INDIANANGLER

I am posting this image on behalf of my friend Vickram who was out at Beemeshwari ( tiger pool) last weekend.
Looks like this in one of the first big catches of the season...a 35 pounder..
It was caught using 30lb line with no6/0 mustard hook and ragi as bait using the Abu C7000.
Belli

Great catch...

Please ask your friend to sign up here.. Him and me need to talk

Gavin...he is registered...but when it comes to computers he is handicapped....finds it difficult to differenciate between the keyboard and the mouse... ....

No comment...

Belli .... u name it you got it .. finally someone got a "no commnet " out of the half bong ..... Gav cat got ure tongue mate

the mouse and the keyboard statement was tempting ... but Water-God is around
Dont wanna start a tsunami

Great catch!!

I will be at Bheemeshwari Nov.24th to 28th. Will report on fishing conditions on my return.

outrigorsandeep

Pictures mate -- pictures -- reports we have many --but pictures a few ... Mighty --- my screensaver ?

It looks like serious rain could be on its way here.
Jeez please hold back!

Mighty M / Bobster - Please send him pics.. freddie's losing it.. He's desperate now..

Owen - grown men dont cry !!

Even fish drunk on ground bait floating belly up ... like they do in Kolkatta would do

yup !!

Even Arowanos moving aimlessly across an aquarium with a price tag of 75k on its gills, will do !!

Go catch a fisherwoman

My prayers were heard, it's clearing up

Hey Owen - Where the fluff are you going ?? The boss just cancelled your leave..

Gav ... button up or you might be looking at a lot of muddy water

Belli Boy,

Tell your friend its a really nice fish...

Lucky guy!!!

Mighty Marlin.

Can any of you guys tell us if a mahseer larger than 70lbs has been taken from the Cauvery since 2003?

Where have all the mighty ones gone? This is one for the forum. I was guide and consulting angler to WASI for the fishing camp set up for anglers from abroad 1981 and I evolved a strict regimen for 'catch and release'. The practice was discontinued by Col Naidu who succeeded Air Cdr Suri as administrator after the latters demise.


Don

Most interesting. So besides having his snout in the trough he did away with the catch and release policy as well?

Rustam

MM...good to see you are alive!!! hope all is going good for you....Yeah lucky Vikram....considering he was on the river for just a couple of hours....

Yes Rustam, a mere crore. I suspect it was more. Surprisingly, the members who were on the governing council during the 'loot maar'continued to serve on the council after the crime was discovered.

Nobody can tell us what became of the records. I guess that is the reason for them not wanting any of the old gov council members like Sraosh Printer, former secy, and me.

A vicious circle exists and there are wheels within wheels.

Thats WASI.

Don

Don,

Some pretty serious insinuations there.

Obviously there are a few things about WASI that seem to be annoying you. However, rather than bringing them up one by one on different threads, this being the third, why don't you start a new topic in the General Discussion section. I'd rather not discuss this matter on topics that have no relation to the subject.

Also, if you feel so strongly about it you could bring it up at the forthcoming AGM - 15th December, Bangalore Golf Club, 7:30 p.m..

Rustam

Hi Don
Just one fish of 76lbs was taken before the monsoons this year.
The catch and release is still in force, and the big fish are still there, but just a lot more wary.
There are people fishing the Kaveri who don't have the right gear and most of the big fish hooked have broken away. If they keep this up the fish will move base to quieter waters or just stop touching the old trusted baits.
I will vouch for this and say that the protection for the mahseer on the Kaveri has improved greatly over the last couple of years, but as important as the catch and release program was, is the fact that there is now no closed season on the river (while with WASI we were closed from June to Oct end). That gave the fish time to recuperate.
Regards
Owen

Thanks Owen, I've heard of your angling prowess. Congrats.

I do not deny "catch and release" is being carried out but how? I will describe what was done to the mahseer landed by me. (1) A plastic cord was passed through its gills to be weighed and photographed. (2) The hook was wrenched out of the fishes mouth leaving a gaping hole behind its lower lip. (3) The fish was then unceremoniously thrown into the river.
(4) Mahseer sometimes are towed by the tail to the shallows.

(1) Any foreign object in the gills will cause bleeding. The gills contain blood cells which through a complicated chemical process takes oxygen from the water required for the fish. Therefore bleeding leads to the eventual death of the fish.

(2) A barbed hook can still be removed from the mouth without further traumitising the creature.

(3) The fish must be revived before it is allowed to swim away. An 80 pounder takes about 15 minutes to revive even if it is held in flowing water. The head is held facing into the current.

(4) In the days gone by, Thomas and Macdonald, when reels were without gears, called drum reels, the angler worked his way downstream from the hooked fish to turn the fish round for the running water to enter the gills in the wrong direction and kill it. This what happens when a fish is towed by the tail.

You have the right kit, weighing bags. Please encourage anglers to use those type of bags, a child's hammock will serve the purpose.

I tried my best to instruct the ghillies but to no avail. I do not know where the ghillies I had instructed and supervised at the anglers camp 1981 are now.

I am concerned. First a VVIP who was a MP accused anglers of cruelty and a finger was pointed at WASI. Fortunately that MP is out of favour with the ruling parties at the center. But recently while in conversation with a retired forest officer it was mentioned that a MP in the cabinet is interested in these matters and it won't take him much time to place a blanket ban on fishing for mahseer if complaints keep coming in from members of the public and various NGOs

We must meet up some time.

Don

Hi Don,
I completely agree with you on all the points that you have made.
I belive that only the softest of cord should be used as a stringer, ( none of those nylon ropes), and the fish kept on a stringer only for as long as it takes to revive it.
Unfortunately there are just a few gillies with the required skills, most of them are converted poachers who could do with training on fish handling skills.
We try to pass on whatever we have learned over the years to those we cross paths with, and hope to make a difference.
I do hope that we can meet up sometime in the near future.
Regards
Owen