INDIANANGLER

Hi MM,
Heres a couple of pix that will set your heart racing !



Owen

Hi Owen,
No idea how I missed these. What beautiful water!? I'm sure they're a couple of 'submarines' lurking in this bit of the stretch. Would love to hook into a mulley or silund in these waters.

Regards,
Mighty Marlin.

Great waters for all three MM!
Mahseer / Silund / Wallago Attu(Mulley), and would you believe it Giant Murral in one particular spot. Of course the butter cats are everywhere in this area, and i have even caught pink carp, rohu and kurrel from Jain Kul in days gone by. We used to take fresh shrimp with us to catch the above 4 species.
Regards
Owen

Hi Owen,

Why are these fish called "Butter" cats? Has it got something to do with their eating qualities?

Regards,

Bobby

Hi Owen,

I can well imagine giant murral being in this spot. One one trip here Prathap pulled out a chap around the 4 kilo mark. I'm sure the resident population must be huge. Not 'ideal' murral waters if you look, but still will hold them.

Remember the mahseer chasing schools of Chilwa in the froth, the water was so wild and awesome. We just sat and watched the action in disbelief! Long long ago, pity I had no plugs then.

Regards,
Mighty Marlin.

Have tried plugs mate (Rapala), nothing doing, crabs they love, all of them.
The murral spot is just below the caves. Getting down is a bit of a night mare, but possible. The spotted variety live down there, have caught some big ones in the past at this place.
When you see the chilwa on the move it's a great time for mahseer fishing!
Regards
Owen

Hey Owen - Who's the cowboy in your pic ??

That there dude is Bunty. The man with more luck in his little finger than i have in my whole arm
Dude just needs to pee in the river and the mahseer climb up.
The day i go fishing with him, i am assured of a blank, while he is all smiles

Hey Owen I agree totally that some guys have all the luck ... me such one guy and its uncanny that the things that go right when I fish .. they used to call me the golden arm when we used to spin from the rocks .. these guys would be there before me and i would come ...see the mullet jumping ... single cast and im on ... but it also has to do a lot with trying the different thngs .. not sitting on ure ass waiting for things to happen .. practice .. i used to go to one of the playgrounds with some ole line and a rod and reel and prctice my casting ... it helps when you can drop the lure 10 feeet within a feed ... and you are right on time for the take .. Bobs remember how we used to stand for hours with bail arms open on the draw .. i guess that there is a need to fish and there is a need to fish PERFECTLY ... i glad to say i belong to the latter one and I hope that all fishermen practice the need to fish Perfectly because that he only way

Yes I remember the old "Gun Slinger" Days, “rod fight at the OK Coral”.

I cannot agree more with Fred about the accuracy when casting, especially when you are “sight casting”. I have changed the way I fish now and also changed the tackle I use, gone much lighter but keep one of them long rods loaded and ready just in case I have to go the distance.

Hey Fred

What's with 'the bail arms open for the draw..' Is this some other technicque? What do you guys use for bait in this type of fishing?

Seeing all the posts I reckon the south anglers are pretty serious and there's a lot to learn...and have a look at my tag line

I like the idea of this site enabling us to go back and post a reply on an old post.

Hi Viraj .. In the ole days in bandra and when we used to fish at manori or erangal , we used to spin from the rocks . Now the key to fishing from the rocks was 2 things , patience and accuracy . Patience was when you stand and wait for hours with the rod in your hand looking at the bait fish jump out of your casting distance and resisting the urge to cast .. waiting for the bait fish to come close within casting range . Once you passed the first test , then the bait fish would swim closer to the rocks say within a 75 - 100 metres . It is at this time we used to keep the bail arms open on our spinning reels with the rod tip tucked into the thigh .. ready for the bait fish to spook . Once they did that it was a question of how soon the lure hits the water to . how accurate your cast was .. the idea was to always cast a metre or 2 at the most beyond the feed and then skip the lure on the surface to immitate a bait fish and then let it drop below the surface . If you got that right on the button then you could be sure you got a take . It was another thing that you had 5 other anglers all spinning for the same fish and doing the same thing that you were doing

Yep i agree with Fred and Bobby on casting accuracy. It counts for a lot when plugging and spinning.
Then there is water craft that we river heads have to become proficient in, and in some ways counts for even more than an accurate cast, when fishing in a fast flowing river with dead bait , live bait or paste baits.

