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We believe that here at Jurassic we combine world class fishing with excellent accommodation and a fully facilitated resort to give our guests the complete holiday experience. But don’t take our word for it, grab a coffee and sit back and read this latest review from our recent guest Martin.

Jurassic Mountain – June 2019

A holiday review is usually done after returning from the destination, I felt I needed to start this on day 5 of fishing as there is so much to say about this place!

I currently sit in Swim 5 looking out across the lake at the unmistakable mountain that towers over this paradise. As a place to sit and fill your days this is up there with the best of the best. I’m fairly well travelled, I returned from the Maldives 3 weeks ago and this has taken my breath away to the same standard. It’s glorious.

From the overall lake shape and design to the smallest details, Jurassic has it 5* from the moment you walk through those magical gates. The variation of tree, shrub and fauna gives new discoveries on a daily basis. Obviously meticulously planned out, the level of pristine trimming and maintenance is tiring to watch! It’s a tropical paradise that requires a lot of work but nothing is left untidy, anywhere. I’ve had trouble sleeping since arrival which has allowed me to make a coffee in my accommodation and take the very short walk to the lake edge to watch the monster residents from around 5a.m. Staff start to arrive around 6am and are immediately on the case of sweeping, mopping with disinfectant and general cleaning of the communal bar area and swims. A tea or coffee has always been offered well before the restaurant area opens at 7 which although could be seen as a small thing is greatly appreciated. No sign of ‘Not my job mate’ from any member of staff, I’ve been greeted with a smile every time contact is made. Again, superb.

I mentioned accommodation. This is not your standard fishing accommodation, it’s of high end hotel quality, cleaned daily with the extensive mini bar and complimentary toiletries replenished.

The room, consisting of fully fitted and equipped kitchen, sitting area with TV (not turned that on yet, nothing on that screen could be better to look at than your surroundings) a double bedroom with very comfortable Double bed and a en-suite bathroom with walk in rain shower. Quality is superb throughout, no corners cut in fittings and fixtures and the air con does a fantastic job of keeping the room cold, as I like it.

The swimming pool with natural looking waterfall is 15 feet from my door and I’ve used this daily after a days fishing. It’s something I look forward too!!

Just as important is the food. The menu is substantial catering for the European market with a whole host of English dishes as well as Thai and Indian. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is part of our package, the first 2 meals being delivered to your swim in the comfort of the Sala hut if you wish. I’ve gone through the menu this week tasting nearly all the Thai dishes and a couple of English and it’s all been supremely fresh and tasty. The chef here is a big part of the experience and he doesn’t disappoint. Service is quick, efficient and always with a smile. Real Thai hospitality all round.

Jurassic is a fishing venue and this is where it gets incredibly exciting!

I’ve not fished in Thailand before so some anxiety was present as to what to expect. My carp fishing career began 20 years ago and I’ve honed my skills to being a very successful and competent angler with total confidence in what I do.

All of that meant nothing here….or so I thought.

We chose Swim 6 (The Point) for our first day. It had been mentioned as a ‘hot swim’ and looked perfect to me. It covers a decent amount of water with excellent looking margins and a bay to the left. This is my style of fishing, up close and personal and accurate. The gillies cover their own certain areas of the lake which makes total sense. They know how to get results from the water and are a godsend for helping get those extra bites when things slow down a little. ‘Oke’ (a guess at the spelling) was on hand to show us the ropes on hookbaits, spots and bait application. We cast out 2 rods each and rod shared, taking it in turns to hit each take. Peter, my fishing partner, was keen to do this and although I’ve never tried it before and was sceptical to be totally honest, it worked a treat.

My target for this trip was to land a Siamese Carp and an Arapaima, a Siamese over 100lb was the dream but for my first trip I knew this wouldn’t be an easy task but dreams are dreams for a reason.

At 5pm Oke threw a decent amount of our remaining bait 6 inches from the swim and moved the rods backwards. I trusted his judgement and damn was he spot on!! The arapaima were climbing over themselves in front of us, magical to watch…..

Very shortly after Rod number 2 bent round with a screaming take, Peter hit it, I was knackered from the monster carp shortly before, and he somehow managed to hook a Red Tail Catfish in among the shoal of arapaima! That was that for day 1, we’d learnt a lot to take into the next day. We caught 20 fish on this first day including 2 arapaima for me and a 120lb Siamese!!

I’d smashed my targets on day 1, a lot of thanks goes to Oke for these magical moments, his knowledge was instrumental in these catches.

That was it, I’d done it!! The beers on that first night tasted all the sweeter for this and I was going to bed like a kid at Christmas. More anglers has arrived so the draw was held at 7:30 and we chose Swim 12, opposite where we had been fishing earlier that day. We knew the arapaima were in that area as we’d seen them all day so our thinking was try for those early morning and evening and carp during the day.

