The Arduous Quest For An IGFA World Record
- Catlocarpio Siamensis (page 2)

It is known some Caho specimens can reach in the wild exceptional weights largely over 100 kg. (220 lbs.)  Those are of course rare fish at this kind of weight but they do exist. I talked once to Khun Somchai, the Bung Sam Lan lake’s owner, about the fish population at its lake. He confirmed me he released 5 specimens close to 100 kg at that time that have been netted in the wild from the Chaophraya river, in Singhburi province. Years ago, an exceptional heavyweight carp known to be estimated at 110 kg was caught by Lung Dam, a regular angler at the lake. He is a retired man who angles at the lake since its opening to fishing. Having the chance to fish there almost daily for the past 17 years, he has an impressive record of Mekong Giant Catfish and Siamese Giant Carp good size catches. I wrote a few lines about him in several stories about Bung Sam Lan Lake and the Mekong Giant Catfish species published in foreign magazines. He held for many years the record of the biggest Arapaima gigas, the world’s biggest freshwater predator species, ever caught in Thailand and Southeast Asia, with a specimen of 132 kg. He lost that record to us, the 26th August 2001, when we landed our second Arapaima. An impressive 185 kgs specimen this time, 263 cm long and a girth of 165 cm, hooked by my English client and friend Joe Taylor.

 A photo showing his estimated 110 kg (~242 lbs.) Siamese Giant Carp catch and Lung Dam, the proud angler who landed it sitting behind the monster, has been published in various fishing magazines round the world. His catch of course would not have qualified for an IGFA record as it was not weighted nor measured. But his exceptional catch speaks for itself. For any carp fanatic worldwide, he is without any doubt the man who holds the record of the world biggest carp ever caught with a rod and line. A record he will certainly keep for a long time to go…

Because of our European fishing ethics and principles, I guess Lung Dam’s catch imposed Nigel and myself to let the IGFA record aside and be just happy with our personal best. It was clear in our minds that a Caho catch under at least 45 kg was certainly not worth a first entry in the IGFA book… 

During that period, I was experiencing myself a strange feeling that I never had before through my four decades of angling. Nobody around me knew about it except for my wife and Kik. They were the only ones close to me to whom I could tell them how much I was suffering in my mind from that situation. I was becoming for the very first time of my life kind of paranoiac while fishing for those giant carps. Every time I had to guide visiting anglers at the lake, I couldn’t resist to put a rod out for myself and to cast a bait for the Caho. The attraction to give it a try was too intense to me to forbid myself to do it. I had to. But at the very same time, deep down inside of me, I was praying that no fish would take it. I just didn’t want to hook one. A crazy but true situation it is still impossible to me to explain today. That terrible feeling came step by step, imposing itself stronger, following the sad deaths of 3 Siamese Giant Carps from the 17 we had landed at that period. It started with two young carps around 18/19 kg I fought on heavy strength braided line that were both found dead the next day after the catch. A third one about the same size, fought by a Dutch angler client I was guiding, died later too. Like any of our other carp catches, we had handled these fish with extreme care after the netting, not even taking them out of the water, but instead we came down inside the water ourselves for the usual photos session before release. 

“A third one fought by a Dutch angler client died later too.”

Prior to release them, those 3 fish didn’t show any sign of exhaustion. They seemed absolutely ok. But later, very sadly, they just didn't make it. Each time I learned from the staff of the lake that one of our Caho catches had been found dead, I would then feel miserable for many days to come. There was no way I could chase from my mind the heavy burden of deep suffering thoughts of guilt.  When I learned the death of the third carp I even thought to give up right away fishing for that species. I was not the only one to feel that bad. Kik, my angling soulmate, was pretty upset too. Together we shared our personal thoughts and feelings, talking a lot about that sad situation. Without his moral support and the support of the lake owners who showed me at that time some precious understanding I would have stopped for good targeting those too fragile carps. As a human being willing to be in harmony with Mother Nature, I feel any experienced angler should understand, sooner or later but once for all, that fish are to us sport fishermen our closest friends, and surely not our adversaries. That means giving them their due respect for all the pleasure and joy they bring us through all the fantastic moments we are having with them by the water. Without them, angling sport wouldn’t have a reason to exist. I felt the pleasure to catch a Siamese Giant Carp was not worth anymore to me playing with the risk of ending its life. 

One thing was capital to me. I wanted badly to understand the reason why those deaths happen. We had handled those fish nicely so how could have they died? I phoned abroad carp species expert friends I knew. But none of them could really provide me with an accurate explanation, the Catlocarpio siamensis species being not enough well known from European fish experts. Except they all agree with my opinion that the extremely poor level of oxygen of Bung Sam Lan Lake was certainly a parameter. That lake being at its origin a swamp and having such a dense population of fish, Bung Sam Lan has already experienced several times through the years fish deaths because of poor oxygenation. I also thought that after an intense fight during which these young carps had produced a lot of adrenaline, it could have been possible too these exhausted fish could have then shocked to death. 

