Oct fishin report.Gulf of Thailand wrecks

**jaidam** · 03-11-2006, 07:14

Koh Tao wreck fishing report.Oct 2006

Thanks to the slack winds and gentle currents we enjoyed great fishing all month. "Wreck Wednesdays" were running as normal to Unicorn and Torpedo wrecks, and we had two 4 day trips out looking for new wrecks.

Heading due east the tech divers went to check out new gps numbers.Some turned out interesting but others were little more than a crusty old engine block sitting in the sand.To make diving safer and easier, the first diver down always ties off a downline to the structure at the bottom which we use instead of an anchor.Just right for a bit of fishing as well.

Early afternoon and Laurent was ascending the down line, coming up from a deep rebreather dive and making a safety stop at 40 meters. The baracuda came out of nowhere, charging straight toward him mouth wide open. It stopped a couple of feet in front of him then dashed away. Shaking its head, it sped off and starting swimming to and fro with great speed. Up on deck I had just cast a spinner, let it sink deep and begun a top speed retrieve.

Jigging with metal lures can be an effective way to fish the wrecks of the gulf. I like to drop the lure (65gm Raider with wire leader) close to the bottom, jig it aggressively several times then retrieve as fast as possible. This is when the fish usually strike. In the day we have taken king mackerel, baracuda, pompano and black tip sharks, but the lures really come into their own in the night. The first night parked up over a wreck is always the most productive. More often than not the cast will result in a strike, bigeye trevally between 1 and 4.5 kilos. 2nd nights parked over the same wreck have been much slower.

Bait fishing attracted the usual suspects, cobia ,african pompano, and snapper though the bottom fishing was slow when there was zero current.

Thanks to videographer Chris Clarke from Acemarine who caught this randy group of dolphin fish under the boat.They were flirting all day with each other. The male got agitated whenever another bull came along, and we could see them leaping and fighting together.I couldn't tempt them with lures or bait but did try several times!

Due to the impending monsoon we have no long range trips booked until Jan '07. Wreck Wednesdays will continue weather permitting.

Marc Bell,Adventure Center ltd.Koh Tao

**PanamaJack** · 03-11-2006, 10:08

Hi Marc
How big was that Pompano in the first thumbnail?
Dave

**jaidam** · 03-11-2006, 23:12

Hi Dave,

He was 7 kilos, about average size for the offshore wrecks. Have you encountered them in your travels? They are the bread and butter of fishing trips here in the gulf. Not fussy about bait, fight hard, good eating and sexy looking!

Cheers,
Marc

**PanamaJack** · 06-11-2006, 10:09

Hi Marc
I've only ever caught 'babies' up to 12lbs (5.5kgs) - that have still got the tell-tale filaments attached to the dorsal - from Florida. They been taken whilst we're light tackle jigging in the Gulf of Mexico. And the best recorded in our Club is just over 8kgs (18lbs), from Thailand.

They're strong fish though and looking through the world records the biggest is one of 50lbs 8oz (22.9kgs) from Daytona Beach, Florida.
Dave

**maxwilliam** · 22-12-2006, 22:21

Hello Marc,
is that a regular garfish the nice lady is holding? It's a damn good size if it is. I've seen large gar type fish under lights at night from my ship round SE Asia but have never got a decent hookhold.Max.

**jaidam** · 22-12-2006, 23:50

Hi Max,

He is a barred longtom.I hear in the atlantic they are known as "flat needlefish".

They are quite difficult to get a good hookup on.This is because when they hit your bait, they swim around with the bait in their jaws for a long time before swallowing it. After he has taken your bait, let your line totally slack for at least 5 seconds before striking.

Although they are easily attracted by lights at night, they are very difficult to catch. They seem so much more wary. Daytime is the best time to fish for them.

Where is your ship based?

Marc

**maxwilliam** · 23-12-2006, 21:45

Hello Marc,
this is the3rd time I've tried to reply so forgive me if 3 appear.
Thanks for the info, I bet they fly and tailwalk when hooked.
I work on a seismic survey ship and we tow our equipment all over SE Asia at 5 knots.
I have to lure fish from the bow 25 feet up and mainly the fish I have a chance with are pelagics only, with dorado and tuna when they come close enough.
Once hooked into a sailfish (a very brief struggle on pretty light tackle as I need to cast). It sounds like you have a nice charter setup there. Great photos, keep up the good work. All the best, Max.

**geffaz** · 12-01-2007, 00:05

hallo mark! last year did a stint on ko tao
couple of trips out, and arfter having at chat with ozzy andy at the tatoo bar
we used you guys a couple of times, even went to the office the day before and
pointed out the gear we wanted, also the youse of wire traces (as my mate had lost a decent barra the day before) we said we would happily pay, no problem!
also asked if Wit (one of your decent skippers would take us out to the "pinnacle")

"ok cool no problem" they said be heer at silly oclock!

we get ther nursing hangovers to find it isnt wit its a couple of clowns!
wit has taken a party out (leaving just as we left with a jam packed boat)
heading into the deep blue! we spent the day nursing the coast trying to pick off
little travely with 50lb class boat rods!(fun fun fun) as the skips seemed more intent on fishing than helping! at one point the skip had a half decent vally on and let it have the run around (showing off maybe) ive signaled to just about every one to raise ther gear for a minute! with this i got NONONO from the skipper!
ok do as he says! 2 minutes later and we have a vally on the deck with the biggest birds nest, 8 sets of gear!
gave up arfter that and got the floating gear out off tannot bay and had the best sport ever! somtimes the best things in life ar realy free!

how things on tao anyway mate love that island!