LAKE VIEW
Was set to visit my in-laws in Bangkok on the 3rd day of Chinese New Year, so as usual, had all my gear set up and then…wait a minute, I can do what I did the last time I was in Bangkok…Bung Sam Ran….and 7 Seasproshop! Confirmed!
So after slight negotiations with my wife on what day is Family day, what day is Platinum ( Best Buy Shopping mall in Thailand that would drive the female population CRAZY) and what day is dinner with which uncle. So the auspicious day for Mekong Catfish, a.k.a Pla Buk was set. We will head straight to Bung Sam Ran upon arrival in Bangkok.
ME
MY WIFE
AT THE TOY STORE
TOYS TOYS TOYS
MORE TOYS!
BUNGSAMRAN....
VIEW FROM THE RESTAURANT
This time round, I thought I would bring a smaller reel o enjoy the fight of the Giant Pla Buk. I brought along my Saltiga Game 3000 modified with RCS handle. I also brought my Shimano Ocea Jigger NR1500P jut in case. Actually, the real reason was so that I could find a matching rod for this baby. So here are the arsenals in short:
DAIWA SALTIGA GAME 3000 + R.C.S Handle
SHIMANO OCEA JIGGER NR1500P
28th January 2009 ( Chinese Lunar Calendar Chor Sam )
LCCT – KL
We boarded the plane to Bangkok at about 10am. Lucky for the express boarding ticket we managed to get front row seats which were really comfortable. As I snoozed to wonderland, I could hear a very familiar voice, a voice that I hear every trip out fishing. BRADDER!...it was Johnson a.k.a SHARK KING and his wife. They were heading to Bangkok too! Together with them was another fellow “SOMETIMES CAN” Angler, SAM!
Standard protocol when we meet each other anywhere was to ask this simple question “WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?”. That’s like the most used greeting question ever and people tend to answer it with politeness. Johnson was in Bangkok to celebrate his birthday. He was supposed to go to Pulau Rawa but because Sam’s wife was pregnant, they decided to go to Bangkok instead.
ME VS. PLA BUK
HSUAN VS.PLA BUK
HSUAN VS.PLA BUK
HSUAN VS.PLA BUK
ME & MY NEW TOY!
Then I mentioned that I was going fishing for the Pla Buk and being a TRUE “SOMETIMES CAN” Angler, they said yes before even consulting their wives who were right behind them!
They were going to head straight to Pattaya once they land in Bangkok and then be back on Friday for some Pla Buk session. I knowing that I had set the timing for fishing with my wife was once we land in Bangkok, I took a chance and said yes to them. Getting the nod of approval from my wife was super satisfying at this point.
THE PLA BUK
NGAU JUK!
NEW TOY IN ACTION
NEW TOY IN ACTION
NEW TOY IN ACTION
Survanabhumi Airport – Bangkok.
We were greeted by my sister -n-law and brother –in-law t about 2pm. My other brother-in-law who was traveling with us was quickly whisked away to see one of my wife’s uncles in the factory as he was scheduled to leave Bangkok for Kuala Lumpur at 6pm the same day.
Whilst we were loading our stuff into the cars, it didn’t occur to me that we were going to be traveling in different cars so I placed my bag with the reels into brother –in-laws car, and I was riding in the other car. As we drove our separate ways then only it stuck me that I needed my reels for fishing! It was too late for anyone to turn back now, we have to go to my wife’s uncle’s factory and get the stuff out of the other car. It was a SOLID 45 minute ride.
ME & PLA BUK
MY WIFE & PLA BUK
MY WIFE VS PLA BUK
MY WIFE + NEW TOY VS PLA BUK
MY WIFE AND HER FIRST PLA BUK
Once there, I thought we could just grab our stuff and go but NO. Because we were there already, we had to go in and say hi to ALL the uncles who were there. Burn another 45 minutes. Soon after we were driven to a nearby mall to catch a cab to Bung Sam Ran Fishing lake.
The cab ride was silly. It costs less than THB 200 but it took 1 and a half hours! By the time we got to the lake it was already 6pm. Fearing that my wife would be tired and might just want to go home, I let her sleep throughout the jam, occasionally only talking to myself without disturbing her.