On the morning of day 2 Jet lag reared its ugly head and I was sitting outside my room at 3am again having a coffee. I walked down to the lake around 4:30 to watch the water and could see loads, and I mean loads of arapaima around our swim and all over the lake. The excitement was building again!

We set up and decided to target the carp. After a bit of leading around I found a hard area to fish 2 rods on and it turned out to be very good! 5 carp in the 60’s along with numerous others between 30 & 60. We really enjoyed the day and the social, but the day was coming to an end and we were looking forward to having another crack at the arapaima at the magical 5pm. We chopped a bucket of fish and spread this along the front of our swim fishing 2 rods 10 yards away on either margin and 2 right under the rod tip. It didn’t take long and another screaming take saw peter land a 50lb red tail, these fish are pound for pound the hardest fighting fish I’ve ever experienced. It was landed and returned, and the rig placed back underneath the rod tip. We chose a stack of chopped fish, 5 pieces on a very long hair.

Now it was my turn.

5:30 came along and a fairly unexciting take was hit. I set the hook and I honestly don’t think it knew it was hooked, but all of a sudden it did! I held on for dear life to this fish which I thought was a decent red tail as it hadn’t surfaced for air (something arapaima need to do every 5-10 mins I’ve learned). 10 minutes later it did, it was an arapaima and a big one at that! Under the guidance of Am (again, apologies for the probable spelling mistake) I played the fish in, lowering the rod anytime it came near the surface to stop it spitting the hook under advice from Am. Half an hour later I had a 180lb arapaima in the cage. This trip was becoming the stuff of dreams, I’d never felt such hard fighting fish in my whole fishing career.

2 days in and I’d hit both my long range targets!! Little did I know it was going to get a lot better…….

Day 3 and I had picked first in the draw so I decided to go back to swim 6, the scene of the monster from Day 1. Peter stayed in 12 so our first day fishing apart.

I set up for carp again and just across the way Pete was in early. It looked big! And it was. 210lb arapaima after a long battle. I was made up for Pete as he was after a 100lb+ arapaima as his target for the week, well he smashed that! He continued to haul them in one after another all morning whilst i sat looking at motionless rods. I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong, I knew the spots were good and the bait had worked for the previous 2 days so the plan was to wait until the fish moved back in. But then Oke came round and saved the day! I switched to 3 drilled out pellets topped with a cut down pink wafter and started to work the swim with pellet again. 10 fish in 3 hours up to 70lb with the 10th being a big red tail which adding to the heat of the day finished me off! I walked up to the bar around 3pm sweaty, dirty and very thirsty for a pint of the ever famous Chang! I returned back to the swim to another couple of 50lb+ Siamese and called it a day just before 6.

As with most nights after fishing I had a swim, shower and got down to the bar for the draw.

More people arrived so there were 6 in the draw, I fancied either Swims 3, 6 or 12 based on the fish they had been doing but also had my eye on ‘The Great Fan’, Swim 7. This suited my style of fishing and I’d mentioned to Pete all week that I fancied a go.

Onto the draw and I drew 6th choice, damn! I watched all the swims I fancied disappear including 7 which hadn’t been picked all week, typical. So I thought I’d take a risk and jump in 5. Again it’s a beautiful swim with a clear view of 80% of the lake and that stunning mountain prominent in front. It’s a tight little corner which is usually ideal for me as I love margins and it looked really good but I’d heard it doesn’t do many fish but can sometimes throw up a big one.

I went to bed that night agitated, thinking I may change my swim choice in the morning.

Another early wake up (jet lag still causing me problems) and I stuck to my choice of Swim 5. I arrived at the swim and it looked better than I expected, still dubious as it hadn’t been fished and isn’t known for lots of fish. I needn’t have worried.

I had a good lead around and found some really good hard spots, I decided to use the triple pellet again and started to work the swim. Fish came quick and in numbers. At around 3pm I struck into a fish from the continually baited area and I immediately knew this was something a bit special, that slow heavy dogged fight meant it was a lump. 40 minutes of long heavy runs saw me land a 160lb Siamese! That kind of elation is hard to find but when it’s in a setting such as Jurassic it’s made even better if that’s at all possible.

Lots of photos were taken and some great results on the camera immediately uploaded to Facebook! I’d smashed it, I could have left for home right this minute with a feeling of total success but Jurassic, by pure definition of its name had bigger plans for me. Another 5 fish that afternoon meant 15 in the net.

At 5pm I pulled one rod in and removed the carp rig for a predator with 5 pieces of chopped fish on a long hair. I’d see no arapaima in the swim all day but you gotta be in it to win it as we say so it was dropped 3 metres to my left margin with all the remaining fish and boilie I had (I kept the pellet back as I still had one carp rod out, still working the swim). 20 minutes a rip-roaring take on the fish and I struck in. In my head I’m thinking ‘red tail’ and it darted around like a red tail would. In my head I’m having a battle, there’s still a chance it could be the elusive (to me) arapaima and then bosh, up she came for air. Arapaima, a big one!

