INDIANANGLER

Me and Omesh are planning on visiting a quarry near my place this sunday.
Am attaching a few pics of the location as well as the fish I could see from the top. Please excuse the quality of pics, it was quite early in the morning and the pictures of the fish have been heavily cropped.
There are many such fish in that quarry (I could count at least 20-30 from the top) orange/olive green colored. They also have a strange habit of coming near the banks and sit there moving their bodies, sunning themselves They scoot off into the deep if I approach them
Any idea which fish it is, or is it tilapia
There are plenty of water plants/weeds in the quarry. Will that be a problem for the hooks? Water is quite clean though










TIA

Hi aditya,

I am sure these fishes are not tilapia........they are something else but due to the picture quality i am not able to recognise them.

you are going to get some good fishes there but be prepared to loose some hooks.


tight lines
Manish

Hi Aditya,

They look like Koi Carps.
Better picture would help.

Ravi

Thanks for the quick replies, Manish and Ravi.
I cannot get better pics The longest lens I have is a 70-200 on a full frame and the point from where I can see the fishes is quite high above the water. If I descend down and try to get pics from close the fishes vanish into deep water.

ya i can understand u cannot go close to them.......i too fished a lot of quarries......the one which i fished last year produced good amount of fishes but it was much more difficult to fish there due to rocks and submerged plants.


cheers
Manish

what bait are u planning to use there.....a big question?????????

We were thinking earthworms/wheatflour...

Any suggestions are welcome, Do you think we should use an artificial soft bait??? or anything else?

stick to worms and keaded wheat dough.. not to sticky not to hard and dry..

Check this out and you too are invited.

http://www.indianangler.com/viewtopic.php?t=3467

Regards,

Ali.

Hey,

I just saw the pics!! they look like some good catch, dunno if they'll be edible though! evil LOL!, Nevermind.... I was about to get all psyched up as I saw this post from Ali saying you too are invited. I thought I wasn't until I clicked the link, hahaha, Big Big thanks to Ali. We should plan Mumbaiya real soon, I guess you'll be game Aditya. If we find some more fishermen we can make a small group and take off.... If not we'll be jamming!.... Looking forward to meeting Ali. Also looking at getting some insight on fishing in the sea, Wife's from Ratnagiri, so whenever I got there I dont have much to do. Fishing would be fun but don't know how well equipped I am for it. Rest assured, With the blessings of the Fish gods and the best wishes of our new found friends on the forum, we will catch some fish at the quarry. Will be fun.

Regards,
Omesh

Thanks a ton for the invite Ali I'll surely plan something with Omesh soon!

Hi Aditya,

Welcome to the Forum.

The Fish could be correctly identified only when you catch it and share the photograph. However, since you mention two distinct colours, namely Orange and greenish and as the two pictures show a distinct Orange colour on its chest or lower front side with dorsal surface grey or greenish, I would not be surprised if the fish is a 'Piranha'.

To justify my above guess I would like to share an interesting incident in which my brother-in-law was bitten by a fish none other than a 'Piranha'.

In last November, my brother-in-law visited his Friend's Farm in Raigad district, where the Farm owner had created a man made Pond and had introduced 'Calcutta fish' (Rohu, Catla, mrigal and other carps). Unfortunately, in last monsoon the pond developed a bottom leak and most of the water got drained. The Farm Owner had therefore decided to net all remaining fish on that day. The water in the pond was very muddy and it was hardly 3 to 4 feet deep. My Brother-in -law had no hopes of netting any fish in such a muddy and shallow water.

However, when the net was hauled, to his surprise it had 8 to 10 pomphret sized piranhas! He held one piranha in his hand and wanted to photograph its human-like teeth, when the piranha quickly bit his finger and inflicted a deep bleeding cut !. The Farm Owner reported that this fish is named Fresh water pomphret and fetches him a good price as it is very tasty. He prepared a Fish Curry of these Piranhas and my Brother-in-law told me that it was really a tasty fish!

The important fact that the above incident indicates is that this South American Piranha fish is getting introduced in our Indian waters and this could harm the aqua culture in our country.

