Superb handling, successful catch & release
We fish responsibly
When you fish with us, these conditions apply
Going mahseer fishing with us, or goonch and trout expeditions, means fishing responsibly. We will set you up with one highly trained gillie for each angler. He will keep you well stocked with fresh bait, and handle your fish responsibly. For our mahseer or goonch Expeditions, there will be an additional guide responsible for the overall legwork, securing permits, etc. Breakfast and supper happen at camp - and there is always tea in the pot. Packed lunches and beverages accompany each rod-gillie pair. If you join us in the autumn season, our evening campfire is a great time winding down and relaxing to tipple and tales.
- All fishing is on a catch and release basis.
- We use landing mats and well trained gillies for good handling of fish.
- Barbless trebles and microbarb single hooks only please. You will have to crimp down the barbs of your hooks, or use our barbless hooks.
- No more than two trebles on plugs. If your lure has three, we'll insist you remove order to avoid damaging the fish.
Flyfishing
Best time: end January till May (slow in March, April) and September-October
Flyfishing for mahseer is a game of endless patience and trial with few rules as far as the fish are concerned. The one thing common is the tackle used and regardless of size, it is still tough to land a mahseer on light tackle. Let's not forget some of the finest waters and beats that'll have you unwinding every technique to get to where the fish are.
For many mahseer (next best thing to big mahseer), one needs to look at a well stocked river. Days of biteless frustration may make you throw away the rod and probably sound the guide out for lack of fish but you need to take a look at the fish to be sure they're there and the bitelessness is just another one of the mahseer's perversions. Small rivers are usually home to more obliging mahseer and if you're fishing on expedition basis, just graduate to a larger one to really feel what a good mahseer does to a single handed fly rod.
Baitfishing
Best time: generally throughout the year. We can prebait for you so there's no chance of blanking.
The most laid back, surefire way to big fish not counting bad luck and to have a true fishing holiday. The biggest fish don't grow big by being silly, especially after they've tasted a plug or two. Of course it's a waiting game and the fish doesn't respect the time you put in.
Part of our conservation efforts take us to places where we get to meet local fishermen- loop-liners, netsmen, night-liners, gill netters and hook-and-line 'anglers'. The big fish others fail to catch are because these are the people who catch them for sale and consumption purposes. Acting on the information collected from them we have managed to score some good fish consistently. Bait fishing is also subject to timing, location and certain specific seasonal needs so please inquire before reserving space.
Spinning
Best time: February till May and then September till end-October
One of the biggest reasons the mahseer is considered among the world's premier gamefish is that it takes artificials quite readily at certain times, in certain places. This makes the affair one more like stalking blindly rather a static game of 'bait and wait'.
Although the best part of a mahseer's diet is vegetation and insects, they seem to respond most reliably to spinning gear- spoons, plugs, fly-spoons. Combined with the water where it is found and the necessity of presenting it with bait in the right spot, spinning happens to be the best way of doing it.
There does seem to be some zen involved in spinning for mahseer- especially if the angler is of the contemplative type. There is much fulfilment in selecting a lure, a patch of water and plying the rod to lure a fish.
Best thing about spinning is that anything can happen- a 2lb fish can take a 6" lure with the same abandon as a 50lb one. And we've caught 60lb fish on 2" plugs, too so there's no telling what may attach itself to the end of your line. To date some of the best fish have been taken on spinning gear.
Pleasure, not food. Respect, not carnage.
We seek pleasure in pursuing our fish and meet it in places of immense character, much like the fish itself. Fishing 'for sport' means releasing the fish we catch. This is not only out of respect for an endangered creature, but also because our livelihoods are tied to it's existence.
Bags mentioned by Victorian and Edwardian anglers seem incredulous because the picture today is very different. The mahseer is concentrated in very few waters and nowhere near Victorian numbers. Most mahseer live around Hindu temples or wildlife sanctuaries, but are subject to predation the moment they move from these protected habitats.
You can still expect bags in double digits with us depending on the water, timing and location.