An Early Start to the Fryball Season in Chanthaburi

A Very Early Start to Fryball Season

This trip to Chanthaburi came right at the beginning of the fryball season.

It was still very early, and although we were able to find a fryball, the fishing wasn't yet fully into the period where you can consistently find mama giant snakehead protecting their young.

Our plan was straightforward: find fryballs and target the mama fish protecting them.

We fished two different lakes over the two days, starting at Pa Kret on the first day before moving to Hang Maeo on day two.

While we weren't able to hook either of the mama fish we found, the trip still produced some interesting fish and a couple of memorable moments.

Day One: Pa Kret Reservoir

Our first day was spent fishing Pa Kret.

We managed to get three fish into the boat, although the snakehead we caught was relatively small. The standout fish of the day, however, wasn't actually the species we were targeting.

While working a fryball with a spinnerbait, I was focused on getting a reaction from the mama giant snakehead.

This is something that happens around fryballs. Other predatory fish can hang around the area, waiting for an opportunity to feed on the fry.

When the mama is actively protecting them, those predators don't have the same opportunity. But if she moves away or makes a mistake, the fryball becomes an easy meal.

That's exactly why you'll sometimes find other predatory species hanging around the same areas.

A Big Pla Kasop on the Spinnerbait

While retrieving the spinnerbait from the fryball, a big Pla Kasop absolutely smashed the lure right beside the boat.

It was completely unexpected.

I was fishing the fryball specifically because I wanted the mama giant snakehead, so the Pla Kasop wasn't the target at all. But when a fish of that size follows a spinnerbait right up to the boat and decides to eat, you certainly aren't complaining.

We also managed another smaller Pla Kasop that day.

So while the mama giant snakehead didn't cooperate, we still finished the first day with three fish in the boat.

The Predators Around a Fryball

One of the interesting things about targeting fryballs is that the mama isn't necessarily the only fish you'll find there.

A fryball represents a concentrated food source.

The mama is there to protect it, but other predatory fish know exactly what is happening too. They're essentially waiting for an opportunity.

That makes fishing a fryball slightly different from simply searching for individual fish. You're targeting one particular fish, but you can also end up dealing with whatever else has decided to hang around the same food source.

In this case, that meant a very good Pla Kasop taking the spinnerbait instead of the mama.

I wasn't disappointed.

Day Two: Hang Maeo

After a relatively unsuccessful first day at Pa Kret, we decided to change our plans for the second day.

We headed to Hang Maeo, another lake in the area, hoping that a change of water would give us a better chance of finding a responsive mama.

Once again, we managed to find a fryball. And once again, we couldn't get the mama to commit.

This time, however, we found the fryball quite late in the evening.

With the sun getting lower, there simply wasn't much time left to work the area before we had to call it a day.

It was another reminder that finding a fryball is only one part of the equation. You still need the fish to cooperate.

Skipping Under the Trees

Although the fryball didn't produce a hook-up, we weren't finished fishing.

There were some trees and overhanging branches around Hang Maeo, giving us an opportunity to work the lure into areas that would otherwise be difficult to reach.

I started skipping casts underneath the branches.

It wasn't the mama giant snakehead we had spent the day looking for, but eventually I managed to connect with a beautiful snakehead.

It wasn't a mama and it wasn't the fish we had travelled there to target, but it was a great way to finish the trip.

Sometimes that's just how fishing goes. You can spend hours looking for one particular fish, find exactly what you're looking for, and still not get the bite. Then, right at the end of the day, a completely different opportunity presents itself.

Early Season Conditions

Looking back, this trip was probably a little too early.

We did find fryballs, which was a good sign that the season was starting, but we weren't yet seeing the consistent activity that comes later in the season.

For anglers specifically targeting mama giant snakehead, timing matters.

The fryball season develops as conditions become right, and being early can mean finding the occasional fryball without necessarily having the consistent opportunities you'd expect during the heart of the season.

That's essentially what happened to us. We found them. We just couldn't make them eat.

Josh’s Pro Tip

Pack toilet paper.

Seriously.

On the first evening of this trip, I ate something that clearly didn't agree with me. By the second day, I was dealing with an upset stomach and had to make several emergency trips into the bushes.

More than I would have liked.

So while the spinnerbait produced the biggest fish of the trip, the real MVP of this particular fishing trip was the toilet paper in my bag.

Wet wipes work too.

It's not exactly the kind of fishing advice you normally see in a gear guide, but when you're fishing remote lakes for an entire day, you'll be very happy you packed them if you need them.

A Trip That Didn't Go to Plan

This wasn't a trip where everything went perfectly.

We went looking for mama giant snakehead.

We found a fryball at Pa Kret and another at Hang Maeo, but neither produced the hook-up we wanted.

Instead, we ended up with a few smaller snakehead, a couple of Pla Kasop and one particularly nice fish that hit the spinnerbait right beside the boat.

On the second day, we changed lakes, found another fryball late in the day and then finished by skipping underneath the trees and catching a beautiful snakehead.

That's fishing. Not every trip produces the target fish, and not every fryball is going to give you a bite. But there are usually opportunities if you're willing to adapt when the original plan isn't working.

Final Thoughts

This was a very early start to the fryball season in Chanthaburi.

We fished Pa Kret on day one and Hang Maeo on day two, finding fryballs on both lakes but failing to get either mama fish to commit.

The first day still produced three fish, including a big Pla Kasop that absolutely hammered a spinnerbait while I was targeting the fryball.

On the second day, we found another fryball late in the evening, but ran out of daylight before we could convert it.

We finished the trip with a beautiful snakehead caught by skipping beneath the trees.

It wasn't the trip we had planned, but it was still a worthwhile couple of days on the water.

And next time, I'm bringing even more toilet paper.

FAQ

When does the giant snakehead fryball season start?

The fryball season develops during the rainy season as conditions become suitable for spawning. Early in the season, you may find fryballs without the consistent activity seen later in the season.

Can other fish be found around giant snakehead fryballs?

Yes. Other predatory fish can stay close to fryballs, taking advantage of the concentrated food source when the mama fish isn't able to protect the young.

What happened with the Pla Kasop?

A large Pla Kasop hit my spinnerbait right beside the boat while I was fishing a fryball for mama giant snakehead. We also caught another smaller Pla Kasop that day.

Did you catch the mama giant snakehead?

No. We found fryballs at both Pa Kret and Hang Maeo, but weren't able to get either mama fish to commit.

What should you pack for a full day of remote fishing?

Aside from your normal fishing equipment, bring basic supplies that you might not think about, including toilet paper or wet wipes. When you're fishing remote lakes all day, you don't want to be caught without them.