I understand that these piranhas are available in Aquarium shops as well and somehow they find their way into the Pisciculture industry, which is dangerous to other species like Rohu, Catla, Mrigal and other indian carps.

Wish you Best of Luck in catching your elusive Fish from the quarry and looking forward to see its photograph.

Tight Lines,

Arun

Look like some kind of Carp...perhaps Koi like someone already said.

shucks.. mohileji.. what u said is really scary.. about pihranas being introduced to our waters .. CATASTROPHIC and DISASTROUS . would be apt before the word consequences.. i hope people are aware of this..

Mohileji, rest assured those are definitely not piranhas The piranha's you are talking about are the red bellied piranha's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygocentrus_nattereri
I have kept these in one of my aquariums for quite some time now and I know how an adult piranha looks like. BTW what you say about availability is quite true, these fishes are easily available in any aquarium store. But many a times shopkeepers sell you red bellied pacu's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_bellied_pacu since both of them looks so same

They are freakin Gold Fish mate Not quite the End of the World

I dont know why but I got a feeling the fish i might catch will be in Powai lake so really looking forward to it. This place was awesome though we saw some black and white patched guys which were almost a meter along or maybe a meter or lil more, pretty big, there was unfortunately no way of casting the line where they were. So we did not catch any, Good news is I have learnt how to use my rod, the line dont get tangled no more antoday i didnt waste a line or a hook, sad part is none bit on the bite and no catch, but still not disheartened I will catch one even if it means another 100 trips and no fish. I wont loose hope, cause when I was a kid we used to fish at lal baug in Bangalore and the fish weren't too big but we used to catch at least 15 or more every single day. I will relive those moments. I really liked the place, it was a good sunday morning!, we saw some good fishes, we met each other in person for the first time, its just the beginning for us. Lets plan a weekend to fish and meet with more experienced people and hopeful again to get some catch if nothing works out in the next couple of weeks, I'm going Mumbai, Powai, metting Ali and sitting down to fish!!! I will sit in that lake forever if I have to but wont move without a fish, even if its a small one.
Fishing can get very frustrating when one dont get a catch, but then its how the sort is, it teaches us many things on a spiritual level most holy books and philosophies can't, patience is truly a virtue!, never disparage is easier said than done, if you go back fishing even after a disaster every weekend , you learn how it is to never disparage or be disheartened.

Regards,

Omesh

Looks like you have the right attitude to take up angling. keep on trying and I am sure you will catch something very soon. You and all are most welcome to join me in Powai.

Regards,

Ali.

bobster... what r u refering to? the fish in the pics.. or the pirahnas mr mohile's talking about.. i was refering to the pihranas he mentioned being in his post about them being farmed.. i know the fish in the pics are not pirahnas... 'n' if perchance if such "farmed" or pet pirahnas were to be accidentely or deliberately released... they would pose an absolute threat to our already mostly sorry riverine systems..my 2 cents... ciao then..

Hi All,

The picture of both (Piranha that gave a nasty bite and removed a chunk of flesh and the person who suffered) is attached.

Regards,


Arun

Hi All,

Hosting picture failed. Resending the link.

[IMG=http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/2958/27112010022640x480w.th.jpg][/IMG]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Regards,

Arun

That sure is a Piranha!!!!!!
Somebody must have introduced into the pond.

Ravi

omesh .. hi ... i dont think thats a pirahna.. any way i d like to suggest another way oh catching that fish.. and im not joking here..since the place is weedy and u might get snagged. do the following..

put 2 0r 4 pound test line on ur deimos reel.. (i hope u know it it an ultra light rod n reel...) oh then dont use any weight or float just tie on a small j or short shank hook. then take an earth worm or two.. bait the hook with them.. now the interesting part... take a syringe with fine needle and slowly inject air into the worms this will make them float on the surface.. should get a hook up..

I am referring to the pictures in the very 1st post.

Hi Darryl,

now the interesting part... take a syringe with fine needle and slowly inject air into the worms this will make them float on the surface.. should get a hook up..

