Chao Phraya Catfish Fishing Thailand
Freshwater Fish of Thailand

Common name:	Chao Phraya Catfish
Local Thai Name:	Pla Tepa
Max published weight:	300cm TL – 300.0 Kg
Environment:	Benthopelagic, potamodromous, freshwater
Status:	Native

Chao Phraya Catfish - Pangasius sanitwongsei

 

Freshwater Fish Species Of Thailand

The Chao Phraya catfish (Pangasius sanitwongsei) is a freshwater fish species in the shark catfish family (family Pangasiidae) of order Siluriformes (catfish). The Chao Phraya catfish is native to the Mekong River basin & Chao Phraya River basin in Thailand.

Natural Food Source

The Chao Phraya catfish is a predatory fish primarily feeding on fish & occasionally benthic crustaceans.

Chao Phraya Catfish Identification

Grey to white in colour with beautiful black tips on the drooping elongated fins. A broad head with a mouth of palatine and vomerine teeth united into a single long crescentic patch – like a strip of sandpaper.

Chao Phraya Catfish Fishing Thailand

Fish Thailand venue:	Fishing in Bangkok at Bungsamran & Shadow Lake
Fishing season:	All year
Lake record:	Bungsamran 25.0 Kg \ Shadow Lake 15.0 Kg

Fishing in Bangkok at Bungsamran or Shadow Lake are the best places to target fishing for the Chao Phraya catfish, where they can be caught all year round. The average size Chao Phraya catfish in Bungsamran is 10-15 kg, the lake record is approximately 25.0 kg that we know of.

Very different fishing techniques are used to catch the Chao Phraya catfish in comparison to the other non-predatory catfish at Bungsamran. Using live-baits, heavy traces & fishing close to snags is the order of the day for targeting the beautiful Chao Phraya catfish.