Fishing Phuket - The gateway to Asia's best fishing in Phuket, Thailand - Great pictures, charters and hotel information!

Recommended hotel:
Thai bungalows with air-con
in a small jungle...

Visa info for Thailand

The fastest money converter - how many
Thai Baht do you get for...

Facts about tipping
in Thailand

Latest info about Phuket;
local newspaper in English

How is the weather
in Phuket?

Phuket, the greatest Island in Asia, has been a popular holiday destination for many years and a remarkably sophisticated infrastructure has developed as a result. Due to the lack of worldwide publicity, the extremely high-quality game fishing offered by the Phuket fleet is enjoyed almost exclusively by holiday anglers, while the majority of dedicated specimen hunters remain woefully unaware of the superb action they’re missing.

About 530 miles south of Thailand's capital city of Bangkok, Phuket (pronounced "poo-GET") is Thailand's largest island and richest province, offering many beautiful beaches.

This hilly island, covered by lush vegetation and coconut palms, still maintains a unique Thai culture and an extremely diverse geography. Micro-climates have developed in different parts of the island, and a small rain forest still exists in the interior. Connected to mainland Thailand by a convenient four-lane highway and surrounded by spectacular beaches and breathtaking vistas of the Andaman Sea, Phuket is the perfect vacation spot with a unique assortment of activities to choose from: An outstanding nightlife, elephant rides, outdoor markets, visits to buddhist temples, secluded beaches, hiking trails, waterfalls and fine dining.

The beauty and diversity of Phuket, combined with the happy, easygoing Thai mentality, make this an island one can easily fall in love with...and evidently, many have.

Thailand has an ancient history reaching back long before our forefathers figured out that we live on a round planet. During all that time, Thailand has been invaded several times, though never colonized by a foreign power.

The 'Pearl of the Andaman Sea', as Phuket is often called, offers some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and some dramatic nature scenes.

Fishing options in Phuket:
Most anglers who visit Phuket target the area's vast supply of sailfish, caught regularly just a stone's throw from shore. Single-day charter clients typically fish the island of Ko Racha Yai, where amazing concentrations of Thai sailfish free-jump in uncountable numbers.

On a calm day more than 100 sailfish will free themselves from the confines of the water, sometimes two and three at a time. And much like off the west coast of Mexico, here the fish often laze on the surface, exposing only their tails.

Thanks to the super-slick water conditions typically found in this area, and the fact that as many as 20 fish will be seen lazing in the same area, anglers can spot surface fish from great distances.

Once they reach the fishing grounds, the Thai crews slow-troll live baits to try to bring these often lethargic fish to life. Because the sails around Racha Yai are pressured pretty hard by the local fleet, they are sometimes difficult to bait even when found in large numbers. During our summer, Thailand's monsoon season, sails break out of their sluggish state and feed much more aggressively.

More seasoned and dedicated anglers will opt for a three- to six-day trip, which allows them to visit one of two less pressured areas where the fish bite much more predictably than at Racha Yai. The directions the boats take when leaving the bay depend on where the bite was on the last few trips.

About 60 miles to the southeast lie the twin islands of Ko Roc. The sailfishing here can be as good as anywhere in the world.

Often you will have over 50 sailfish bites in one afternoon on strip baits, though lures and small live bonitos also work well. Plenty of free-jumpers appear here as well, and most average about 60 pounds, with fish over 100 pounds being not uncommon. The islands are beautiful to fish around, and there are several comfortable anchorages within the area.

The Similans can sometimes match Ko Roc and Ko Racha Yai for their concentrations of sailfish, but offer the opportunity to target many more species as well, thanks to an underwater mountain that lies 8 miles to the west. A good day's fishing here can yield up to double-digit sailfish, plentiful wahoo in the 20-pound class, double-digit schoolie yellowfins in the 20 to 30 pound range and the occasional black marlin averaging 150 pounds but often approaching 400.

Catch-and-release of all billfish is the rule aboard most charter boats from Phuket, though one or two Thai-operated boats will still put a sailfish in the boat as food for the crew.

Accommodation:
Although there aren't any real fishing lodges on the island I really enjoyed my stay at Club Bamboo Resort (www.clubbamboo.com). The place looks great with all its banana trees and spacious rooms. On one of my trips we caught a red snapper and the kitchen prepared it for us. The staff will do everything for you and the service is great. While you stay there, check out the lures they sell - high-quality handmade lures at about a third of the U.S. price; I bought a couple myselves.

Some Like it Hot:
Fishing in Phuket is a year-round activity. June through September is considered the monsoon season, but this terminology misleads some into believing that it rains and blows the entire time, which isn't the case. In fact, many local and Asian tourists prefer to travel and fish during the summer months, for many reasons.

First, nearby Racha Yai always offers comfortable fishing in the lee of the island when the winds blow, and as mentioned before, the sails around this island bite better in the monsoon months. And even during monsoon season, windows of calm weather will often allow a quick trip to Ko Roc or the Similans. Finally, airlines and hotels charge more during the dry season of October through May, when temperatures of around 85 degrees Fahrenheit, lots of sunshine and calm winds draw legions of tourists from Europe and the Americas.

Snorkeling and bottom fishing can occupy your mornings while waiting for the sails to feed, since the area's sailfish have proven consistently tight-lipped before noon. Although a long way from home if you live in the Americas, Thailand is worth the travel time for the experience. World-class sport fishing on good boats and with capable crews is just the tip of the iceberg for this extraordinary part of Asia. Excellent accommodations, great food, friendly people, intriguing culture and sunsets right out of a travel brochure are just a few of the bonuses that Phuket has to offer.

By Emiel De Sévrèn Jacquet