Deep Sea Fishing in Bali & Phuket by Tim Gladwin

My introduction to the sport of deep sea fishing took place during a week-long stag party down in Paihia, New Zealand. I must confess that, initially at least, the prospect of sitting in a boat hanging a fishing rod off the back didn't exactly fill me with excitement. So, having drunk perhaps a beer or two more than constituted ideal preparation the night before, I saw the comfortable sofa in the boat's air-conditioned cabin and, at the same time, a perfect opportunity to catch up on a bit of sleep.

It was a good couple of hours before one of my friends somehow managed to pull in an enormous Yellow Fin Tuna and I was roused by the excited shouts that accompanied his good fortune. It was a couple more before we bore witness to the astonishing sight of a speeding Marlin leaping out of the water, only a matter of metres from our flashy 40 foot fishing boat, while in the process of trying to escape a line. By then, sleep was the furthest thing from my mind. Just like the various fish we had caught, I was well and truly hooked.

As one might properly expect, in a part of the world that positively abounds with fishing communities living alongside tropical oceans, South East Asia has a wealth of fertile fishing grounds. However, while there is no shortage of fishing expertise, in most areas organized sport fishing is not as developed as in some other corners of the globe. That said, it should not be forgotten that, from an angler's perspective, when it comes to high-tech fishing boats operating in the area they are fishing, it is a case of the fewer the better.

There are some exceptions, the most obvious being what are probably the region's two most successful tourist islands, namely Bali in Indonesia and Phuket in Thailand. Each can boast dozens of operators looking to cater to tourists looking for a day out on the ocean's swell with a rod in one hand and a cold drink in the other. However, for the main part they deal with day-trippers, meaning that for more serious fishermen there are still plenty of quiet spots to explore further off-shore.

The Andaman Islands are a perfect example. Located approximately 400 miles north-west of Phuket and under Indian rule, these tropical islands are truly one of the World's most pristine locations and still home to what are essentially Stone Age tribes. The surrounding ocean has never been subjected to commercial fishing and the wonderful result is a virgin territory simply alive with big game fish, including various kinds of Marlin, Trevally, Wahoo and Tuna.

As far as Bali is concerned, the beautifully exotic island of Sumba can be found around 250 miles to the east. Another area devoid of commercial fishing operations, the selection of fish is similar to that found around the Andaman Islands. In particular, the period between August and January sees vast numbers of migrating Tuna, Sailfish and Marlin pass by in the spectacular company of giant Blue and Sperm whales.

The Indonesian archipelago stretches for more than 3,000 miles from east to west and so it should come as little surprise that it is home to more than one area of great interest to deep sea fishermen. Ujung Kulon is situated on Java's south-western tip, with the Indian Ocean to the south and to the north west the Sunda Strait, in which sits the legendary Krakatau volcanic island. Steep underwater drop-offs in the Indian Ocean lead to extremely deep, largely unexplored water. Sailfish can usually be found in huge numbers, together with Marlin, Tuna, Barracuda and other sport-fish species, making it a fantastic fishing spot. The Ujung Kulon peninsula itself is a National Park, a World Heritage Site and well worth a visit.

The Philippines has a great deal in common with Indonesia, being another country made up of a large group of islands and thus one with no shortage of coastline. It also has some excellent sport fishing grounds. Moreover, most of them are virtually untapped and consequently offer an exciting proposition for ambitious anglers. The flip side of finding relatively untouched territory, however, is that facilities are not always as up to date as they might be. Nevertheless, there are boats available for charter at places such as San Jose on Mindoro Island, Naic in Cavite province or Bagac in Bataan.

Probably the premier location in the Philippines is the picturesque holiday island of Palawan which combines the attraction of an unspoilt tropical paradise with well stocked fishing grounds in the surrounding seas. All the usual sport fishing varieties can be found and regularly at some amazing sizes. In fact, it was off Palawan where a world record sized Sailfish was caught in 1990. The record setting behemoth weighed in at some 206 pounds and was an incredible 11 feet in length. Word has it that Yellow Fin Tuna weighing over 400 pounds are still regularly caught, so if it is big fish you are after it is a great place to try.

Bearing in mind the proximity of Malaysian Borneo, it is self-evident that similar fish can be caught on a fishing trip departing its eastern coast into the Sulu Sea and, accordingly, it is also developing a reputation as a centre for deep sea fishing. For someone looking for an adventure holiday, a couple of weeks in Sabah combining a bit of first rate sport fishing, an ascent of Mount Kinabalu and a few days' jungle trekking, sounds like it would take some beating.

As more of the mainstream locations become saturated by holidaying anglers, these less visited grounds in South East Asia will become more and more attractive. And those who give them a try are likely both to return and to spread the word. So my advice is to beat the rush and get to them while they still remain off the beaten track.

Source : http://www.hoteltravel.com/indonesia/bali/deep-sea-fishing.htm