Fly Punk - Issue 3

After several attempts to tie my own flies I
decided that the way they were flowing in
the water I couldn’t replicate what I had seen
on the rivers of the Amazon so I researched
some people in the Pike fly fishing world
and discovered an absolute gem in a chap
called Magnus Nygren, he tied me replica
Java Barb and Roach type patterns which
are native to the Thai river systems, and
also since it was Snake Head breeding
season I thought I should get some fry
patterns made up too. We ended up having
to go with salt water Giant Trevally hooks
simply because of the amount of material
on the fly; with a potential weight of 400lb I
didn’t want to chance losing anything over
a bent hook.
So I arrive at Exotic Fishing Thailand in
Phang Nga which is run by Mike Bailey, a
Canadian man who came fishing in Thailand
and decided to never leave. The place looks
stunning with shades of green foliage you
didn’t think were possible. An eagle slowly
circles around the never ending mountains
and the sounds of distant monkeys calling
to one another. You have to take a step
back and think to yourself are you really only
45 minutes from Phuket airport or in a land
forgotten by time away from the human
touch. I loaded my Orvis up with Rio GT
50lb saltwater floating line with weighted
taper and a good 300 yards of backing just
in case I got something that decided water
skiing maybe my next sport. I watched the
sun rise over the mountains and saw a
disturbance over by the floating hyacinth.
A mouth gulping air for a split second not
8 | 9
enough to be noticed but enough to make
my heart go into panic mode. I knew from
that point that the Ari were still cruising
the shallows looking for the individual fish
that stray from the shoal and make it its
first meal of the day. Twenty Nine years
of my fishing experience began to flash in
front of my eyes, all that learning, all those
hook-ups, lost fish and countless YouTube
videos all come back to haunt you when
you know what is in front of you could be
that one fish that you’ve flown 34944 miles
over 3 years for is potentially 30 feet to your
right looking for something resembling the
fly you have on your line……no worries right?
I had practiced with my line and rod before
I went so I knew the capabilities this travel
rod had and the ease with which could get
the line out but one thing I wasn’t 100% sure
on was how the reel would perform; after all
unless I’m going to get a 200lb man to start
running away from me with a fly attached
to him there was only one way to find out!
I spent several hours stalking the fish and
trying to even get a sniff of attention and in
32 degrees this wasn’t the easiest of fishing
sessions I’ve done. But like a wise man said
to me once, if it was easy everyone would
do it. I’d seen a fair few Arapaima that day
surfacing for air and I cast every direction
possible to try and lure them but I began
to feel that it was never going to happen.
Mike the owner said to try by the floating
hyacinth at dusk and slowly strip the line
maybe 3 foot from the edge of the bank.
My first thoughts were how can a fish that’s
potentially 6ft plus, and that weight, be in so
close; but after being told that they love the
shallows I was all over it.
Another hour went by and ‘bang’ my line
flew of and by the speed that the reel was
going at I knew that something was on the
end that literally was going to be the bane
of my life for at least the next hour. As the
fish approached the edge and a very tired
arm I produced an absolute stunner of a
Wallagu Attu whose picture now proudly
sits on my wall and with a weight over the
current IGFA, of a touch under 43lb. I sat
there thinking to myself if this is what this
can do….what seriously is going to happen
when it's 8 times the weight.
I got up the next morning to what I can only
describe as paradise and quietly began
to stalk the margins looking for clouds of
disturbed mud in the water, or ripples, but
literally nothing was stirring. I decided to
listen to Mike and again fish the margin. I
cast several times into the same spot and
decided to let the fly sink a bit. I went all
out for a long cast hearing the sounds of
the fibres whooshing through the air as
it passed me and with a delicate landing
it sat proud like a beaming purple and
black ray of sunshine gently sinking into
the ever darkening depths. I let the fly sit
for a few minutes until I knew it would
be as deep as it could get and I began to
strip the line with a slow figure of eight, I
even tried few twitches. When I look back
at what happened next my mind still can’t
really compute as I can only describe it as
a force like a huge vacuum, an easy 10ft of
line flew straight out of my hand. I lifted the
rod, rather than strike, and the rest was a
mixture of luck, panic and maybe a touch
of all those 29 years of fishing coming into
play. The line had disappeared before I
had a chance to grab it and I was into the
backing praying to whatever Viking god I
could think of that this knot was the best
knot that man had ever seen.
The fish stayed down deep for a good 15
minutes before I finally got a glimpse, when
it came up for air. All I saw was a plethora
of colour; greens, pinks, silvers and reds
and for a split second…I could swear my
heart stopped…finally I had an Arapaima!
The fight went on for over an hour with the
fish jumping out of the water like a Tarpon
and had me constantly bowing, hoping
she stayed on. I knew with using barbless
hooks I had to keep that tension otherwise
all would be at a loss. Finally I began to be
able to tighten the drag slightly and wind
some of the maybe 100ft of line back in and
then it all went wrong. The fish decided to
dart under the floating hyacinth. The exact
place I’d caught this monster from was
going to be the place that now became the
obstacle that could potentially cost me my
PB fish of a lifetime.
There was only one thing for it, I got in the
water and followed the fish down the bank
and spooked it out of the greenery and I was
back in the winning seat. I climbed back out
onto the bank and finally this old girl had
had enough as this 34 year old man and she
began to come in cursing like a prehistoric
dinosaur. I could see its mouth with my fly
just in the side and the silver and pink flash
shredded to pieces. I’d done it. I had finally
after all these trips, planes and taxis; I had
finally done it! The guides had one thing left
to do which was guide her into the net and
a few minutes later she was in. I sat down,
dropped my rod to my knees and took a
second to reflect on over 90 minutes of
almost 7ft, 330lb, and a girth that I couldn’t
fit my arms around if I wanted. I looked at
the fish glistening with its rainbow colours
fading into dark black and red and realised
that a tiny rod that fitted in my case and a
reel no bigger than a saucer had done its
job and I’d landed a fish of many people’s
dreams and a moment I can take to the
grave knowing that all that pain and worry
finally paid off.
By the end of the trip I had several Arapaima,
Red Tail Catfish, Asian Catfish, Pacu and
Snake Head all in the net. What I would say
is the red letter holiday of a lifetime and
all that was down to Mike Bailey at Exotic
Fishing Thailand for creating a place where
people can catch dreams and the myth of
a 14,000 year old prehistoric monster fish
becomes a reality.
Many thanks to the owner Mike Bailey
at exotic fishing Thailand (bookings
available on facebook or http://www.
exoticfishingthailand.com), Magnus Nygren
for tying stunning reliable flies available via
facebook and Thai Airways for a safe and
comfortable journey.
Lee McSween – https://www.facebook.
com/lee.mcsween
Mike Bailey - https://www.facebook.com/
Mike.bailey.EFT
Exotic Fishing Thailand - https://
www.facebook.com/Exotic-Fishing-
Thailand-427820143951674
www.fly-punk.com