Spectrum Tours » Adventure Tour Indian » Angling in India

Fishing in the Indian sub continent offers the angler a variety of sport not available in many parts of the world. The setting alone vary from the majesty of Himalayan valleys with snow fed stream and high altitude lakes to the vast coastal regions of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. The challenge of Shark is also unmatched. And the true angler will carry away not only memorable experiences to add to his list of the most exciting fishing yarns, but the satisfaction of a holiday in one of the most fascinating destinations in the world.
Angling in India can be conveniently classified into: Mahseer (Barbus Tor) fishing, Trout fishing and Sea fishing. The information in this brochure has been provided to enable the angler to understand the quarry, prepare for the sport, plan his excursion as well as ensure that he is properly equipped.

MAHSEER
The Barbus Tor, popularly called the Mahseer or the Tiger of the Indian Rivers, is one of the largest freshwater fish and one of the greatest fighting fish in the world. It is natural to Indian lakes and streams and can attain sizes upto 5.1/2 ft and weigh over 50 kgs.

Mahseer is generally found in the rivers of the Terai regions of the Himalayas, the Shivalik Hills in the north, and the river Kaveri in the South, where it has been fished for successfully with rod and line. The Mahseer is found where the river speeds through narrow gorges and spills out over a rocky river bed. The larger fish are found above large rapids and in the pools below the falls.

ESTABLISHED
MAHSEER WATERS
Mahseer country stretches between the Hindu Kush Kabul Kohistan watershed in the west all the way to the eastern tributaries of the Brahmaputra. It is found in some rivers in the Deccan plateau region and the river Kaveri in the south central region of Kamataka. Mahseer is essentially a migratory fish, running up and into side streams for spawning, at elevations of upto 2000 metres during the monsoon. The fish avoids very cold water and therefore frequents the lower portion of the Himalayan strean1S during winter. The fish breeds three times a year: January-February, May - June and July-September, which is the peak season. It lays eggs amongst the boulders in shallow pools. The big ones are generally landed when returning from the breeding grounds when they chase shoals of minnows.

Angling for Mahseer is an adventure. The fish lurks around the big boulders of rocky beds or frolics near the sandy beds. Every cast could be a potential strike. Once the fish strikes, yards of line are tugged and you could snap your rod or be pulled in yourseW The technique lies in tlrst keeping your line taut for a split second to ensure that the hook is well embedded and then letting the fish run with the line. This is where the battle starts. It will go down a fall or rapid and your physical abilities of hopping over boulders will be tested, The next minute it might decide to dart towards the opposite bank. As you try and reel in the slack it might tear off with a sudden burst of energy behind a boulder. You have to follow him by crag and torrent till his rush is spent. The fish is a tighter to the very end; hence even landing a tired Mahseer is not simple. You may use a gaff or a net, or even try and beach it through small pools and boulders. It is only when you have your fish on dry land that you can call the end of the battle.
The areas where angling for Mahseer can be profitably pursued:

River Boas (Himamachal Pradesh and Punjab)
From Dehra Gopipur upto the Pong Dam penn its from the Minisu)' of Home Affairs to
Reservoir. Below the Pong Dam at Talwara (Punjab). Harike barrage on the Ferozpur Road.
For the first water, stay can be conveniently organised at the HPTDC Tourist Lodge at Jwalamukhi. The river can be conveniently approached by car or jeep.

Best period is February-May and September-November
River Ganga Stretch above Tehri (10 Km).
Beasghat - Approached by an 8 km trek from Kuriala on the Rishikesh-Devprayag Road. For this spot all camping equipment and provisions ete. must be carried.
Garigalehri - Stretch of the river where the river Son has a confluence with the Ganga. ConneL1ed by a motorable track off the main Haridwdr-Rishikesh Road. Accommodation must be arranged at Dehra Dun, Haridwar or Rishikesh.
Best period is September - November and February -May.
River Bhoroli (Arunachal)
Located 60 kms from Tezpur, which is connected by a flights. The river is fished between Tipee and Bhalukpong as it flows through the Balipam reserved forest. For best resurts an inflatable raft should be used to make use of the full run of the river. Stay can be organised at the tourist lodge at Bhalukpong.
Best period is October-April.

River Manas (Assam).
Located in the famous Manas wild life sanl1uary, the river affords excellent wild life viewing in addition to Mahseer fishing.
Stay at Manas Forest Lodge. The river will provide good sport, especially in case a raft is utilised to run the river.
Best period is October-April.
Note: Foreign Nationals require restricted area permits from the Ministry of Home Affairs to visit this area.
River Kaveri (Karnataka).
Located 2112 hours by road from Bangalore, the Kabini River Lodge provides lodgings. (The largest Mahseer weighing 60 kgs has been landed here.
Angling is organised from the banks of the river or in a local country boat lalled 'Coracle'. The river is divided into beats where anglers can change beats during each session.
Best period is November- March.

