mahseer sports fishing, a royal game !
TRANSCRIPT
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Full blown Mahseer angled near Galibore Fishing Camps, Ramanagar Karnataka Feb 2010.
GENERAL ARTICLE
“ Mahseer Angling, A Royal Game ! Tiger in the waters ; Fight to Wriggle Fish Off the Hook !
“Chronicle of Mahseer Fishing around Cauvery Wild Life Sanctuary”
A K Singh IFS
“Mahaseer-Angling” or “Water Sports Fishing”, whether it is a colonial hang over of game hunting or it is still
relevant in times of need for “conservation of bio diversity” and “ecosystem reinforcement” seems to be an
“enigma of predicament”. Reality may be otherwise. Dilemma affecting nature catapults figment of perplexity
into mystification which may not stand the time any longer. Sports fishing enthralls colossal rate of humanity
the world over almost every day. Diverse brands of wild life sports captivate fascination of society which
propels the general disposition of wild life visitors into multitude of wild life adventures. Squirming the fish
“off the hook” may land the tourists not only into an ambience of “adventure of exploration” which toss the
swings of the mood of public into one of the most tantalizing curiosity about nature and its diversity but also
inquisitiveness galore. Water sports offer an opportunity to dwell upon the realm of huge panorama of massive
wild life world giving fillip to the sportsmen‟s ever widening faculty of cognizance.
Prologue:
Mahseer is a very large growing hard fighting
river fish of the Cyprinid family distributed
throughout India from Jammu, Brahamputra valley
to Himalaya, Barak Rivers Assam, Bilaspur MP,
Naga Hills, fresh waters of east Punjab, UP, Bihar,
Darjeeling, Dehradun, Sone rivers, Narmada river
at Hoshangabad, Jabalpur, Tapti river, Chambal,
Mahi river, Gandhisagar reservoir MP and Rana
Pratap Sagar reservoir in Rajasthan, Pilibhit,
Garhwal and Gumti river of Tripura1. Sexually
dimorphic unisexual male and females are prevalent
all over2. Thick lips with elongated labial flap is
male otherwise it is female is normal test of the sex.
Rough longer pectoral fin reaching upto sixth scale
are males. Tubercles are present on the dorsal side
in the head region of the males whereas remains
absent in females. 1.5 M large body, powerful fins,
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large mouth and big golden scales1. The decline of
Mahseer on the Indian sub continent is well
documented and the number of large mahaseer that
exists today is far less than a century ago. Mahseers
have been a legendary sport fish of India. Mahseer
is represented by six species distributed all over
India2. Despite their abundance at one time
mahseer were reported to be declining in size and
numbers and were feared to be in danger of
extinction in some parts of India. Unfortunately
their catches have dwindled considerably due to
illegal methods of fishing, habitat deterioration and
introduction of exotic species. Studies on their
feeding and spawning habits, eggs, larval
development and especially the methods of
artificial propagation have shown multitude of
results. Breeding of four major species of mahseer
out of Tor khudree, T. mussullah, T. tor, T.
putitora, Babus mosal and Barbus tor by collecting
the brooders from the breeding grounds and then
stripping them has been attempted successfully at
number of places in India7.
Distribution:
This giant fresh water carp is acclaimed as a
world famous outstanding game and one of the
most relishing cuisine and desired table delicacy1.
As a sport fish it provides dazzling recreation to
anglers from all over the world. It is known as tiger
in waters because of the fight it gathers to wriggle
off the hook1. In the past this big scale carp formed
a substantial natural fishery in the major 186
riverine ecosystems of India. In commercial
fisheries it occupies an important position for its
good quality2. For the fishermen mahseer is of
considerable importance because of its large size.
As a food fish it is highly esteemed and fetches the
highest market price in south and northeast of
India. Day (1878) believed that mahseer constituted
only one species. Hora (1940) confirmed the
validity of six different species of these cyprinids. A
recent critical study on the subject by Menon
(1992) confirmed 6 valid species. Presently six valid
species are recognized for these mahseer which ae
also called “large scale barbells” of India. Anglers
define them as Golden barbell, Silver mahseer etc.
