Phuket Big Game Fishing
Introduction
Thailand 's magical island of Phuket has much more to offer than simply white sand beaches, sumptuous hotels and exquisite seafood restaurants. Anglers from all over the world visit Phuket to test their skills, patience and stamina against some of the world's most formidable gamefish.
The fish-rich waters of the Andaman Sea are home to numerous species of desirable sportfish, including the mighty Black Marlin and the ever-popular Pacific Sailfish.
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When referring to Phuket as an exotic fishing destination, there is a popular saying:
"There may be places in the world where the fishing is better - but there is no better place to go fishing"! |
| Phuket has a resident fleet of about 40 charter boats equipped and eager to take out visiting anglers. Of these 40 or so vessels, some are designed to offer anglers an introduction to blue water big game fishing. |
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There are a few professional big game operators, who provide an excellent service to serious fishermen. These few are fully rigged and equipped to offer trips to (a) the Racha Islands, a renowned Sailfish hot spot and (b) the Continental Dropoff, where really big fish, including marlin, lurk. |
| Apart from marlin and sailfish the local waters also provide excellent sport with ocean middleweights such as wahoo, barracuda, king mackerel, giant trevally, dorado and an impressive selection of tuna species. |
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While sailfish can be encountered during every month of the year, the most productive season for black marlin is from October - March. Juvenile marlin are encountered frequently and provide excellent sport on light tackle. The larger specimens show up in reasonable numbers over the Continental Dropoff.
Itinerary
We offer join-on fishing on the following boats out of Phuket : MV Prasert, Wahoo 4 and Reel Hooker. Read on for more.
For all three boats the day's itinerary is similar to the following, with the major difference that MV Prasert and Reel Hooker will, if conditions are suitable, head to the Continental Dropoff instead of to the Racha Islands. There are marlin and other very big fish there, which only anglers on Reel Hooker have a good chance of catching. Anglers on MV Prasert, when fishing the Continental Dropoff, are likely to hook into large sailfish and other middleweights.
Time |
Activity |
| 0730 to 0800 |
Hotel pickup |
| 0830 |
Arrive at Chalong pier |
| 0900 |
The boat will depart, making its way south towards the Racha Islands. Trolling will commence approx 30-40 minutes out of the harbour, depending on conditions and if any fish are sighted. |
| 0900-1200 |
The boat will make its way to Racha, once there it will continue to fish above the reefs and structures around Racha Island, the morning catch is normally Tuna – this can be used as bait and sometimes used as sashimi for part of the guests lunch. |
| 1200-1300 |
The boat will anchor off Racha Island, and lunch will be prepared and served on board. During lunch guests are welcome to use the complimentary snorkeling equipment and enjoy the fantastic snorkeling around the Island. |
| 1300 - 1730 |
The boat will spend the afternoon hunting for the larger game fish species, during which a light snack of fresh fruit will normally be served. |
| 1730 - 1800 |
The boat will be back to Chalong Pier |
| 1800 - 1830 |
Hotel dropoff |
Soft drinks are available throughout the day. Please note that transportation is done by group minibus and so timings of collection and return may vary slightly depending on the location of guests' hotels.
For join-on fishing (Wahoo 4 only) we put a maximum of 6 guests fishing, with 2 additional non-anglers.
Fishing Boat - MV Prasert
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This boat is fast enough to reach the Continental Dropoff, but will take longer to get there than Reel Hooker (see below). The standard price of THB 12,000 includes enough fuel to reach the Racha Islands. If you would like to go and try your luck at the Continental Dropoff, where the biggest game lurk, then there is a supplement of THB 4,000. |
Charter Price: THB 12,000
Continental Dropoff fuel surcharge - THB 4,000 |
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Fishing Boat - Wahoo 4
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This Thai-style boat departs every Tuesday and Saturday. This is our more economical offering, as the boat has no air/con and is not particularly fast. It is however perfectly comfortable, has a GPS and a fairly powerful fish-finder, and is equipped with Shimano rods and Penn reels. |
This boat is suitable for a trip to the Racha Islands, but not the Continental Dropoff. We don't recommend the charter option on this boat, as the MV Prasert (see above) is better value.
Prices:
(a) join on : anglers THB 3,500, non-anglers THB 2,000. Children under 4 free, otherwise full price.
(b) charter THB 21,500 |
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Fishing Boat - Reel Hooker
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This top-of-the-range boat is only available for charters. It is a 44ft Riviera cruiser with an air/con cabin, GPS, a powerful fish finder, triple spreader outriggers and a downrigger. It has caught more sailfish than any other charter boat on Phuket, and comes complete with Shimano rods and Penn reels. |
Charter Price: THB 56,000 |
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Booking
To book any of the above trips, contact us.
Magazine Articles
Click here for a magazine article about big game fishing around Phuket
Click here for a magazine interview with Wahoo's John Pearce
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