RBFC “Classic” Fishing Competition

Hi Me Hearties

Having being given time off for good behavior from hospital in BKK, I returned to Phuket just in time to attend the prize giving of our annual competition to the Similan Islands, where we regularly fish the waters outside the national park limits. And here’s a real classic, there’s not many competitions which get a weather warning, “Watch out for falling space debris.” As bits off an Indian space shot fell to earth.

The prize giving as usual was held at the excellent Kan Eang @ Pier, Chalong, with the inimitable Warren Crowe as mine host followed by the RBFC President Mr. Dave “Flob” Roberts advised everyone that, now that the competition was over the two main Phuket fishing clubs The RBFC and The PGFC would amalgamate with the club name being the more appropriate Phuket Game Fishing Club with their club HQ at Mad Mohally’s in Rawai who donated some magnificent trophies.

Initially the statistics seemed quite good with 3 Marlin and 1 good sized Sailfish being among the prizewinning contenders, but considering there were 16 boats on a 3 day 2 night competition with many of the boats catching little or nothing, the general consensus of opinion was the poor fishing was due to being continually surrounded by commercial “trawlers” (not to be confused with our sports “trollers”). Over the years I have witnessed the slow and unremitting demise of the Andaman Sea’s fish stocks while the commercial trawlers seem to be breeding at an unprecedented rate of knots, chasing what little is left to catch. To the powers that be:- “Is it not time you learned from other fishing nations, that in the long run, conservancy measures are in the interests of everyone, including the commercial fishing industry, their sons and daughters.”

Tight lines

Jimmy