EQUIPMENT FOR MAHSEER FISHING
RODS: Stiff action rods for lasting spinners, lures and plugs between 25 to 50 gms. Heavy pike fibre glass rods 8 to 10 ft. long are ideal or light fishing of upto 20 Ibs., a medium action rod is ideal. Two rods are a must.
REELS: Openface spinning reels like ABU Ambassadeur 7000 or 7000 C and ABU 770 or 440 are ide-dl. Some spares are essential as they are not always locally available.
LINE: 10/12 lb. for light fishing and 20/30 lb for larger waters of Nylorfi or Maxima brands or similar quality. Preferred colours are green or brown. There must be 200 metres line on each reel.
LURES: Lures upto 1 ounce (28 gms) silver, and combinations of silver/blue/green. Rappala 7" -9" sinking plugs. Tobys and wobblers of various shapes and sizes and of silver; brass colours.
Spoons, spinners of sizes 2 to 5 like Mepps of silver, bmss and copper colours.
Minnows of medium size.
Other items required include a gaff planding net, swivels, a disgorger, a thick silk cord to hold the fish, tools, lead weight of various sizes
and a jack knife.

PERSONAL CLOTHING
The following items of clothing and toiletries will go a long way in providing comfort to the angler.
A light, brimmed sun hat. Light - tinted sun glasses. Pair of wann thin gloves for early morning cold. A thick windcheater. Waders. Two pairs of keds, Suntan oil, Insect repellent, Some bandaids and antiseptic ointment.

TROUT
Unlike the Mahseer, the Trout is not indigenous to Indian waters. The Snow Trout is however found in all high altitude streams and lakes. To ensure that the sport of Trout fishing is enjoyed in its most classic form, all natural baits, spinners and such lures etc. are banned. Hence the classic fly fishing technique must he practised. At the end of the day the angler's catch must be entered in the beat register.

The permit holder also has the privilege of booking the anglers' lodges located conveniently on the streams. These lodges are very comfortable and the cooks can dish up good meals as well as cook your Trout.

The beats are located reasonably close to Srinagar and one could motor down for the day's fishing. The result area of Pahalgam also has excellent hotels which form a good angling base. Some private operators also organise camps on the river side.

The Trout waters are divided into three distinct types.
Snowfed streams which include the Sindh, Udder and Bringhi rivers. These rivers have low but chilly water in the morning, slightly muddy water as the level rises due to the melting snow in the afternoon, and are prone to flooding during the rains.

The springfed streams like Kokernag and Verinag are slower flowing and remain comparatively unaffected by the monsoons. The Trout size is larger and the beats are easier to fish.

High altitude lakes like the Kishensar, Vishensar and Gangaballakes. One needs to trek up to these lakes located at altitudes of 3500 metres. All camping gear and provisions must be carried on these trips.

MAJOR TROUT WATERS IN KASHMIR
River Sindh The river flows along the main Srinagar-Lehhighway towards the north west of Sri nagar. The furthest Trout beats are located about 65 kms away from Sri nagar and the nearest one is about 15 kms.

The river flows through a narrow valley which widens out towards the lower beats. The river is wide and shallow at places and long casting is necessary. The upper beats however are deep and narrow, and turn muddy in the afternoons. Early or late fishing is recommended.

River Lidder The river originates north of Pahalgam, north east of Srinagar, and has two major tributaries, the Aru and Sheshnag which halie their confluence at Pahalgam. Excellent angling can be had all along the main river and it tributaries, all the way down towards Brijbehara and Anantnag. Some Rainbow Trout can be landed 00 the upper beats. The lower beats also have a local fish called the 'Chush' which is a species of Bartel. Interestingly, this fish gets the fly snagged in its side or one of the fins and rarely in the mouth. It does not make good eating. Sizes of upto 10 Ibs are not uncommon.
pahalgam, 90 kms from Srinagar and a convenient base for these beats, has excellent hotels and lodges.

High Altitude Lakes
There are a number of high altitude lakes located in the mountains north of the valley, which are well stocked with large-sized Trout. The average altitude of these lakes is around 3000 metres and they are only approachable by one to three-day treks. The Tarsar and Marsar lakes are approached from Pahalgam while the Kishensar, Vishensar, Gadsar and Gangaballakes are approachable from Sonmarg, Gund or Nichnai. The lakes are formed by the melting of snow and hence are crystal clear. During the early season some ice floes can also be seen floating on the lakes.

Angling on the lakes is necessarily restricted to the banks. An inflatable raft would be excellent to enable one to get to lesser fished areas. Long casts are necessary. There is no accommodation in these areas and hence full camping equipment and provisions must be carried. Due to fluctuating weather, water -proof and warm clothing must be carried.

EQUIPMENT FOR TROUT/ FISHING IN KASHMIR
The Brown or Rainbow Trout of the Kashmir waters is a good fighter like the Salmon. It makes flashing runs interspersed with repeated leaps from the water. A 2 to 3 pounder on a light fly rod is an unforgettable adventure.
As per the trend in angling in Kashmir, a set of two or three t1ies in tandem are tied on a cast of about 1 metre length of 8 lb. filament line. Some lead wire is used to ensure sufficient casting weight.

