76kg fish caught on a fishing rod

I had taken a long break from fishing because of my personal commitments. My friend Omar Haider had been saying for quite some time, “Come on, let’s go fishing somewhere.” We had fished in various places around the country. But recreational fishing has also become quite commercialised here. I thought that instead of spending that money fishing in Bangladesh, we could go abroad and have a new experience.

We decided to go to Thailand. I knew there were many places there for fishing. After looking into it, we learned about the packages at the 42-year-old Bungsamran Fishing Park. Everything worked out, so we made a booking. Bungsamran also hosts fishing competitions at various times, but we were going for recreational fishing.

We arrived in Bangkok on 5 August. After spending the night there, we travelled by car for about an hour and a half the next day and reached the fishing park. After registration, we were taken to a bungalow and assigned a guide.

The packages here include fishing rods, reels and other necessary equipment, a guide, a bungalow and various other facilities. The daily cost ranges from 5,000 to 7,000 baht. The two of us shared one fishing rod, which cost 6,000 baht, or around Tk 22,000. We also had to obtain fishing licences. The one-day licence cost 2,000 baht per person, or around Tk 7,500.

Bungsamran is a lake covering nearly 138,000 square metres. It is home to more than 40 species of fish. The Mekong giant catfish can weigh up to 200kg, while giant Siamese carp can weigh up to 100kg.

After we settled into the bungalow, the assistant started preparing the bait. He made the bait using about 30kg of food. It was made without any chemicals, using ingredients such as rice flour and sattu, among other things.

About 15 minutes after casting the line, we got a bite. Omar Haider was excited and took control of the rod. It was clear that the fish was quite large. Once the fish takes the bait, you have to give it some line. Then, depending on the fish''s movements, you reel the line back in. The whole process is somewhat like flying a kite—you sometimes have to let the line out and at other times pull it closer. When a large fish pulls hard, you have to give it line. Then, when you get the opportunity, you slowly pull it closer. After more than 20 minutes, the fish eventually became tired and came close.

When it came closer, we saw that it was a giant Mekong catfish. Until then, we had been excited even when we caught five-kilogram fish. For recreational anglers like us, landing such a large fish was no easy task. The guide came over. The three of us gently lifted the fish onto the bungalow platform using a net. The hook was removed from its mouth.

The hooks we use here are different from conventional hooks in that they do not have a barb at the tip. As a result, even if a fish swallows the hook, it can be removed easily, reducing the risk of injury to the fish.

We weighed the fish after landing it. On our very first catch, we had landed a 36kg fish! We took separate photographs with it and then quickly released it into the water.

Surprised? The rule here is “catch and release”—catch the fish, take photographs and then release it. They take great care of the fish and make sure they are not injured. If a fish is harmed in any way or dies, a hefty fine has to be paid.

After catching the first fish, we took some time to prepare for the next round. Just 12 minutes later, we got another bite. This time, I took the rod. The fish weighed around 50kg. We took photographs together and then released it as well.

By midday, the temperature began to rise. By then, we had caught around 22 to 23 large fish. We had also caught many smaller ones. Our fishing session was supposed to continue until evening, but by 1:00pm we could hardly carry on. After catching fish one after another, both my arms and my entire body were aching. That day, I realised just how much strain it puts on your body to fight a large fish for a long time.

But the biggest surprise of the day was still to come. Towards the end, I caught a fish weighing 76kg. It was also a Mekong giant catfish. The fish was so large that handling it properly was a real challenge. Seeing such a huge fish up close and getting a photograph with it was truly an incredible experience.

The record at this fishing park is for a fish weighing around 120kg. There is also a Hall of Fame-like area where anglers who have caught fish weighing more than 100kg are featured alongside renowned anglers from around the world. We had hoped to catch at least one 100kg fish. That dream did not come true this time.

We shared our Thailand fishing experience in a group of recreational anglers. Many people showed interest. Some may even go fishing there soon after seeing our experience. I would also like to go back. We will go again—we have to get our photographs on the Hall of Fame wall!