BLOG: Pest or prize?

I just got back from a three week stint overseas and had very little exposure to fishing. I've had a major case of soft plastic withdrawal syndrome, of which there is no known cure. I did however get a chance to wet a line in Koh Samui to ease the mind. My wife organised a surprise fishing session for me in one of Thailand's famous catfishing ponds!

At first I was a little sceptical about fishing in a man-made pond for a species of fish closely related to one considered a pest in Australia. I figured that after a few weeks of no fishing, anything was better than nothing so I went with an open mind and a camera to record the events.

First off, the species of catfish they have in Thailand are drastically different to ours. The Mekong catfish and red-tail catfish are weird but wonderful looking creatures and importantly lack the finger-numbing spikes that make their Aussie counterparts so hated. I wouldn't be surprised to learn they are a totally different species without relation.
However, there are two major differences of importance to fishos. These foreigners grow to over 100kgs in weight and the stamina they have once hooked is mind blowing. I only caught four Mekongs and a red-tail up to 40lbs but they fought better than the 50lb jewie I landed a few years back. I had bruises on my gut from the rod butt!

The fact that these things grow to big sizes and pull hard has much to do with the overall perception locals have of them. They absolutely love to catch them, and now I can see why. After that experience I can't see why attitudes towards less desirable species here that grow big and pull hard can't be changed. Fish like rays, Port Jacksons, big pike eels, mullet and carp should be valued for their fighting prowess rather than the snide remarks they receive once identified boatside.

The experience did much to educate me on just how good we have it here for variety. It's easy to disregard species in preference for others. But one man's trash is another man's treasure. If a fish gives a good account of itself, it's good enough for me.

What species of fish do you think cops the raw end of the stick in Oz?