INDIANANGLER

Hi board

I am coming to india from the uk for 6mths beginning of feb 2008, & was wondering if anyone could suggest a couple of fishing locations nearby (freshwater) i want to catch anything that will put a decent bend in the rod, I am also geared up for mahseer.

hope someone can help,
best regards
Paul............

The most important thing to remember is not to overdo the tackle.
(Bops has just fallen over laughing, cause I had five rods and all the kit to fish them in a backpack when we met)
Just think through what gear you need rather than what gear you'd like. If you're starting off somewhere like Goa, drop me a line. Think about rods - travel rods are good 'cause unless you're going hi-lux, two piece rods in a travel case are a pain in the bum.
Personally, I wouldn't go the uptider route that everyone seems to recomend, heavy spinning rods are the way to go and will cope with most bait fishing senarios.

Remember, it's a big country mate and if you have six months you can cover a lot but there's no point in starting out in the north and heading south if you're arriving in Feb 08. The north will still be frijid in February and that's no fun.

Also, don't ignore the saltwater. Barramundi are great fish (do a search on here and on anglersnet.co.uk) and if you're a lure nut, you'll love them.

As to locations. Do an internet search for "mahseer angling in india". You can do it independently, but you have to be very lucky (like I was) and then you get sworn to secrecy (like I am) about locations. I do know of one place where there are mahseer that I can tell you about but I honestly don't know if I was fishing it legally and as far as I know, the fish don't get very big - 3 or 4lbs. PM me for details.

Essoxx, please introduce yourself in the introduction section so that you can have more members answering you.

As for locations around Thana / Mumbai, there are few good ones and one in particular is a heaven for float fishing.

Santosh

Lots of locations around Thane, since you will here for couple of months you can land some mahseer too. And if Ali bhai takes you to Powai then Game On!!!!!!

Regards
Tathagata

Thanks guys

Ill definately take up any offers of meeting up, & if anyone wants to go on a little adventure to hunt for some uncaught monsters I am well up for it, i have the tackle and the means for it to happen, I am a firm believer in positive affermation, believe it enuf & it will happen...

Dam february cant come quick enough.


cheers

Paul

Paul, since you will be coming in Feb, you have around three months to explore some places near to mumbai before the monsoon sets in this part of the world.
After June there's only one place you can fish with regular success & that is Powai.

Towards March the water level will go down & it starts to get warm, for then some of us do have exciting plans, not exactly after monsters but for remote places where the fish are not yet lure shy.

There are some very experienced slat & freshwater anglers in Mumbai and even amateurs like me always do get a chance to fish with them, so forget the means & forget from where you are coming, just bring in decent tackle, be a part of the gang and you are in for lot of adventure..

Santosh

Make sure you are loaded with lines, hooks, spoons, lures, and good set of reels. you can always buy the rod locally or borrow from someone. Then Game ON!!!!!!!

what sort of breaking strain , I read 40lbs mono for the big boys what about smaller species as yet I have not bought any, hooks I take it i can leave my size 18's at home.
I have ordered quite a few in sizes from 3/0-8/0!
rods I have in abundance, boring job so leslies of luton have got to know me well, reels abu7001 shimmy 6500x2 plus smaller braid loaded mitchell. do i need a landing net?

cheers guys

Leslies!! love that shop but the prices are a bit to steep thanks to the pound. Will be making a trip to Luton on the 17th or 18th hopefuly he'll have some lures on sale. Will send you a PM.

You will need 50lb braid for salt water rock fishing and trolling, for fresh water 40lb will be too much to cast spoons... Bops what do you think???

For saltwater spinning - 25 lb powerpro or Suffix Performance Braid used with a Fluorocarbon/Mono leader and breakaway quick change clips. (IL2)

For bait fishing - 30lb Powerpro with a ten foot Fluorocarbon/Mono leader should work fine, 30 lb mono instead of braid should do okay as well.

Trolling - 50 lb powerpro or fireline should do, use with a wire leader.

For saltwater fishing the rapala telescopic gaff is very handy.

For catch and release of mahseer, remember to bring a landing net and weigh sling.

Cheers
Bopanna

The most appropriate line strength is very much a question of terain.
For the three river estuaries that I fish regularly for barramundi and mangrove jacks, my spinning outfit is loaded with 14lb Berkley Fireline and a half a meter of 25 or 30lb flouro.
The low diameter lighter line gives me more distance than heavier braids and has the advantage of cutting through the water better when I'm trying to stay in touch with a big fast fish.
For rocks, I tend to stick with mono because it has better abrasion resistance and it's cheap enough (on bulk spools) to be replaced each trip.

Cheers fellas,

Never caught a barra before, come to think of it i have not caught any of the fish mentioned here, ill look up an indian species chart, i gotta know what i am up against.

be lucky

I hope this will help you about Barra (Lates calcarifer)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barramundi

http://www.indianangler.com/viewtopic.php?t=1191

http://www.indianangler.com/viewtopic.php?t=1055

Have a look at http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KP2Gyk7nRTM

Hey ken great video dude!!! fighting a barra on a light rod is a blast.......

Actually, on my last trip, I started using the lighter of my two spinning rods for the barra fishing and found that the combination of having a softer rod and slackening off the reels clutch as soon as I hooked up was resulting in a lot less fish throwing the hooks.