INDIANANGLER

Hi Bops!
Thought you might know something about these giant eels "Malinja" (hope i have the spelling right) I have heard stories about them from malvalli.
Never seen any pictures of them though.
Have also heard some interesting ways the locals use to catch them for food from a river over there.
Know anything about this mate??
Regards
Owen

Guys,

I am very curious about the fresh water eel in India, I have seen a brown one with sprinkles of black spots on it when I was a little boy and go catching guppies in a gutter/channel for watering rice paddies close to where I live.

In Hong Kong I have seen the same brown eel, and it tastes like crap. But we do get another eel that is absolutely delightful on the pallet. It's black or a very dark grey on top and the underside is white. Sort of like the European eel.

What is this eel you guys are talking about? I remember MM said he would try and post a pic. Does anyone have a picture that you can post, I will be much obliged.

My father-in-law described a similar eel in Mahableshwar, that was caught in one of the rivers there, the only thing was this eel was enormous as thick as a human thigh, and from what we got the locals loved the taste of it.

Hi Bobby,
The one in question is as "thick as a thigh" i hear.
The story goes that the locals in malvalli tie a chicken near the banks of the river, and wait for the eel to come up and grab the chicken, as soon as it starts struggling with the chicken, they throw ashes on the path the eel has taken, so that it cannot slip back into the water, and then they go about their business of finishing off the fellow.
My fishing buddy Tim told me he has seen this done many years back, but never had a camera handy at the time.
Regards
Owen

Amazing...we anglers see some amazing things.

Maybe we should start a thread where anglers can post some of their unusual and amazing expriences...would make interesting reading I'm sure

Hi Owen,

I've never seen or heard of an eel called "Malinja" in malvalli. I'm sure one of the old timers back home will have some info for me when I visit malvalli next.

I've seen some big catfish and murral but never any eels. The Harangi reservoir may hold some big ones since eels are not normally caught in fishing nets. Will give it a try the next time I get permission to fish in Harangi.

Bops

Thanks Bops!
That would be great. I will check out the location from Tinko this Sunday, and let you know.
Regards
Owen

Hi Owen,

I think what you might be reffering to is the Indian Mottled Eel -
Found this on Fisbase.org, One of the local names is Mlangil(Malayalam) --

Anguilla bengalensis bengalensis in India
Indian mottled eel


http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Country/Co ... engalensis


Cheers,
Alexis

Has any one got photos?

Hi Guys,
I know the eel you are talking about....have some literature lying somewhere about it, will post it one of these days.

Regards,
Mighty M.

Thanks for the response guys, let us compare notes after we see MM's post. Will ask Tim if he can recognise the eel
Regards
Owen

Hi Guys/Owen,

I think the eel in question is the Indian Long-Fin Eel (Anguilla bengalensis) It's a long snake-like fish which grows to 120 cms, Cylindrical body with a flattened conical head. Specimens of 180 cms in length have been reported.
The adults are known for their seaward migration and local movement during the monsoons. The adults move around during the night in small puddles,mud and on wet ground.It is widely reported that eels can be trapped using ash or sawdust, while they move from one water body to another at night.It has also been reported from Tamil Nadu that eels enter chicken coops and prey on newly hatched chicks.
This has not, however, been authenticated
Also known as 'Malugu' in the South.
This info was from 'Freshwater Fishes of Peninsular India' by R J Ranjit Daniels. It's quite a handy book.

I've heard about this eel from a couple of people. One was an inebriated fellow angler from a coffee growing area near Mysore who first told me about it, but the story then shifted to 'village girl kidnapping bears which lived in caves' Hence I figured it was one of 'those' stories.
The second time I heard of these ells was from a gent in Ooty who told me about catching them on dead bait. Apparently the locals in the plains were using long PVC pipes, blocked at one end, which they submerged in a likely looking spot. Overnight the eels took up residence in the pipes The next morning the villagers come along seal the open end of the pipe and 9 times out of 10 they had an eel in each pipe
I'm sure the eels are around, just have to catch one..... need a volunteer who's 'chicken' enough to join me

Regards,
Mighty Marlin.

Dude i think you have nailed it. Let me get this location right on Sunday, and then the next one to malvalli cna get some pix of this brute!
Maybe even put out a chicken or two!

Right now Rustam's twiddling his toes in the Cauvery at Bheemeshwari

I have an update on the Malinja eel guy's.
The river in malvalli to hit is the "Barapole" at T Shettigiri / B Shettigiri.
These eels are bigger than i thought, the smaller ones being around a 100 pounds.
They are black on top with a yellowish white belly.
If caught on rod and reel run like hell, i belive it can grip anything on the river bed with its tail, and you won't be able to get them on to the bank.
Looks like only sprinters will be qualify to catch these mothers .

Some years ago I had seen a film, there was a stint where guys were catching eels in Holland, they used to go to the slaughter house take the heads of cows or horses (if I remember correctly they were horses heads). Tie it to a rope and throw it into the river, leave it over night and come back the next day morning and pull the head out which used to be crawling with eels who came to feed all entwined in the skull of the animal.

I was quite gross, the film was on morbid subjects.

Hey anybody been able to photograph " Nessie " yet

Hey Guys ... this thread a goner ... wheres the frigging eel

Ask Gavin, he will have the right answer for sure.

Hey Gav ... AAAHHH .. never mind i i know the answer to this one already ... its with the tennis players rite ?

Guttered as usual-well, it looks like we must start s separate column for the guttered ones, Bops?

best
Axx

All it will take, is for someone to go out there to the locations which i have given details of and bag "Nessie", then watch this thread to come alive again!

Yes we could have a topic called "Gutter Angling"

Bobster ,, arent you suposed to b packing for yr trip to India .. Im meeting owen tonite ... i hope the bugger eats what my wife has cooked and smiles .... He likes his fish with salt n pepper .. he has a hope in hell .. im gonna give him the ole east indiain masala n makes sure hes singng to the stars tonite ... Open house guys when ure in mumbai .. just call for the address ...

Bobs reels are big ... but owen seriously the reason why you need large reels is bcoz you need the capacity as you never know what might hit in the sea ... irrespective of what lure youre using

I know Fred, just yanking Bobs chain!

This thread is guttered without me writing a line

Anyways, will let you gentlemen talk about each others big "reels" and leave you all alone to yank each other's chains

GGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRR ..... GAVIN

I like you too Fred...

Oh fluff here we go again .... wheres the cement

Bobby's getting it when he's meeting you....

Bobby needs it more than me .... hes got the wrong size pole from Singapore

Well Fred, I have a few 130’s this was to be an addition. But Gav, with Fred we are far to busy looking out for “feeding” than bothering about poles. However saw some pictures on a thread that was sure to get your (Gav’s) heart racing.

hello all,

I heard from a certain gentleman from a coffee growing area in the hills (in the presence of MM) that the "MALAGA" eel that hunts chickens is "verry dangerrrouss" .

Apparently, according to conversation over drinks with other gentlemen, most attacks occur late in the evenings when planters head back home from the club. The eel is known to take over minds and make the poor planters do strange things.

Reportedly The MALAGA eel has been spotted all over the area operating under the cover of darkness in estate areas. A local wild boar was seen sobbing softly in the corner of a plantation one morning and when asked what the matter was, it fled into the bushes one hoof over its eyes, bawling. The MALAGA eel is suspected.

SMASHING WOLF!!!

Finally some humour without any sexual innuendo