DREAM FISHING at Gillhams in Thailand

WORDS: Roland Reid | IMAGES: Author & Gillhams Resorts This is my story. I had a dream. No, I am not Martin Luther King, I am just an ordinary passionate angler who has been fortunate enough to be able to fish various methods, styles, facets, and venues in and around southern Africa for the last 60 years. Like many anglers, I dreamt about fishing for different giant species in exotic locations. To fulfil this dream and celebrate achieving the biblical three score and ten (70) years, I planned a trip to a venue which is rated by many well-known anglers as the world’s finest freshwater fishing destination, Gillhams Fishing Resorts in Krabi, Thailand. The resort is run by the Gillham family who selected the site to dig a lake of 12 acres and 7m deep in parts. It has developed into a premier global freshwater fishing destination. The lake was stocked in 2007 with 46 species of fish from around the world. These include arapaima, Mekong catfish, Siamese carp, alligator gar and Chao Phraya catfish, each of which exceed 70kg, with arapaima and Mekong catfish exceeding 150kg. There are a host of smaller species including pacu, tambaqui, vundu, tarpon, Amazon redtail catfish, Niger ripsaw catfish and various stingrays. Many world-renowned anglers have visited the resort and it is their accounts of the fishing there that sparked my dream. I hopped on a plane to Singapore and after a quick stop boarded the flight to Krabi Airport in the city of Aonang in Thailand. Normally Gillhams would have met me at the airport, but due to Covid entry restrictions, I had to overnight at a hotel for an entry PCR test. After testing negative, Gillhams would collect me. After making and paying for this booking, the Thai government suspended this requirement for fully vaccinated travellers, so I got to spend the day in Aonang and enjoy a relaxing day at the beach. View of the restaurant. The next day I was collected by a Gillhams driver and took a 30-minute drive to the resort. On arriving, I felt like I had stepped into a dream world, a movie set. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. Everything I had seen in magazines and the internet was true! The lake is set amongst the spectacular limestone karst mountains prevalent in southern Thailand, covered in dense verdant green jungle interspersed with bare stone cliffs. The resort itself is surrounded by dense jungle vegetation, but the lake and chalets have beautifully designed and maintained tropical gardens planted with many shrubs, bushes and trees unknown to me. The combination of the mountainous jungle landscape coupled with pristine lakeside tropical gardens, is breathtakingly beautiful … a dream world! Typical fish-holding habitat for anything from a 9kg pacu to a 65kg Chao Phraya catfish. The resort has the luxurious chalets alongside the lake, air-conditioned and fully fitted for your needs. An on-site restaurant, bar and pool complete visitors’ requirements. The resort provides all the rods, reels, tackle and baits as part of the angling package. All the angler needs are a few sundry items such as PVA bags/mesh, baiting needles, bait stops, braid scissors and pellet drill, which can also be purchased at the resort if need be. As for clothing, take quick-dry shorts and shirts, sandals, hat, a light rain jacket, sunglasses, and sunblock. On arrival I was met by the owner, Sean Gillham who did all the usual paperwork and also explained the fishing rules: Only barbless hooks allowed.Only baits provided by Gillhams to be used.All rigs tied by anglers or any other tackle to be approved by guides.Only the guides may net fish.Fish were not to be weighed. Guides provide an accurate estimation of weights.Anglers to enter the water only when asked by the guides to have photographs taken.Anglers to remove all jewellery, watches, belts etc prior to entering the water. These rules are to ensure no fish are hurt during the landing or photography process. All fish are treated with iodine by the guides prior to release. After check-in, I proceeded to my allotted chalet where I quickly unpacked and took my smartphone for a stroll around the lake. I stopped at the first swim I came to as the angler was busy fighting a large fish which was duly netted, a Siamese carp of 35kg. I could hardly believe my eyes. I had never seen a carp this big, but little did I know what catches awaited me! As I walked around the lake enjoying the spectacular scenery and soaking up the atmosphere, I stopped at some of the 25 swims to chat to anglers and observe some playing fish. That afternoon I witnessed three Siamese carp in excess of 45kg being netted and photographed. I met one of the senior guides, Chris, for a chat about the next day’s fishing. The swims on the chalet side of the lake are