Rotchana’s son Foi turned 15 back on the 31st of January so I took him down to one of the local fishing supply stores and bought him a full setup of gear. I know he enjoys fishing, but he never had any decent equipment. He’d make up a pole out of some bamboo and wrap line around a stick, and then bend a paperclip to make a hook. He still managed to catch a few fish now and then, but not as many as he’d like.

After we picked up everything we thought he’d need we took a taxi out to a fishing farm here in Bangkok. There are a lot of parks with lakes, but fishing is not allowed in most of them. However, there are small ponds scattered about and they have been stocked with fish. They’re quite popular as fishing is not just a recreation, but a source of food for many.

It didn’t take Foi long to get his gear set up and toss his line in to begin the fun process of waiting. There were quite a few other people fishing as well and they all seemed to be catching something fairly frequently so his hopes were high. It turns out it didn’t take long before he got his first bite and reeled in his first fish. He walked up and down the shoreline proudly showing off his fish before taking it off the line and placing it in a container to take back home.

Fish were the main target, but Foi managed to catch himself in the shorts at one point. It took a while for Rotchana to cut the hook out of the seat of his shorts, but she managed to do it without poking anyone. We reminded Foi that he wasn’t on the menu.

There are basically two types of fish that can be caught at these farms. Catfish are popular, but more difficult to catch. The most common fish is carp. In the US we throw these fish back and don’t consider them to be worthy of eating. Here in Thailand, or all of Asia for that matter, carp are a very common food and considered to be quite tasty. I guess it all depends on how it’s prepared, but I’ve eaten my fair share of carp while in Thailand and I do enjoy it.

Foi ended up catching 6 fish in total so we decided to pack up and head back home. He wanted to cook the fish for dinner for us that night. We took another taxi back to the apartment and paid the taxi driver in Baht and with two of the smaller fish. Everyone was satisfied. Try doing that in the US!

When we got back to the apartment Foi proceeded to clean the fish and then we cooked them over some charcoal and added a bunch of different seasonings. We had plenty to eat and Foi felt proud that he not only provided dinner, but prepared it as well.