Different species of mahseer occupy different
ecosystems ranging from tropical waters where
summer temperatures reach 35°C, to sub-
Himalayan regions, where the temperatures fall to
6°C. Similarly they occur in streams hardly above
sea level and are also found at an altitude of 2000 m
above sea level1. Jhingran and Sehgal (1978)
remarked that the occurrence and distribution of
mahseer is controlled by the prevailing water
temperature of the streams and not by the altitude.
These cyprinids were considered as carnivorous
and slow growing and thus unsuitable for fish
culture2. However, a careful study of the feeding
habits of mahseer indicating that it is omnivorous
has dispelled the notion that mahseer are
carnivorous. Studies on the anatomical adaptations
of the alimentary canal system also confirm that
these scaly barbells are omnivorous1. Despite their
abundance at one time, the mahseer population has
been declining in number and size in natural waters
and is in serious danger of extinction. The National
Commission on Agriculture (1976) in its report on
fisheries had stated there was a general decline in
this breed of Tor fishes in India due to
indiscriminate fishing of brood and juvenile fish
and the adverse environmental impact of the river
Mahseer with thick lips and elongated labial flap is recognized as male.
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Barbells can grow in excess of 120 pounds in weight and 6 feet in length in river and some lakes in India.
Bottom set gillnets are prevalent to catch the giant scale barbells from Rivers and Reservoirs in India.
valley projects and accordingly suggested extensive
survey and detailed biological investigation on this
alarming situation1.
Behavior:
These giant barbus feed on aquatic plants,
crabs, earthworms, insects, shrimps, mollusks,
algae, debris, sand and mud. These gigantic fishes
are largely herbi-omnivorous, chiefly feeding on
aquatic plants with bottom feeding habit8.
Mahaseer Cyprinids are local migrants performing
seasonal migrations within a short distance mainly
for feeding and breeding determined by water heat,
floods. It prefers rocky pools, cool head waters
moving up and downstream according to flood
levels of the river. Most species of these huge carps
observed to do spawning post monsoon during July
to September9. These Maha Shers of water or
aquatic Giant Lions show temptation to
congregation near temples where people feed them
with grains, grams, nuts, dried fruits and watch
them feeding. Sometimes jumping out of the water
to catch the feet thrown in the air. Male female
ratio is found to be 1 male to 3 females1.
Fishing Sports:
Golden Mahseer fish (barbus tor putitora) is
famous among globetrotting anglers who travel the
world in search of the hardest fighting fish in
extreme situations. Some anglers say that pound for
pound they are the hardest fighting fish on the
planet10. The Himalayan Golden Mahseer is a super
streamlined carp or barbell and can grow in excess
of 80 lb and 6 ft in length and can be found in
rivers and some lakes across the whole of the
Indian subcontinent11. The main day to day fishing
at the camp takes place in rapids and pools using a
selection of live, dead and paste baits, plugs and
spinners and flies a whole variety of tackle and
fishing methods to suit all angler‟s tastes.
Fishing in the Cauvery River and Himalayas is
accounted to be one of the most exciting forms of
fishing adventure in the world. Crystal clear water
and good vantage points along the river means
sportsman can actually see these huge fish
swimming freely before they venture into angling.
Tourists are grouped to a maximum of 4 anglers
for the Mahseer fishing and this again gives better
spacing on the river and leave whirlpools
undisturbed for the next day or evenings. Fishing
gives all anglers a good chance of a huge fish on the
trip. The largest recorded fish are 119 lb mahseer
from Cauvery caught by Major J S Rivett Carnac in
1919 and 120 lb fish caught 25 years later by J
Dewet Van Ingen. There was also a 118 lb fish
caught from Cauvery River in Karnataka at
Galibore in February 2002. Despite these recorded
giants, it is believed by some that the full growth
potential of this species may well be far in excess of
the 120 lb fish that still holds the record today1.
Depletion:
Human disturbance is the root cause for the
loss of biodiversity and the depletion of natural
resources is a common knowledge amongst us all.
