MOON PHASE, TIDES AND TIME OF DAY
The fishing out here really takes some working out..... but one thing is for sure, we have an evening bite on the sails, dont matter what the tide is, it's like a 4pm Dinner bell when they are in, also our FADS fish better on a low/rising tide.
What works in your area, time of day, Full moon, New moon? what gets your MEATNTHEBOX.
What time is your sunset Andy-- 6:00 or so?
There's no doubt in the Phuket area specifically near the Racha islands and Koh Rok the sails do come on later in the day. In the Racha Yai area boat pressure can also be a major factor as when I fished there boat traffic can be very heavy. There tend to be fewer boats in the rainy season (less tourists) and this is when I've had my best days at Racha Yai. They don't seem to be very active in the late morning and often activity only starts around 2.00-2.30 when you often start seeing jumpers but they're normally difficult to get bites out of. The budget charter fleet tends to head home around 3.30ish and if you can pound the area from about 4.00 until dark your chances of getting a bite are greatly increased. Now I have noticed this doesn't always apply to sailfish in the other areas where you are probably contacting roaming fish. One stint we went through a three or four day spell where we were hooking a sail or two a short time after putting lines in the water, but this was not at Racha Yai which, personally is an area I have really grown to dislike over the years.
Giant trevally fishing tends to be tide related. Skipjack and other bait tuna activity is always greater in the morning and late afternoon. I have always preferred the new moon for all pelagics but the run up to the full moon is also good. I'm happy to fish any time though. Seasonal variation is also a factor. The periods around end March/April and late August/September are normally my least favourite times to fish.
Last edited by Patudo; 02-06-2008 at 07:37 AM.
Glen,Originally Posted by Glenn W
Yes around 6:30.
most active for marlin is between 11:00 Am and 15:00PM
most active for Sails is between 11:00 am and 16:00PM
We find the Marlins are most agressive one week before full moon, till full moon, big differance for us.
Koh Tao,Gulf of Thailand seems similar. Best time for sails is about 3pm. The catamaran and Seatran ferry both run over a small pinnacle near the harbor at 2.30 -3pm and often just after the boats have passed we will get a sailfish bite. Don't need to worry about it this year, it seems the longliners have almost 100% decimated the stocks last month. Normally loads of takes this time of year but recently just about only king mackerel around.
Slack water almost guaranteed no takes.
Do you get many sails in your area Jaidam (love the nickname by the way). I've seen the photos of those small black marlin on your site, do the blacks appear at the same time of year as the sails and/or in the same areas? Do commercial fishers in your area target billfish heavily?
Regards
P.
Hi Patudo, The sailfish are more often caught close to shore. From about a kilometer out to just 50 meters from the rocks. Marlin often around the fads and pinnacles offshore but also inshore as well. November would be the worst month and the best January-April but some here all year.
Billfish meat is expensive here so they are heavily fished with longlines and nets.Local fishing boats get these prices- mahimahi 30 baht, red snapper 60baht, tuna 50baht, and sails/marlin meat 90baht/kilo. This year with the diesel being so expensive it looks like lots of net draggers in the gulf have converted to longlining. I heard today average of 3,000 hooks per line and average take of 50 king mackerel per line. These lines have been everywhere between Tao and Phangan, every few hundred meters another one. Fishing for all topwater fish has been very slow so far this year.
Sorry for asking but what is the conversion to US $ or Euros... Billfish meat is not even sold on the gabonese market... unless smoked and for a very small market. Which is probably a good thing...
About 30 baht to the US dollar. Lots of billfish meat is salted and sundried, and the rest used in spicy soups and curries.
|
Posting Permissions
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Reply With Quote