Fishing Holidays in Thailand

fishing holidays in thailand

Thai fishing guide Bobby Kaotakol (left) with a client on a local stream

Fishing Holidays in Thailand – Fly Fishing & Light Tackle

Fishing holidays in Thailand’s northern Provinces of Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are real angling adventures. Blessed with mountain ranges that extend southeast from the Himalayan Plateau, major river systems touch both sides of this region. The 2,800 km Salween River to the west, and the mighty Mekong River to the east. With the catchments of the Salween, there are good fly fishing opportunities for Thai, Golden & Blue Mahseer plus Burmese Trout. Perhaps nowhere more so than in the Mae Sariang District of Mae Hong Son province.

The mountainous location hides clear streams holding good populations of wild native fish species… Many small streams hold surprisingly large mahseer (a member of the carp family). The mahseer behave like large brown trout, happily taking dry flies, nymphs and streamers!

Add in ethnic minority Karen and Tai Yai village scenes and picturesque jungle landscapes and you’ve got a recipe for a memorable fishing experience!

Rivers & Streams

Freestone rivers & mountain streams are Catch & Release and we provide guided fishing trips to many small freshwater, freestone streams around the region. The special point of difference being these are truly wild fish in natural surroundings, and we have fishing access to Protection Zones within these streams.  This is an eco-tourism / conservation project which provides a sustainable way to generating revenue from fish stocks for local Karen villages. In most cases, NG River Guides has exclusive access to these Fish Protection Zones.

Mahseer, Jungle Perch and Burmese Trout are present in varying numbers in the rivers of northwestern Thailand, especially along the Myanmar border regions.

Thailand fishing holidays - a Mahseer hookup

A Thai Mahseer hits the dry fly!

Quite unlike most other regions of Thailand, there is still good forest cover across most mountain ranges. The local streams and rivers run crystal clear outside of the Wet Season (monsoon period of June – Oct).

Fly fishing trips always involve some interaction with the local people, as most fishing zones are adjacent to villages. In many cases, these are remote places, where electricity has not yet reached. No phone lines, no cell phone coverage… In rare cases, a villager may have purchased a solar panel, a battery and a small TV set and aerial. In some villages with a high school, the government has implemented a large solar power system for the school, along with satellite internet systems.

Dams & Reservoirs

The two main wild sport fish species available in lakes and reservoirs of northern Thailand are Giant Snakehead and Jungle Perch. These are truly wild native fish species – not pond-reared exotic fish that are hand-fed daily to make them easy to catch.

jungle-perch-fly-fishing-thailand

Kayak Fishing

This a new technique in Thailand, and few small reservoirs or rivers every see any boat traffic.

Kayak fishing - reservoirs, Mae Sariang

 

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