Everything You Need to Know About
Fishing in
KOH RONG
Everything to Know about Fishing in Koh Rong
Given the pristine waters and biodiversity of Koh Rong, it poses an amazing opportunity for all kinds of fishermen seeking a tropical fishing experience. Being an avid fisho myself I looked all around the island to see what type of fishing opportunities there are and how to get involved with the fishing community in Koh Rong.
Amongst the locals, fishing is very popular given that before tourism became the main driver for the local economy, Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem initially started off as fishing villages.
Fishing options on Koh Rong include by group boat tours, private fishing tours or by simply going out there yourself along the coast. Here I’ll go into everything I know about all these options as well as my personal experience fishing in Koh Rong.
Check out my post on the Essential Packlist for when Travelling to Koh Rong!
Species You Can Catch
Koh Rong, being a place of such biodiversity, there is an endless variety of fish to catch. All sorts of fish ranging from bait, reef and pelagic species all inhabit the waters around Koh Rong and like all things, some are more desirable than others.
The common species of fish that I can name that can be relatively easily caught if you know what you are doing are garfish, scad, long toms and even schools of squid that sometimes swim by. However, if you are a really avid fisherman and want something even more prized you can also catch parrot fish, barracuda, trevally, snapper, tropical grouper and even cobia (which I actually did catch!!!!!!).
Of course there are hundreds of other species that also inhabit the same bodies of water and reefs here. You will definitely feel the adrenaline and the mystery of not knowing what’s actually going to take your bait when fishing in such pristine tropical waters.
Cambodian Fishing Laws and Regulations
In terms of the rules and regulations surrounding fish size and quantity limitations, there doesn’t appear to be much or even any. Even if these rules and regulations did existed, like many other laws around, they are loosely followed and even more loosely enforced. If you’re unsure about rules or practices, best to just ask a local! If you are primarily a sports fisherman, then you can just simply enjoy the water!
I believe as a fisherman myself, protecting the marine life and ensuring the sustainability of the resource for future generations is of key importance to me no matter where I fish. So always keep in mind how much to take and make sure you clean up after yourself!
Different Ways to Fish in Koh Rong
From my experience and a bit of research there are 3 ways to experience fishing in Koh Rong.
The available options for fishing are:
- Group Boat Tours
- Private Fishing Tours
- Renting Gear and Doing it Yourself!
1. Group Boat Tours
Now these group boat tours offer a wide range of activities including fishing and are a great way to experience a variety of fun activities Koh Rong has to offer. Just as a general thing, it is one of the most fun activities you can do whilst on Koh Rong as you get to meet lots of new people and have a try with many different activities including snorkelling, fishing, bioluminescent plankton swimming and many other activities.
You will see signs and advertisements of these boat tours scattered around every corner of the island and I highly recommend hopping on when you are in Koh Rong.
Is it a Fishing Boat Tour?
In saying that, I should also say that this is not primarily geared towards fishing. Fishing, if I do say, is just a small part of all the activities on offer where other activities such as snorkelling, bioluminescent plankton swimming and just the social aspects of the tour are the main highlights of the experience. I’d say fishing is still good to try out but it is definitely geared towards novice fisherman and people just wanting to try out fishing rather than offering an authentic fishing experience.
Most other people on the boat are more interested in the other activities offered and with the mix of the right people can easily turn into a party boat. I’d say if you were looking forward to fishing on these boat tours, don’t approach it too seriously as basically no one else is going to as well.
Also the fishing is done with a hand line and as someone who enjoys the fight, the handline experience didn’t really do it for me. Still, the opportunity to catch some small fish which you can barbecue later is still great fun and a fun experience to share with others. Also note, most people on the boat would be amateurs or first time fishos so they may not really understand the fishing etiquette if you know what I’m referring to. Not their problem, just this is the type of experience offered.
Price
Boat tour which includes all activities including fishing, snorkelling, bioluminescent plankton swimming and many more costs between $15-$20 USD depending on where you purchase your ticket.
Pros and Cons
Below I’ve listed the pros and cons of the fishing overall experience on these tours, not the overall boat tour.
Pros
- Cheap, super affordable
- All the gear and bait are pre set up
- Social
- Beginner Friendly
- BBQ option available for any fish caught
Cons
- Hand line fishing
- Some people may not know fishing etiquette (which is not their fault)
- Fishing not taken too seriously
- Not much time spent fishing
- Low chance of catching quality fish
Thoughts
My conclusion would be, still do the boat tours, they are extremely fun with loads of fun activities and great value for money. However, don’t expect the fishing experience to be all that good and it seems that coming up empty handed isn’t uncommon.
2. Private Fishing Boat Tour
Now for people that are a bit more serious about fishing, they can opt to hire a private fishing tour on a boat. Here you will get a good chance to score some awesome fish with some great company. All the gear would be set up for you and the captain will take you to spot X for the best chance of catching some fish. Doing a private fishing tour would be suitable for any level of experience and would offer something for everyone whether you are a beginner just wanting to score a fish or if you are a veteran hunting that elusive cobia!
