Fishing in Udon Thani
To begin with, I make no apologies for coming over as a big negative when it comes to fishing in Udon Thani but there is a reason for it - overall it is just not very good! The main problem I have seen is the very poor management of the popular locations such as Nong Sai, to the east of Udon Thani. What seems to happen is they stock the lakes/ponds with lots and lots of small Panine and the word gets out that stocking has taken place. For the next few weeks, the banks are lined with locals and as most take their catch home to eat, the numbers of fish left in the lakes slowly but surely dwindles until such time that it becomes very difficult to catch anything. When this stage is reached you would perhaps think that re-stocking would take place - wouldn't you? (I would), but it does not happen. It could be another 2 or 3 months before the fishery gets round to re-stocking again, and that is assuming they still have the money to do it! Just about every fishery that operates a catch to eat policy is run this way and I really do not appreciate it.
There are lakes where you cannot take either certain fish or any fish at all, and these places I must admit are better options, providing your Thai wife does not mind not taking any fish home at the end of the session.
The strong sun can get a little too much after a few hours of consistent catching of larger fish, and it is easy to get a sunburn if you are paying attention to what you are doing. In most cases though, you can at least take refuge under some makeshift canopies (typically with little expense ploughed in to the making of these) that are littered around the lake edge.
So where to go fishing in Udon Thani?
There are lakes where you cannot take either certain fish or any fish at all, and these places I must admit are better options, providing your Thai wife does not mind not taking any fish home at the end of the session.
The strong sun can get a little too much after a few hours of consistent catching of larger fish, and it is easy to get a sunburn if you are paying attention to what you are doing. In most cases though, you can at least take refuge under some makeshift canopies (typically with little expense ploughed in to the making of these) that are littered around the lake edge.
So where to go fishing in Udon Thani?
Samand Farm Fishing Park
Samand Farm fishery is my favourite in and around the Udon Thani area as it is one of those places where certain species are protected and under no circumstances are allowed to be removed. The lake is packed with hard-fighting Catfish that average around the 5kg mark with a number of bigger fish up to 20kg. They are quite easy to catch on 'typical' Issan fishing methods using bread on the hook and a method style feeder packed with free offering. These 'cats' will take food from the bottom, the surface or anywhere between and nearly always seem to be hungry enough to oblige. The small shop is normally well-stocked with bait and of course you can buy food and drink here too. The cost to fish here is 80 baht per rod, per day, and considering the action that can be had, it is remarkable value.
There are some lovely Pacu in this lake too although getting to them is not so easy with all the catfish. If you do catch one, you can take it home (for a charge of course).
There are some competitions held at Samand Farm, which are popular events. You buy a ticket and have 5 hours fishing and whoever catches a fish of a pre-determined weight, wins a cash prize. You catch a fish and if you think it is close to the weight required, you take the fish (with the hook and rod still attached) to the weigh station (to prove you hooked it) and get it weighed. They then put the fish back in to the lake once weighed in.
The park provides heavy duty landing nets to make it easy to get the large fish out of the water, and the banks of the lake are pretty good, which helps to land the fish as well.
All the places to fish have good cover nearby, and of course if you fish from the southern bank, you should be able to avoid the sun very easily for just about the whole day.
There are some lovely Pacu in this lake too although getting to them is not so easy with all the catfish. If you do catch one, you can take it home (for a charge of course).
There are some competitions held at Samand Farm, which are popular events. You buy a ticket and have 5 hours fishing and whoever catches a fish of a pre-determined weight, wins a cash prize. You catch a fish and if you think it is close to the weight required, you take the fish (with the hook and rod still attached) to the weigh station (to prove you hooked it) and get it weighed. They then put the fish back in to the lake once weighed in.
The park provides heavy duty landing nets to make it easy to get the large fish out of the water, and the banks of the lake are pretty good, which helps to land the fish as well.
All the places to fish have good cover nearby, and of course if you fish from the southern bank, you should be able to avoid the sun very easily for just about the whole day.
Address
Tambon Ban Lueam, Chang Wat, Udon Thani 41000
Tambon Ban Lueam, Chang Wat, Udon Thani 41000
Nong Sai Fishing park
A fishery with so much potential, yet the successive string of poor fishery management has made this one of my least favourite fishing locations in Udon Thani. Having said that, as of today (August 2013), there is a new owner who has had the cunning idea of mixing the fishery with a karaoke bar - painful to listen to sometimes and not my idea of a quite day's fishing. Species to be found, where sufficient numbers are present, include Snakeheads, several different catfish species, and lots of Panine. With the exception of the Panaine and some catfish, most other species cannot be taken home to eat. Despite the lack of fish sometimes, Nong Sai remains popular with the locals as they hope to get one or two fish for their evening meal. Some bait and tackle is also available as is rod hire if you do not have your own gear to hand. One major drawback to this fishery is the fact that they let people take what they catch home (in most cases) and do not tend to re-stock very quickly. This means you can have a great few weeks, following a stocking of the lake, then very little for the next three months, when they finally get more fish back in the lakes. It is reasonable to say that fishery management is not a strong point.
The main lake, next to the building, has a number of sheltered places where you can get out of the hot sun, but the smaller lakes have no such cover.
Fishing here is free and if you want to eat and/or drink, then naturally enough you can. The fishery is signposted all the way from Nong Sai village (in Thai) but you get the idea when you see them.
Nong Sai actually has it's own website - in Thai and English
The main lake, next to the building, has a number of sheltered places where you can get out of the hot sun, but the smaller lakes have no such cover.
Fishing here is free and if you want to eat and/or drink, then naturally enough you can. The fishery is signposted all the way from Nong Sai village (in Thai) but you get the idea when you see them.
Nong Sai actually has it's own website - in Thai and English
Address
Nongsai Fishing Park: 160 Moo 17 Ban Nongsai 2, T. Nongnakam, A. Muang. Udon Thani 41000
Nongsai Fishing Park: 160 Moo 17 Ban Nongsai 2, T. Nongnakam, A. Muang. Udon Thani 41000
Phon Fishing Park
Phon fishing is the closest fishing park from where we live, being just under 2km by road and is one of my favourite places, although the fishing is not as good as that of Samand Farm. It is mostly Catfish (that you cannot take away) but there are other, and more elusive species here including Mrigal (a type of Carp). It is a simple rectangular lake with no features but what I do like about this place are the decent banks from which to fish. Unlike many fisheries, the banks here are at right-angles to the water up so they are really comfortable and you do not need to go wading to get the bigger fish out. You will often see shoals of fish moving from one end of the lake to the other on the surface, and this seems to happen all day, every day (except during cold spells). Bait and some tackle is sold here along with food and drink (obviously). The park provides heavy duty landing nets to make it easy to get the large fish out of the water.
The cover here is actually quite good, by local standards, with a long canopy that runs along one side of the lake, with table and chairs in place for more comfortable dinning (if that is what you want to do).
There is another, and quite new small fishing lake on the opposite side of the road that I have yet to try out.
The cover here is actually quite good, by local standards, with a long canopy that runs along one side of the lake, with table and chairs in place for more comfortable dinning (if that is what you want to do).
There is another, and quite new small fishing lake on the opposite side of the road that I have yet to try out.