numbered according to the chalets behind them (A1, A3, B1 etc) and the swims on the opposite side are numbered Sala 1-10. Sala being the name of the permanent pagoda-type structure which has been erected in every swim. Chris suggested that I start in Sala 9, to which I agreed. My bait allocation of pellets and boilies for the seven days' fishing were delivered to my chalet, while the meat bait was delivered with my tackle to Sala 9. Dinner is served in the restaurant and was delicious. The menu has a comprehensive English food selection as well as a Thai food selection. Gillhams also has an on-site spa and Thai cookery school. But there were fish to be caught so the alarm was set for 06:00 as fishing begins at 07:00. The alligator gar opened my innings at Gillhams. This one weighed 17kg. Day 1 After getting dressed and a cup of coffee, I took a stroll to my swim. I met my guide, Kyle at Sala 9 and he gave me a quick rundown on the tackle. The stainless-steel rod pods were fitted with three electronic alarms and swingers. The rods are 10ft, 6lbs test curve cat tamers paired with Daiwa Infinity 5500 baitfeeder reels spooled with 80lbs braid. Kyle suggested I cast one rod down the edge with fish bait for a predator and two rods at 30m-45m for carp. I set the two carp rods with a boilie on one and a wafter on the other, with a PVA bag of boilies and pellets attached to each. The traps were set and the wait began. I had an indecisive take on the boilie with the alarm just beeping constantly but not taking line. We thought it was an alligator gar chomping on the bait but not eating it. I decided to change the predator bait and put on a method feeder. Not much later I had a screaming reel run and struck – but fresh air! I had buried the boilie bait and hook inside the stiff groundbait on the feeder. Rookie error, the first of many lessons to learn at a strange venue. By mid-afternoon all was quiet so I cast out a large float bait with a spring feeder and single boilie hanging below to try for a Mekong catfish. On retrieving my third cast all hell broke loose as the fish – it was an alligator gar – jumped clear of the water as I took up the slack. It jumped again but I noticed the float was being dragged behind it. I realised then that the fish had swum into the line between me and the float and got tangled, so the chances of landing it were slim. On the third jump we could see the line clearly wrapped around the beak of the fish. It was my first fish on, so I eased off the drag and prayed. Eventually I was able to guide the fish into the net trailing 5m of braid and the end tackle. Lucky days – my first ever alligator gar at 17kg, the first of many firsts to come! The float rod was a mess, so I cast out a boilie and PVA bag and sat down to enjoy a quiet drink when the middle rod took off. I struck into a solid fish which proceeded to peel off 50m of line with the drag preset at 7kg. These freshwater fish are powerful! A sharp blow on the whistle provided alerted Kyle that I had a fish on and then 10 minutes into the fight with the fish still fighting strongly, my left-hand rod took off – a double take. Fortunately, Kyle was able to assist and after 25 minutes I got the first fish, a Siamese carp in the net. It weighed 32kg! Siamese carp are popular targets at Gillhams – this is a 32kg specimen. I then concentrated on the second fish. After another tough battle ensued, I netted the second fish, also a Siamese carp that weighed in at 43kg. I was absolutely blown away! I had come to Thailand hoping to catch some large fish, but this was ridiculous. I could not believe the size of these two giants that far exceeded anything I had previously caught in freshwater. Kyle duly obliged as cameraman, and I could hardly lift the 43kg fish clear of the water. After treating each fish, they were carefully released. Time for a drinks break before recasting, and my rods were hardly back in the water when away they went! This fish did not feel as big and strong as the others and eventually landed in the net after a short and intense battle – a Siamese carp of 23kg. A quick photo session, treatment and back it went. The swim was quiet for the rest of the day and lines-up was at 19:00. A quick shower, change of clothes and it was a Thai dinner in the restaurant. Also an opportunity to chat to other anglers about the day. Then back to the chalet to prepare PVA bags for the next day (approximately 20 per rod), with lights out at 23:00 and the alarm set for 06:00, and so the routine began. Straining to hoist my Siamese carp of 43kg. Day 2 Day 2 saw me fishing swim D3. The day started quietly with very little happening around the lake. At about 09:00 I decided to pull in one rod and my Thai guide, Yut, suggested I spomb some bait in and cast over the top of it. Ten spombs