FOR sport fishers, Koh Samui is one of the best destinations in Thailand. Koh Samui is situated in the Gulf of Thailand, which teems with a variety of fish like barracuda, white and red snapper, shark, cobia, mackerel, sailfish, grouper, gar, trevaly, queen fish and sting ray.

For anglers who love to throw a line into the waters, many boat operators with tour guides offer boats fully equipped and ready to sail. If you love the taste of fresh fish, you can take your catch home and prepare it anyway you like.

Nothing beats the sport of fishing. It is a peaceful and relaxing way to enjoy nature and bond with family or friends. To place a hook in the water and to wait for that first nibble is a lesson in patience for sure; but the joy and anticipation of not knowing if you are about to land a world-record fish or get hung up on a rock is a just reward. Normally, time spent fishing is always worth the trouble of rigging the line, trying to untangle a bird's nest of fishing string or cleaning the fish afterwards. However, the good thing about going out fishing here on Samui is, that's all done for you!

The fishing tour guides around Samui are old hands in the art of fishing. The Thais have been fishing these waters for centuries. They know just where to take the boat so that you will have excellent chance of catching a fish. Also, the guides do everything for you. They rig the lines, show you how to get the line in the water, tell you the signs to look for to indicate a fish is on your hook and even put the stinky squid on your hook for you; and when you do land the big one, they will take it off for you. So, all you have to do is sit back, relax and enjoy the best of fishing without any of the dirty work.

The boats used for fishing around Samui are beautiful wooden, 12-meter boats with inboard engines, which are always kept immaculately clean. They are painted in bright reds, blues and a variety of other eye-catching colors. The bow is usually decorated with typical Thai-style yellow flowers and ribbons to bring the boat good luck and make it safe. Also on board are cold drinks and comfortable benches, and most boats even have a sit-down toilet.

Another great aspect of going out on one of these boats for a fishing trip is the journey itself. Watching the crew get the boat ready for launch and the trip out to the first anchor point is fun and interesting all by itself. It is amazing how the crew knows where exactly to take the boat, and they take great pride in pinpointing their anchor in the right location. If no fish are to be found there, they up anchor and speed away to the next likely spot.

After a full day or night of fishing, you are safely returned to shore. At this point, all the fish are brought out and you can finally see the fruits of your labor all pilled up in a bucket. These fish should be looked at not by how big or small they are but by how good they are going to taste.
For a small extra fee, some tour operators offer to clean and prepare your fish so that they will be ready to be thrown into the frying pan or cut up into pieces for some curry. Eating your catch really is the best way to top off a great and satisfying fishing trip.

Fishing trip tours must be scheduled at least a day in advance and any travel agent on the island can offer arrangements. Also, more and more operators are offering reservations online now with their Websites containing a lot of information regarding their services. The only things that a person needs to bring are a towel, some sunscreen and a good helping of patience.

Oh, and always remember the old saying, “A bad day fishing is better than a good day at work.