An afternoon of fishing at the Bo Sang Fishing Park in Chiang Mai

12 January 2018

After a lazy morning of cafe hopping at the chic Nimmanhaemin area, we went to Bo Sang Fishing Park to burn some calories. This was the second time I did some fishing in Chiang Mai. I came to catch the giant Mekong Catfish back in December 2014 (Trip report). It was so fun that I promised that I will be back to do more fishing if I do visit Chiang Mai again.

Once again, I contacted Big Game Fishing Adventure Tour to arrange for a fishing guide and Elf was our guide this time.

Elf picked our group of 2 guys and 3 ladies up from the Nimmanhaemin area in his car. Only the guys from our group did the fishing. The ladies came along to observe, give encouragement and to enjoy the tranquil surroundings at the park.

Bait and tackle were all provided by Elf, our guide.

The weather was cooler than normal, perfect for an afternoon out in the open. Elf was concerned that the fish may be less active with the lower temperature. His concerned was unfounded as a fish took the bait almost as soon as it was cast into the pond.

First fish on the hook almost instantly.

First Mekong Catfish caught. Not the largest but strong enough to give a decent fight for about 5 minutes.

Elf provided some instruction to my fishing companion. In no time, he was busy in a tug of war with a fish across the line. He took about 10 minutes to land his first catch.

Jiang’s whopper.

All the fish caught was released back into the pond. We took photos of the larger fishes caught. It was not easy to lift the slimy and heavy (approximately 25 to 30 kg) fish up for a photo.

One of the smallest caught.

Last catch for the day. By then, my arms were too tired to lift the fish up for a photo. 

Between the two of us, we caught at least 5 decent size whoppers and many smaller ones. This was more of the bigger fish than my last time here at Bo Sang Fishing Park. By the end of the day, my arms felt like they were made of lead. 

Unlike the last time where I was provided with a gimbal belt to support the rod during the fight with a big fish, this time I had to support the rod using my body. I later discovered a round bruise on my body where I had rested the end of my fishing rod during the fights with the giant catfishes.

That evening, we had dinner at the Green Chilli Thai Restaurant located at 143 Loi Kroh Road, in the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar area. This restaurant is owned and operated by Mr Suvit, the owner of Big Game Fishing Adventure Tour. Elf, our fishing guide, also worked in this restaurant in the evening. The restaurant serves good Thai food at a reasonable price and is ideal for casual dinner out with a group of friends.

We ended our last evening in Chiang Mai with two hours of soothing massage at the Fah Lanna Massage place, along the same Loi Kroh Road.