Factors for the reduction of mahseer stocks are :
degradation of ecology and natural environment of
aquatic river water systems, indiscriminate fishing
of broodstock and juveniles, impacts of river valley
projects, industrial and human pollution, the use of
explosives and dynamiting, poisons and electro-
fishing by poachers and gill netting, introduction of
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View opposite to Jungle Lodges & Resorts Galibore World renowned Mahseer Fishing Camps.
Early morning and evening is the best time for Mahseer Fishing and Angling.
exotic species, population pressures on natural
resources and river water ecosystems. Higher input
of sands causing silting of the water, lower
plankton population, higher water alkalinity, high
carbon di oxide, low biochemical oxygen demand,
high turbidity, too cold waters, progressive
eutrophication coupled with adverse hydrobiology
of waters cause diminution of these giant cyprinids
over the long run. Hatching of Mahseer in semi
quiescent stage lasts for six days. During this period
the hatchlings do not swim freely but remain in
large numbers at the bottom of river in corners and
crevices, with their heads tucked away from light
due to being negatively phototrophic, their tails
vibrating and jutting out. In this condition the
hatchlings are subjected to predation by many
predators like predatory fishes Wallago attu,
Channa maralius, Notopterus chitala, Silonia
silonia, Mytis, piscivorous birds etc. Factors
responsible for the reckless damage to this priceless
national heritage are enormous. The declining trend
in the populations of Tor & Barbus need
immediate attention for its conservation and
rejuvenation in natural waters. The reasons for the
conservation of this gene pool need no further
emphasis. Improved aqua-cultural practices for the
breeding of mahseer under controlled conditions
will play a vital role for its sustenance in India‟s rich
natural water ecosystems all over.
Breeding Constraints:
Large scale propagation of these giant scale
barbells, the natural spawning behavior and the
inherent constraints in its early life cycle need to be
understood. The actual spawning area needs to be
comparatively calm, having well oxygenated water
and a bed of sand or gravel. The journey to these
grounds may be safe but are quite often fraught
with risks and dangers. The hatching period of
these Tors and Barbus differ from 60 to 96 hours
in water temperature of 20°C to 28°C, compared to
18 hours for catla and rohu. If water temperature
falls below 20°C, the hatching period extends
beyond 96 hours. The semi-quiescent stage is three
days for catla, rohu, etc. and six to ten days for Tor
and Barbus. In this stage, these mahseer‟s
hatchlings tend to remain at the bottom, huddled in
large numbers in corners and crevices. Their heads
remain tucked away from light and their tails keep
vibrating constantly. In this condition, they are
highly vulnerable to all kinds of predators. Such
seasonal movements and locality of breeding need
to be protected over the water courses. Confluence
of Shimsa river with Cauvery with location of
breeding more towards shimsa convergence are the
most ideal rendezvous for procreation of these
giant cyprinids where thousands of large scale
barbells are seen swarming over the Cauvery river
waters. Surprisingly the area falls outside the
protected area of Cauvery Wild Life Sanctuary54.
Conservation of Mahseer:
Action plan for conservation of mahseer
should include: Stricter enforcement of fishing
rules to prevent fishing with explosives, poisoning,
prevention of killing brood fish and juveniles,
replenishment of stock by artificial propagation.
Fish farm should be opened in close proximity of
dams, reservoirs and river confluences like Sangam,
Shimsa etc Few natural water ponds should be
reserved in each farm for these giant carps.
Mahseer should be bred by collecting ripe spawners
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Evening solar twilights paints orange upon the canvas of forests at Mahseer Fishing Camps.
