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 Srinakarin reservoir is a true angler's paradise located in the jungle of Kanchanaburi province. This is the largest (100 kms long) and wildest reservoir to be found in Thailand. This body of water offers excellent lure fishing for all snakehead species and jungle perch, as well as bottom fishing for various Thai fish species of interest.
This destination is best described by the Thailands numero uno fishing guide Jean Francois Helias who runs tours and guided trips to this reservoir with his Fishing Adventures Thailand guide company, the text that follows are his own words and includes descriptions of the venue, fish and his experiences from this amazing place.
 The views and scenery around Srinakarin reservoir in Kanchanaburi is breathtaking and combined with the fishing it will be an unforgettable trip.
"The reservoir's Giant Snakehead (Channa micropeltes) population is big. Up to today, numerous catches by our clients have been in the 5-6 kilos mark; the biggest of all being an exceptional 8.20 kg (weighted on certified scales) caught by UK angler, Richard Pike, in July 2006.
 An 8.2 Kg Giant Snakehead caught by Richard Pike, in July 2006 at Srinakarin Reservoir in Kanchanaburi Province
There are much bigger fish, than this already 8.20 kg Giant Snakehead "catch of a lifetime), to be found at Srinakarin. Proof is this is an angling moment I experienced myself there, in April 2001, while fishing on my own. One of my favorite snakehead custom built rods at that time, worth 12,000 baht, broke on me while fighting a without doubt 10 kg female Giant Snakehead.
A fish of a lifetime I hooked up while she was escorting and protecting her young during the post spawning period! This record size female grabbed my top water lure at only a meter from our pirogue. I used 30 lb braided line at that time. My reel's drag was set ultra tight as snakehead fishing on top water does require. The female Giant Snakehead dived vertically, full speed, heading straight for underwater submerged trees.
I gave her serious stick to stop her. The rod was already bent to its very limit when all of a sudden....crack.... the two piece rod blank "exploded" at its joint. It did not stop me though I went on with the fight. I horsed and pumped the fish the best I could with what was left of the rod, finally succeeding to bring the fish to my local boatman's landing net. So far so good!
But it was not my "karma" on that very day to break my personal best (7.50 kg) for the Giant Snakehead. I did not take with me my personal landing net. My local friend paddling the pirogue had brought a handmade one, OK for any other fish but far too small to net such a huge one as this. He succeeded at least to net two thirds of the fish's body. But his handmade landing net had a too short bamboo handle of around 50 cm long. When he tried to lift up the "biggie" into the pirogue, the net had no power lift ......then my boatman friend froze!
Any smart guy would have had the reflex to grab instead the round net's frame with his two hands, lifting it in one shot into the pirogue. My local boatman friend did not think of it. He would explain to me later back at our base camp that he simply panicked. He had never encountered before such a huge snakehead. He admitted he totally freaked out at the sight of the size of the 10 kg fish's head, hearing at the same time the scary sound made by its clapping jaws full of razor sharp teeth. He said he got scared by the thought he could be badly bitten. I won't blame him for this assumption. Meanwhile the very upset fish was shaking like crazy inside the net mesh. The fish took the advantage of the lure's second treble hook entangled in the mesh to free itself.
My "catch of a lifetime" now free slowly swam away from us...
It has been five years since this angling moment happened. But you'd better believe that all of it is forever engraved in vivid details in my memory. Including at the end of the show, the scene of a very upset Francois losing my usual cool and laid back attitude, telling my Thai buddy how much I had appreciated his help with the landing net.
This with the most exotic selection of swear words, in various languages (English, French, and Thai), I could find right there in our pirogue.
Also the memory of yours truly having extreme difficulties fall asleep for 3 nights in a row after that....
This snakehead fishing anecdote, from the hundreds I could tell you, was only to introduce the Pla Shado (local name for the Giant Snakehead). One of the most exciting game fish predators on the planet, that us snakehead addicts love to call the "gangster of the deep", or the "freshwater tiger of Southeast Asia"!
Anglers beware! Snakehead fishing can be kind of dangerous to your mental health!"
Jean-Francois Helias.
THE PREDATOR FISH SPECIES YOU WILL BE TARGETING AT SRINAKARIN:
THE GIANT SNAKEHEAD (Channa micropeltes) (Thai name PLAH SHADO)
 The Giant Snakehead (blah Shado) is the top Native freshwater predator in thailands waters. This Veracious predator is a prize catch and can grow to weights of 30kg
The Giant Snakehead is the largest representative of the widespread Snakehead genus Channa (formerly Ophicephalus). This extremely popular sport fish is avidly pursued in several Asian countries. Fish have been recorded at 30 kg, although fish over 15 kg are extremely rare. Large snakeheads are solitary fish, which inhabit snags and heavily weeded areas. Submerged trees make an ideal home for an adult fish. They remain under cover for most of the day, emerging only to feed. Like all snakeheads, they are predators, living on small baitfish and frogs, which are taken in one gulp. But with their sharp teeth and powerful jaws, the big snakeheads are capable of immobilizing large prey.
The Shado is Thailand’s equivalent of the European Pike or the American Muskellunge. It strikes viciously at lures, even crushes them. This is tug-of-war fishing, with the Shado frequently ending up the victor! Its predatory habits are legendary. Just like the pike, the Shado is a stalker, armed with a row of vicious teeth. It is a glutton, feeding to the point of regurgitation. The Giant Snakehead can eat any animal, including baby ducks and fallen birds! Hence it grows fast and big. The biggest Giant Snakehead ever caught at the Srinakarin reservoir was weighed at 15 kg. It was not caught by rod and line, but by a local commercial fisherman using a rope tied to a tree. The bait was a live Jungle Perch of a 1 kilo. Much smaller ones can be a handful on 30 lb. tackle.
