Thailand trip

[szopen]

A couple weeks ago we had used an opportunity (wife had a business meeting in Bangkok) and arranged a week trip to Koh Tao (small island in the south east) for diving and fishing.

It was beginning of a monsun and low season so we had "a bit" of rain for the first two days but than weather improved.

On the second day I have sent wife to the spa for the afternoon and than had a look for a boat. Found a young guy with a boat, negotiated conditions and out we went for a look.
Trolled for a couple hours without any results but had a good look around the island.
Arranged with the driver an early morning start the next day, took off at five, 10 minutes to get out, first rod in the water, maybe three minutes later reel screams and shortly a nice barracuda is in the boat, trolled some more with a few hits but no hook ups.
Went home and dived in the afternoon.

First barracuda

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Same thing was arranged for a next day: fishing in the morning diving in the afternoon.
Got a smaller barracuda and developed a small problem with one of the reels.
A bit of tinkering at the hotel and problem solved.

But that was not to be continued as wife decided that morning diving would be much better (it actuallu was better) so only afternoon/evening fishing for me.
For the next three days went out without much luck, a few far in between hits but no hook ups.

Than one day way after sunset got another barracuda slightly short of a meter.
Last day got hit just as I started to reel in the line and my first snapper (later identified as Starry Snapper) put a bit of a fight.

Snapper

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Some other info.

This is trolling "by feel" fishing as no sounder/GPS so with pieces od reef coming up from time to time a few lures are lost.
Best results were on Rapala Red Head sizes 11 and 14 (run out of 11s), most productive was the hour around sunrise and then after sunset.

Very nice thing is that you can bring the fish with you to a restaurant and they will clean and cook it as you wish for a very reasonable price.

Although (or maybe because of) this place is one of the famous diving destinations I have not been very impressed with diving. Some sites way too crowdy.

[Scott15]

very interesting looking fish ya got there :o