Good casting will get you in the general area that you want your bait to be in, but then the flow is going to move your bait. Just where it should move to and stay, is probably more important when fishing for mahseer.

Using just the right amount of spiral lead so that you can work your way on the bottom, to the most likely mahseer holding area is essential.

It sometimes becomes necessary to snag your spiral lead on a rock in midstream, so that your bait takes the best possible position in the water, and becomes enticingly visible to the fish. This is also necessary when more than 1 angler is fishing in the same area.

Again the right amount of spiral lead is crucial, too much, and it will sink to the bottom as soon as you cast and snagup even before it reaches the spot that you want your bait to sit in.

Too little and your bait will get swept towards the bank on which you are fishing, where the chances of a take may be minimal.

Spirals work best, as they are soft enough to take the shape of the rock and hold bottom, and yet with some practice it is possible to remove the snag and recover your tackle.

Therefore good casting alone is not enough, good water craft, and knowledge of the water helps allow you to keep your bait in the water longer than other anglers who being unsure of the method to adopt on new waters, resort to casting and retrieving repeatedly because they are not too confident of where their bait is, and whether it is in a hole that no fish can reach.

One more important point when fishing in fast water, is that feeling of constant pressure on the rodtip, which could indicate that your bait is not in the right spot, and most likely caughtup in a monster current and snag. Too long in this position, and your terminal tackle is a goner, you will never get it back. It therefore becomes necessary to test the tension on your line, and move your bait slightly once every 15 minutes or so. The rest of the time, the rod tip should be held as steady as possible.
"A waving wand seldom catches anything'

To sum it up for fast rivers, with paste, live or dead baits, casting accuracy takes second place, to being able to work your bait into the best possible position, where there is not too much of a pull on the rod tip, and then patience and confidence in your methods will yeild results.
Tight Lines
Owen

Hi Pals,

Can you guys help me out with the following ? What is the maximum lenght of rod carriers allowed on our domestic Air Lines. Is it safe to send your stuff as unaccompanied baggage. Most of my spinning rods are Sinlge piece like saltiga , Daiwa sealine around 7 to 8 ' long.
I am planning a trip to Bangalore with my sons around christmas time and would like to try out some Masheer .
We have always used light spinning tackle and 20Lb lines to catch Masheer from the upper reaches of the kerala rivers. THe fish have been many but never as big as the ones I hear you guys talk about. The best is 16 Kg and most average around 4 to 6 Kg.
So now you guys are talking 40 lb lines and naturally strong rods with back bone. Al right ! help me guys with the right equipment that we should bring.

Tight Lines

Jeen

Hey Jeen,
some of us have been bringing in uptide rods from Europe, and they are rather inconvenient to transport because of their size. They are usually 2 piece and between 9 to 10ft long. The handle portion is around 3 ft and the top section over 6 ft long. They have been allowed in, so another 6" or so should not be a problem but to be on the safe side, check with your airlines.
If you plan ondoing some big game mahseer fishing in the south, the Kaveri & Kabini are probably the only places where you are likely to come across a monster.
There were many discussions on the forum regarding the pro's and con's of various types of rods and reels, and there are some who prefer spinning tackle for the ease of use, but a multiplier is definately more reliable and can also take heavier guage lines + cast as far or further than a spinning reel.
The choice of multipliers usually ends with Abu Garcia Ambassedur 7000 to 10000 series with level wind.
Spinning reels of the 7000 to 8000 series of any good make should work.
If the reel is to be a multiplier, then get a 9 to 10 ft rod which has a medium to heavy action, and can cast atleast from 100gm to 300gm upto 50 meters. Ensure that the line guides used are meant for a multiplier (multiplier rods usually have between 8 to 10 guides + tip top), and the largest guide is always smaller than those used on a rod meant for spinning.
If it is to be a spinning reel, then a 9ft carp rod with a test curve of 3 to 5 lbs should be good enough. Catfish rods are also suitable.
Just ensure that the blanks used are upto scratch, and the rod is a 2 peice rather than multiple joints or telescopic.
PM me if you want more info on suitable rods.
Tight Lines.
Owen