A very difficult fight broke out, taking me around the corner of Swim 6 twice but I got it back in front of me shortly after. The gillies were in, the cage was lowered and then ping……..6 foot from the cage the hook had pulled. Bewilderment and disappointment for only a few moments as I turned back to the catch report hanging from my swim and there was that 160lb Siamese. All was good.

It was around this point that I felt I should have put a bit more time in the gym before arriving. My body was broken but a 20 minute dip in that tropical swimming pool, a long shower and a few cold Chang’s and I was ready for the draw.

I wanted swim 5, it was producing although at some surprise to the staff but I felt I’d worked it out and wanted to get back in there.

As usual I was last out the draw but swim 5 was overlooked again so I was in! With Pete in 6 next to me (these 2 pegs are very close together but due to the clever planning of the lake they did not interfere with each other’s fishing area), we were on for a good social!

That night was a Sunday roast, I’d eaten Thai food all week as this is my favourite cuisine back home and well, when in Rome……

We sat down for dinner that night for an exceptional roast dinner with Jules (owner) and Andy ( a volunteer). An excellent evening was had discussing the usual politics, fishing and a very interesting insight to the business of Jurassic by Jules along with an education on these monsters and their care.

Feeling confident I was off to sleep, hopefully!

Day 6 and 4am was the best I could do. I never had trouble sleeping at home and with all the exercise these fish were giving me in still surprised the alarm wasn’t waking me. But I felt good, a few sore spots over the body but buzzing for the days fishing ahead.

Into the swim and I picked up where I left off catching these quality hard fighting carp within minutes. Just before 10am and another big’un was on the line. Another 30 minute fight saw me lift a 115lb carp for the camera. Seriously, 3 100+ carp in 6 days, it’s hard to find the expletives to describe how I was feeling about this place. One thing I did know was a return trip is happening! Myself and my wife had

planned to visit Thailand in 2020 and I’m already building the itinerary in my head with a decent chunk of it at Jurassic!

Being a family friendly resort I know she and the kids would enjoy this immensely. I’ll get to work on the planning around 10-15 minutes after walking through my front door!

But back to the fishing. I finished up with 8 fish for the day. Very pleased with my achievements it was back to the pool for the now compulsory dip, shower and ‘Chang time’.

On to the draw and only 4 anglers including myself and Pete, I decided for a slight change of scenery into Swim 6. No draw was actually done, we decided amongst ourselves where we wanted to be, very civilised!

The bittersweet pinnacle!

The usual 4:30 wake up arrived (why am I not sleeping? I’m knackered!) but down to watch the lake we go…..

Loads of arapaima showing close to Swim 1 made for interesting viewing but I’m a carp angler to the bone and with the biggest resident, a fish known as Scarface due to a 3 inch scar on its face (it’s basically named itself!) still milling around somewhere in this lake the temptation is too much. Obviously a pipe dream after the the week I’d had but again, you gotta be in it to win it!

So into 6 I go, I asked Oke if I could use his predator rod which is set up as a float. The idea being I would cast this from Swim 5 to where I’d been catching them, walk the short distance to Swim 6 and register the spot from my new location. Crafty.

Some more pellet over the spot and the right hand rod was set.

Pete has fished Swim 6 the day prior and managed a 150lb carp a rod length out directly in front of him but hadn’t had many more so I removed the rig off the left hand rod and had a good lead around. It was hard bottom all over really so I chose a spot easily recognisable by lining up 2 Palm trees on the opposite bank around 3 rod lengths out. The cast went slightly awry but landed with a thud so was now lined up perfectly with the highest mountain peak not far from the lake.

As I say the swim hadn’t done many fish the day before but I was confident in my right hand spot so if I needed to I could roam around with the left until I found a spot that produced.

No need to roam, 15 minutes into the water and the left rod had a slow but consistent take. I grabbed the rod and engaged the Shimano baitrunner (all tackle is of a decent quality here, no mix and match rubbish that we carp anglers are picky about) and I pulled up. For a moment I thought I’d hooked something on the bottom, then it moved. Very slow. Very heavy.

Oke was very soon in the water as dependable as ever and I informed him it was big. Scarface was his reply with a smirk, we hadn’t seen it but there has been some great banter between myself , Pete and the gillies and they knew it was the unlikely dream for me.

It didn’t take long to get in the net, 10-15 minutes as a guess then Oke looked up at me and said Scarfish. I laughed and waited for his opinion on how big it was, his face was a look of confusion as he tried to find the words to explain what he was trying to say. Then a head the size of 2 of mine lifted out of the water and there it was, a 3 inch scar on one side of its face!!! Incredibly bad fishing etiquette followed with me letting out a roar that was probably heard from the clubhouse!

