September Fishing Report

Hi again my Offishinado friends,

Well September 2013 was another nondescript month for fishing due to the inclement weather so I have decided to answer the most popular questions that I am regularly asked:-

Q. What can I catch and what are the odds of me catching one?

A. Without a doubt Tuna are the most common fish caught “trolling” in the Andaman Sea. Albacore or Long Fin as they are known locally are good eating and we regularly enjoy making sashimi with them as we travel to more distant fishing grounds.

The other frequently caught Tuna is the Short Fin “Skipjack or Bonito” which we favor for making “Belly Strip” bait, to troll from our outriggers when looking for larger pelagic fish such as Black Marlin, Sail Fish, Wahoo and King “Spanish” Mackerel. On overnight charters to the Similan Islands or Koh Rock / Koh Ha / Hin Daeng one might also encounter some of the larger Tuna such as Big Eye, Dog Tooth or Yellow Fin.

As big game fishing is a sport I often use a golfing analogy when giving the odds of catching something special. For example:- the King of our local fish is undoubtedly the Black Marlin which I compare to a hole-in-one and would give it 10 points on a difficulty rating with Sail Fish and Giant “GTs” Trevally coming a close second with 8 points. Wahoo and King Mackerel would come in around 6 and the smaller, more common, Tuna receiving only 1 point.

Between the 2 and 5 point’s scale, Rainbow Runners, Dorado, Queen Fish and Barracudas are also regularly caught.

In the 10/12 years I have been fishing “local” waters on single day trips to the Racha Islands etc. I have only caught 4 Marlin although your odds are greatly increased of encountering a large “Bill” fish if one were to venture further afield on an overnight voyage especially as dawn and dusk are normally the best fishing times. Unfortunately “day” boats normally like to be back in port around 5/6pm and don’t have the speed necessary to stay in the better fishing grounds beyond 3/4pm.

Tuna like most fish are available all year round with Sails being more prolific around June/July /August. October and April are also good months as that is when our weather “seasons” turns east/west – west /east and the water is not too warm. We have only two seasons here: – Hot and Hot, Wet & Windy, this month being in the latter, regrettably “windy” category, so not much fishing.

This month’s nautical funny – Sorry!

Pirate walks into Jimmy’s Drift Inn, the barman says. “Hi, long time no see, how are you keeping” the Pirate says: “Never felt better, me hearty.”Barman asks: “What about the leg?” Pirate: “Aarrr, shot off by a cannon ball, but they gave me this wooden one, feel great!” Barman: “What about the hand?” Pirate: “Aarrr, Lost that to a cutlass, big fight. But they gave me this hook and I feel great.” OK said the barman, “but I see you have lost an eye.” O Aarrr” Said the Pirate, “A seagull deposited in me eye and they gave me this patch.” A bird’s dropping doesn’t make you go blind” Said the barman. “Aarrr”, said the Pirate “ T’was the day after I got me hook.”

As usual, tight lines to all, (when you can eventually get out and off the hard.)

Jimmy

Picture :- One of our best days “The luck of the Irish” 5 Wahoo,1 King Mac, 1 Dorado and oodles of Tuna.