Shimano Rods & reels are used for Mahaseer Fishing
from the streams joining the reservoir and stripping
them for artificial fertilization of eggs or using
pituitary hormones. Hatchlings should be grown to
the fingerling size and then released into reservoirs
and downstream rivers on massive scale on regular
basis. Further trials of methods of transporting big
barbells eggs in moist cotton (Kulkarni and Ogale,
1979) are needed to easily transport the eggs to any
part of the country. Such trials should be
undertaken for both Tors and Barbus in major
large reservoirs and confluence of river water
ecosystems in India. In rivers the fishing nets are
operated both in deep and shallow waters. Gill nets
are normally operated at the depth of 3 to 4 meter
and set more deeper. Fishing season for Mahser is
from February to April for large rivers and October
and November for small rivers. Season for Mahseer
fishing with spinning baits and fly is generally after
monsoon floods in Karnataka. However peak catch
time is considered from November to April . Strict
monitoring is required with wide and extensive
vigilance over such duration.
Habitat Improvement of Spawning Fields:
Use of explosives and killing of brood fish in
the spawning season is the main cause of Mahseer
decline. Hazardous effluents kill fish fry and
fingerlings. Save Mahseer Campaign, proposed
protection of juvenile mahseer and collection of
seed and stocking of reservoirs and rivers.
Subsistence of aquatic vegetation, with some plant
material in their habitat, presence of intermediate
host of mollusc Pangasius pangasius is known to
control trematode infection of parasites among
fishes. Quick and fast transportation of eggs or
hatchlings within 60 hours over long distances in
moist cotton may succeed multiplication of
mahaseer in multiple rivers.4 .Fertilized eggs allowed
to harden for 24 hours then placed on moist cotton
in two or three layers in perforated boxes and then
packing in the tins were considered best modus
operandi for stocking depleted but favorable
habitat areas of natural water ecosystems. Many
years ago, from the 1850‟s onwards, as a result of
the British colonial rule, a hunting trends evolved
in India, which continued until the late 1940‟s. As a
consequence, mahseer fishing became a pastime for
British & Scottish residents in many parts of the
Indian sub-continent. The River Cauvery had many
large mahseer living within it. During November to
March every year the catches of fish from the
Cauvery and Kabini rivers are quite prevalent over
the years. The two books authored by A. St. J
Mcdonald, (Circumventing The Mahseer
1948) and Henry Sullivan Thomas (A Rod In
India -1873) have given us an insight into the
fishing in India, over a century ago. These anglers
„pioneered‟ mahseer fishing during the British
colonial rule and their conquests have been etched
in history as a result of their writings. So, we have
learned from old books of the time, just how good
the fishing was in India during the British Raj4.
Wild Life Adventure:
However the fate of the Humpback Mahseer
was eventually to take a dramatic turn for the
worse. After the British left India in 1947,
dynamiting, and poaching, were to cause a drastic
decline of mahseer in India, and as a consequence,
for over thirty years mahseer fishing throughout
the sub-continent was almost doomed to oblivion
for the time being. However, in the 1970s the
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Cauvery River gives beautiful spectrum of color
reflection through waters the whole day.
Dynamites are commonly used for fishing the Tors and Barbells and other cyprinids throughout the
river stretch outside protected areas.
