Aside from the well known trout streams in Himachal Pradesh, or Kashmir where it all started but has now ended, Uttaranchal streams have been nurturing trout since the 1920s, challenging the skills of the best fly fishers, some of whose names we'll protect, for they are innocent as sport is unknown here.
First brought to the country from England in 1880, the Trout has made India a welcome home made even more welcome by the anglers. Well known rivers in Kashmir were modelled after famous beats in England and sportsmen enjoyed the cream of wet fly fishing, which also, incidentally, spawned off several indigenous flies, notably the Demons and Terrors dressed on two or three whipped hooks, but that's another story you can hear from the crew. Soon after, as trout hatcheries and breeding trout proved to be a success, more streams and rivers were scouted for viability of stocking and the appropriate ones stocked. The practice extended to Himachal Pradesh, where soon the Kulu Valley streams were homed by progeny of Loch Leven browns. Trout seed and fry were sent Eastwards to Tehri Garhwal, where another hatchery was established with the Maharaja of Tehri's benediction and to Kumaon which helped stock Nainital Lake (the trout is unknown in Nainital now owing to pollution and the water being too warm) and the upper waters of the Sarju and Kali. Take a 7 or 10 day trip to really fish, as getting there itself is a long exercise.