ME & PLA BUK
MY WIFE & PLA BUK
FEELIN GREAT!
JOHNSON "SHARK KING" + FAKE LEZ PE 5-8 VS PLA BUK
THE "SOMETIMES CAN" ANGLERS @ BUNGSAMRAN
This time when I got there, I went straight to 7 Seasproshop. Was greeted by a familiar face that recognized me from my last visit. I asked if there were new rods that had arrived and she pointed to my favorite section….where all the Hot’s and Poseidon Rods were at.
And then I saw what would complete my Hot’s rods collection ( Minus the One Pitch Slider ), a Gipang Tide Lez! And I also saw something that was in my mind a few nights ago, a Fake Lez PE 5 – 8! Without hesitation, these 2 rods were picked. Because it was getting dark I quickly got the lady to arrange the Bungalow and guide for the 2 of us.
The lady prepared everything for us, it pays to buy things from the shop, you get top notch service. Even mosquito sprays were prepared for us as they know that past 7pm, not only the Pla Buk’s are out hunting.
EARTHSHAKER ROXX!
THANK YOU SAM...YOUR NEW ROD ROXX BIG TIME!
We stayed there for a good 2 and a half hours before we actually admit defeat by the mosquitoes. We had 9 hook ups, lost 2 and landed 7. Of which, im soooooo proud to say that my wife landed 3. Biggest catch was estimated at about 23kg’s. We were of course using my new toy, the Hot’s Gipang Tide Lez paired with the Saltiga Game. This rod is just sensational. Light, robust, all you ever needed kakakakakakkakak in a good rod.
As we walked back to 7Seasproshop to get some dinner and then have them arrange a cabby for us, in my mind was thinking, should I get the Valley Hill Explorer or Mogi Special or should I get a Palms rod to suit my Ocea Jigger. I went in for one last look at the rods mentioned above, non of them were appealing to me at all. My eyes kept looking in the Poseidon’s direction, so I picked up a Poseidon PE3 Bait casting rod and it just felt like heaven. Its like a calling, I just needed to get this one. So without hesitation, I brought the Poseidon to the counter and sealed the deal.
We had a fantastic dinner and of course my wife had to buy because I was cashless already at this point. I left my 3 rods there just so in case I have to come back on Friday to pick it up. Just call it a bit of an insurance policy.
Thursday, 29th January 2009
-SKIP-
Friday, 30th January 2009
Johnson, Sam, My Wife ( this one kena POISON edi ) and me were at Bung Sam Ran fishing Park at about 2pm. It was supposed to be earlier but the traffic was just going berserk in Bangkok!
I managed to psycho Johnson to purchase a Hot’s Fake Lez PE 5 – 8 from 7 Seasproshop. He wanted to test the rod immediately so it was paired with my Saltiga Game. Sam also bought a rod, It was an EARTHSHAKER! This rod is cheap and SOLID! Too bad it wasn’t paired to the best as they didn’t bring an extra reel so we had to rent one from 7Seasproshop which was……CRAPPY.
It was a FANTASTIC day. We landed almost 10 specimens with many many hook-ups. The highlight of the day was when Johnson FOUL-HOOKED one of these monsters. The line was going out like crazy and there was smoke coming out of the reel! It took almost 20 minutes to land that monster and a new style of fish fighting had to be introduced by the guide to make sure we landed that big one.
Saturday, 31st January 2009
-SKIP-
Sunday, 1st February 2009
We headed back to Kuala Lumpur at about 6:45pm. We reached LCCT at about 10pm local time. Throughout the flight, I was just worried about my rods, whether it got on the flight or not, whether they were handling it correctly, whether it was misplaced or not. All these thought made the whole journey back quite worrisome.
We waited at the baggage claim area for a good 2 hours before our luggage AND THE RODS came out. I swear to you I almost flipped!! Well then that’s the end of the cerita on the Pla Buks and new toys from Thailand. NEXT STOP = TUKUN PERAK
“SOMETIMES AirAsia CAN”
