| I am about to head off on my own fishing holiday | | | | really big fish - either a Golden Mahseer or a |
| abroad. I have just over two weeks to enjoy the | | | | Goonch. The Ken River could offer a surprise |
| delights of three venues in India. Mahseer will be | | | | though as it is less well known and has produced |
| my main target but I'd also like to try a bit of | | | | a 57 kilogram beauty in recent years. |
| catfishing. This article outlines my preparation for | | | | Travel Arrangements |
| anyone about to follow suit. | | | | All my travel arrangements are pre-booked. This |
| Paperwork | | | | makes sense as I have a lot of travel and want |
| The only paperwork need in advance is a visa. | | | | to spend time doing research and fishing, not |
| Living in China gave me a slight headache in that I | | | | waiting in line for tickets. |
| had to travel a long way just to make the | | | | I have a couple of internal flights which are |
| application; and,no, I wasn't allowed to send an | | | | relatively cheap. I am also using several overnight |
| agent. You will need to check local regulations. | | | | trains as these get me close to the chosen |
| The application process was easy. There was a | | | | venues and save a night's accommodation each |
| two page form to be filled out in duplicate, each | | | | time. I know from previous travel in India that the |
| requiring a recent photo. I then needed to have | | | | 2A class is comfortable enough and usually throws |
| copies of my passport and flight booking. | | | | up good conversation with the other passengers. |
| Everything was checked, I paid the fees and was | | | | I have private transfers to each of the fishing |
| gone again in 20 minutes. | | | | venues and my own guide for each of the days. |
| The checking process takes 5 working days | | | | This is essential given my need to get the best |
| (effectively a whole week) and I was unlucky | | | | possible information. For your own trip such costs |
| enough to have a public holiday fall in the middle. | | | | could be shared if you come with friends or a |
| Still, I had paid the fee to have the passport | | | | small group. |
| returned by courier so no worries. | | | | Packing |
| Flights | | | | I always like to travel light and with my cheap |
| Once I discovered that Air Asia flew to India, to | | | | flights I know I'll be severely penalised for excess |
| Tiruchirappalli to be exact, I knew that I could get | | | | luggage. I need to take my SLR camera and |
| a good deal on my flight. I have to overnight in | | | | tripod and want at least two rod/reel |
| Kuala Lumpur in each direction but there is a good | | | | combinations to be able to target both Mahseer |
| budget option near the International Airport used | | | | and catfish. That seems like a tall order but one |
| by Air Asia - the Tune Hotel. | | | | that I have achieved. |
| There are many websites that you could use to | | | | One obvious sacrifice was to cut down on sinkers. |
| find good deals on flights to India. Be a little | | | | I know I will be able to purchase a range of these |
| imaginative and check out international airports in | | | | in India. They are just weight after all. |
| India other than Delhi (DEL) or Mumbai (BOM). See | | | | I also decided on a rucsac rather than a wheelie |
| my Travel Arrangements section below to see | | | | bag - a saving of about 3 lbs. I am not willing to |
| how easy it is to move around once in India. | | | | cut down on the rod tubes though - no point |
| Venues | | | | getting all the way over there to find a broken |
| India is vast and with far more good fishing than | | | | line-guide or worse. I will take a 5 foot 7 inch |
| many people realise, and lot's more still to be | | | | Tufftackle boat rod for Mahseer fishing and a 10 |
| discovered. Choosing two or three venues to | | | | foot Fladen Maxximus travel uptide rod for |
| include in my trip was therefore always going to | | | | catfishing. I will also probably use the latter for lure |
| be hard. | | | | fishing. |
| The flights determined the first venue. | | | | My two reels are an Abu Garcia Amabassadeur |
| Tiruchirappalli is in the south and one of the | | | | 7000i CS Pro Rocket and a Chinese made |
| venues I had in mind was the Cauvery River | | | | large-capacity baitrunner. Both are loaded with |
| (a.k.a. Kauveri River). This river is home to some | | | | about 200 yards of 40lb line. It is advised to bring |
| big Humpback Mahseer (Tor mussullah) as well as | | | | plenty of spare main line to reload after a big |
| other species. There are various fishing camps on | | | | fight. I have about 1200 metres which should be |
| the stretch between Bangalore and Mysore; I | | | | enough to re-spool six times. |
| opted for one of those recommended by my | | | | I have a whole host of hooks from 2/0 to 7/0. |
| local agents. | | | | Part of my research is to determine whether any |
| Of the other six fishing holidays in India offered | | | | patterns work better than others. I have already |
| on my site I could rule out two for being out of | | | | done strength tests at home and thrown three |
| season. A pity as I knew the Himalayan Trout | | | | packets away. I don't want hooks that begin to |
| Adventure region well and fancied catfishing for | | | | straighten before my drag kicks in. |
| Goonch on the Kali River. | | | | Quick note: After a good clean I spent some time |
| As I had to finish my trip in Mumbai and Goa I | | | | checking the drag settings on both reels, marking |
| could also rule out the two trips in the East - | | | | the upper limit with an oil-based pen. I have |
| fishing on sections of the Brahmaputra and its | | | | chosen 10lb pull (about 25% of the line rating) for |
| tributaries. That conveniently left two options both | | | | this upper limit and then tested every other |
| relatively close to Delhi. | | | | component (traces, split rings, swivels etc) to |
| I left it to my agent to sort out the most | | | | double that. A couple of hours well spent if I don't |
| convenient order and so it will be fishing in | | | | end up losing a big one. |
| Corbett National Park first followed by a couple of | | | | For lures I have a couple of old favourites and will |
| nights on the Ken River in the Panna National Park. | | | | also take a couple of the boxes of 6 Mepps lures |
| Both offer a chance of various species of | | | | we are offering as a promotion on the website |
| Mahseer, with the Ramganga and Kosi Rivers at | | | | for all new bookings. It will be good to see which |
| Corbett offering perhaps the best chance of a | | | | of these live up to their killer reputation. |