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Game for fishing?
 Mahi
mahi (dorado), tuna, sailfish, marlin and other species abound
in the blue waters of the Andaman. Depending on the tides, you
can test your skills against the renowned marlin at the Drop-off,
near the Similan Islands.
The deep blue waters of the Andaman Sea are ideal for gamefish,
and the region is on the migratory paths of classic fighting fish
such as marlin. At certain times of the year, the sailfish fishing
compares with anywhere in the world; and this is one of the top
three queenfish venues. Check out our Seasons/Species
chart for the best times of the year.
Fish galore
 As
Phuket's gamefishing industry is still in its infancy, there is
an abundance of gamefish to be found in the region. Mangrove estuaries
and shallow island reefs are home to numerous species of light-tackle
gamefish including sea bass, barracuda, giant trevally, queenfish
and mangrove jack. Farther out in the deeper waters of the Andaman
Sea roam a multitude of blue-water, pelagic species like black
marlin and sailfish, as well as king mackerel and tiger sharks.
Near enough
The Racha Islands are
a popular destination only a couple of hours from Phuket, and
between these two locations alone are just about every species
of gamefish found in the Pacific. Here you can go after such prizes
as giant trevally, dolphinfish (dorado), barracuda, wahoo and
rainbow runners. Among several other popular destinations from
Phuket are the Similan Islands
and "The Drop-off."
Year-round
 Good
fishing is available all year around.
The period between June-August, when the seas can get rough, is
especially good for sailfish. Gamefishing boats generally fish
in the lee of islands such as Racha Noi and Racha Yai, during
this season. Late November is a good time to go after marlin,
tuna and any number of other fighting fish. By this time, the
monsoons have settled, and the fish are biting.
Remember November
Virtually every species of bluewater fish can be caught right
now. Sailfish are common off Racha Yai and juvenile black marlin
show up all along the west coast of Phuket, providing great medium-
to light-tackle fishing.
Meanwhile, 90km west of Phuket at the continental shelf drop-off,
there is a fair chance of larger black marlin, often 100-300kg.
Also found are yellowfin tuna (20kg), wahoo (40kg) and numerous
barracuda, dorado and skipjack tuna.
The chance to do battle with sharks is good as tiger, hammerhead,
bull and the occasional mako shark take the bait during day or
night-fishing trips.
Fishing contest
In November, the annual Phuket International
Sportfishing Classic draws teams from around the world. The
Phuket Sportfishing Classic tournament is held during this month.
Catch and release
Fishing is not every conservationist's favourite sport. But operators
and amateur enthusiasts alike are however coming to recognise
the importance of sustainable gamefishing practices. An important
part of this is the practice of releasing prizes such as marlin
and sailfish unharmed. More and more, local operators are encouraging
this trend. The Phuket Sportfishing Classic, for example, has
from its inception insisted that billfish be recorded and then
released alive, if they are to count as points in the competition.
All sharks caught must also be released. The contest also clearly
marks areas such as Shark Point, a marine wildlife sanctuary,
as being out of bounds.
Boats for hire
While most charter companies are booked far in advanced for multi-day
excursions, fully equipped sportfishing boat for one-day outings
are readily obtained. Aloha
Tours and Blue Water Anglers have small fleets of local craft
and imported sportsfishing vessels for charter. They also offer
daily join-in day trips. The standard one-day charter on a professional
boat like the "Andaman Hooker"
or Phuket Big Game Fishing's Dorado
including all gear, water, soft drinks and lunch runs at about
US$350 per day (up to 6 persons, 8.30am-6.30pm).
Generally it's cheaper to rent a boat for light-tackle inshore
fishing; 6,500 baht for 6-8 persons for 5-6 hours of fishing.
Renting a Thai longtail boat and trying the old method of hand-jigging
for fish is a novel experience. Only 400-600 baht/hour, for 3-4
people, it's a very relaxing way to spend an afternoon.
More reading
For a narrative full of true fisherman's tales try Collin Piprell's
Fighting Fish.
Sailfish
| Seasons | Competitions
| Charters | Fishy Tales
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