later I cast the PVA bag and boilie combination in, felt my sinker hit the bottom, sunk the line and put on my back lead. I tightened the line and was about to attach the swinger when the reel screamed off. I struck and what felt like a freight train took off. In no time the fish had melted 80m of 80lbs braid from the reel. A ding-dong battle ensued and for the next 40 minutes it was a case of give line, take line, until I had the fish under the rod tip. It suddenly surfaced and Yut did the netting and started dancing and shouting Chao Phraya!, Chao Phraya! It was only then that I realised I was fortunate enough to land a specie that is rarely caught, the Chao Phraya catfish that is indigenous to the Chao Phraya River which gives its name to this monster catfish, second in size only to the Mekong catfish. Yut’s celebration soon drew a crowd of onlookers and the guides on the bank all gathered for a look. Congratulations all round and the cameras captured the event. I was over the moon. On my second day I had now not only caught four huge freshwater fish but also a rare catch. I had to pinch myself to make sure it was real and not a dream! The sun came out, the wind dropped, and it was like fishing in an oven with the humidity touching 95%. I soldiered on trying various tactics, baits and distances but could not raise another bite until 18:30, when my rod with fish bait in the margin under the tree gave a single bleep, then the tip bent over and suddenly popped back up. The fish had spat out the bait! I left it there until lines-up only to retrieve a very mangled fish bait offering. My first Chao Phraya weighing in at a stunning 50kg. That evening at dinner everyone wanted to see the photos of the Chao Phraya. One English angler related how he had been visiting Gillhams for 12 years, 10 days at a time, and was yet to catch a Chao Phraya. Here I was, only two days into the trip having lassoed an alligator gar and caught a Chao Phraya; surely my nickname must be 'Lucky'! Day 3 I woke up to heavily overcast skies and rain. But not just any rain, monsoon rain. Imagine a heavy Highveld thunderstorm without the lightning chucking it down all day. Oh well, I would be jumping in the water when I caught a fish so I would be wet in any case. The temperature remained at 25°C throughout the day. Wet and warm. That was okay, it was just a little tricky handling and baiting up with PVA bags. I settled into swim D3 for the day and carefully arranged my kit out of the rain in the D3 sala. After carefully baiting the rods and casting out, I proceeded to cast some spombs containing a mix of pellets and boilies. As usual a fish bait down the edge and one rod with two drilled pellets and the other a single boilie as baits. I had just finished ordering a full English breakfast, which is then delivered hot to your swim, when the fun started. The rod with the pellet bait took off and after a short battle I netted a Siamese carp of 21kg, a great start to the day. When rebaiting both rods I changed the one rig to a flat-bed method feeder which was easier to rebait in the heavy rain. An inspired move, for while I was still eating a very welcome breakfast with hot coffee, the feeder rod took off. The fish gave a good account of itself and another Siamese carp of 23kg was in the net. It proved to be very lively and on trying to lift it for a photo, it gave me a heavy klap to the head with its tail and said goodbye. Fortunately, Yut took a picture of me getting a fish hiding. Ha-ha! As I tried to lift this Siamese carp of 36kg for a photo, it gave me a good klap and fled the scene. Ha-ha! I rebaited the rods and finished breakfast. Between the rain showers it was quiet. Once again, I ordered a delicious lunch and drinks which are also delivered to your swim. Talk about anglers' heaven, not having to give up any fishing time for breakfast or lunch! A cooler box and ice are also part of your equipment at every swim, 5-star service indeed. Just after lunch a rod went away for another long first run, then we settled down to a familiar tug of war until Yut slipped the net under Siamese carp #3 for the day. This one weighed in at 36kg, a good sign. After a quick photo session, the fish swam sedately away. I rebaited and recast the rods and settled back to enjoy the view. Out of the blue, one rod screamed off. I set the hook but it did not stop the fish as it kept going … and going … and going. The 80lbs braid and heavy drag did nothing. The 6lbs rod was bent over in a deep curve as the line just peeled away at a rate of knots. I knew straight away that this was a solid unit. My line was now touching 100m out and the fish was kiting left. It stopped, turned, and went right. I had a big tree in the water on my right and the fish kited the 150m to stop out behind the tree. All