COBRA SNAKEHEAD or GREAT SNAKEHEAD (Channa marulius) (Thai name PLA TJON GNOO AOW )
 Jean francois Helias displaying his IGFA world record 3.85 kg Cobra Snakehead, March 2005, Srinakarin reservoir.
The Great Snakehead, better know locally as "Cobra Snakehead", is the rarest and the most elusive of all our Thai Snakehead species.
This wonderful fish species has the following particularities: a head that looks like a cobra's head, a long reptilian like body, and an ocellus (spot) on its tail.
To any dedicated snakehead angler, the Cobra Snakehead is considered as a true CATCH OF A LIFETIME. Such a catch is the ultimate dream of any snakehead fishing addict.
Jean Francois wrote once in a feature about this particular predator fish:
"With the Cobra Snakehead, we are speaking here of a "ghost trophy fish"! Only a very few "lucky" anglers have succeeded to add this unique snakehead species to their personal catch records.
This fish inhabits only heavily snagged areas where it loves hiding beneath branches of submerged trees, or into thick weeds.
To trigger a Cobra Snakehead' strike, the angler's cast has often to be done from long distance, at a very snagged spot, into a tiny opening or a "hole" of a small diameter. To stand a chance having a Cobra grabbing your top water lure, you have got to possess 100 % perfect casting accuracy. What I like to call "PURE ZEN CASTING-ARCHERY"! A cast as accurate and as lethal as the arrow of a Japanese Samurai!"
STRIPED SNAKEHEAD or CHEVRON SNAKEHEAD (Channa striata) (Thai name PLA CHON)
 Jean Francois Helias with a lovely PLA CHON caught on a top water lure at Srinakarin reservoir.
The Striped Snakehead, also called Chevron Snakehead, is for us Thai anglers a young brother of the Giant Snakehead. It’s ferocity when striking a lure, however, is just as exciting.
The Pla Chon is also to be found at the Srinakarin reservoir. Its usual haunt being waters with dense vegetation, where it hides in ambush, waiting for passing small fish, frogs or crustaceans.
The best lures for this distant cousin of the Shado are Thai handmade frog imitation lures dressed on large or double hook(s).
JUNGLE PERCH (Hampala macrolepidota) (Thai name PLA KASSOOP)
 Fishing for jungle Percn is great fun with all sorts of lures.
The Jungle Perch is the barracuda of the Thai freshwaters. These piscivores hunt in packs, devouring schools of baitfish. They look innocent enough – they are cyprinids with flattened sides – but are gutsy fighters that strike at a lure with thrilling ferocity. The Pla Kassoop is also one of the favourites for lure fishermen. Jungle Perch are nomadic fish, roaming the river or lake in search of the baitfish. But the best locations for these fish are the coves of lakes where a stream or river enters, or at a confluence of two rivers. In large highland rivers, Pla Kassoop can be found near sunken timber or rocky outcrops in the water, where they wait in ambush.
The best method for catching them is arguably by using lures. Silver spoons and spinners are favourites for the solitary fish, but if a pack of these predators are on a feeding frenzy, literally any lure up to about 9 cm. long will get a strike.
The size of the fish ranges from palm-sized juveniles to about 3 kg. The biggest ever caught to date at Srinakarin is 8.00 kg. Make sure the treble hooks are sharp and strong! Large fish can crush commercially-supplied hooks. In general, the best times are early mornings and late afternoons. For the rivers, clear water conditions are best. The monsoon season can be productive. The streams deposits murky water in the lake. Where this meets the clear water of the huge lake, the Jungle Perch will congregate and hunt for baitfish.
Here is one testimonial from the hundereds recieved from Jean Francois satisfied customers.
"I've fished around the world and enjoy the excitement of catching a trout on a dry fly or a bass on a jig as much as anything else. What I wasn't prepared for was the thrill of catching a ferocious snakehead (or "shado" as they are called in Thailand) on a top water lure. To cast at a fish swirl and then see the fish come back for your lure in an explosive fashion provides an unbelievable adrenaline rush. Jean-Francois Helias is "crazy" about these fantastic fish for good reason. He has a great knowledge of how to find these fish and how to fish for them. A day with Jean-Francois is as good as an undergraduate degree in snakehead fishing."
- Doug Sampson, Utah, USA:
So For any more information about booking a guided trip to this destination or any other destination you see on this website please email tours@megafishingthailand.com
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For more information about snakeheads and junglefishing at this venue click here
NOTE: If you want to get the most out of your Fishing experience in Thailand its highly recommended that you hire a guide , Its not expensive and the results are worth it...
Thailand's inland waterways offer a huge variety of freshwater fishing in rivers, lakes and reservoirs.For anglers looking for big fish and exotic species the country really is hard to beat but a lot of experience is needed if you really want to make the best of your trip.
It takes years of work to find the best spots and the right tackle for the job. Unless you can speak Thai very well you will have great difficulty going it alone.
All tour and guide companys have both Thai and English speaking guides and they really want to do the best for you. You can find out all the info you need about this in our TOURS AND GUIDES SECTION. Tight Lines!
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