Blanking in India

OK just a quick report from Himachal Pradesh. I wish I could tell you stories of huge Trout making searing runs across pristine pools, sadly not so.

I stumbled across the river Tirthan on the internet. It's a small (by Indian standards) glacier fed river about 30 miles from Kullu. A tributary of the Parbatti, which eventually joins the Beas, the significant river in the area.

I was concerned with my timing for this trip as the annual monsoon is due to hit around now. I shouldn't have worried! Northern India is suffering an intense heatwave. So, there's no rain to colour up the rivers but the volume of snowmelt, due to higher temperatures, is significantly higher.

So, this 'beautiful clear stream' (as described to me at a tourist office), was actually a raging river, 95% of it was too fast to fish by any method.

The only hope was to fish the little 'pockets' of slower water, behind large rocks for example.

My heavily weighted nymphs searched out these areas pretty well but in 2 days hard fishing, I just had one pull.

The scenary made up for the blank, it was awesome!

Hopefully next time I'll be able to given a catch report, it's a long way to go to blank!!

Small world Ric, our 1970 British Speleological Expedition to the Himalayas was based in Himachal Pradesh about 20 miles North West of Simla. We had a few trips up into the Kulu valley. One of the lads took his fly fishing gear with him but I can?t remember him doing much.
Absolutely beautiful part of the world loved every bit of the three month we spent in India; the other three months were taken traveling over land there and back.
We landed in India just after the monsoon and left early December.

If you make it as far north as Manali there is a great Chinese restaurant, (first on the left as you enter the new town with a curious chimney) and numerous brilliant Tibetan restaurants (try the Momos!).The good eating always makes up for the unpredictable fishing!

Keep us posted!

Very jealous ;-)

Hey ****y I'm in Manali right now! Old Manali though, a couple of miles up a hill from the new town. Strange place this, I seem to be about the only person without dreadlocks and a pony tail. Lots of weed growing wild here, explains it I guess.

I've seen Momos advertised all over the place but haven't tried yet. What are they? I'm enjoying the Thallis though, getting quite used to eating with the right hand!

Momos are absolutely superb. Similar to large ravioli stuffed with meat or veg or both. Come served with a peanut type sauce which varies from mild to burn your ****** off.
Reminding me of nepal last year , are you using your left hand for the local use or have you become a secret toilet paper squirrel ?
keep enjoying yourself.

jim

Ha ha Jim a mixture of both. Mind you, the state of my guts over the last couple of days; not really sure if it's coming out of the right place?

Ric,
Definitely give the momos a try.
The fishing can be a bit unpredictable - like rivers anywhere - last time i went out there mahseer fishing on the Ramganga had the same problem arriving to find the river a raging torrent - not good for lure fishing.
I always enjoy myself out there though even if the fishing is slow, out on the Ganges in October, can't wait.
Hope conditions improve for you.

Gary

There you go... Vegetable momos Ric, they're the future of fishing food! ;-)

If you get the runs try drinking lots of fresh coconut juice. It tastes great, hydrates and generally calms things down.

Keep us posted mate