Battle of the Bars 2026:
April Match Report
The low season is officially here, but the action at TopCats is just heating up! We kicked off the latest round of Battle of the Bars this April, and it was fantastic to see our regulars returning to the water for some friendly (and slightly chaotic) competition.
Despite the blistering heat—with water temperatures climbing toward 34°C—the fish had been active. Here is how the afternoon unfolded at the lake.
The Rules of the Game
For those new to the tournament, here’s a quick refresher on how we play:
- The Setup: 6 teams of two, fishing with two rods each.
- Tactics: At the draw, teams choose between two boilie rods or a hybrid approach (one boilie, one bait).
- The Clock: A focused 4-hour match from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
- New Scoring for 2026: We’ve recently rebalanced the points. Carp values have increased while Mekong Catfish have decreased to reflect current lake conditions.
Fair Play: Any foul-hooked fish are strictly disqualified.
Match Highlights & Team Performance
The Winners: Samui Sea Fishing
A massive congratulations to Ondrej and his team! They took advantage of the revised scoring system, focusing on Carp to secure a decisive victory. Only the 2nd ever time that Peg 5 had won, and they walked away with the bragging rights and the 4,000 Baht first prize.
2nd Place: The New Summer House
Courtney and Stu put in a massive shift. Courtney claimed he cast nearly 100 times, while Stu did the heavy lifting with a 30-minute battle against a particularly stubborn Mekong. It wasn’t the biggest fish in the lake, but it certainly had the most fight!
3rd Place: The Olive
Eddie and Izzy definitely provided the entertainment for the day. While they found a good rhythm, they unfortunately lost six fish. At one point, Eddie was so frantic he struck the left rod while the right one was screaming off!
Watch the Chaos: You can see Eddie and Izzy’s escapades over on our YouTube channel, TOPCATSFISHING TV. Don’t forget to like and subscribe!
Coco Beach Bar
Rob Ferrey tried a “patience is a virtue” tactic, leaving the same boilie out for three hours. Unsurprisingly, the fish weren’t interested. Thankfully, his partner Dave saved them from a total blank with a late Siamese Carp.
The Marvels & The New French Kiss
It was a rough day for these two. Captain Drew (The Marvels) arrived in “hangover mode,” leaving partner Brownie to struggle on the usually productive Peg 1.
Meanwhile, our holiday helper, Mai Mai and his dad, Tony (French Kiss) made a tactical error by using exotic baits too close to the bank, resulting in only one fish.
The Controversy: Foul-Hooked Fish
The “no foul-hook” rule claimed several victims this week. Larry, Stu, and Eddie all had Mekong Catfish disqualified. While we know these weren’t intentional, the rules are the rules… for now. We’ll review this for future matches to keep things fair and fun.
Result
- 1st Samui Sea Fishing (Peg 5) 17 points
- 2nd The New Summer House (Peg 3) 10 points
- 3rd The Olive (Peg 2) 6 points
Final Thoughts
It was a tough, high-temperature match that required strategy over luck. We’re already looking forward to the next round!
Want to join the action? Follow us for updates on the next Battle of the Bars and come see if you have what it takes to land the big one.