I could do was to keep my rod down and apply side strain and hope the fish would turn. Fortunately, it did and started kiting left again passing my swim and stopping in front of the angler at C4 on my left. Here’s when you hope he was also using back leads so you don’t pick up his lines. Pump, wind, pump, wind, pump, wind for 10 minutes and regain 100m of line, only for the fish to turn and take it all again. So I started the process again – pump and wind, pump and wind, and when the fish turned, each run was shorter than the last. It was back and forth for the best part of 40 minutes since being hooked when a behemoth surfaced in front of me and was netted. Guide Bell (left) helps me to pose with my magnificent Siamese carp specimen of >66kg. In January this year, UK specimen carp ace Ali Hamidi captured it at 66kg and it has since put on more weight. The tail is so wide I had to use my whole arm to cradle it. My guide, Bell, carefully removed the hook and I just stood there rooted to the spot. This Siamese carp was huge, far bigger than the one I caught on the first day. It filled the net and was broad across the shoulders. Bell quietly asked me to call Bud, the senior guide on the chalet bank today as he wanted Bud to look and assess the fish. Bud took one look at the facial markings and scale pattern and broke out into a broad grin and immediately turned to congratulate me on catching the most well-known fish in the lake. This fish earned that title when it was captured by the English carp specimen angler, author and angling TV personality, Ali Hamidi while he was broadcasting live on Facebook in January 2022. Due to the circumstances in which it was caught, the fish was officially weighed at 144lbs. Since more anglers were fishing and feeding baits since Covid restrictions were lifted, it is now conservatively estimated to weigh between 144lbs-150lbs (66kg-68kg). My capture was the first time it had been captured since Ali Hamidi landed it. Lucky, lucky, lucky! By now a crowd had gathered and the cameras began popping. The tail was as wide as my forearm and the mouth big enough to swallow my head. I could not stop smiling, but have to admit that in the photo session, Bell had to take the head of the fish because I could not lift the head clear of the water. At my age you learn that kind of lesson quickly and thereafter I made sure the guides always took the head of the fish. After a few more photos and iodine treatment, Ali Hamidi’s fish was let loose. A quick flick of the tail and it was gone to surprise another angler. The fish’s mouth is so big I could fit my head in it. But even that could not wipe the smile off my face. But I was still in shock and had to look at the photos to try to grasp what had just happened. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be fortunate enough to catch a fish of that size in freshwater, or on this trip. It was the stuff that dreams are made of! I was indeed lucky to catch a fish of that size and doubly so that it was the Ali Hamidi carp that was caught live on Facebook (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_lS1idTm2U). After a drink and a quiet sit down, I decided to rebait the rods and continue fishing. Three days into the trip and my dreams had been realised. I just sat there soaking it all in, trying to comprehend the magnitude of the catch when I was awoken from my dazed state by a screaming reel. I picked the rod up, engaged the spool and the rod buckled over while the reel continued to scream as the line peeled off. These fish are strong and there was no point trying to stop that first frantic run. Pump and wind, pump and wind and the whole process of playing a big fish was underway once again until Yut slipped the net under another Siamese carp that he estimated at 34kg. What a day! Despite in excess of 100mm of rain the temperature never dropped below 25°C and the fish loved the conditions. I had landed five fish totalling 160kg in a freshwater lake. No wonder Gillhams is rated as the premiere freshwater fishery in the world! As it was a Sunday, the chef had prepared a typical English Sunday roast. Roast beef and potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, and cabbage with a large gravy bowl. What a treat. I only finished half of it, but what a way to end the day! Day 4 After two days in swim D3, I elected to fish swim B3 which had been producing fish consistently. The rain continued intermittently but the time between each shower became longer and I guessed the weather was going to clear. Nevertheless, there was fishing to be done. I cast the rods in. The margin rod with the method feeder was fished at 6m. This rod took off first. Another intense battle ensued and Yut slipped the net under a Siamese carp of 23kg. We shot a few photos and returned it