Technical doubt : From which end should one slowly pump the air into the worm

Regards
Cavalier

Hmmmmm, I understand what you saying!!!, However to understand what I go through when I'm gone fishing, I need to go fishing with you. That place has some awesome fish, but didnt get no bite!, went a little further alandi yesterday and sat down from 5pm to 7pm, it got real dark to continue sitting there, still no catch!, the rod and reel act funny most of the time! I somehow prefer using a handline! don't know why but guessing cause I can cast more than one line in one spot. secondly! the line doesn't move. Even with a weight and no lock on the reeel the line don't move itself! i guess something might be wrong with the reel! or maybe it needs more weight! cause yesterday without a weight just a link and a float i waited didnt get a bit couldn't see anyone in the water, hence used a weight even then no luck. Last time I went there i saw at least 20 medium sized guys swimming around!, was carrying chicken gut! they mightve been herbivores, threw all the gut in the spot! hoping no predator came and ate the gut and all the other fish too! LOL! imagination running wild! but the sad news 5th attempt but no fish! I guess I need some basic lessons here! one with casting! how to cast far etc since the reel don't allow the line to move much! Lets do this! lets all keep next weekend or this one to catch up and go fishing! this weekend col. saheb is out of station! if you can please lets go fishing! and next week we can catch up with him too and then it will be 4 of us we can even plan powai and meet up with Ali and the mumbai boys. If not we can go get some fish! The technical query from col. is a nice one haha! which end do you pump air into the worms! Well jokes apart! I don't mind doing anything to catch a fish and get a bite, anywhere around pune as going powai might not happen too soon!, I actually took a half day from work yesterday to go fishing half day loss of pay but still no fish! I guess I'm doing it all wrong!.... Never mind. I will go the quarry once again with Aditya! find a spot I can cast the line where the fish are and use the technique you mentioned with the worms. I am still not too sure If i should use a weight or not! and if I am using a weight why doesn't the reel move on its own? why do I still have to send the line manually? do i need to add more weights? or add none? use a float or not? etc. etc? I've lost it my friends, no matter what I'm trying and how much ever I wait I still havent taken a fish home in the last 5 attempts, so its becoming funny, my mom and wife feel as though I'm just saying fishing and going and coming back after 3 hours with nothing!..... so many questions can and are coming up. Assumptions can make people go crazy! none the less. I really wanna continue this sport and I'm guessin since I generally go alone and since still haven't mastered the art, will use 3 to 4 hand lines next time. to cover more area and achieve a hit rate. Well. there's too much on my mind when it comes to fishing! I request some people with more experience from Pune please let me know your around and when your going fishing if possible please pm me your number. we'll catchup on a weekend and go fishing.... use all our minds and techniques and brains and hopefully this time. I come back home with a small fish if not a big one! I never really though much of catch and release but I feel they also have a right to life! catch and release I will practice! If i find some guy who looks big and tasty enough only then will he be chopped if not he goes back to live free! So.... I'm off to work, no more fishing ill sat/sun. Until then please pm,pm/pm.PM. and this weekend we go! Godwilling/Inshallah!

Regards,

Omesh

PM Me yours and Adityas no.

Regards,

Ali.

PS, Which reel are you using and do you know the function of bail arm.

col.ji and omesh.. please check the link attached..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNDR6Hsgp-4

you have to inject the segments.. joke aside.. must say great imaginationa nd sense of humour... hahahaha..

omesh ill call you today..

and omesh i was waiting for you to go the c and r way.. good on you.. btw .. the local waterbodies are not too clean .. so its better that u release .. ps dont eat that fish in the pic posted above .. water is not good..

Guys doubt that its a piranah!!! looks more like a Pacu... Pacus are the same species but the hollywood piranahs are rarely found outside S. America and they too inflict anasty bite... most probably this guy got it from a breeder in the aquarium industry and realized its market potential... just like a johnny sitting in Faridabad realized that he can mack a killing of tiger sharks (Pangasius hypophthalmus). The albino varitey is going at about 90 bucks a kilo in Delhi...

@indiangypsy, the picture that Mr.Mohile has posted is very much of a Red bellied piranha. There are plenty of points to differentiate a pacu from a piranha and that one is a piranha for sure
@hamour, i'm only interested in c&r

@Aditya I belive you

hahahaha.. and i believe you both......not....