Thanks Fred and Owen

I like the bit about Water Craft...I also think that's very crucial as the equipment available and a bit of practise can get accurate casts.

The very interesting point that Owen makes is the 'holding' of the bait - that's an art and obviously requires knowledge of the water..

We dont use live/dead/paste bait and prefer plugging..and getting the plug to retrieve thru the holding channel (which we hope is holding some fish, as we cant be sure), while wiggling thru the bottom of the channel is what I aim for..I need to work on this and understand water craft better..practise more

On the Rod/Reel combo, I spent two days working on this and tried several reels/rods, checked their balance and stuff and seriously recommend a Lamiglass 8'6'' MH and a Penn Slammer (the slammer does not come in 7000 or 6000, the biggest is in the 4000/5000 range) and this reel is really solid, compact and can hold 300 yds of 30 Lb fireline, which should be enough..what you have is a combo that balances perfect, feels like a dream, casts beautiful and is very light and extremely strong - so very little fatigue if you are spending the entire day on the water..

The reel/rod/line should come for $350 plus and is worth it. Another rod brand, esp if you want an excellent rod and snob value is Bruce & Walker - understand it's the H&H of game fishing and comes in various lenghths - have used a 10' 6'' and it should match perefect with a Penn 6000 or smaller - Most of my friends are using 7500, 8500 Penns and I find them too heavy and I think an overkill for even monster fish..

Sorry, dont know about the regulation of carrying in rods - have carried 6 ft rod cases w/o a problem

Thanks Fred and Owen

Another point about the slammer - its built much tougher than the Penn regulars like the Captiva or the SS - so I figure that the smaller slammer can handle the 'slamming of a monster' far better than the larger 7500/8500s. When you handle the slammer the solid feel is the first impression you get.

Hi Viraj,
Plugging somehow has not worked for me, though some of the southern guy's have had some degree of success.
Chilwa has to be my favourite while fishing in fast water. Works better than anything else, when other baits or lures get you nowhere.

Big spoons in the right water and time of day are also great to fish with. Most times that i have been spinning for mahseer, i used to scale down the tackle, but have been broken once too often on 25lb line. I now resort to spinning with 40lb line on a multiplier, and it works wonders.
About fireline, i understand that it is very strong, but has hardly any stretch. Any good or bad experiences using fireline ?
Regards
Owen

Hey Owen, can I come and watch you pull for a break if you snag up on 30lb Fireline?

I'll be in India for 3 months, so might have enough time to watch the whole thing!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Guys,

Looks like its going to be 2 piece for me( I meant the rod ) . Spinning Equipment with 40 lb braid.


Tight Lines

Jeen

Hi Jeen, earlier on you said you had caught mahseer to 16k from rivers in Kerala, can we have some more details?

I don't suppose you caught them in Munnar, 'cause there's only supposed to be trout in the river there. Lovely part of the country, I would like to go back and stroll through the tea again.
Visited Munnar 6 years ago, but didn't get to fish, as I couldn't find any more info once I got there.

You must miss it terribly...

That strong ! Wow this i have got to see for myself!
Any experience with Fluro Carbon lines Steve ?

