Monster Carp
Thailand
Carp fishing definitely isn’t something that you would immediately associate with a country that is better known for its stunning beaches, fragrant food and full moon parties. But Thailand is actually home to the largest carp species in the world – the Siamese carp – and although it is now almost impossible to catch one of these monsters in the wild, there are plenty of fishing resorts which have them, and the best known as all is Gillhams, near Krabi. To get a feel for the country and culture, Ali, Tom and Neil spend a few days in Bangkok when they first arrive, and after doing a bit of sightseeing, soon find themselves at a lake on the outskirts of the city, seeing what they can catch on some locally sourced baits. They are all itching to get on with the main event though, as Gillhams is home to a good number of Siamese carp topping 100lb, and there is even a chance of a 200-pounder! These fish feed very differently to the carp that they are used to encountering at home, so they will have to hone their tactics if they are to be successful in tempting one of these monsters. The fishing turns out to be beyond their wildest dreams, especially for Neil who is in Thailand for the first time and can’t believe the size of some of the fish swimming around in front of him, let alone imagine what he is going to do if he actually hooks one!