to the lake. Before breakfast arrived, the rod took off again. This fish felt heavier and stronger but after giving a good account of itself, was netted. Another Siamese carp of 48kg! Incredible fishing. Again, I just stood there in absolute amazement. I could not believe this was actually happening to me. Not even in my dreams did I imagine the fishing to be as good as this. Photos taken, fish treated and after a cuddle, released. After lunch a rod took off with the electronic alarm screaming a single tone note. I struck and the fish was on! It took line as usual but then boom, slack line, the fish was off! It was probably hooked outside the mouth or foul hooked. Either way, that’s fishing … The standard rig used consisted of 60cm of lead core line spliced with a loop at one end and a #1 swivel at the other end coupled with in-line sinkers of 60g-90g. The hooklink was made from either Korda Kamo coated 65lbs or 50lbs Korda Arma cord tied to Korda Wide Gape XX barbless hooks in sizes 2 or 4, all of which is provided and expertly tied by the guides. The sun came out and started to bake. The lake again went quiet. Then that lovely sound of a single tone electronic alarm pierced the air. On again! The rod bent and the line peeled off the reel. Nothing beats this feeling in fishing! The adrenaline was pumping through me as I realised this fish was not stopping. The fish reached the opposite bank and turned right back towards the main lake. Thank goodness for small mercies! It continued to kite right for a further 150m before it stopped. I held it under pressure hoping it would turn back which it did. Slowly it kited left and went past my swim. When it reached the shallower water of the restaurant bay it turned back again. Back and forth we went. Gaining line and giving line, over and over again. Eventually it popped up just in front of the swim and Bell was on hand to slip a net under it. From its length I knew it was a big fish. Bell took the head and I attempted to lift the tail for the photo session with Yut on camera duty. We treated the fish and gave it a hug of appreciation before releasing it. The guides conferred on the weight and looked at the photos assessing the length, breadth and depth of the fish – 57kg (125lbs) was their estimate! Incredible! Two fish of over 45kg (100lbs) in a day. Lucky beyond belief! This time it's Bud’s turn to help me hoist a Siamese carp of 57kg with Sala 2 in the background. That evening, like every other, I sat and stared at the photos on my phone. I was struggling between reality and dreams. I shared photos with my family and friends and they also were amazed. I was even asked if everything was Photoshopped as they too were struggling to believe. Having caught many sharks and rays while competing in surf angling competitions, I am used to seeing and catching large fish, but the quantity and quality of this fishing exceeded even that which I have done in the surf, and that over the short space of only four days! At this point I was struggling with my grasp on reality. Day 5 The last swim on the chalet side of the lake originally did not have a chalet behind it and is referred to as 'the grass' swim after the grass embankment behind it. This is situated in a narrow inlet at the top of the lake with nobody fishing opposite, and the next swim being 30m away. There are lots of overhanging trees and vegetation that offer lots of possibilities. The big attraction of this area is that this is the residency of the Amazon redtail catfish which is renowned for its fighting ability. It is the only reliable swim for catching these fish. The tactic is to fish one rod down the edge to the right with luncheon meat. One rod cast 10m underarm for targeting Siamese carp and the feeder rod used to search the various margin pockets and overhanging vegetation. Apart from seeing a couple of cruising gourami rolling under my rod tips, it remained quiet. Suddenly the right-hand margin rod took off. Fish on! This was a very different fight. The fish ran for 30m and then stopped. I could not move it. It took another 30m and stopped again, but I still could not budge it. It took 20m and stopped, but this time I could gain line. I pumped it back 40m before it turned and ran again. Every time it stopped I gained line only for it to turn and run again. Run 20, gain 25. Run 20, gain 25. Repeated until the fish was under the rod tip. I pulled hard to lift it. Wind in. Pulled hard again. Wind down again. Patience was called for and eventually it rose within sight and a beautiful Amazon redtail catfish slipped into the net. I was overjoyed and shouted out my delight. I hopped into the water for a photo session and when I lifted the fish I understood why they fight so hard. The tail muscle is solid, pure muscle matched with a big forked red