Hi Jeen,
Go for monofilament with high abrasion resistance. On the rocky bottoms it would fare better + the stretch of mono is required for the sudden surges made by large mahseer. Green, Clear, Grey, Blue are the colours to go for.
If you are using spinning tackle, 30lb mono would be ideal.
Just a suggestion.
Regards
Owen

Hi Owen/ Steve,

Thanks owen will do that.
And steve -- You are right Munnar has a few streams with Trout ( Rainbow) though the fish are few hard to find these days . Mainly due to the poor stocking by the new tea estate management that took over from TAta Tea. Dont worry there are still a few spots.
AS for the Masheer--- Its so painful to reveal the secret---.Just like the cauvery that originates on the Western ghats and flow to the east coast there are more than half a dozen rivers that have their origin on these hills and flow to the West coast . Every single river holds Masheer on the higher reaches were the waters are swift and clean. I fish mainly on two rivers The Chalakudy river upstream of the Athirapilly Water Falls. And the upper reaches of Periyar River. Both beats are around 50 miles from cochin. Since these spots are seldom fished ,we only fish with lures large spinners and floatiing or shallow diving plugs. Action is guranteed and fierce. Fish caught are mostly Masheer with the Blue fins and a big hump and the more slender Pink finned ones. Other fish from dark green log jammed pools are invariably Murrel .

Iam dead meat now. My sons are going tpo kill me!!

Will post a few pictures of these rivers by the evening.

Tight Lines,

Jeen

Thanks for sharing this info Jeen. Much appreciated!

IndianAngler

Hey Jeen

Dont worry about teh stretch or lack of it in the braid. Yr rod should be right angles to the line and the rod flex will compensate for the lack of stretch. Mono/abrasion is great, but highly recommend the braid. Not for nothing are they called super lines. They cast longer and better, thinner dia/heavier - and they are seriously strong - using a 50lb braid is like a 15 pound mono...go for it and u will not regret. Another thing - get the shop to wind up the braid on yr spool..

Hi Guys,

The rivers that we fish.





Tight Lines

Jeen

Lovely pictures Jeen. How far would this place be from Wayanad?

Bops

Hi Guys ,

looks like I posted a picture twice.The wrong generation you see. "Too old to rock N roll too young to die"

And Steve-- You r damn right I do miss Munnar.
Coming to thinkof it I do about 2 trips a year to india. Thats probably one fishing trip a year as one of these trips invariably dumbs you into the monsoon.
NOw if you shift your focus to mathematics , this would mean anther 15 or 20 fishing trips in my life time!!
Holy Sh--- 20 trips!!. THats why I always hated mathematics. Mathematics is reality, no room for fantasy there.
Bobs I hope youn wont kick me off the site for straying--- I like your sitea lot and think you have done some terrific stuff. No wonder you have some great guys on this forum


Tight Lines

Jeen

Hi Jeen,

Thanks for posting those pictures of that river in Munnar. As we all could see it's a beautiful little river and will bring one hours of joy spinning for Mahseer on light line. I guess at some point every river in India must have had Mahseer, it's a pity one has to look quite hard for a river like that these days.

Regards,
Mighty Marlin.

Hey Jeen.
when are you taking me fishing to Munnar mate!
Is there any fishing license involved, forest dept permission etc?
Leaving next weekend for Kodai, will try and meet up with Mani.
Regards
Owen

