INDIANANGLER

Hi Everyone

Just thought i would share with you my selection of lures i am taking with me on a 14 day Fishing trip to the Bush Betta Gorge in Feb. I would appreciate any comments on which ones you think could do the business, and maybe what situation to use the differen't types in.

We will be mainly using Livebait,crabs and ragi, but i am determined to give the lure fishing a good go, i will let you all know how we get on.



Starting at the top left are the shad raps 9cm Redfin Shiner & Bleak (Reflective), next are the Abu Koster spoons 60g & 40g and Daiwa Sonic Shad Lure Red Tail.

Then starting at the top right are the 14cm super shad raps in Gold Shiner (Reflective)/ Silver shinner (Reflective) and Pearl Shinner and last the Storm Wildeye Shad red head.



Close up of super shad raps.

I have refitted the large plugs and spoons with Owner Stinger 4x Trebles and the smaller lures with Gamakatsu 4x trebles. The relective super shad raps really look great, i have quite a few packs of the rubber lures which i may fish more dangerously with, i know am going to lose some lures due to the terrain hopefully not the super shad raps as i had to buy from america.

Look forward to any comments

Cheers

Stu

I am NOT a Mahseer expert so let's see what they have to say about it.

I am a salty, but would change some of those hooks mate unless those pictures are taken before you changed the hooks..

S,

Just some ideas:

-Would the lures be 'matching the hatch'? That is, look like the actual baitfish the mahseer are going for? I know that the local loach (chilwa) is a fav of the mahseer, especially at the rapids. A plastic fish with a stout hook up the dorsal, say green and black colours, may work? Easier to cast too, on heavy mono. I'm bringing some with me on my trip, keeping fingers crossed.

-In future, you may want to consider using single hooks for the plugs. Mahseer can crush trebles, even the stout ones. I have used singles on some Malaysian species to good effect. Gama and Decoy make them, among others. If you do use singles, the front hook (below the belly) should have the hookpoint pointing downwards (better hooking).

-Abu koster is good for fast currents (willow leaf design): it sinks faster. But try also the Toby (more action, I think). I saw one lady from Mysore landing a 40-lb silver on one, at the Galibore stretch.

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Cheers Junglebum

Thanks for info, let me know how you do with your lures and i will do the
same when i go in Feb.

Of what i have read the mahseer seem to get caught on flashy silver spoons, i thought shiny plugs may do the business, but we will see, i am going to dedicate a few days just concentrating on lure fishing. I also think more water can be covered this way.

On a recent TV programme the "Accidental Angler" filmed at Bush Betta the presenter Charles R Wilson asked the Guide " Why do so few people spin for mahseer ?" the guide replied " Who the hell wants to catch a 40lbs mahseer " Well i do !

Stu

Hi junglebum,

did you have any problems changing from trebles to singles?

I tried changing the trebles for heavy singles a couple of jointed rapalas but found it totally killed the action of the plug. Not sure if this was because it is jointed, or will apply to most plugs. Any ideas??

cheers,

Paul.

MW,

Nope, dont seem to! Are those singles you changed heavier than the original trebles?

Most of the single lure hooks I use are the small ones (size 6 and up to 1), on small lures (of course). On tough critters like the giant snakehead (Channa micropeltes) and jungle perch, small trebles can be 'crunched' and straightened, even the 4x ones.

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Thanks JB,

I couldn't be sure if the singles were heavier, but could well have been as they were a very heavy pattern.

I was quite amazed who it took every single bit of action out of the lure, I may as well have been reeling in stick.

Well I'll just have to keep experimenting.

cheers,

Paul.