tail. The top of the head has a hard shell like a turtle with beautifully spotted colouration. Not the biggest, but 16kg of pure muscle and my smile was from ear to ear! Lunch was delivered to my swim with the sun baking down after the rain. As I opened my lunch, the margin rod screamed into life. I grabbed the rod and struck, and the fish just flew away to stop at around 60m away. Again I couldn’t budge it and thought it must be another redtail. It took off again on a 40m run and then pop, the line went slack. No weight on it as I reeled in and I realised I had been cut off. Bell told me a concrete slipway is in the corner of the lake which the redtails like to congregate around as it overhangs the water. I was gutted, as I hate losing fish that I have hooked. But now I knew, stop them or lose them. I adjusted the drag on the reel but my guide, Bell cautioned me that it was too tight, but I explained that it was only set at 24kg and the line was rated at 37kg so the next fish would be at our party! Again, the lake went dead in the stifling heat with only an occasional roll by a fish to relieve the monotony. But my adage of "feed them and they will come" paid off because in late afternoon with the shadows getting longer it happened: the middle rod cast at 10m was away! This fish screamed off at a rate of knots down the bank across three swims back to the main lake, picking up other anglers’ lines as it went. It eventually stopped and I had a Christmas tree of rigs and traces hanging off my line. Fortunately, the adjacent anglers saw what was happening and set their reels at free spool enabling me to play the fish. After I had regained half the first run, Bell was able to jump into the water and untangle the other rigs enabling me to play out the fish and have him net a Siamese carp of 34kg. After the obligatory photos and treatment, the fish was released. I was still basking in the afterglow of landing the fish when my other rod cast at 12m took off. Same as the first. It made a mad dash for the main lake, once again collecting a couple of lines along the way. Bell was once again called upon to untangle the mess and I eventually got the fish to the swim and netted. This one filled the net, another monster perfectly scaled Siamese carp weighing in at 46kg for another photo session, and released. The shadows were growing longer and the day was coming to an end. But being ever the optimist, I lobbed both rods out again. It was time for my headlamp as I did not want to put the lights on in the Sala as all three of my rods were within 12m of it, so I sat in the dark and enjoyed the stars and the night sounds. It was just as well because at 18:45 my 10m rod sprang into life and the fish took off down the bank to the main lake. It stopped and I started the process of pulling it back. With that the margin rod screamed away, a double take. I grabbed the margin rod in one hand and struck, shouting "double take in the grass"! Fortunately, Bud was nearby and I handed him the central rod as I knew the margin fish was a redtail. With this rod in one hand, I had to straight stick the fish and trust the tight brake would do its job. It stopped the fish after about 50m. Now having two hands on the rod, I really applied the pressure, but to no avail. It just shook its head and peeled off another 20m. Now it was do or die. I locked the spool with my hand and held on. The fish then decided to kite into the bank and get tangled in an overhanging tree. I switched rods again with Bud. Just then Bell arrived to land a 32kg Siamese carp! Good evening Mr Amazon redtail catfish. All 32kgs of you. I then turned my attention back to the redtail which had not moved. Bud volunteered to swim down the bank in pitch darkness with a headlamp to free the line from the tree. Suddenly I felt a thump on the line and the fish was free. A real tug-of-war ensued with me refusing to give line and the fish refusing to budge. After a solid 10 minutes stalemate the strain took its toll on the fish and I was able to gain line. Slowly, bit by bit I was able to work the fish to the net and have it safe. A magnificent Amazon redtail catfish of 32kg lay calmly in the net. I literally jumped into the lake, my joy unbounded! The photos taken in the pitch dark do not do the fish justice, but that memory will last forever. Not one but two fish in the net, in the pitch dark in Thailand. I was left wondering how lucky I was and also, could this last? I did not want to wake up from this dream. Day 6 I requested swim C1 which is situated in the widest part of the lake and offers a number of different options to target different species. 