Hi Bops/ Owen,

Bops, the place would be about 300 km to south of Wayand. The best option would be to catch a KIng Fisher flight from Bangalore to Cochin . They have daily flights. From Cochin I can arrange a Jeep & Driver to take you to the spots.
Best season Would be Nov to Mid March. All these spots are either bordering a wildlife santuary or inside the santuary. But we do have state roads running through these areas, so there is no restriction to travel. However unless you keep a low profile and know the spots which are far removed from look outs of forest guards one could end up with some trouble.
Till about 10 years ago these rivers used to be Dynamited by Tribals and forest contractors with the blessing of the forest officials who get their regular supply of fish to cook. Now the Kerala forest Dept has declared Masheer an endagered species and employed the local tribals to keep a look out for Dynamiters. This has helped the fish population. But the trouble is that these volunteers do not know the difference between Dynamiting & sport fishing.
I have been trying to convince the Forest dept since ages to promote Sport fishing, catch & release whereby they can employ these tribals to ensure that an angler releases his fish and the dept can pay the salaries of these volunteers from the licence fee per rod they can charge us anglers.
THe efforts are still on . The Deputy Conservator of Forest is an old friend of mine who has fished with me. He is a dedicated Enviornmentalist and knows what we are talking about. I need to get a connection to the Tourisim Minister to give this a final Push.
However-- we are die hard fisher men and come what may will not waste an oppurtunity to get the buisness end of our tackle to water.
So Owen/ Bops -- We need to draw up a plan to meet some time mid March in Cochin . We can shack up at my place in Munnar and scout around for Masheer & trout. All you guys need to bring with you will be some time, about a week would be perfect .

Tight Lines
Jeen

Sounds good Jeen,
look forward to that. Will be doing a spot of fishing on the Kaveri next week, and then a longer one after i get back from a week out at Kodai.
Have to lay out some ground bait you see !

Owen

Pls put up your fishing calender for the next 2 months please ... want to see if youre having too much of fun at your age .... not good you see .... you have to conserve your energy for the WASI run or ole rusty will kick your butt and we all stand to loose a lot of money

16th & 17th Nov Bheemeshwari
18th to 25th - Laying groundbait at Kodai
1st to 5th Dec - Wasi Lakes
5th to 11th Dec - Hiara
I won't be fishing again this year after that i promise

You in between Jobs - long legs or youre current Boss got himself admitted to the asylum ? Lucky fluffing Sod .. Gav we need his job

First decent break of over a week in 20 years at this job matey
You need my job like hell!

Seriously Freddie, I need Owen's job.. Had to tell my boss am going on a pilgrimage to squeeze out a few days

Owen's complaining that this is the first leave he has had in 20 years of service.. Imagine if the bugger had to do this every year

Seriously Owen - Any vacancies at ur place ??

Dude when you get to the 50's you may have similar privileges

Hi Owen,
I use fluoro in clear water on rivers in UK. Only in lighter breaking strains like 3lb maximum! Is very good, but you will find it is stiffer than standard mono.

Jeen, thanks for all that info. It looks stunning.
You said the Tourism Minister needs to get involved, I know the Tourism Minister for Karnataka, so maybe I can pull in a favour and get some cross-border negotiations going on?
If not, then the chap who heads up Incredible India will certainly be able to put pressure on and pull strings. I'll talk to him when I get to Bangalore and see if we can move the fishing rights issue forward.

Hi Steve,

Thanks Man, Iam shure the tourisim ministry thing would work. If these guys can tie up and work out an angling route from Kaveri to to the Kerala Rivers.

Tight Lines
Jeen

Dear Viraj,

This post for the Slammer vs.SSm and other Penn reels. I do want a reel which has solid engineering so thanks for the inputs. I wanted a big Mahseer reel. Can I use the Slammer 560 [the largest slammer] with 20 LB Berkeley Big Game. The line capacity is listed only at 15 lbs/ 240 mts.

Dear Ashok

I would go for the 560 with 30 lb braided line - you'll be able to spool in 300 yards easily on the 560; alternate is go for a 20 lb mono/20 lb braided combo - braided comes in 125 yard or 300 yard spools - so go for the 125 yard 20lb/braided with the 20lb big game berkely...get the knot right..maybe some one can draw the blood knot - that's what I think is the name.

Now you just have to get a strong and light rod - dont go for telescopic or any rod that has thick blanks - ideal a rod that can handle 10-25 lb line and 1/2 oz to 2 oz lures would be a great combo