12 Days Deep in the Borneo Rainforest Chasing One of Asia’s Most Elusive Freshwater Fish
We’re finally back from another unforgettable Red Kaloi expedition deep in the rainforests of East Kalimantan.
It was a journey filled with incredible fishing, unexpected setbacks, long days, and enough twists and turns to remind us that, out here, the jungle always has the final say.
After several planned trips were cancelled in 2025 due to an unreliable individual, our Red Kaloi expedition finally got back on track.
And, as usual, the rainforest had a few surprises waiting for us.
A Rough Start Before the First Cast
Our journey had already started with a little drama. Graeme’s adventure began before he had even set foot in Indonesia when Qantas failed to check his baggage through from Australia.
The bag eventually made its way from Sydney to Jakarta and then on to Balikpapan—but not before keeping all of us in suspense for two days.
The problem was that we were due to catch our domestic flight from Balikpapan to Melak at 1:30 pm the next day. Would Graeme’s bag make it in time? Or would four grown men heading deep into the jungle have to start sharing underwear?
Thankfully, the bag eventually arrived—just one hour before our flight. Crisis averted. For now.
Chapter 1
Into the Heart of Borneo
The four of us—Tim, Graeme, David and I—met up in Balikpapan, on the east coast of Kalimantan, Indonesia.
After spending the night there, we caught a Wings Air flight to Melak, a short flight of less than an hour.
From Melak, we climbed into—or, depending on how generous you are, somehow onto—a pickup truck bound for the remote village of Nyaribungan, deep in the jungles of East Kalimantan.
Under normal conditions, the drive takes around five hours. This was not a normal journey.
What should have been a five-hour drive turned into a very long, very bumpy and very tiring nine-hour ordeal. By the time we finally arrived at the village lodge at around 2:00 am, we were, as Graeme put it, somewhat delirious.
We had started our journey to the airport at 10:00 am the previous morning, so by then we were desperate for some sleep.
But first… Dinner. At 2:00 am.
Welcome to expedition fishing.
Chapter 2
The Jungle Makes Its Own Rules
There’s no getaway quite like escaping into the jungle. Getting there is never easy, but that’s exactly what makes these places so special.
Out here, there are no guarantees. Plans change, you never quite know how the journey will unfold, and the weather has a mind of its own. It’s all part of the adventure.
You leave a lot of modern-day comforts behind. But after escaping into the jungle for a while, something happens. The rainforest has a way of bringing an incredible sense of calm and inner peace. The sounds of nature, the towering trees, and the feeling of being completely immersed in the wild can be unforgettable.
There really is no place quite like it.
With that in mind, it was time to begin the expedition.
Chapter 3
When Two Worlds Collide
Spending time in remote places always reminds me that not everyone lives at the same pace. After travelling to different parts of the world, I’ve come to see things from different perspectives.
Some communities are more laid-back. There’s less urgency. Things may take longer, and that’s perfectly normal to them.
Meanwhile, for those of us used to living in a world of constant rushing, instant gratification and an endless sense of urgency, it can be frustrating when things don’t happen immediately.
My advice? Try to relax.
Out here, you quickly learn that you have very little control over what happens next. And that’s probably one of the best things about being in the jungle.
Chapter 4
The Scorecard
Before I tell you how the week unfolded, here’s how the numbers eventually stacked up. This is not easy fishing.
Between the four of us, we had a total of 13 Red Kaloi hookups, with four fish successfully landed. I would rate that as a very successful expedition, especially because every angler managed to land a Red Kaloi.
Every day brought missed strikes, explosive surface blowups and Red Kaloi following the flies without converting. The jungle was never short of opportunities. It just didn’t always make things easy.
Chapter 5
Day 1 – Sweet Revenge
Some of you might remember David’s explosive finish on our last trip.
On the final half-day, he finally hooked a Red Kaloi and the session turned into an absolute epic. Unfortunately, the monstrous fish snapped his expensive Sage fly rod in two places before waving goodbye and leaving David traumatised for nearly two years.
This trip? David wasn’t waiting until the end.
