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…we were to take turns at
the rod, each of us giving his share of cheer strength and energy…
…pumping the barn door
size ray, until it would eventually got tamed…
…we did not think for a second the fight would be lasting for six
long hours...
…the ray had no problem
at all to tow our 2 wooden boats tied together with ropes, with a
total of 7 people on board...
…the only issue to me was
to be able, at last, to touch and caress that ray's skin from my own
fingers...
…later, it got released
safely and unharmed, after a short photo session by the river's
bank. By Jean-Francois Helias
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My Belgium friend Philippe Pletincx, a several times return client,
had already landed a 30 kg Freshwater Stingray (Himantura
chaophraya) that hot afternoon of May 2004. So when a second ray
that had taken my bait started to run full speed to the middle of
the river, to make it fair to my second guest, Dave Garber, an
American angler from Minneapolis, I gave him my personal 30-60
Graphite USA Custom built rod. So he could enjoy himself
experiencing a fight with this unique ray species. Dave had been
fishing with us for 9 consecutive days around the country. It was
his very last fishing session with us as he had to leave Thailand
early morning at 4.00 am the next day. This second ray bite
occurring at 6.30 pm, I thought then he would have largely enough
time ahead of him to land the fish. We had initially agreed together
to have a van picking him up at the river late at night, at 1.00 am,
to bring him back to his hotel in Bangkok. But Dave had changed his
mind early afternoon, asking me to leave earlier around 8.00 pm. It
was his last night in Bangkok, and he wanted to have a nice Thai
cuisine dinner, followed by a good night rest.
After Dave had pumped the stingray for one and a half hour, we
already knew by then we were going to be into a marathon fight that
could last several hours. There was no doubt in our minds that it
had to be a big size Himantura chaophraya. Thai Freshwater stingrays
are said to reach a maximum weight of 1000 pounds (max. published
weight). But according to locals, today the biggest rays inhabiting
the Bank Pakong River are around 550 pounds. We did not have a
single clue how big could be the one we had hooked up, neither we
were certain that we would be able to land it. We already knew what
to expect from local friends of ours who fought huge size freshwater
rays. Using low quality fishing gear, they had to fight them for 14
/16 hours....without being able to land them.
Dave was gone now. We had to take over the rod and go on with the
fight. Philippe, Kik and Noi (two of my team guides), and yours
truly, were to take turns at the rod, each of us giving his share of
cheer strength and energy, pumping the "barn door size" ray, until
it would eventually got tamed. We did not think a second at this
stage of the fight our pumping session would be lasting for six long
hours.....
We had a slight handicap though. We did not have the best
appropriate combo for this kind of unexpected size stingray. My
personal 30-60 Graphite USA custom built rod was a largely good
enough weapon "to go to war" with the ray. But the 8000 Twin Power
Shimano reel loaded with 80 lb PowerPro braided line was kind of
"light tackle" for the size of our opponent.
Each time the ray decided to stuck on the bottom, there was no way
we could move it, not even for a single inch. When it was creeping
slowly on the river's muddy bottom, we would pump it like if it was
a matter of life and death but without being able to lift the ray
vertically of a single foot. And when it decided it was time for a
move, time to exercise a bit, starting swimming for real, the ray
had no problem at all then to tow our 2 wooden boats tied together
with ropes, with a total of 7 people on board. I felt we were a
feather floating on the river...
Four hours had already passed since the ray had taken the bait. The
giant ray was still doing whatever it felt doing though each of us,
taking turn at the rod to play the fish, was giving the best he
could to have the ray getting tired. We were kind of powerless in a
situation where we could have asked ourselves if we were the ones
fighting this fish or if it was the other way around. We had plenty
of time then to let our respective minds wondering if the giant ray
would ever give up. But a part of our worry about our 80 lb line
badly suffering from its friction on a very bent rod's guides, we
did not have to worry too much about anything else. The atmosphere
on board was nice. I was often cracking jokes, or teasing my angling
accomplices, to make sure everyone was feeling relaxed.
A part of the good fun I wanted everyone to share with me during
this unique angling experience, I had more seriously sent several
times a verbal message to everyone: in the boat. There was NO WAY we
were going to miss the opportunity to land such a rare and huge size
specimen of Himantura chaophraya. There was NO WAY I was going to
give up the fight myself. Whatever was the weight of the ray,
whatever would be the needed amount of hours to tame it, we would
all be fighting "her" until it "she" gives up.
If our "karma" (you would say fate) was to lose this battle due to
the line breaking on us (which was my main worry as the braid, after
several hours of heavy pressure, was already showing some bad
signs), then it would be fine with me. No disappointment at all, no
frustration. Losing fights and failing landing fishes is also part
of our passion. But as long as the line would stand the punishment
it was taking, then I wanted each of us to give the best of his
strength and will to battle that ray.
I had booked our 2 boats until 7.00 am the next day. And our next
clients we had to guide were booked for the next day. So we had
still another 36 hours ahead of us to end this fight as the winners.
I told both boat captains that if we could not land the ray before
7.00 am, we would go on. I would pay them the additional day for
keeping their boats. I also told my two faithful crew's team mates,
Kik and Noi, they would get their due fees too for working extra
time. In the intensity of the action, money was no issue. The only
issue to me was to be able, at last, to touch and caress that ray's
skin from my own fingers. We had coffee, we had cold drinks, we had
plenty of food, and cigarettes. We were a nice bunch of good
friends, all cool guys with a positive attitude, crazy dedicated
anglers, all having a helluva time sharing this unexpected angling
adventure, and working together as a team to tame this heavyweight
monster. Life could not get any better than this!
The battle we had with this 100 kilos Freshwater Stingray is one of
the most tremendous moments of sportfishing and of true friendship I
have ever had the chance to experience, in 45 years of fishing. No
need to say that a catch of a 100 kg fish has to be of course
unforgettable in any angler's memory. But analysing today everything
I can still remember of it, the best feeling to me is not anymore
about the catch in itself. It is more about all of us, more about
friendship between guys sharing together an angling adventure, more
about the satisfaction of a well done team work and the sweet
feeling of achievement as its reward.
The giant stingray finally gave up at half past midnight. Later, it
got released safely and unharmed, after a short photo session by the
river's bank. Through the past 18 years I have spent targeting Thai
freshwater fish species, I have fought and landed numerous big fish.
Either Mekong Giant Catfish - a still too unknown fish to worldwide
anglers which pound for pound got to be rated in the top 3 world's
freshwater hardest fighting fish - either the rare and elusive
Siamese Giant Carp, the "mother of all carp" - a powerful "submarine
with fins" who can whoop the ass of any physically well built
angler. But let me tell you these two hardfighting Thai fish species
don't belong to the same warriors league than the Giant Freshwater
Stingray plays in!
Again remembering today the encounter we had with this record size
Himantura chaophraya, I find myself in total admiration about the
unbelievable strength such a ray species can display. It is
absolutely out of this world. When it comes to freshwater
sportfishing, and when it comes to fight what us sport anglers call
"big ones", the Himantura chaophraya is without a doubt "the real
thing"!
We hooked up this 100 kg ray at the Bang Pakong River. It towed us -
2 wooden boats tied together with rope with a total of 7 people on
board - for miles, this for 6 hours, from the Bang Pakong River to
the Nakorn Nayok River, from the Nakorn Nayok River to the
Prachinburi River, then back to the Bang Pakong River again, before
being finally landed, back at the Nakorn Nayok River.
That's what we could call being taken for a ride!
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