An Isaan Pond

[ootai]

mendip
My suggestion would be that you need to do the following.
1. Create a good filtering system at the inlet point for the pump so it doesn't get blocked
2. Put a check valve in the pump intake line so the water does flow back to the pond when the pump goes off.
3. Set up a timer so the pump gets turned on when you want it on, timer could be one that can be contoled via internet but would need a manual overide so the gardener can fuk it up.

Good luck.

[Shutree]

I would love to turn on and off my warerfall using the internet, or even just a timer, but there is such a fall between pump and intake pipe that it needs priming with a hose every day for a couple of minutes, before switching on.

Technology could be your friend.

[Mendip]

^ Thanks Shutree, that's food for thought for sure. I would prefer not to have the expense of replacing the pump however.


By the way, if you are planning to visit Korat again any time soon your luck is in.

I have always been one to spot an opportunity and once I've added some finishing touches to my prototype system I am planning to offer voyages to explore the bottom of the pond.

Normal price only 25,000 Baht with all the som tam you can eat thrown in but I'll give you a place for a box of Leo!



Have a think about it... this could be you!

[BLD]

We've had one of those unbearable Isaan days today.

'Ain't they all?'

But today was one of those even more unbearable, overcast, still days... as hot and humid as hell with the constant stench of plastic rubbish being burnt in the background. I took a walk down by the pond in the evening and saw a load of fish swimming on the surface, gulping air. Here was a fine pla nin who has avoided my best efforts over the last few years, well over a kilo and with a fine pair of fillets.



I called the gardener down and explained that on the still, overcast days it's really important to get the waterfall on early and leave it on all day, since with the lack of sun there will be a lot less photosynthesis going on with the green algae and therefore a lot less oxygen being released into the water.

I lost his attention early on of course, in fact I never had it, but this is important as I'm going away in a few days.

Sometimes it would be great to have someone with some understanding to talk to about these things. It can be very frustrating and I just know that the waterfall will go on and off at the same time every day, regardless.

Sometimes you can feel like banging your head against the wall, like everydays groundhog day. Thats why we have swimming pools and fishing ponds i guess a sort of pressure relief valve and heavy drinking helps to.

[helge]

heavy drinking helps to.

Does

I wonder if even heavier drinking cures ?

[Mendip]

Revenge of the catfish!

Another Isaan bug, another pla duuk. I took my eye of the ball last night and forgot about the wicked spines these fish have on their pectoral fins.

[Topper]

Better clean that thoroughly. I bet that made you say the F word.

[Mendip]

^ It bloody did, too.

[Shutree]

the F word.

Fried!

[malmomike77]

Forsooth tiz only a little prick

[Mendip]

^ Yeah, that's what the wife said as well.

Hey... hang on...!?

[Edmond]

Forsooth tiz only a little prick

Thankfully it didn't stain the t-shirt and he can wear it again tomorrow.

[Mendip]

^ You have to be thankful for small mercies.

I hope to get all week out of it, by the way.

[Edmond]

#kindred.spirit

[DrWilly]

I hope to get all week out of it, by the way.

Day and night?

[Mendip]

^ Is there an alternative?


Tonight was my last Isaan fishing session for a while... I hope my next fishing will be for mackerel at West Bay on the Dorset Coast, unless of course I can somehow fit in a day's fly fishing on Blagdon Lake.

The conditions were a bit unfavourable, to be honest.



But everyone came along to watch...



As usual Anna sat out on the jetty, even in the rain. I sometimes wonder if she thinks herself a second class dog. Maybe that's what a life on the street does to you? I started to wish I'd toned down the rain dance last night, tbh.



Early on I had a good bite on an Isaan bug and landed another pla duuk around a kilo... they're all the same size after I stocked a batch of fingerlings at the same time last year. The wife had expressed an interest in a catfish as a batch of pla ra is planned... but for one thing it was lip hooked and very easy to release unharmed, and for another thing the wife's been pissing me off a lot lately. So, I unhooked it and watched it slither back into the pond. Merit made!



I have been a regular fisherman for around 50 years, across the world, freshwater, saltwater, etc etc and I thought I'd seen everything. I thought I'd seen it all but what next absolutely gobsmacked me. It left me dumbfounded.

The wife came down to the pond and asked if I'd like another bottle of Leo!!!

We've been married for more years than I care to count and this took me by complete surprise... random acts of kindness and even random communications are a rare thing these days. But of course, the answer was a, 'yes please!'

While she was getting my beer I caught my first decent pla nin in a long time, on one of her Isaan bugs.

This is probably the luckiest pla nin in the whole of Isaan, quite possibly the whole of Thailand. It was too small to fillet, and besides I'd already taken out pork chops for tonight, but was borderline for a fried chilli fish. The wife returned with my beer and I tried to hide the poor fish, but it kept flapping and she spotted it. She wanted it for her pla ra.



I had to over-rule. For some reason I think a nice fish should be fried up into a proper meal and not ground down into some kind of foul-smelling, fermented mush. Maybe it makes no difference to the fish, maybe I shouldn't be so particular, but either way the wife wasn't so happy.

Anyway, this will be my abiding memory of Anna for the next four weeks while I'm away... she makes my heart melt.



The rain got heavier and of course Anna fukked off... I'm a victim of my own success!

[baldrick]

[malmomike77]

^ If JPPR drank Heineken

[Edmond]

^ Is that him doing the intro?

[Mendip]

^^^ I just watched that Baldrick with great interest. Sorry for not acknowledging the post earlier.

If only... the benefit of hindsight.

Anyway, tonight I went fishing...



It really is fukking amazing... I've been away for four weeks and after two minutes by the pond it's like I'd never been away. Anna was in her spot, no bites, and the bastard little fruit flies were driving me mad.

Its like I'd never been away... I don't feel in any way refreshed after my 'holiday', I am hot, sweaty and the bloody pla nin aren't biting. I've just spent around 7 to 8k Sterling to spend the wettest July on record in the UK, during which time I had just one night out on the beer and the rest of the time spent family pleasing... which of course you have to do... but what about me?

Sometimes I think that SA is right... what's the point? We're just passing time. The work days seem to be my life and the time off just disappears in an instant so that it's almost not worth having.

Still, so long as the dogs are happy.

[Bettyboo]

Chin up, Mendip - the dogs love you!

(Were they pleased to see you upon your return?)

((More or less pleased than the wife?))

[Mendip]

^ At least you didn't say 'chins' up, and I thank you for that.

After a great deal of consideration I would have to say that, overall, the dogs did seem to be happier to see me back than the wife.

But women are fickle creatures, she may have just been hiding her true emotions.

[Bettyboo]

^ t'is true. But, also likely that the dogs were more pleased to see you; a man's best friend (is not his Thai wife...).

Got a fish yet?

(It's a lovely pond. )

[Mendip]

^ No fish big enough to keep, it's dark now so am laying down and planning next week in Bangkok.

Anyway, surely you are on holiday? Any plans on getting some nice photos of those fit Isreali birds in army outfits? That would improve your thread no end!

[DrWilly]

Cheer up, Bendy. At least you are home and not cold anymore. It's also considerably cheaper in Issan than UK.