Sweet revenge came quickly, with the very first Red Kaloi of the expedition landed during our opening half-day. He was first on the board, setting the tone for what promised to be another unforgettable adventure. A dream start.
But six more days of fishing still lay ahead, and we all knew how quickly fortunes could change in the jungle.
Chapter 6
Day 2 – Momentum Builds
Many anglers have ventured deep into these remote Borneo jungle waters in search of the legendary giant Red Kaloi, only to return home empty-handed.
Most would have seen them. Many would have even hooked them. But getting one all the way to the net—and finally into your hands—is a completely different challenge.
The Red Kaloi is an incredibly powerful fish. It knows every submerged log and branch in the river, and it rarely gives second chances.
For Tim, however, luck met preparation. On his very first trip, and only his second day on the water, he successfully landed his first giant Red Kaloi. An unforgettable achievement—and a fish that most anglers can only dream of.
Congratulations, Tim!
Two days. Two giant Red Kaloi. Confidence was growing. Perhaps a little too much?
Day 2 Jelawat Surprise
And then I got a surprise of my own. A wild jelawat like this doesn’t come along very often.
I’ve been lucky enough to catch a few smaller ones before, but seeing one of this size in the net was something special. The local boys guessed it was around 7 kg, although I’d say it was probably closer to 5–6 kg.
Either way, it’s a fish I’ll remember for a long time.
It came up and absolutely smashed a big hopper off the surface—one that was meant for Red Kaloi—with an explosive take that caught me completely off guard.
Jelawat, often referred to as the “Sultan Fish”, was once considered a delicacy reserved for royalty. Today, it is prized both as a hard-fighting game fish and as one of the finest river fish to eat, thanks to its firm, sweet flesh.
A wild fish of this size can command a substantial price in some Asian restaurants.
Moments like this are exactly why we keep casting. You never know what might explode on the next drift.
Chapter 7
Day 3 – Three Down… One To Go
Today, it was Graeme’s turn. After putting in the hours, making cast after cast and refusing to give up, he was finally rewarded with a beautiful giant Red Kaloi.
A truly hard-earned fish—and one that was thoroughly deserved. Congratulations, Graeme!
Three days into the expedition, and we’d now landed three giant Red Kaloi. It was hard not to feel optimistic with a couple more days of fishing still ahead.
But the jungle has a way of keeping anglers humble.
Tim and David both hooked more Red Kaloi… and both watched them disappear back into the depths—and into the timber. That’s the thing about these fish. They’re absolute bast*@rds, as someone once put it. They hit hard, fight dirty and know exactly how to use every submerged branch and log to their advantage.
And as for JW versus Red Kaloi?
The scoreboard still read: 0–0.
Not even a sniff. That’s fishing.
Every cast could be the one. Tomorrow, we go again.
Keep casting.
Chapter 8
When the Jungle Fights Back
We couldn’t have asked for a better start to the expedition. Perfect weather. Clear water. The jungle seemed to be on our side.
Then, halfway through the trip… Everything changed.
Almost overnight, the rivers began to drop.
Water levels fell so dramatically that we were forced to abandon what had been our best river for giant Red Kaloi. It simply became unfishable.
As if that wasn’t enough, the jungle had another surprise waiting for us. In the middle of the night, an uninvited jungle “beast” raided our camp pantry, helping itself to most of our remaining food. By morning, our supplies were nearly gone, and our drinking water was running dangerously low.
Welcome to expedition fishing.
With no choice but to adapt, we changed our plans and made the best of the conditions. We still had a few fish encounters, but there was no denying it—the fishing had slowed dramatically.
The trip had suddenly become a test of patience.
And we were running out of time.
Chapter 9
Hope Arrives with the Rain
Then, just when morale was beginning to fade… Dark clouds gathered over the distant mountains. Rain began to fall.
Could this be the break we’d been waiting for? Would rain in the headwaters breathe life back into the rivers and switch the fishing back on?
Or would conditions only get worse?
We had just one and a half days left. The next chapter of the adventure now rested in the hands of the jungle. And the jungle wasn’t saying a word.
Chapter 10
Disaster Upstream
The final chapter of our Red Kaloi expedition couldn’t have been scripted any better.