plight of the mighty mahseer in Southern India was
to change for the better. Wildlife Association of
Southern India occupied some stretches of the
River Cauvery in early eighties who for quite some
time controlled the area from dynamiting and
poaching by a group of dedicated enthusiasts like
Col Naidu. Till the stretch of Cauvery River was
handed over to Jungle Lodges and
Resorts, WASI has been reported to have fought to
keep the water free from dynamiting and netting
and at the same time provide the local communities
with alternative food sources, such as agriculture
and fish farming in the villages like Bamsandra,
Kokkedoddi, Dodarhalli etc54. Today the
population of mahseer on the the River Cauvery
have resumed on considerable scale and due to the
strict vigilance, protection and conservation by
Cauvery Wild Life Sanctuary the river water
ecosystems of riparian forests patch showing
restoration of ecology and environment and world
renowned stretch of river at Galibore continues to
hold sufficient diversity of populations of big
mahseer today. The River Cauvery in Southern
India is a far-fetched and extraordinary destination
for the traveling anglers the world over joining the
multiple wild life adventure in a truly wild river
valley. The wildlife and the scenery within the
stretch of Cauvery at Galibore Camp is
breathtaking. There must be few places in this
world where you can be living in close proximity to
wild elephants, large crocodiles, leopards, monkeys,
snakes, wild boar, eagles, kites and vultures and of
course king of freshwater fishes, the mahseer48. The
adrenaline rush when hooking and playing a large
mahseer is reported to be an unforgettable and
cherish able lifetime pleasure. Hours of waiting for
a bite is considered an absolute gratification as the
Cauvery valley is rich in amazing forests, wildlife
and bountiful diversity of environment. The River
Cauvery at Galibore is an exclusive stretch which
flows through majestic sub tropical jungle which
also comes under Mysore Elephant Reserve.The
mahseer is often regarded as the ultimate challenge
in freshwater fishing and many English anglers
annually travel 6000 miles from Europe, England,
Scotland to the River Cauvery in pursuit of this
large powerful fish even today54. Fishing is
preferred at the junctions of rivers specially those
with a difference in water temperature. Fishing is
opted at rapids where backwaters and rapid waters
meet forming swirls and whirpools with eddies
along the edges. Fish angling is done mostly at the
water above rapids and at the tail of a pool having a
depth of about one meter and a smooth flow over
large boulders gaining in velocity as it approaches
the rapid. The mahseer lives within a vast range of
habitat across the Asian continent20. For this
reason, many sub species
have evolved to deal with
the climatic differences
of their distribution. The
common species up in
the north of India is the
Himalayan Mahseer or
“Barbus Tor Pututora”, which has attracted a lot of
interest from anglers worldwide. However the
Himalayan Mahseer has suffered dramatically over
the last 50 years from over population, pollution,
dynamiting, and poaching24. As a result the fishing
in the north has declined dramatically.In the south
of India lives the Humpback Mahseer or “Barbus
Tor Mussullah”. Unlike the Himalayan Mahseer,
this species is non migratory and grows larger than
its northern cousin. The Humpback Mahseer is
common within the Cauvery River and in places it
is now protected from dynamiting and poaching
and for this reason the mahseer populations within
these protected stretches reported to have been
showing restoration2. The River Cauvery flows
from west to east across Southern India, beginning
life in the mountainous Western Ghats and then
flowing through gorges and mountainous bedrock
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Tors and Barbells prefer under water rocks,
boulders, swirls and whirlpools along Cauvery River
Tors and Barbells are angled and mostly fished from under water rocks, boulders, swirls and whirlpools
along Cauvery River
through Karnataka before reaching the plains of
Tamil Nadu. The river consists of frightful gorges,
high speed express rapids, terribly thrilling gravel
runs, amazingly soft and pools, and is the perfect
environment for huge mahseer1. The River Cauvery
is considered sacred by Hindu‟s, and is one of the
seven holy rivers in India. The most interesting
stretch of the river, from an anglers point of view is
located east of Mysore, close to the Tamil Nadu
border. Here, the region is sub-tropical and much
of the river passes through jungle lined hills, which
is rich in wildlife and is reserved land.The first
anglers to pioneer fishing on the Cauvery in
modern times was the Abu team, and Paul Boote in
the late seventies and followed a few years later by
Dave Plummer who has since set up a guided
escorted angling service for English angler desired
to fish on the Cauvery River56. Notable captures in
recent years have been a 104lb Mahseer caught by
Steve Harper and more recently a huge 118lb
mahseer including many fish between seventy and
ninety pounds in weight.
Tools for angling:
A heavy duty 6-10oz uptide rod, such as a
Shimano Beastmaster uptide is used. Powerful rod
like this for casting large balls of ragi paste and the
„backbone‟ in the rod for turning big powerful fish
in strong currents. A heavy duty 12ft 3lb test curve
carp rod is also useful for spinning.A multiplier reel
that holds at least 150 yards of line is used. Extra
line is required because a big mahseer is capable of
stripping 100 yards of line from reel on its first run.
A reel with a good clutch is also required. Usual
preference is for the Shimano Calcutta 700B an
excellent reel with a good clutch. A line which is
tough enough to withstand the abrasion on the
many rocks that abound on the river is also used.