30 minutes in and the middle rod was away. I set the hook and the fish was on. It took the initial run then turned and the hook popped out. I reeled in and checked the hook, and it was all okay so it must have been hooked outside the mouth or foul hooked. The rods went out again and sure enough, after a while I was on again, only for a repeat of the first run, another lost fish but on my other rod. I again checked everything, and all was okay but I was puzzled and angry as I hate losing fish. I sat down to think and try to figure it out, but to no avail. That’s just fishing. When you think you have it sussed, they come up with something you don’t understand. Time to soldier on. No time for a pity party. Just fish! Sure enough, around midday a reel came alive and the line was peeling off. I set the hook and prayed that this one stuck. The fish displayed all the fight and tenacity that the Siamese carp are renowned for and eventually the fish was netted. A smaller specimen of only 30kg! A week ago, that would be the fish of a lifetime, but it now paled in comparison with some of its larger brethren. How the fishing at Gillhams had changed my perspective! In mid-afternoon the reel started its sweet tune. Fish on and it tore off as usual. The speed and type of runs being typical by now I could guess that it was a Siamese carp, and sure enough, my suspicions were confirmed and a 36kg specimen graced the net. Rods were rebaited and cast. It was now getting dark and a rod took off again. I set the hook and the rod buckled in my hands and the fish took off fast on a long run of about 100m. That run was longer and faster than anything I had experienced at Gillhams. I knew it was not a Siamese carp but could be any one of a number of large species. This fish knew its way around the lake and duly took a tour to all its parts. There was nothing I could do to stop the runs and could only gain line as it kited from side to side. After 30 minutes the runs had shortened to 15m at a time, then fifteen minutes later down to 10m runs and a steady nodding on the rod tip. Almost after an hour into the battle, guide Nick netted a Chao Phraya, my second of the week weighing in at a colossal 65kg. It looked like a shark lying in the net! Again, Nick got the head to lift out and I opted for the tail. I climbed out of the water full of thick Chao Phraya slime which covers their bodies and turns your shirt into a stiff board when it dries, but who cares when you have just landed a specimen-size rare specie? My lucky day of lucky days! It rarely happens that an angler is fortunate enough to land two Chao Phraya in a week. After a 55-minute struggle, I managed to land this Chao Phraya of 65kg. I was too tired to try to lift it out of the water! Day 7 On my last day of the trip, I decided to stay in swim C1, but only to target species I had not caught. Firstly, I wanted to catch a pacu, which looks like a giant piranha, but with a different set of dentures. Secondly, I wanted to catch a Jullien’s golden carp which is probably the most attractive of all the carp species. A Jullien’s has a definite golden hue, red eyes, and side stripes similar to a tigerfish. Nick, the head guide at Gillhams, told me that the pacu are normally caught early in the morning and that they were either in the area or not. We would know in 10 minutes. Speed fishing at its best. To target the pacu, we rigged a large sliding float on the line with a stopper at 1,5m depth. Underneath this was a 90g sinker with a short trace attached to a swivel. The bait was a single boilie on a hair rig. This rig was cast 80m and the rod held in hand. Nick then used a catapult to fire single boilies at the float, and here’s the skill. He was deadly accurate. But before I cast out any rods for a Jullien’s, we tried for pacu. First cast and I watched the float keenly. Half a dozen boilies fired and I saw a swirl. Nick shouted to get ready and a couple of boilies later and the float disappeared. I reeled in and struck, but nothing. I reeled in and cast again. Nick started firing the boilies and the float disappeared. Bang, I was on! After a short fight with quick switches of direction, a pacu of 9kg was netted. A terrific start to my last day. My 9kg pacu caught on a boilie bait on a hair rig beneath a float. The sharp end of the pacu – its piranha-like teeth can inflict a severe wound! Out went all three rods. One down the edge and two fishing for Jullien’s. For the Jullien’s I baited a single boilie and a small PVA bag which contained only two boilies and a couple of pellets so I wouldn’t attract the attention of the Siamese carp! Avoiding Siamese carp seemed counter intuitive, but to catch the wary Jullien’s that what you must do. Just after breakfast I got a fast bite that rocked the rod pod and pulled 1m of line from the reel, and before I could get to the rod it was gone. Probably an aborted bite or a missed opportunity. I gave it 10 minutes, reeled in, reloaded and