I found a much probable explanation later with my good friend Siddichai Wang U Suk, the Thailand Angler's Magazine's editor, who paid me a visit at my office. I took the opportunity to discuss the sad matter. His knowledge of the Thai fish species is known to be some of the very best here in Thailand. He agreed with me about the quality water problem of the lake but gave me another reason I never heard of before. He explained me a lot about that unique carp species that day, how fragile they were, so much more than any other European carp species. Their particular anatomy can be compared in a way to human underwater divers. A carp brought too fast by an angler to the surface level could eventually die later because of internal wounds. At last I felt a bit better to have an answer to clear all my doubts. I had to admit for myself I didn’t even let those two fish the time to think about trying snagging my line. Maybe I had been fishing for too long these hard fighting Mekong Catfish and now I just didn’t know anymore to play a Bung Sam Lan fish the gentle way. I had now to be extra careful and I kept in memory his words of advice. 

“Is that a carp?” asked my friend Dominique. 

“Yes, I hope so “mon ami!” And I think not a small one buddy!” I answered with a smile. 

At last now the carp has stopped to run and fight almost at the other end of the lake. Come to Papa Francois, darling! I start slowly the pumping. I learned the lesson too well from these unfortunate Caho deaths. Since Khun Siddhichai words, it never happened again and no way today I would let it happen. I’d rather get her snagged my line than being tough on that carp and put her existence in jeopardy. I am talking to myself in my head: “ Be patient my man. Be smooth and easy with the lady. Don’t fight her hard but let her do the fighting. Let her get tired herself step by step. Just control her moves. Put only pressure on her when she will run to any obstacle. There is no rush to reel her in, right? After all, playing a fish is like making love, and the netting of a fish like a climax.  Once that carp will be netted, the pleasure of playing her will be definitively over. So take all the time you need, you will enjoy then every second of it! “

Everyone on the pontoon is watching me but I am not with them no more. I am somewhere else in my mind, talking to myself:  "I want to play that carp nice and easy. I don’t want her to die.  I am cool.  Only if that 'bitch' starts to play some dirty tricks on me, then I will have to put some more pressure on her to counter her moves!". 

All of a sudden the big Caho appears for the first time at the surface in an enormous boil and splash. Whooaah! It looks like almost everyone on the pontoon has shouted this “whooaah” at the same time. They have seen a second the huge size of the carp. Me too. So impressive! No way now I would lose that kind of big size fish like a novice angler. Underwater the giant carp has seen the pontoon pillars and goes for them. Diabolic creature I love so much! I reel in full speed to shorter the maximum of line I have out, dip the tip of my rod in the water, forcing her to make a turn. 

“Sorry baby, nice try but not this time!” I will have to stop her several times again. She still has enough strength to display for these everlasting minutes of the end of the fight a combination of appearances at the surface in giant boils, big splashes of her tail, and vicious last chance runs underwater to the pontoon’s pillars. Then she appears in front of us, so wonderful in her black-blue dress of scales, exhausted almost not moving no more, it’s over. She must know by now she lost the fight and let herself getting netted. I open my reel bell and put my rod down on the pontoon. I seat on my bottom and look now below me that splendid carp in the landing net. My heart is pounding heavily and I just cannot stop the shaking of my hands. I feel my friend’s hands touching my back, congratulating me. I don’t listen. I’m exhausted myself and before anything else…I feel I really need now a cigarette (smile). 

Jean-Francois’ personal best up to today: a 46.0 kg (~101 lbs.) giant carp

I didn't hesitate a second after that. That splendid 46 kg Siamese carp that had given me such an unforgettable hell of a fight was looking exhausted. I was too. Even she was to me the one really worth entering the All Tackle World Record list, I was not going to take the risk ending her life because of the stupidity of pleasing my ego. Saving the life of such a beautiful fish was ten millions times more important to me than any certificate made of paper saying in golden letters I was a world record holder again. That fragile carp could eventually die later if she had to be kept too long out of the water. I took the decision right away to release her fast.

We went in the water, weighed her quickly but didn’t take any of her measurements. Then I took that huge carp out of the landing net, trying hard to keep her calm in my arms, just the time for my visitors to take a few pictures of us. Then swimming a bit with her, I kissed the Siamese Carp on her head for a last “au revoir” and let her go back to her initial life. That day another potential All Tackle world record for the Siamese Giant Carp species was lost. No big deal! I never regretted it and I would do it again if I had to. I am still glad enough up to today to have hooked, fought and landed that 46 kg Catlocarpio, still my biggest catch so far in that particular species.  I never doubt either one of my clients or myself would have another chance someday. It was just a matter of time  …