Most anglers opt for 40lb BS Big Game line which
is very abrasion resistant and tough enough to
withstand the retribution55.
Terminal tackle is also used which is to be kept
simple. Hook links, swivels, and ledger bombs are
now avoided. Threading 40 lb line through some
stiff rig tube of about 3" to 4" long with a rubber
bead either side of the stiff rig tube is done. Rap
some lead strip around the rig tube, and then tie
power gum either side of the two rubber beads21.
This rig is it is snag free and the tubing and rubber
beads help to protect the line against abrasion when
a fish is hooked.Most mahseer fisherman is the
owner SSW hooks, which are strong and very
sharp. For fishing with ragi paste opt for an 8/0
hook, and for live bait "chilwa" fishing. Mostly 6/0
SSW hooks are used47.
Bait: Ragi is one of the best baits for mahseer
fishing on the Cauvery. It is a millet based paste
flavoured with spices, and boiled to form a very
firm rubbery paste which is molded around the
hook as a duck egg sized ball55. The mahseer are
very tuned in to picking this bait up as a food
source and the small fish especially become crazy
on the stuff. This bait would always is the first
choice of most anglers. Freshwater crabs were also
reported to be used very commonly in the Cauvery
valley and were a very effective bait for the
mahseer. This bait is usually tied on to the hook
with cotton or thin mono. It can be difficult to cast
out on heavy gear but can out score any other bait
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Tors and Barbells are angled and mostly fished from under water rocks, boulders, swirls and whirlpools along Cauvery River
Tors and Barbells which are called large carps are angled and mostly fished from under water rocks, boulders, swirls and whirlpools from almost 186 Water Reservoirs and River Water Ecosystems in
India ( B Hemilton 1820 )
on its day. Mahseer are predatory fish and a large
part of their diet involves eating small fish of
various species. So therefore a live bait is an
important part of the mahseer fisherman‟s armory.
The local fishing guides call any live bait “chilwa”.
So any small fish such as a karnatic carp or
whatever is a chilwa used for angling mostly56. The
mahseer has many similar characteristics to a large
Chub. It can be described as an opportunist. A fish
with a veracious appetite but a fish that is wary of
anglers lines and baits. They can be caught on all
the baits but mahseer are also clever fish and not
fall so easy to catch. A roving approach is probably
the best method. Never underestimate the power
of the Mahseer and the challenge, the thrill that it
lives in.
Fishing & Angling Adventure: The
climate in Southern India should never be taken
lightly and typically the temperature each day
reaches 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade.
Fishing sessions are therefore limited to early
morning and late evening sessions to avoid the
intensity of the midday sun1. Much of the mahseer
fishing involves wading into fast flowing rivers full
of large rocks and boulders and the extra grip
gained when wearing felt soled boots is essential
when a big fish is hooked2. Many anglers have an
ultimate fishing ambition – to travel to exotic
places to catch a dream fish. Dave Plummer says,
“I join with many fellow Barbel anglers, my goal
was to travel to India to pursue the mighty
Mahseer. Due to mundane everyday events like
full-time work, parenthood, moving to abroad etc,
this remained a dream until the mortgage was paid
off, the kids flew the nest, and semi-retirement
loomed. I tentatively submitted my plan to “she
who must be obeyed” giving wife Val the option
of: accompanying me to camp on the banks of a
crocodile infested river, living on nothing but
curry”. One dawn morning in January 2009 saw
the small group of anglers, largely consisting
coincidentally of past and present members of the
Barbell Catchers Club, meet up at Bangalore airport
and set out on a bumpy three-hour trip to the river.
