Anyone Fancy Another Curry?

Great article Ric. Reading through it brought back so many memories.

It was certainly a life enriching experience.

Having chased around the Himalayas twice in a year, Stu and I will be returning to India next February, this time to have crack at the Cauvery monsters.

If anyone else fancies a curry there are still a few places remaining. The trip is limited to 8 people and the cost will be close to ?2K - it's a fair bit more expensive down south but the fishing is more reliable and the fish are bigger.

It sounds expensive, I know, but it's only the equivalent of smoking 20 cigs a day between now and then...

I have spent the last few years fishing in India. The Cauvery River in the south has the larger fish, most of the fish are taken on bait (ragi). I would use a 9-10ft uptide boat rod, a ABU 6500 reel with 40lb ANDE saltwater line. OWNER Mahseer hooks in a size 0/6 are the best. The best beats are at Galibore, during March/April. But its almost impossible to get on at that time. The beat is run by Jungle Lodges (who have there own website), however Dave Plummer has booked the river for as long as I can remember. Jungle Lodges have two other camps on the Cauvery but the are not as good, I have fished them both, fewer and smaller fish. If you are ok with sitting under a bait rod for Four hours in the morning and another as it gets dark, the CAUVERY IS FOR YOU!!! Jungle Lodges do have two other River camps which are unfished one on the River Kali and the other on the Kabini. The Kabini once held the record fish of over 120lb. If you go also take a large spinning rod with 25lb line. AND GOOD LUCK, I HOPE YOU ENJOY MAHSEER AS MUCH AS I DID.

Fishing for mahseer carries a health warning. You never go once or for an addict like me, you cant keep away. I have fished all over India for many years now. Up north the scenery is spectacular. Was watching Jeremy Wade fish at Pancheshwar last week on Sky. Brought back a few memories of my last trip there.

The Cauvery has the best chance of catching mahseer also of a big fish. There have been a few over 100lb in the last few years. Up north the scenery is spectacular. I do have a camp on the Cauvery www.fishmahseer.com which I go to every year. The BBC were filming an episode of a new BBC2 series there last week which is going out I believe in Sept this year. One of the other episodes is trout fishing in Bhutan, a place I would love to visit. Meant to be big mahseer there as well. Burma is another place to hold big fish - or at least used to. Still a bit of a dodgy place to go especially in the north where the drugs come from.

Both great articles Ric.


You're a braver man then me Gunga Din, as they say in them parts. I couldn't go around those mountain roads.

Those northern roads are incredible. Got taken on a 'short cut' a few years ago and had to keep my eyes closed for part of it. When we eventually arrived in the little town the minibus was surrounded by a group of locals who had had a little too much to drink who proceeded to let the tyres down.'Look European' was the advice we were given. Fortunately Paul Boote and I were experienced Indian travellers and were able to convince the other two guys that things were ok.

The people in India are normally incredibly friendly especially down south. If you have been to Goa you will know what I mean. Worth mentioning is that there has been a big growth in budget airlines in India with Kingfisher, Deccan, Spicejet and Goair all starting up in the last 18months. All brand new planes and a level of service, especially Kingfisher, that show our european budget airlines up. So if you are in Goa for a holiday, fly over to Bangalore for a few days to have a crack at the big mahseer.

Brilliant articles.

That type of adventure is something I would love to do one day, a ong way off at the moment though but once things like the mortgage and kids are no longer a wallet emptier then maybe...

For the time being though the nearest I'll get to a Mahseer is when some knob decides to put a few in a carp puddle !!

trip of a lifetime though, i bet its brilliant just being out there the place looks amazing and catching fish, well that would just be a bonus!
ive decided il go in my gapyear as ive got ?1200 in the bank (its 5,6 years away but theres no harm in dreaming)!

Good thinking Christian you certainly won't regret it!

Another thing about India is that it seems safe. Not on the roads certainly, but you feel safe when you're walking around. In Delhi for example, everywhere you go there are people, often very poor people. I've few doubts that you could easily be ripped off there, but I think you would be very unlucky if you were mugged. Not like most of Europe and America....

I'm hoping to get rid of my mortgage within the next 3 years, pack my job in and go travelling there. I'll definitely make some time to visit the north again.

It's sad that the fishing has been decimated by dynamiting but I guess with population growth out of control, it's inevitable.

for most of us it's dreamland but really well evoked, thanks again, Himalaya kid. When tou've paid off your mortgage I can show you where th lobworms are 20 yds from your front door!!