Fishing in Thailand – December 2020
Welcome
Welcome to this month’s newsletter and firstly, we would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all the Jurassic Team here in Thailand. It certainly wasn’t a white Christmas here; however, the temperatures did drop down to 18’c on some mornings. This may sound warm to you, but it is a lot cooler compared to 30’c I can assure you. Jumping in for the photos first thing in a morning comes as quite a shock to the system and does more than take your breath away! Sadly, this year due to the restrictions, guests were unable to join us and enjoy a traditional Christmas dinner together at Jurassic and you have been duly missed. It is unfortunate as many may recall sitting around the table amid the festive cheer whilst exchanging angling stories from past and present. Despite the rules and regulations, we hope that you have embraced time well spent with your families and loved ones during the holiday period and we wish tight lines upon all you anglers that have been braving the freezing temperatures in search of your quarry. I myself can recall many nights spent by on the bank under the stars watching the cat ice form in the margins, but it was all well worthwhile landing the fish of a lifetime in its true winter colors. The same thing can be said about the anticipation of returning to Jurassic and in the meantime, improvements continue to be made meaning that the long wait to return here will be well worthwhile.
Arapaima action!
Graham 
Chris 
James and his first arapaima 
James
A mixed bag
Graham has fished in Thailand for several years and prefers to utilize his angling time to target the Siamese carp, so he was keen to try the latest 600kg batch of Jurassic Classic boilies. He has taken quite a shine to “The Bay” of recent given its access to open water with depths down to 5 meters. He is a firm believer that certain fish can be targeted in different areas of the lake and it has been interesting to compare photographs from past and present. The hard sloping marginal shelfs can be easy to locate meaning that some spots out in open water can be overlooked and receive little angling pressure as a result. Spending some time casting a bare lead to explore the contours, Graham located a harder area at around 40 yards and clipped up two rods it. The Spomb rod was then clipped to a few yards short of the same mark to allow for the arc of the leads before a mixture of boilie and pellet was applied. The first run of the morning led to an Indian carp, followed up shortly after with a Siamese carp. The takes kept coming throughout the day with all fish failing to a single Jurassic Classic boilie hook bait which included an Asian redtail catfish and several Amazon redtails. Graham topped up the swim with a few more Spombs and spotted an arapaima surface. Within seconds of retrieving the Spomb, the rod ripped off and he saw it surface again, only this time he was hooked into it. It just goes to show that the Jurassic Classic boilies are a desirable food source for all species which only adds to the mystery of what to expect next.
Always bring a book
Chris has gained quite a reputation over the past couple of months and has been nicknamed as “Mr. Consistent” based upon his track record when it comes to targeting the predators, despite not taking his angling too seriously. At one point we even checked his bags to make sure he was not bringing them in with him! He attributes his success to “finding a good book to read” which is the key to him relaxing in his chair by the rods. During his last trip, he crept into swim 7 like a ninja whilst armed with fresh mackerel and a new book. He watched the water for any signs and cast 2 mackerel hook baits along the margins. With the traps set, it was time to get the chair level and get stuck into a book before breakfast. Chris loves sitting by the rods listening to the sound of the bird calls and to him it is simply about being here and a fish is a bonus. His rather relaxed and discreet approach to his angling has paid dividends for him landing an arapaima or alligator gar every trip before breakfast.
Success at last
James has been living and working in Thailand for several years, but he only recently discovered the angling scene when he was invited to join Dave Brewster for a day trip to Jurassic. From walking through the gates to landing his first fish, his life has not been the same since. He became hooked. The arapaima has always been in the back of his mind and a species he has been aiming towards but before that, he needed to focus upon the basics first which included casting… On several occasions, James managed to get snagged in trees, hyacinths, paths and bushes just to name a few places. Sometimes the rods would spend more than out the water than in it! However, his enthusiasm shone through and his eagerness to learn meant that he was more than welcome at Jurassic where we pride ourselves upon accommodating anglers of all abilities. After a few pointers from the fishery team, he slowly learnt the ropes and has enjoyed several day sessions to date. With each fish in the net, it has been a pleasure to see his confidence build as time goes by. His latest trip saw him draw Lazy Man’s where and was still haunted by the arapaima he had lost the trip previously. He got to work chopping up pieces of mackerel mixed with chicken hearts and baited an area along the margins. Despite the strong crosswinds, both rods actually landed in the lake and he sat back in anticipation. Time slipped by and he entered the afternoon with little to show for his efforts which is why it is called fishing not catching! But the best part of the day was yet to come…the witching hour. Only seconds remained and a screaming run ensued which descended into a battle he would never forget. James found muscles he never knew he had. He listened carefully to instructions from the gillies and at long last, his enthusiasm was rewarded just as the sun set. An arapaima was in the cage and it had been all his own doing which made the wait even more worthwhile.