In charge of the two week trip was “Big Dave”55 -
head fishing guide for Angling Direct Holidays and
après evening curry raconteur and a veteran of
many Indian trips. The destination turned out to be
a secluded, steep sided valley with the Cauvery
showing the full diversity of its character along the
five-mile length. Stretches of relatively narrow deep
glides were interspersed with rapids that would
whet the appetite of even the most ardent white
water rafter. The entire length was very rocky and
looking through the clear water from the coracles
revealed huge jagged rock formations rising almost
to the surface. Any carp anglers going there
expecting spacious swims big enough to get bed
chairs in would be bitterly disappointed56. For the
most part we were perched on rocks which were at
best merely uncomfortable after an hour or so, but
at worst, were slippery and surrounded by deep,
fast flowing water whirlpools just waiting for you to
lose your concentration. One memorable day was
9
Cauvery Wild Life Sanctaury is part of the Elephant Reserve and is abode of seven species of Mahseer crocodiles, Grizzly Giant Squirrel and River Otters.
Mahaseer Fishing and angling are major water sports
at Cauvery River of Karnataka in India.
when I took Jon and I wading neck deep out into
mid-river to lean against a submerged rock and fish
into the current on the other side. Once at the rock
it was quite comfortable, but the journey out there
was hair-raising55 .Dave Plummer further divulges,
“fortunately the crocodiles don't frequent the mid-
river currents. The tackle used was not normal river
gear – uptide rods capable of casting 6 to 8oz were
coupled with a multipliers loaded with 200 yards of
40lb mono. The business end was relatively
unsophisticated, comprising of a bit of rig tubing
with lead strip wound around it, fixed on the line
by beads and stop knots top and bottom. About
two feet below this was an Owner SS 8/O. The
theory being that on casting out the rig would drift
around in the current until the lead snagged, and
would come free when a fish took the bait, and not
surprisingly tackle loss proved quite heavy. Bait
consisted of either balls of ragi paste the size of an
orange or live chilwa, a small fish. After a few days
fishing in a variety of swims along the length it was
obvious to Jon and I that there were a lot of fish
present, as the soft paste bait was being stripped
off the hook by a stream of small Mahseer and
other species, leaving us with little chance of
hooking any of the bigger fish”. We could still feel
the plucks of the smaller fish as they attempted to
whittle down the bait, but they were still largely
intact after being in the water for a couple of hours.
Jon opened our account with the first sizeable fish
of 24lb hooked from the bank on the fourth
afternoon. It snagged him up mid-river and he had
to go out in a coracle in order to free it. On the
fifth day of the trip, having lost a couple of bigger
fish (the hook pulled out of the first and the line
shredded on the second) on previous days, I landed
a 26.00 silver Mahseer. I had set myself a target of a
20 pounder from the trip, so I was very pleased
with this fish and I felt the pressure was off. 64
pounds of Mahseer magic.Plummer further says,
“In fact it was the start of a golden few days for me
as later on, after the evening curry, I felt an urge to
have another couple of hours, so I went down to
the bank near the camp and cast in a boilie that was
still on from the previous session. Three minutes
later I had a long steady pull and hooked into a very
powerful fish. I managed to attract the attention of
the others whilst keeping it out of the snags and
eventually landed a 64 pounder. During the next
few days I had further fish of 51lb and 40lb both
coming after dark. The bigger of the two was a
particularly memorable capture, as it was the only
sizeable fish I caught when a guide was present,
which was a good thing as we were fishing from a
coracle and the fish pulled us all over the river in
the pitch black. If it been just Jon and I there, we
would have finished up in the ocean! Jon also took
fish to several 47lb 8oz and so we delighted with
our success .Stuff of dreams a 51lb Mahseer”.Dave
maintains, “finally, in addition to the fishing, the
scenery and indigenous wildlife were spectacular
deer, mongoose, wild boar, otters, giant Indian
squirrels, and crocodiles were in abundance49. The
latter species keeping its distance during the day,
but were noticeably more inquisitive at night. The
10
Chubs, number of bait fishes, crabs, frogs, minnows, earthworm, insects, flies of more than 13 centimeters are reported to be used as lure or spinner in silver, gold, blue and green colors for Tor & Barbell fishing and angling along Cauvery River.