Price
From my experience, prices of the private fishing tours vary as you can opt to choose if you want to fish half day, full day or by amount of hours. Hence it’s difficult to give an exact figure however I would say prices start from around $40 USD all the way up to around $80 USD.
Usually this fee would include everything for the day including food, gear, bait, drinks and usually a BBQ as well. Depending on where you are coming from this kind of price is a bargain compared to chartering a fishing boat. I’m from Australia and to get on a charter boat for a morning session would cost at least $150 USD and that doesn’t include food, drinks or a BBQ!
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Guided by experienced professionals
- Fish at spot X that produces the goods
- All the gear and bait are pre set up
- Price is all inclusive of food, drinks, gear etc
- Time can be adjusted to your preference
- Great for any level of experience
- Less crowded
- BBQ as well
Cons
- Most “expensive” option (still a bargain of a price if you ask me)
Thoughts
I think doing a private fishing tour is one of the best options available. Everything is set up for you and you are guided by experts who know the waters well. The best can be a bit more expensive however I think it’ll be well worth it!
3. Doing it Yourself using your Own Gear!
Using your own gear, in my opinion, may be the most fun way to fish Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem. If you have experienced fishing around rocks and piers, Koh Rong offers an abundance of spots you can fish from. The excitement you get from moving around from place to place and actively searching for fish is a thrilling experience shared amongst fishermen. If you want to try fishing yourself this way, you need to have your own gear, either by renting or buying your own.
Renting/Buying fishing gear
This is the tricky part. Renting fishing gear for most anglers would be the ideal option however I have only found a few places that offer gear rental and those places are in Koh Rong Samloem. Now this isn’t necessarily a bad thing as I would say fishing on Koh Rong Samloem would arguably be fishing because it is much more secluded with many easily accessible fishing points.
If you are on Koh Rong and want to fish on Koh Rong (not Koh Rong Samloem), I think your best option is to walk around and ask the people that offer the private fishing tours if you would be able to rent one of their rods for a negotiated price.
Places to Rent Fishing Gear (that I know)
On Koh Rong Samloem, there is a hostel called the Big Easy. In front of there, there is a small shack that offers services including boat rides and fishing gear. If I remember correctly, the owner goes by the name Rainbow. He is really a standout bloke and awesome to talk with. If you negotiate the price you’ll be able to rent fishing gear for between around $10-15 USD for the day, maybe get an even better price if you are a good negotiator.
The Big Easy Location (https://maps.app.goo.gl/RTbdxPFQPFJPmBzo6)
I also found that across Koh Rong Samloem especially in M’Pay Bay, many of the hostels and accommodations do offer fishing gear rental as well. So go around and ask!
Buying your own Fishing Gear
If you opt to buy your equipment, many convenience stores sell all the gear you would need to fish. I would imagine the cost of everything would be about $30 USD which isn’t too bad if you know you want to fish around.
If you know that you want to fish this way and are serious about it, buying your gear from Sihanoukville is also a great option. In Sihanoukville you would find more variety of fishing equipment and specific gear around compared to what’s available on the islands
What gear to buy?
This is more for novice fisherman who may be wanting to buy their own stuff but don’t know what to buy. So I’ve compiled a small list of gear you would need.
Gear needed for fishing:
- Rod and Reel
- Fishing line (if it isn’t already spooled onto the reel)
- Swivels
- Leader line (I think 10lb strength is more than enough)
- Fishing Hooks (something on the smaller side is better)
If you are trying to budget your trip to Koh Rong check out this post:
Bait
You can definitely buy small pieces of chicken or other proteins for cheap but I think it’s more fun and better to forage for your own bait. Fish in the area will feed on the bait found in the area so foraging for clams, crabs and oysters are great ways to increase your chances of catching fish.
Fishing Spots
There are many spots around the island that provide some great opportunities for fishing. Usually around piers and wharfs are the easiest and most accessible spots for fishing. If you want to venture around abit, hopping onto the rocks and other platforms are also a great option.
Just a general rule of thumb, you’ll have much better chances of catching fish if you fish around some type of structure whether that be pillions, piers, reefs and rocks. Fish usually hang around these structures for safety and to ambush their prey.
Below I’ve listed some spots that I think are great for fishing:
- Saracen Bay Pier (https://maps.app.goo.gl/g5aCrGz2uxTqqa9c9)
- Coconut Beach Pier (https://maps.app.goo.gl/N1QeG5TXGJeP5S619)
- M’pai bay (https://maps.app.goo.gl/kM3FQiJYhQ1RFBZd7)
Fishing Etiquette
When you choose to fish by yourself it is always important to respect others, respect the area you are fishing and carry with yourself basic fishing etiquette. Below I have gathered a few pointers to follow when fishing.
Basic Etiquette you need to follow:
- Do not leave rubbish or bait lying around
- Clean up after yourself
- Leave the spot as it was before you arrived
- Do not fish in areas where people are swimming and especially watch out for snorkelers
- Respect the water, the people and the island
Final Thoughts
Hopefully you enjoyed my post about fishing in Koh Rong. These are all my first hand experiences trying different fishing options in Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem. Koh has many fishing experiences for all kinds of anglers who are looking for a fun tropical fishing experience. Whether you are a beginner or a veteran there is something for everyone.