An epic 2 days for James
James made his way from Pattaya to take a break from teaching and checked into Jurassic for a 2-day session with a few targets in mind. The first day saw him get settled into Sam’s Sala where he hit the ground running landing 12 fish consisting of mainly Amazon redtails and Siamese carp. Brimming with confidence from the day previous and a choice of swims, James decided to fish from the opposite bank at Mountain View and what a day it turned out to be. Within the first few hours, the carp gods answered his call when the boilie rod ripped off and he was left holding on as line was being stripped from the spool. A grueling battle resulted in his largest Siamese carp to date, well in excess of the magical 100lb mark. After checking the photos, he took a break by the pool to relax and recoup in preparation for targeting the arapaima in the afternoon. 4pm was fast approaching and it was time for round 2. James made his way back to the swim and positioned 2 predator rods, but the surface resembled a mill pond with little signs. Suddenly all hell broke loose as both rods ripped off at once! A rod in each hand being pulled form pillar to post, James smashed the whistle like a 90’s rave in desperate need of assistance. Amm was first on the scene, before Bank and Yott arrived armed with cages. 2 arapaima at once! It was absolute carnage as both arapaima crossed over each other time and time again and the swim resembled a Muay Thai ring as Amm and James were ducking and weaving each other to keep the lines clear. James landed the first fish and jumped in for a few photos before feeling the burn as Amm handed him the other rod. Tense times indeed when the arapaima managed to bolt the cage several times before finally coming to stop. James was absolutely knackered but there was no time to waste as the angry arapaima was recovering quick. The largest fish of his life and another memory made at Jurassic!
Other newsworthy captures
Dave – Sorubim 
Rob – Alligator gar 
Duncan – Siamese carp 
Tim – Siamese carp 
Graham – Niger Ripsaw catfish 
James – Amazon redtail
David got set up on his chair by the rods in Mountain View where he presented a feeder on the bottom and put one of his custom built wagglers to the test serving as a visual aid. He located a deeper area to the left of the swim just a few rod lengths from the bank. Dave mixed a concoction of breadcrumb, sweetcorn and ram to form several balls of feed. A small piece of flake delicately presented on the hook was all it took before the float shot under and line was peeling off heading under the plants. The sense of mystery remained until this sorubim broke the surface and Yott slipped it into the net. Another species for him and yet another fish landed using his own float range.
Rob also got to work with a feeder from Jamboree a few days earlier but chose to suspend it beneath a float to target fish up in the water. Whilst tucking into breakfast, he heard a feint buzzing sound. He didn’t think much of it at first, but it started to get louder and he was convinced there were a bees nest in the roof and they weren’t best pleased with his presence. Fearing the worst, he dropped his knife and fork and jumped out only to find the Jurassic drone in action and me laughing from a distance! Another hour went by and the wind dropped and there was an uptick in activity. A few fish showed themselves and Rob was feeling confident. He recast to the same spot with a fresh piece of breadflake and within minutes, it was away. Blowing the whistle meant that the gillie was soon on the scene, in the water and ready with the net. Yott got the first glimpse of float and was expecting to see a Siamese carp soon after…not an angry alligator gar!
Tim had success with the Siamese carp after making the trip round from Pattaya. He fished from The Point and spent a good hour casting a bare lead to paint a picture of the bottom. The weather had been clouded and strong winds had seen a drop in the water temperature. With this in mind, Tim fished one carp rod in deeper water and the other was positioned on the near slope to cover both bases. The sun broke through mid-morning it was the shallow rod that proved to be successful leading to a series of takes from Siamese carp.
Duncan, a Jurassic villa owner also enjoyed a day targeting the Siamese carp fishing from Mountain View using a blend of boilies and pellet. Two rods fished tight on a single baited area resulted in a mixture of species but the highlight for him was this jet-black beauty taken on a single boilie fished hard on the bottom.
Graham was already on a roll in The Bay just next door having landed 4 different species and he thought things could not get any better. However, in the afternoon, a fresh P.V.A bag had hardly hit the bottom before line was being stripped from the spool. A strange fight unfolded, and the culprit was teased to the surface in the fine form of a Niger ripsaw.
The Amazon redtail came thick and fast for James during his quest for an arapaima. On several occasions, they were present in the swim, but the catfish kept cleaning out the spots. James was hot on the rods and his adrenaline was flowing time after time with each take. During this period, he was graced with several 60lb+ redtails which improved his technique leading up to him landing the fish of a lifetime.
Black Mountain water and wake park
The Black Mountain Water Park is spread out over 40 000 square meters of land and is situated just 15 minutes from the centre of the town Hua Hin. It Opened in 2011 and is now one of the most popular tourist attractions in the region and has since received multiple quality reviews from tourists and residents who were extremely happy and satisfied. There are several different slides and pools on the site that offer enjoyment to all ages. A total of 9 slides and 6 pools offer diversity to families and couples but also mean that the park can accommodate a large volume of people during the high season without feeling overcrowded. The Park is full of high quality and modern equipment, and all operated in line with the highest standards of safety and with highly trained lifeguards. Black Mountain Wake Park is set in the heart of the mountain which has a stunning view of the biggest natural water supply to the lake and obstacles to test the best of riders. The course offers a wide variety of activities including wakeboarding and stand up paddleboarding. There is an onsite restaurant and patio overlooking all the action, surrounded by sunbeds and umbrellas, seating outside and shelters for the riders at the edge of the lake.