one animal that we did not see was elephants, but
we heard them several times and often spotted
fresh droppings and tree damage during the
morning walks to the swims. It was truly
unforgettable trip and I hope to return sometime in
the not too distant future”.Live bait fishing can be
the best way to cath the Golden Mahseer and the
bigger baits that preferably and normally stop any
smaller Mahseer stealing the bait before the bigger
fish get to it50. Tackle is put together from pieces
that is considered good from all fishing areas in the
Himalayas and perfect set up for the Northern
Mahseer is -9ft, 2.75lb rods, medium size 65 size
reels, 20lb ice blue line, hooks from size 1-3/0 in
the strongest patterns. This setup allows to get into
position on rocks and good casting spots along the
river and then put the bait right in front of the
fish55. One cab try to get a good look in the pools
from a high vantage point before making a cast,
and with the crystal clear water one can then direct
where in the pool to cast.
Spinners, Spoons and Lure Fishing:
Spinning and lure fishing for Mahseer is the
second form of fishing for the north India Mahseer
and they can be deadly at certain times of the year
when the fish are up in the water feeding well in the
pools and rapids. The spinner or lure can be
worked from different parts of the river to mimic
wounded and fleeing baitfish. So it was considered
important to work the spinner or lure in different
angles, depths and speeds to try and find what the
fish like. Colors of lures for Mahseer are reported
to be very simple silver, gold, blue/white,
white/green, fire tiger, brown and black. These are
the colors that the fish encounter each day when
hunting bait fish, crabs, frogs, flies, fruit and pretty
much anything that looks good for a meal56. Size is
very important with spinners and lures and nothing
bigger that 13 Cm should be used as it‟s very
important to match the lure to the size of the
baitfish.
Jointed and single piece lures should always be
in the tackle box next to a couple of spinners and a
few spoons (1-2oz 5-10cm ) making up a large part
of the Mahseer anglers tackle box51. Hooks need to
be swapped to better quality ones on any shop
bought lures as they are just not up to the job when
Mahseer are around. Stainless steel split rings and
hooks are thought to be essential for this style of
angling as Mahseer have huge throat teeth so
powerful they can crush solid spoons with ease and
crush hooks without even a signal on the rod tip56.
Conclusion:
Among Indian Mahaseers, Tor mussallah, Tor
khudree is the most important food and game fish
of Karnataka in India. It constitutes an outstanding
fishery in Cauvery River of South India. However
building of dams, tourist infrastructure, human
disturbance, vulnerability to poaching and hunting
during hatchlings stage, gill netting and dynamiting
during November to April every year along the
entire stretch of Cavuery river are threats of
enormous pressure on natural spawning breeding
grounds of the fish causing incessant morality of
brood and juvenile fish indiscriminately.
Mahseer fish in India is declining due to low
recruitment of the fish. Stocking rivers and
reservoirs with mahseer hatchlings may be essential
in the long run to restore fishery. Stringent
protection and conservation of wild life in the
protected area of Cauvery River Waters along 100
Km stretch within Karnataka and Tamilnadu
borders may fetch improvement of habitat.
Climate change adaptations, mitigation of
adverse impact on environment should be
pioneered by Jungle Lodges and Resorts in
assistance and co operation with Cauvery Wild Life
Sanctuary where number of Eco Development
Committees along Cauvery River may be involved
in Community Development, creation of income
and generation of employment activities in order to
reduce pressure on the fish.
11
Acknowledgements:
Article is the outcome of long awaited response to
the queries of number of friends and colleagues working
around Cauvery Wild Life Sanctuary specifically those
multitude of stakeholders who were inquisitive about
“assortment of interventions” in terms of conservation
of biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems of Cauvery River
in order to spruce up replenishment of this heavily
burdened creature struggling for its survival and long
term sustenance in and around such protected areas.
Write up is work of compilation of various studies,
research notes and excerpts in the following references
specifically from S N Ogale and V N Desai and the
inspiration from Sh B K Singh Chief Wild Life Govt of
Karnataka without which such job would not have been
a reality.
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A K Singh IFS serves presently in Forest
Department of Govt of Karnataka. Cauvery Wild Life Sanctuary Kollegal, Karnataka. India 08224-253027, [email protected] [email protected] 15.05.2011