I moved here to Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand 2 months ago, and am nicely settled in, after a couple of weeks here I started to get the fishing itch, as most fisherman do, after they have been without for a while. so I started to look about for somewhere to fish.
My search of the area led me to a couple of really nice venues and one "fishing park" named Bo-Sang, where big catfish are the main target species. So I had a walk around, and watched the locals fishing very crude but sucsessful techniques, which i would try to copy.
The Lake is open from 7am until dusk, Price is 100 baht per day.
This involved a small 2 piece boat rod, very strong, a multiplier reel loaded with 30lb breaking strain line and a method feeder with a strong braided hooklength. Unfortunately i had to make do with my ebay fixed spool reel, which gave up the ghost quite quickly, and a 5 piece fox travel carp rod. which i am still using to this day. The hook i used was a huge gamakatsu size 2.
This lake looks great and from the pictures of Paul there are some good sized fish in there too
The bait which everyone uses are pepperoni sandwiches bought from the tackle shop, which smell like there is whisky on them too. These are all chopped up with scissors and put into a bucket. Its available at the small shop on site, and also food is available on site. The bait is 30 baht, you will need 4-5 of these for a whole day, maybe more.
So all excited I set up, moulded a huge ball of bait around my feeder and put some bread on the hook, buried it into the ball, and cast out. There were huge cattys topping all over the pond and I couldnt wait to get one on the end of my hook! I set the clutch very light, so the fish could pull line off no problem and waited........
My wait lasted for about 5 mins and my ebay reel started wizzing line off the spool, I grabbed the rod, held the spool, and struck 3 times to make sure i hooked up, which unfortunatly for me i did. Oh my god I have never felt power in a fish like it before it ripped about 150 yards from my reel in no time at all, and there was nothing I could do about it... I put all my strength into stopping the fish but it was truly a battle, especially in the humid heat the sweat was dripping into my eyes! My reel soon gave up, and i couldnt tighten the clutch any more , i was forced to hold the spool to stop the fish taking line. I started to wish I had never hooked it. All the while there was about 10 locals behind me laughing at the silly foreigner trying to fish. After about 25 mins I managed to get the better of it, it came to the top of the water beaten! yes!
A very happy paul with his first Fish in Thailand , and a very respectable 26 Kilos.
I weighed it and it made 26 kilos, dont know how many pounds but it was big to me, and a P.B in fishing!
I go back to this lake every week now and have had some clonkers 30-38 kilos it is like going to the gym ! I have also found a pond stocked with giant snakehead, and other species too, I will be going there and taking some photos, I will post my experience here. hope you have enjoyed my story here is a pic of that 1st fish I caught.
Thanks to Paul for this Article and review of Bo Sang Fishing Park in Chiang Mai Thailand.
I moved here to Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand 2 months ago, and am nicely settled in, after a couple of weeks here I started to get the fishing itch, as most fisherman do, after they have been without for a while. so I started to look about for somewhere to fish. 
