INDIANANGLER

Muscular Structure of the Mahseer

Gentlemen if you go to any of the reservoirs in North India and go to the fish collecting points,at about 11 am you will find the percentage of Mahseer caught in the nets to be as low as 0 .5 % of the total catch. Very rarely can one find a mahseer above 5 kgs, though anglers catch bigger ones. The Mahseer population is 7-13 % of the fish population. Now there could be two reasons to it

Option One: The Mahseer has this uncanny sense to know that there’s a net there – Maybe ESP
Option Two: She is too strong for the net and just goes through it

Well which of the two could it be?

So while this was debated in our minds-all these years- I decided to skin a Mahseer and see its muscular structure .Would her muscular structure support her awesome power theory!

I reproduce two old pictures of the same mahseer before and after skinning (its a 16 Kg Fish.)

As you can see the structure is heavy muscle - In fact more than 65 % is heavy / red muscle.

Your views and what you vote for will be helpful in our study and as such much appreciated.


Thank You
Hamdhingra
Better Picture :http://img519.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mahseermuscularstructurtd1.jpg

Ham

What I think is that Masheer is an extremly cunning fish. When ever we've been fishing to Tarbeela we have had to be careful as to keep our volumes low and avoid excessive usage of lights as the fish get spooked.

I have never seen or heard the commercial fishermen using nets at Tarbeela mention that a Masheer tearing the net. Going through the net would mean that the fish would do serious damage to its body and reduce chances of its survival.

Thats my two cents.....

Shafan,
yes she watches you as you near the waters edge and thus approach has to be in a cautious manner and quiet and since the ones near the surface have seen you -U need to use a diver plug to get to the fish who have not see you and 6/10 times its a first cast first hook up.
The net is suspended in water and anchored to one side -Top is also all loose loose floats-do you think a fish can go through something which is loose on water ?
Then why no big fish in nets -ESP ?
This fish has evolved faster than our understanding of its ways!
Cheers ....Ham

As you guys are aware, the size of the holes in the gill nets determine the size of the fish caught in it.
But more importantly, i think the mahseer is just a bit more crafty than the average fish.
Fortunatley we don't see nets being used for mahseer too often in the south, though there were some cases reported from the Forbes Sagar last year. It would be interesting to know if any mahseer were being caught in them.
I do agree that the use of lights around camp spoil night fishing, and always try to put the petromax as far away from the waters edge as possible.

Guys, I want your take on whether the mahseer is mentioned in the Indian Wildlife act? Is it part of any of the schedules?

Yes I think it is. There are signs all over Dadupur in Haryana that classify it as a protected species. will get you a photograph of one of these signs the next time I am there. Sadly you still can get a pass/license to fish at Dadupur and this piece of paper has everything written on it except what you can take form the water.

Here you go ... Sign from Dadupur.. :)

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r91/ ... ure131.jpg

-Inder

that was fast.

I'm unable to find any mention of the mahseer in the Wildlife Act though.....

Just read the sign properly. what it says is protect the fish and its habitat. And the fact that you can only fish for it using a hook and line.

No mention that is it protected or endangered.

As far and as best I know it is not in any schdule.It has been discussed. Reason that they give is that fish can not be identified by all.And too many local names.
Dadohpur does let you take mahseer and in the annual fishing competitions there they have given awards for mahseer. The competition croud is big. It was director fisheries Sarahan who did a lot to bring up the Mahseer there.With him gone a lot more is gone
Hamdhingra

Hi Ham,

I am from Yamuna Nagar and hopefully I will be there for Diwali. What do you think any chance of catching something there that time around? and what bait to use? Plugs? Atta?

Thanks in advance..

-Inder

Hi kanwar

The better option is plugs; and spinners too. Atta seldom has been succussful in these part.Try at dawn or the dusk.

harryxs.

hi Harry welcome back . Kanwar around then fish will be on kai. They are so full of Kai (if you disect one) that all inside her intestine is dark green/blackisk. And so they will take less to lures and all other bait. The best time now is about 5 days hence when water conditions become better..
Hamdhingra

Gentlemen,
we seemed to be where we started. 9:9 Would U like to tax your minds more and come up with more on the subject. Or then we will be having the same old talk when we next visit the fish collection centre.With ofcouse one exception of giving out/speaking about what members of IA thought.
Cheers Hamdhingra

Hi Ham
I have a few times seen local fishermen on Chenab River repairing their nets which had holes in them when they were taken out of water. Fisherman believe that its only mahseer which can tear off the nets. I inspected the holes and noticed that they must have been made by a fish over 5 kg in weight. When i asked the locals that they have strong net and how can a fish break it? They would simply say that Saab!! afterall Mahseer is the lion of the rivers.
Cheers
Sualeh