was a very pleasant morning to be waist deep in the river!

On the Thames: a short session on the Thames at Chertsey Bridge yesterday resulted in a blank and the other session at Bury Hill is documented here: http://www.ukfishingworld.com/index.php/fishing-articles/punting-on-the-old-lake.html