INDIANANGLER

Guys yesterday I was at Head Rasul Barrage on the Jehlum river. We were fishing for Rahu, common carp etc.

Suddenly got a bite and believe me the first run sent shivers down my spine. As I was using 17 pound test line, I just couldn't afford to break the run of the fish. I tried my level best to keep the fish at the surface (could see the fish at the surface) but after a strugle of 30-45 mins the fish setled to the bottom. The fish had stripped 150-200 yrds of line.
We sent for the boat, but on reaching the spot where the fish had taken guard the hook came out completely starightened. I was using mustad # 1.

My guess and the local guide with us was that it was a Fauji Khagga ( Goonch/Mulley) in the 25-30 Kg Mark.

What Tackle( Rod/line/Reel/Hooks (sizes and make) are recommended for fish this size. They are certain places in Pakistan that still suport huge fish in the 25-30 kg mark some even bigger (Rahu, Mahahsheer, Goonch, Muley). When ever I go to these spots dont want to go under prepared.

Will apreciate what ever advise is available

Rgds

Hi Shapan,
i had a very interesting encounter with the Goonch in river Ravi about 3 months back. i was actually hoping for a big mahasheer, when suddenly the reel went into a high pitched schreeching mode. i tried my best to put some drag, but it was of no avail. After one brief run. the fish settled down in the water. And it wont move or budge from the spot. i was using 35 gram blue fox vibrax on a 25 pound braid. i tried various methods... like sending a lure retreiver on the line, even one mouth of the earthen pot through the line; so that it may disturb the settled fish. But it was of no use. I struggled for 4 hours with the beast. In the end, it broke the line . But during the 4 hours, it did not move at all. I think it must be atleast 50+ kg. I tried to tire it out, but it was me who had puffed up arms and aching biceps in the end.

Goonch has this typical habit - of taking the bait , and then settling down at the bottom.
Better luck next time.

Harryxs

an abu 10000 and an uptide rod, 80lb mono
OR
an electric winch

Hi
tomarow I will photogarh and send a pic of what I use to dislodge the biggest / most sulky fish from the bottom. Use the heavyest rods -the heaviset line-the thichest hook but somewhere some link will fail.Or else the fishes mouth will tear.Confuse the fish and take her out on a m/h rod and on a 20 lb line and a 4x hook size 2/0 minimum. You will bring her in as a piece of deadwood.Only goonj will not take less flowing water.Take her out in fast flowing water or she chokes and runs for life and liberty.
Tight Lines
Hamdhingra

Sounds amazing. to think that a fishing in fresh water can get so big that you need to throw stones at it! makes me laugh and at the same time quite excited to give it a go!

Whats the best bait and habitats to look for when targeting these massive fish?

Mike

I thought you guys might like a look at the beastie in this article.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... 784470.ece

I should point out that The Sun is a British "newspaper" that caters for the sort of people who can't read their daily quota of news and football results unless there are breasts on every page. As a result, the jornalistic standards arn't exactly high. The fish is a big-un though.

Great pic.


Thanx for Sharing Ken L

Friends here it is - nicknamed "Ham's Ring" . This little thing will dislodge anything in water. This is entirely my own creation and has worked for the last 14 odd yrs. I made it after one evening's fishing where I lost 7 Goonj - the biggest being about 60-80 Kgs. and then necessity became the mother of invention -and I made this .Remember the pins must be blunt.
Materials used
Piston ring of a tractor - Lead melted and made into a pencil -the same length/a little less - as the circumfrence of the piston ring - black elastic to strap the above two- 8 pins put through the combination -Put a drop of elfy on the round side of the pin to make it hold fast - cut the pins blunt in front - Put a copper wire through the slot in the ring ( later to be put around the line and closed with the copper wire going through the other side of the piston ring slot and then dropped on to the sulking fish.
Shake your line to enable it to go down.Shake it a bit more when it has reached.You will begin to feel the fish shake its head again and again -and then it will rise confused(it takes time) And then just take your fish out.
If by any chance you feel it may not work - put this contraption against your cheek or lips or forehead and with your own hand and see if you can think any further.The same happens to the fish

http://img527.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... ingqo8.jpg

Tight Lines
Hamdhingra

How big and heavy is this thing????

Hi, Diameter of the ring is 4 inches and the thickness of the lead is more or less the same as an actual pencil.Weight of this one is 110 gms.150 gms would do better.
Hope this helps - and do let me know your results
Hamdhingra

Yaj,
It was supposed to be from the Kali according to the program, but looks very much like the Ramganga that i have fished around Corbett, and i know the angler whop caught it, Jeremy Wade, has also fished that area and up around Bhikyasen, so they might not have been entirely truthful on the film!
On my next trip to the Himalayas I'll be making sure i have a go for the goonch, always end up just fishing for mahseer.