ID DONE IT!! The biggest carp in the lake was in my net!!

I called Pete over for the photos and jumped in to get them done. I was already planning where the canvas was going to be hung at home, I’d bought an iPhone XS just before coming out so the incredible portrait mode was going to be used. Am suggested a 2 person lift but I know I’m a strong lad and held the 160lb for 20-30 seconds alone, I wasn’t concerned at all. I steadied her in front of me, took the dip to pull her to my chest and lifted her clear of the water…..for 2 seconds. She went for it and although Oke was in front she gave us both the slip. No!!

Am dived in from the bank reminiscent of David Hasslehoff in Baywatch and they both wrestled her to get her back but she’d gone.

The biggest carp I’d ever seen or held and no photo to back up my claims. Totally gutted.

The next hour was awful, thinking of all the things we could have done to change the outcome, but these moments are in real time and hindsight is a marvellous thing. It wasn’t my fault, it wasn’t the gillies, they did they’re very best, it was just one of those unfortunate moments but jeez….the disappointment was immense.

I write this part of my review 4 hours after the event and all is calm in my head.

I caught it, I lifted it, I felt it and I saw all of it.

A bittersweet moment that I’ll remember forever, the photo now doesn’t matter. I have photos of 3 other 100+ fish to console myself with, I’ve made peace with the demons! I have kept the rig and will frame this and hang on my gallery wall with its own title….the one that got away……

Overall this experience has far surpassed my expectations and dreams. As of now I have hooked and landed 88 fish!! 88!!

I have nothing but love for Jurassic, it’s residents, the staff and the owners. It’s been a fairytale of carp fishing with some other Amazonian monsters thrown in for good measure, there’s still 5 hours to go but I’ll end this here. Anything else I catch will go onto next years review because if you hadn’t worked it out already, I’ll be back, 100%!!

Without doubt the BEST weeks fishing I’ve had in my fishing career, and I’ve done around 40 full weeks domestic and abroad.

Thank you Jules, Eddy and all the team. Your dream ignited my dream and as this proves, dreams do come true.

To have your Jurassic experience and make all your fishing dreams come true email enquiries@wordpress-1242400-4445492.cloudwaysapps.com

June Weather!

Thinking of coming over next year?  June is a great month (but then every month is a good month at Jurassic!) to visit – nice and hot and a prolific carp catching time!

NEW ADDITION TO LAKE Weighing 115 lb this Salween catfish is a true river monster of record proportions and our 8th species over 100 lb for anglers to catch.

Some of June’s catches

Since Brendan’s last visit, some 6 years ago now, the fish have grown considerably and we now have a large number of carp well in excess of 100lb
	Six days fishing produced around 100 fish for repeat visitor Simon Parkyn.  This amazing haul included arapaima to between 250-300lb and some monster carp.  Incredible fishing!

Slinky, on his third visit to Jurassic, had a quiet start to his trip but it wasn’t long before he was getting some action with a specimen alligator gar.. Even the small alligators can be troublesome, to say the least, to handle for a decent photo; with some help from the gillie however Slinky got a fairly decent shot of this 80lb+ brute! Well done!

Huge fish are possible on a day trip!  Could a day’s fishing be any better than Mick and Ryan’s when they banked this monstrous brace of carp?   If you’re in Thailand and within a day trip of Jurassic, ie Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Hua Hin or Cha Am, you would probably be making your best angling decision ever if you contacted us on enquiries@wordpress-1242400-4445492.cloudwaysapps.com

Return angler Lee Henderson pulled the lake apart during this year’s visit with even more big fish landed than on his last trip. This was his first ever Niger Ripsaw catfish and topped off what had been a fabulous holiday.

Perfect conditions for the predators, such as this alligator gar, to come out on the feed are during the more overcast times of the day.  For Florian above, and his friend Kevin, they had a busy day with a mixed bag of 21 fish.

If we haven’t included you in our round-up and you would like to share your experience of fishing/staying at Jurassic please email enquiries@wordpress-1242400-4445492.cloudwaysapps.com

NEW ACCOMMODATION

With our unrivalled range of accommodation it’s no surprise that Jurassic is popular with anglers wishing to visit with their families. The latest addition to our range is a spacious family villa with two bedrooms sleeping 4 comfortably with a 50 inch LCD TV, fully equipped kitchen and more.

So if you have your family with you whilst on holiday in Thailand, don’t let that put you off having your fishing dream for a few days; we can assure you that your family will enjoy Jurassic just as much as you will!

All our accommodation is available by the night, week, month or more and we do not have set arrival/departure days – so, subject to availability,  you can come and stay for as long as you like!

TIGHT LINES, SEE YOU ALL ON HERE NEXT MONTH.

Jurassic Mountain Fishing Resort

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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