On Day 6, Tim and I headed back to our favourite river. Thanks to the rain, the water had risen enough for us to fish the stretch we’d been waiting for—the river with the greatest promise of giant Red Kaloi.
Our Dayak guide had an even bigger plan. “Let’s go further upstream. There are plenty of fish up there… and even more Red Kaloi.”
We were all in. Then disaster struck.
POP!
The engine let out a loud bang and died instantly. For a moment, we thought the expedition was over. It sounded like we’d blown a cylinder.
After some roadside—or rather, riverside—jungle engineering, the boys somehow coaxed the engine back to life. Miraculously, it was running again. But there was no way we were risking another long run upstream.
So we drifted. We fished. We hoped.
There was action, but not a single Red Kaloi made it to the boat.
Graeme and David, fishing another river, had exactly the same story. Our last full day had slipped away.
And JW was still on zero.
Chapter 11
The Last Cast
The final morning gave us just half a day to turn things around.
David and I had no choice but to fish the main river before heading back to the village. With our wounded engine, it was the safest option.
Honestly, neither of us expected much.
Meanwhile, Tim and Graeme were back on our first-choice river, which only added to our frustration.
Then…
The main river came alive. Fish after fish were following and busting up. And with only moments left before the expedition was over…
BOOM!!
A solid bull Red Kaloi exploded on my hopper.
After five and a half days of casting…
After watching everyone else land theirs…
After not getting a single take…
It was finally my turn.
What a fish.
What a fight.
What a way to end an unforgettable expedition.
Sometimes, the jungle saves the best for last.
Chapter 12
The Adventure Wasn’t Over Yet
We thought the fishing was over. The jungle had other plans.
The entire expedition lasted 12 days, and, according to Nando, we may have been the first group where every angler successfully landed a Red Kaloi.
After arriving back at the village lodge, we were reunited with some of the great luxuries of civilisation.
Everyone had a proper shower in a proper bathroom instead of the river.
We could finally sit down on a proper throne to do what needed to be done.
And, of course, there was a properly cooked hot meal for dinner.
Afterwards, we sat beneath what seemed like a million stars, drank some local homemade spirits and talked about what else? Fishing.
It rained heavily that night. And the rain didn’t stop the next morning.
We all knew the trail out was going to be extra muddy, but quietly hoped we’d make it through without too much trouble.
Well… The truck got stuck. Properly stuck.
Our normal six-hour journey back to Melak turned into a ten-hour ordeal.
By the time we finally arrived in Melak at around 8:00 pm, we were more than ready for food and a bed. After a quick dinner, we checked into the hotel at 9:00 pm for some much-needed rest.
But the expedition still wasn’t quite finished.
Chapter 13
Celebrating an Unforgettable Expedition
The following day, we checked into one of the fanciest hotels in Balikpapan. After days deep in the jungle, it felt almost surreal.
We enjoyed a fantastic seafood dinner, went out for some drinks and even had an Australia-versus-Malaysia pool challenge. More drinks followed. Then came the midnight pizza frenzy.
The next day, we finally flew home.
What a memorable trip this turned out to be.
Conclusion
Why We Keep Coming Back
Looking back, it wasn’t just about landing four giant red kaloi. It was about everything that happened between the first cast and the last.
Most organised fishing expeditions and trips are highly curated. Everything is nicely put together ensuring anglers have a good experience. Comfortable accommodations, delicious meals, almost everything runs like clockwork. Only thing left is hope that conditions are good and the fishing productive.
This is on the other hand was not be quite the same.
The long journey.
The lost baggage.
The breakdowns.
The rain.
The falling water levels.
The jungle “beast” that raided our food supplies.
The laughter.
The missed chances.
The fish that got away.
And, finally, that unforgettable last fish.
That’s expedition fishing.
The jungle doesn’t owe you anything—but every now and then, it gives you a story you’ll be telling for the rest of your life.
Until next time…
Keep casting.
If you’d like to experience the red kaloi adventure for yourself, get in touch with Juan Wei. We’d love to have you join us on our next expedition.
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