recast. About an hour later another fast bite, a short run and dropped the bait before I reached the rod. I was puzzled. I checked the rig, sharpened the hook, reloaded and recast. I chatted to Nick about the funny fast bites and he just smiled and said, "you wanted to target the Jullien’s." These fish are extremely cagey and scarce to boot. Talk about a challenge! A while later and the baitfeeder reel was singing again. I lifted the rod and struck … but nothing than fresh air! How was this possible? I checked the bait, the hook and the hair rig, bit no issues. Nick stopped by and I chatted with him. He just laughed, commenting "you wanted to target the Jullien’s!" By now I was steaming at the ears. This just doesn’t happen! I composed myself, reloaded and recast. Another hour or so passed and the swinger lifted, the alarm sending out a single tone and the reel started spinning. I grabbed the rod and struck. I felt weight, then nothing. I was besides myself. The air around me turned blue. Four bites and no fish. I was dumbfounded. I rechecked everything and remembered Nick’s words. I knew from experience that all I could do was cast and cast and cast again, so I did and the trap was set once again. But it was getting late. I was running out of time. I looked at my watch and it was just past 18:00 when the alarm alerted me to another run. I grabbed the rod and struck. Solid, fish on! Now I prayed that it would stick. I quickly found out what makes these fish so difficult to catch, as it took off on a blisteringly fast run, faster than anything else I had hooked here. Some 50 minutes later the line went slack but I had been warned that it would be swimming towards me. I reeled like a madman and caught up to the fish. It turned and ran again, then doubled back again. Then I was sweating just trying to keep up. Eventually the fish started swimming left and right and I carefully pulled it to the net. When the net slid underneath, I shouted, "Jullien’s, I got my Jullien’s!" After several frustrating attempts, this 11kg Julian’s golden carp made my day. As I was reminded at dinner, everyone on and around the lake had heard me! I didn’t care what anyone thought as I had the prize of all carp in the net. I really enjoyed the photo session holding the streamlined, beautiful king or queen of the carp species, the Holy Grail of carp fishing. How lucky can you get? Eventually I had to let it go and return it to the water. Congratulations all round from the guides and fellow anglers. A notable catch by anyone’s standards! Nick said, "time for one more." So I reloaded and cast. I was still buzzing, chatting to the spectators that had gathered when I heard my alarm and see the rod I had just cast was flying. I jumped forward, grabbed the rod, engaged the reel and struck. The fish just kept going at a very fast pace. Surely it couldn’t be another Jullien’s? The fight was the same for the first 15 minutes when we realised that if it was a Jullien’s, it would be close to landing as they do not exceed 25kg at Gillhams, but this fish was still 100m away. It could only be another Chao Phraya? But surely not, I had already caught two, and three in a week was unheard of! Then I felt the familiar head-nodding on the rod tip which confirmed my suspicion and a short while later my third Chao Phraya was netted. It was now 19:15 and my fishing was done. I stood with the rod in my hand looking at the fish in the torchlight wondering if this was a dream or not. I was so drained that I slipped on the ladder and fell into the water, but surfaced with a huge grin on my face looking into the eyes of the 25kg Chao Phraya. I didn’t care about the thick slime of the fish as I enjoyed my last photo session before releasing it. I climbed out of the water exhausted but happy. Dinner never tasted so bitter sweet as I knew that tomorrow I was leaving the dreamworld called Gillhams. As I looked through my photos, I realised that I had caught more than 800kg of fish in seven days with six fish over the magical 45kg (100lbs) mark! Was my experience much better than others? No. All anglers caught fish, some more than others. Some caught one specie, others targeted different species. Will I be going back? You can bet I am planning the next trip. Long may the dream continue! My advice if you are thinking of going to Thailand to fish Gillhams, do it, you will not regret it. It is not known as the 'land of smiles' for nothing! *Author may be contacted on Tel 082 651 9485 or email: rreid5@supermail.co.za for any questions, or just to chat about the experience. Also visit: www.gillhamsfishingresorts.com. The latest print edition of The Bank Angler is now available in retail and selected angling stores!

DREAM FISHING at Gillhams in Thailand

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