Thailand Gulf - Ko Chang

[moonshiners]

Were heading over to the Gulf for a few weeks, hoping to get a bit of beach and boat fishing in.

Here's the real question, we are chartering a sailing boat for a week around The Ko Chang Archipeligo-

My problem is that bait (other than fresh bait fish) is a bit of a no go as well as lots of tackle and gear. Space is a real permium, Were mainly fishing for food while sailing.

Can someone please advise on the type of lures that may work.

i.e will feathers, shads and perks work and what could you expect to catch (that's edible) handlining a set of lures off the side of the boat.

Also any advise generally on handlining for edibles on a boat and the types of fish caught.

I'm specifically interested in simple set ups.

Thanks.

[mrfishjersey]

A popular method over here with the yachties that just want some fish to eat is to use a hand line with a paravane, when the fish hit the lure they come up to the surface. You can troll plugs or feathers behind the boat, not so much to carry, stow away easily, cheap and less hassle with all the ropes and rigging on a sailing boat

[moonshiners]

Thanks Jersey, what kind of fish could you expect to catch on Feathers and lures?

All the searches i've done only come up with game fish, I'd like to do a bit of research on what were actually likely to catch rather than the "bondage harness Tuna Fishing" advertised all over...

Thanks.

[mrfishjersey]

I'm affraid I havnt got a clue on the species mate, but surely you'll get some type of mackerel or jack or something out there that you can eat. I'd stick some feathers out and see what happens, maybe take some spare sets though, should be a nice holiday mate I'm not jealous:schmoll:

[jaidam]

Hi moonshiners,

Make sure to take some feathers with you. Bigger sizes with at least a foot spaces between hooks. Troll them on your sailboat for tuna. This is the time of year for them ( at least here at the Western Gulf of Thailand). They seem better used with a trolling bird or a short line so they are jumping out the water a little, rather than on a planer or downrigger. Also catch the occasional dolphin using this method.

Bigger rapalas like magnums work OK for the king mackerel, baracuda and queenfish.

[rapalajoe]

CD 14 /magnum ,king/spanish/broad barred mack......feathers/sabiki......bottom fishing at anchorage for edible...grouper....golden snapper....

[moonshiners]

That's the ticket. thanks guys, much appreciated!

Very much looking forward to the trip, should be awsome. Thanks for the advise, now i can do some re-search on more relevant species!

[Patudo]

Pulling mackerel feathers behind a small bird teaser will get you lots of small tunas but they are not too good to eat. At sailboat speed a rapala cd14 or cd11 magnum is probably your best bet for catching spanish mackerel, which are good to eat. I've always had good luck with red head/white body in the Southeast Asia region. Unfortunately you'll also get barracudas although, to be fair, those are not bad to eat as well, despite the great barracudas being very slimy and smelling terrible when you boat them. Scrub off the slime, bleed the fish out and they should go quite well on the grill. Spanish mackerel and barracudas have very sharp teeth so don't remove the lure until the fish is dead. Have a club ready to quiet them down when they come aboard.

When you anchor up in the evenings, casting a small shad may get you trevally. Bluefin trevally are great eating and small GTs are pretty good too. You'll need a rod for that. Bottom fishing with a basic two hook paternoster rig with about size 4/0 long shank hooks will probably get you snappers and various reef fish. You won't need a rod and reel for this, handlines work just as well. Use strips of tuna or squid as bait.

Squid can be attracted to the boat lights at night. Cast a small squid jig to get them - the smaller the better. 4 inches or less is ideal.

Good luck

P.

[jaidam]

Patudo,

Agree with what you are saying, but it sounds like you have not fished the gulf of Thailand much, more like Andaman. We don't have bluefin trevallys, or GTs.
The small tuna are excellent eating- raw or cooked. These are not skipjacks, they look like baby bluefin, yellowtail or longtails, hard to say what. The stripey tuna are crap to eat, agreed, but here most are like the pic I posted withy nice white meat.
Spot on with the lights at night for squid. If you are anchored over any structure send one down live for snapper and barracuda at night. If you can keep them alive then use it for trevally in the morning after it is light.
Rapala magnums are about the best for mackerel, but I find the mackerel colour works way better than white w/red head.

So Moonshiners, have you caught anything yet?

[moonshiners]

So Moonshiners, have you caught anything yet?[/QUOTE]

Haha - I'm off in less than 10 days and can't bloody wait!

Will be sure to post pics and info when we return in May.

Picked up a couple of cheapo travel rods and reels, that i don't mind leaving/breaking etc... and a couple of handlines, will go down to our boat before we go and raid the stores for Mackerel feathers :whistling

and will pick up some supplies for the [small] Tuna, I think they would pull my bream rigs apart!


Really looking forward to some good eatin' winter is so dull on the southcoast - UK if (like me) you didn't get out enough for the cod and pollock - very little Bass and bugger all else, although most of the interesting stuff should be in by the time we return, so ALL GOOD!

[Patudo]

Jaidam (love the nickname by the way),

You're right, I haven't fished up your way. I've fished the Malaysian islands further south, got my first black marlin hookup years back near Pulau Dayang. No doubt about it, things could be different up your way. Interesting you're getting those small longtails (I'm sure they're longtails). The main small tuna at least further south is the kawa kawa aka mack tuna - tongkol is the Malay name. I've eaten them before, pan fried, and to be honest they were okay but your longtails are definitely better. That's a really good eating fish. What size do they get up to in your area?

I did fish out of Phuket a lot.

Best regards

P.