The Angler’s Rest
Developments at The Angler’s Rest continue as the transformation is well underway towards a lakeside country pub atmosphere. The angling theme will incorporate numerous items of John Wilson’s tackle in his memory along with other memorabilia steeped in angling history. Now that the floor has been laid, this has literally paved the way for further work to be undertaken and construction of the new bartop has begun. We will complete the renovations ready for your return where you will be able to sit beside the bar and enjoy a selection of beers and ales on draft.
Jurassic Monster Tackle and Bait
Jurassic fishmeal 
Jurassic bread crumb 
Jurassic micro pellet – see video 
D.W. ‘Big Boy’ predator float- see video 
Micro pellet P.V.A. bags – see video 
D.W. Pellet Wagglers – see video
The Jurassic bait range continues to expand with the latest editions including micro pellet, fishmeal and breadcrumb. The micro pellet is perfect for use with P.V.A. bags and despite being only 2mm in size, they have a breakdown time of 30 minutes. The fishmeal is a super attractive powdered additive with a 60% protein content and is ideal for mixing with ram whilst feeder fishing or dusting glugged pellet and boilie. The final addition is the fresh finely ground breadcrumb that has and always will be a super effective ingredient when feeder fishing either on the bottom or suspended beneath a float. A 50/50 mix of ram and breadcrumb mixed with coconut milk is an ideal method in seeking out the mighty Mekong catfish. This month we also welcomed David Wilson at the clubhouse where we sat down with a pot of tea and discussed the final details of a float range to suit all angling situations here at Jurassic. Over the years I have personally used and subsequently destroyed floats from the U.K. as the vast majority either cannot withstand the abuse from the fish or use components that are not compatible with larger diameter lines and larger baits. One of the most popular models is the D.W ‘Big Boy’ predator float that can suspend a 4oz inline lead within the fishery rules along with a large predator hookbait. Other floats include method floats designed to present a suspended method feeder, pellet wagglers to suspend double Jurassic Classic boilies on the drop and wagglers to be fished at dead depth with a lead or feeder. Follow the link to the video to see these in action or head to the Jurassic Store where they will be listed shortly.
Jurassic developments
Whilst we aim to make your stay as relaxing as possible, we understand the importance of connectivity which allows you to share your experience with your family and loved ones. High-speed internet is also key to conducting business, especially video conference calls, so you can get peace of mind that all in order whilst enjoy the holiday of a lifetime. Superfast fiberoptic cable has been laid across the whole site meaning that each room, each swim and areas in between feature their own router and the system has been tailored to provide optimum coverage wherever you are on the resort. The upload and download speeds are expected to be a minimum of 100mbps international to cover all situations.
Stunning Jurassic Sunsets
There have been some stunning sunsets of recent and coupled with the recent marketing investments, the drone has been taking flight daily to capture the true beauty of what surrounds us here at Jurassic. 6 aerators are evenly distributed to maintain dissolved oxygen levels and the compressors have recently been moved away from the lake to ensure complete peace and tranquility around the lake. At present there are 11 swims spaced around the lake and water vegetation has ensured that each swim provides equal angling opportunities when it comes to targeting the fish of a lifetime.
Testimonial
Keith Mooney joined us at Jurassic and here is what he had to say about his trip on Google reviews.
“Amazing venue, top class service and gillies”
We look forward to welcoming him back as soon as possible.
Monthly Wildlife Watch
Baya weaver bird 
A carpenter bee 
A garden spider
Baya weavers are known to glean paddy and other grain in harvested fields, and occasionally damage ripening crops and are therefore sometimes considered as pests. They roost in reed-beds bordering waterbodies. They depend on wild grasses such as Guinea grass as well as crops like rice for both their food and nesting material. They also feed on insects, sometimes taking small frogs, geckos and molluscs, especially to feed their young. They are best known for their hanging retort shaped nests woven from leaves. These nest colonies are usually found on thorny trees or palm fronds and the nests are often built near water or hanging over water where predators cannot reach easily.
It is common to see these carpenter bees searching for pollen along the margin plants at Jurassic and they make quite a sound when they take flight. Moving from plant to plant often makes them difficult to photograph however, we recently come across an exhausted carpenter bee with a folded wing so Tom poured him a teaspoon of orange Fanta whilst gillie Yod re-aligned its wing. After the quick pit stop, it was moved to nearby vegetation to rest and recover.
There are several different species of spider in Thailand such as the huntsman, black widow, tarantula but having been here for 4 years already I can safely say that I have yet to encounter any of them on the naughty list. The huntsman is quite common and despite their large size similar to a house spider like many other Thailand species including the one above, their diet comprises of insects and flies including mosquitos. So just like the lizards, they play their part in the ecosystem and their webs can be spotted amid the damp mornings.
Until next month – tight lines!
Jurassic Mountain Resort & Fishing Park
43/6 Moo Baan Kokesehti Tambon Na Yang, Na Yang, Cha-am District
Phetchaburi 76120
Thailand
For all enquiries/bookings contact: enquiries@wordpress-1242400-4445492.cloudwaysapps.com
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