INDIANANGLER

I was out fishing with a friend on the Cauvery river this saturday and was using a plug on my spinning outfit.

It was a lovely day out on the water with no luck all morning and we were talking about how the fishing could have been better if the water wasn't so muddy. l had cast next to a rock in the middle of the river and was retrieving my plug when it snagged on something. I was just about to start cussin the rock when all of a sudden the rock started moving! I was using a 7 foot travel spinning rod with 30lb fireline braid, no room for error due to the lack of stretch in the line. I had the drag locked down tight and the heavy rod was bent over in a U-shape, despite that the fish managed to pull out 30 metres of line in one run. My right arm was really starting to hurt and I decided to tighten the drag further when I felt the braid start to rub on a rock. Braid and rocks don't go too well!

Applying sidestrain on the fish seemed to work and the fish ran towards me creating some slack in the line....there was a moment of disappointment when I thought the fish had thrown the hook. This had happened to me before when I lost some good fish. Fortunately this time I could feel the weight of the fish once I had reeled in the slack line and a few seconds later the fish was on the surface. After that it was relatively easy to land it and after a quick picture it was weighed using a sling and released unharmed. My 50 pound scale was almost maxed out at 43lb.

After many lost fish due to terminal tackle failure and abraded lines the fishing gods smiled on me at last

My best mahseer so far...



Folks please don't ask me for the location since I've promised a friend not to reveal it.

Cheers
Bops

Beauty Bops...

Bops, Nice report, Nice Fish & a Nice Smile.. ...

Thanks guys, I remembered to take my shades off this time Hear that Freddie?

Bops Very nice report and beautiful Mahaseer. Nice smile and a Nice Photograph as well.

Congratulations on your bigest Mahaseer so far.

Tight Lines

Regards,

Arun

Hey Bops .. nice fish ... and nicer smile .... without the De'niro " taxi driver" shades

Okaty dont reveal trhe location since you promised your friend ... just take us there to fish

Welcome anytime, Fred.

Incredible fish there Bops. Congratulations! and keep them coming.

Lovely bops. hope you get many more.

Hi Bops,

Finally huh? The angling Gods have smiled down upon you. That's a nice fish you have there. Need to get back and get some mahseer..... has been a while since I had some fresh water action.

Regards,

Mighty Marlin.

congrats bops.

Congratulations!!!

Hey Bops let us in on the secret .. How come everytime i see your pictures youre all dressed up .. You look like you ran back to camp ,,shaved , put on the grease paint , Ironed the shirt and trousers and even had time to put on a matching belt before you clicked the snap Fluff everytime I catch a fish and click a photograph I dont have the guts to post the pic .. i look like unshaved raggamuffin ...I am going to take you up one of these days mate ... even if I dont catch a fish .. i get to look cool and dapper ... fishing

Bops, stay away from him..

Hey Fred, how was the dinner last night..Barra fry or grilled..???

To fluffin tired mate ... all the late nights ,, the booze , then the fishing and casting and that rough horsey boat ride going around the sand bank and then the driving back .. i was out lika light by 2000 hrs . No dinner .. just crashed

Same story here..

You've got to dress for the fish mate! Only one way to find out how it's done, get here fast.....

Bi Bops,

Congrats for the catch. A very nice catch indeed. Nice fish too.

Cheers,
Apoo

2008-year of the mahseer.
good show Bops

Congrats Bops....

Good Show

Congrats on your PB mahseer Bops :)

regards,
rk

Barbed or Barbless Bops?

It's all that comfortable fresh water stuff Fred ...

that's one awesome fish wish come true, Bops :) wish you many more !

Great fish and very nice report bops. Keep it up and congratulation for your best catch.

Regards,

Ali.

Ah so there's the weight. Well done matey.

Thanks guys.

I left out the tackle bit, I was using a 7 foot three piece travel rod made by quantum called the Great White spinning rod paired with a salt striker reel and 30lb fireline.

Bops

Hi Bops,

Hats off.Great job.So glad to see a masheer on lure. Thats the real game compared to sticking a cannon ball to an overfed Galibore gold fish.


Jeen

Nice report and fish Bops

Great going bops.

Beautiful fish and the place looks like a beauty.

Bravo

Hi Bops,

How was the action of your rod? Did you like it? It seems to me that we cant cast the lures and spinners too far, for its length and rigidness. I had tried the same rod at Nameri in two occasions but had to switch over to Shimano Exage travel rod.

Cheers,
Apoo

Apoo, I have also purchased the same rod and I am very happy with it. Never found any problem with the casting distance. In fact I prefer to use it when I am doing continuous casting from the rocks (with 4000 / 4500 reel). I have caught lot of fish on this rod, the biggest being a 14 lb barramundi.

nice fish bops
and even a nicer picture.
wondering who is looking better in the picture!
fish or yourself?
congrates on your PB.

regards
hozefa.

Yes the length of the rod limits casting distance compared to a longer ten foot one. There's nothing wrong with the action though seems to work great with heavier plugs.

Hi Santosh and Bops,

Thanks for the advice.

Cheers,
Apoo

Hi Jeen,

Sticking Cannon balls to over fed Gold fish is great fun Jeen. It's a must for those really big fish. It's a pity they don't really fight that hard but they look great in photographs.

I remember a season not so long ago when the levels were very low and we were all fishing at Croc rocks. The only fish being landed were ones on ragi from a 1km stretch of river, nothing else was working.

Wonder if Mahseer will take popper?

Regards,

Mighty Marlin.

Thats a beutiful fish and an amazing report. Great Going Bops.

Nice post Bopanna.

:)

A good catch and the fish must have smiled as much when released
Regards

Truly magnificent Bops......

Congrats Bops !

Nice one Bops!

OMO .. u fluffing Ghost -,, where are you ... youre lines so wet fishing day and night they are leaving puddles on the site Welcome back mate ,,,looks like the Kaveri levels are FINALLY down

that was a great one Bops...

Fred! I Lost the mother of mahseers last saturday night at 9 pm. Mother broke me after a long tug of war. I am still licking my blistered thumb.

U having fun OMO .... looks like the grandmother mahseer is just round the corner. U sure it wasnt a croc

congrats for the excellent mahseer catch. that one is a beauty. if i am not mistaken that is a silver mahseer. correct me if i am wrong. but indeed a very good catch. happy fishing.
spoonangler.

Bopanna....what was the plug used & its size??? I was at the Challakudy river in Kerala last weekend and was trying my luck with rapala floating magnum(red head) but the water was too turbid....i never thought lures will will work on turbid waters till i read your post..

Rapala floating magnum firetiger, 11cm.