The average weight of Trout expected to be landed is around 1 1/2 Ibs. One should not, however, rule out the giant 5-pounder. The little fingerlings must be gently returned to the river without hurting them. As mentioned earlier, the bag is limited to six fish only. Suggested equipment is as follows :
ROD: A light fly rod 8 to 10 ft. long.
REEL: A medium-sized spool type fly reel should comfortably hold about 25 metres of coated silk line.
FLIES : Recommended flies include March Brown, Teal and Green, Coachman, Peacock, Butcher, Watsons Fancy, Coch-y-Bondhu, Zulu. etc. Some colour variations from those mentioned could yield good results. Wet (Spider) hackle flies, winged wet, dry fly spiders and winged dry flies are all useful. Hook sizes for fly dressing vary between No. 12 and 16. Two hooked tavys or lures are also productive when used as the lead fly at the end of the cast.

Other items like a folding landing net with a four foot handle, fly box, spare nylon line for casts, lead wire for weight, a long nose plier, a hook disgorger, and some thick line to carry the bag. Some excellent willow wicker baskets are available in Srinagar to hold all the gear in case a satchel is not available.
The Trout fishing season in Kashmir falls between March and October.

PERSONAL CLOTHING
The following items of clothing are recommended for angling in Kashmir:
A trimmed felt hat. Light-tinted sun glasses. A pair of warm gloves. A warm water-proof jacket. Heavy cotton trousers. Extra woollen socks. A spare pair of keds. A pair of waders (wet suit only when very cold). Insect repellant.

Note: Carry enough warm clothing and spares as the weather can turn chilly.

NILGIRI HILLS
The Rainbow Trout was successfully hatched at Avalanche in 1906 and introduced in the streams at higher elevations. Trout is now bred regularly on the streams in spawning beds to ensure natural breeding

Angling permits are issued by the Assistant Director of Fisheries at Udhagamandalam (Ooty). These permits can cover an annual, monthly, weekly, weekend (Friday to Monday) or a daily licence. The beats are open for angling between January-September and between 0600 hours and 1930 hours daily.

WATERS SPECIALLY RESERVED FOR TROUT FISHING
The following waters are exclusively reserved as Trout waters. All distances are from Ooty. Mukurthi lake and river above the Mukurthi lake (3045 kms)
The Krurmund river above the falls which is 200 metres below the confluence of Mekod river. (30-45 kms)
The Portimund stream and the Portimund Reservoir (26 kms)
The Mekod river below Mekod Falls (26 kms)
The reservoirs formed of the Avalanche and Emerald river including top water (30 kms)
The Peermund stream (45 kms)
The Chembar stream (48 kms)
The Kallkundi stream (40 kms)
The upper Bhavani Reservoir, Billithadahullah river with its tributaries Le. Talakundah, Lakkidi and Deverbena streams (40 kms)
The Bhavani Puzha (60 kms)
The Arokia Puzha and Western Catchment Reservoir (60 kms)
Parson's Valley stream and Parson's Valley Reservoir (25 kms)
King Dhar stream and Western Catchment Reservoir (60 kms)

Thiruppanthorai stream
Emeripuzha stream (60 kms)
Silent Valley stream (70 kms)
Banghihulla stream and Reservoir (65 kms)
Kalhundi (40 kms)

The above mentioned waters are all approached from Ooty where a large number of hotels and lodges exist. There are motorable roads leading to all Trout waters.

Unlike in Kashmir, both fly (wet and dry) and spinning is permitted in these streams. A leader with both a spoon/spinner and a fly in tandem is also used. Live baits are strictly prohibited. Small fingerlings must De returned to the water without damaging or hurting them. A disgorger must be carried as per the fisheries rules.

It is mandatory for licence holders to inform the Fisheries Department of waters fished, number and weight of fish caught and killed, and number returned to the water, on expiry of the licence. The licence can be checked by the Police, Fisheries, Forest and Revenue Department officials.

EQUIPMENT FOR TROUT
FISHING IN THE NILGIRIS
As mentioned earlier, both fly fishing and spinning is permitted in the Trout waters of the Nilgiris. The size of Trout would average around 11/2 lbs. and hence light tackle is recommended as follows:
RODS: 8/9 ft. fly rod. 8 ft. spinning rod.
REELS: Light fly reel. Open face spinning reel to take 100 metres of 8/10 lb line.
LlNE : Silk coated fly line (25 metres). Nylon monofilament 8/10 lb line.
FLIES: Same as recommended for Kashmir waters with a few variations.
SPINNERS: Spinners, spoons, lures, tobys, minnows etc between size '0' to 2 are recommended. Colour variations on silver, brass and copper are effective. Single hook types do not hurt the fish and are recommended.
Other items must include a landing net, disgorger, pliers, lead weight, fly box, swivels, and a jack knife.

PERSONAL CLOTHING
Same as for Kashmir. Since it does not get as cold as it is in Kashmir, slighty lighter clothing is recommended.

OTHER TROUT WATERS IN INDIA
The areas defined as Trout waters are as follows:
Kasol- 42 kms from Kulu,
Banjar - 58 kms south of Kulu on the river Trithan.
Larji - 34 kms from Kulu around the confluence of the rivers Sainj and Larji. The river Beas flows downstream.
Katrain -On the river Beas near the hatchery.