Arre no! really. I only eat certain saltwater fishes. I hate the taste of freshwater fish!

santosh..u crack me up man.. with those timely wordless posts ..just the smilies... says everything...

The fish in the original photos is almost certainly a colour variant of a common carp - sometimes called a koi or a ghost carp.
The Inageshack link is very definatly a red bellied pirana and not a pacu. I've caught pacu in Thailand and neither species is red - The body shape of this group of charicin fishes are all pretty similar with piranas, pacu, silver dollars etc all looking similar.

Pardon me Ali bhai I'm sorry to not have remembered this, I learnt sero gravity and saw a bite and spent the entire day but forgot to ask you this small detail.

Kindly explain.

Regards,

Omesh

Looks very much like common carp.. try earth worms close to the grassy area with float

Tried fishing again, quite a long time after the first few futile attempts
This time with a friend who knows a bit about the sport and at his favorite spot where he assured me that even I will get a bite.
According to him that water body has large carps, cats and the omnipresent tilapia.
With my luck I ended up with a tilapia, actually four of them. All of which I released back, mainly cuz I don't eat fw fish and also because the biggest amongst them was around 3" long . Bait used was plain atta.
There were some local boys fishing there with bamboo sticks. No sinkers, floats or anything and they were pulling in fish like crazy! Buggers managed to catch 20 odd fish in under 1 hour
They were keeping all the fish for eating and were using some stinky atta as bait. I got a pic of the basket where they were storing their catch



I think that is common carp, right? The boy's told us that they've seen 1.5-2 ft large similar fishes in the deeper parts. The biggest they've caught on their bamboo is ~ 1-2kg.
I'm heading out again tomorrow afternoon, this time with better baits and much smaller hooks!

all the very best buddy... waiting for your report..

regards,

Dr. Prasad

The fish seems to be a cepraneous carp. They are also called common carps. I have caught these in thousands many years back. I started my fishing on a lake in Thane where these alongwith many other fresh water varieties were regularly introduced in the lake. I have caught them as big as 20 pounds on handline. It used to be great fun. Now only the memories have remained.

Good show mate. awaiting your new report.

Regards,

P:S: No fair buddy, you didn't even let me know your going, well I go every weekend so will definitely call you this time around, and for some reason there is tilapia everywhere in pune, there is this place called vadgaon shinde where we can try for some decent sized cats and if lucky maybe a murrel too. Let me know....

keep up the good work brother

Dear Mr Mohile, please could you get us some more information regarding these freshwater pomfret and whether they are indeed being sold as farm fish in India? It is very alarming to see your report and the situation could be extremely damaging to our riverine systems if these piranhas get into the waterways.

I will be writing to the environment ministry once I have more information.

Best
Bopanna

Re the "Freshwater Pomfret":

These are indeed red bellied piranhas. In Bangladesh they became a major farm fish after coming in via the aquarium route. They were sold as Freshwater Pomfret and fetched a high price and became quite popular. They are also very popular with the fish farmers as they are very hardy and easily reared. Our environment and livestock and fisheries ministeries woke up after much hue and cry in the media and banned the cultivation and sale for culinary purposes of the this fish in the market. It is still sold ocassionally illegally in some village markets. However there is a great deal of awareness re the bad effects of such a predator going into our fisheries and by and large the farming has stopped. The police also tend to crack down hard on any one selling therm in the bazaar!

They take a baited hook readily.

I am not sure whether the farming of this fish was exported to Indian Bengal from our side or it was the other way round.

All the best

Lakhyaman

These I assume must be Pacu and not piranhas. Pacu are being raised widely on farms in chennai and down south. The juveniles look very similar to piranhas, only way to distinguish would be by looking at the jaw structure.

The lower jaw of piranha is pointing up.

Finally at least someone on the forum agrees!!!

it does no matter if it's the pacu or pirahna, its worng to introduce invasive species... even though he pacu is mostly vegetarian.

Please shed some more light on this!, I'm trying to derive how a vegetarian can be an invasive species when there are predatory species too?