January Fishing in Phuket

It’s Sods Law – fishing was great right up to the start of the “High” season when the spawning tuna flooded the sea with bait-fish and easy food which makes life that much more interesting for us sports fishermen/folks. This is a great example of the exception to the rule:- “There ain’t  no such thing as a free lunch.” Tell that to our local pelagic predators, as they run the gauntlet in a bid to evade the commercial “trawlers” not to be confused with us good guys, the sports “trollers”.

With the fickle weather continuing to discumbuggerate  January, many tourists decided to visit the local fishing parks, who, unlike the boats found the start of the season better than expected with people preferring to stay ashore rather than risk a wee bit-o-weather blowing up their Khyber, while the sea stayed amazingly calm throughout. Unseasonal Mid-January thunder storms cooled the sea and left a film of fresher water on the surface of the salt, this plus the spawning were all blamed for the sudden reduction in what had been great fishing for well over a year.

While we were chasing our tails here, Ian of “M.V. Thai 2 On” reported great fishing up in the Similan Islands which is just as well as he has quite a few booking for these idyllic islands before he pulls the hook and goes one better, setting sail for the Burma Banks. (pic enc.)

What a mess at Chalong Circle with what looks like a permanent traffic jam for the foreseeable future and the pier at peak times in chaos as the buses struggle to get through the traffic in order to disgorge their zombie like  passengers who follow their flag flying tour guide with no consideration for anyone around them. What happened to etiquette and respect? The same road works have also made a huge difference to the visitors to the south of the island and its related effect on the local businesses which rely on this seasonal tourism. I even have a shipmate who visits very regularly and who now says he is not returning until the circle is finished. And while on the subject: – If it takes me an hour to get through the circle at peak times, what are the Para-medics saying about the situation as they sit in their ambulances 3 or 4 times a day sirens blazing and going nowhere?  A Gypsy friend once explained snakes to me, explaining: – “The Krait (Sea Snake) is the 2 minute snake, while on land; the Cobra is the 20 minute snake. But don’t worry the hospital is only 15 minutes away – Not any more, I wonder have there been any fatalities due to this monumental cock-up?

I see the Sea Gypsies are in bother again for allegedly fishing in a National Park, waters that their great, great, grandparents fished, long before the Thais arrived on the scene. Is it not about time the Indians got a reservation, honestly, I don’t see them building a casino.

Lastly, I see via the” Phuket News” that Albania is about to lose its national bird due to Raptors. Please, my Albanian friends don’t be too concerned F22’s are the reason America’s national bird is bald. 555.

Tight lines to all.