You Did What in Pattaya?

OK, what is this? Some new deal with the ladies there?
You went out in the morning and returned in the late afternoon?
It was a group event?

Yes, yes and yes.
All true and great times were had by all.

It was a rainy, lousy looking May morning but we moved forward with our plan, regardless.
We had taken the bus down from Bangkok the day before and stayed overnight in a small hotel near Walking Street, which was very close to where we would all meet up in the morning.
In the morning we met at a small pub (The Shamrock), ate a hearty breakfast in preparation for the day ahead of us. It was only a short walk to the beach and the long-tail boat that waiting for us.
We made sure we had all our provisions (beer) and our fishing poles.

We hiked down the small soi to the beach for our long tail boat pickup so as to transfer us out to the larger fishing boat. He we are, fishing poles in hand and cases of beer on our shoulders, stumbling along to the boat (in the rain). We made it just in time as the cardboard cases of beer were quickly getting wet and falling apart…but we made it! Pure determination!!!

It was a short, five minute trip in the long tailed boat to get to the fishing boat and unload our supplies and ourselves. We were ready for whatever the day might present to us. The fishing boat was diesel powered and approximately sixty feet long, sturdy enough to handle whatever Pattaya bay might throw our way.

Once the fishing boat hoisted the anchor, we were on our way. Most of our fishing was in Pattaya bay. The weather broke and the sea was calm, making for a great day.
The ladies wasted no time in showing us how it was done.

Not monster fish but a lot of them, well into the hundreds. It was a great joy to watch the ladies catch fish after fish after fish. No matter what size they caught, there were always squeals of joy and excitement. Some were of a nice size and all were fun to catch.

After a few hundred fish had been caught, the ladies rolled up their sleeves and started to clean the fish and prepare them for cooking. Amazing Thailand, no discussion, no fuss, the ladies knew what needed to be done and just got on doing it.

We were able to cook the fish right on the boat, making for a tasty meal of fish fresh out of the water…and it was good!

After a nice meal, it was back to fishing and enjoying a few adult beverages…remember all the rain soaked cardboard beer cases? We had to whittle those supplies down a bit 🙂

We were drift fishing and having fun. Very few other boats were around, so not much in the way of waves or rocking of the boat (no one got sea sick).
Funny enough the ladies fishing “Thai Style” with just the hand lines were doing much better than the farangs with all the fancy fishing gear…TIT.
The water was estimated to be between twenty feet deep and fifty feet in the areas we were fishing, just off the islands out in the bay.
We use pieces of squid for bait and the hand lines were setup to use three hooks. With three hooks you had the chance to catch three fish at one time. The ladies often did catch three fish at one time. Me, being the pro fisherman that I am, stuck with my trusty spinning outfit and stayed with catching one fish at a time…it was all good…even though I didn’t catch the big one and the ladies caught the majority of the fish, but what the hey, it was sanuuk mak mak!

It was a nice time, a relaxing time, no pressure, no worries. Fishing does that to most people.
The fish were biting and the beer was cold, life was good.
We were slowing making our way back to the beach. It was amazing to see just how much Pattaya has grown over the past few years. Condos and more condos. Beer bars stacked upon more beer bars. In the morning hours the bay is filled with boats and people parasailing. Jet skis zipping about here there and everywhere. A busy place even during the slow times.

Once we landed on the beach, it was only the short walk back to the pub to unleash our tales of the day’s adventures and how we tamed the monsters of the deep in Pattaya bay.

The cost to rent the boat for the day was split between us and each of us paid 600 Baht. Quite a reasonable price, in my opinion. The crew (three people?) was friendly and professional. I am looking forward to doing this again in the near future!!!

So if you like to fish, here is an option for a day’s outing in Pattaya.

Enjoy and hurry back to tell us the tale of the big one (that got away) 🙂