We all know about the Mahseer. We all know the golden Mahseer of the south, especially, is perhaps the most magnificent freshwater fish that swims. We know about its beauty, its cunning and its power. We know it was for years called the Asian Salmon because of its unique desirability. We know it inhabits rivers that run through the most glorious of jungles. We know you can catch Mahseer in the sight of Crocodiles, Elephants, Leopards and sea Eagles. We know all about this, the palpitating excitement that Mahseer fishing involves. And because we know all about it, I'll stop the romance right there and concentrate on two aspects of this year's trip that I genuinely believe should be of interest to us all. Last year in the north of India and early this year in the south, I've been struck by two vitally important lessons, invaluable for any of us wanting better than average fish.
Strategize! The admirable Misty Dhillon boss of Himalayan Outback reinforced the significance of this vital aspect of fishing just a few months back. Fishing is about thinking. To catch a big fish is like mounting a campaign. A big fish doesn't come along haphazardly, it's the result of an overall plan, of the careful creation of a concept. Of course, some of us have been lucky. A big fish has come out of the blue. But lightning only strikes once. If your life is bound up with big fish, then you've got to strategize.
As I say, you need an overall plan. You've got to decide on what water you're fishing. Whether you're going upstream or downstream. Getting away from the crowd. Going to pools few people fish and, therefore, are serene and unspooked. Perhaps you're going to try a new bait. A new fly. New tackle. A new approach. Big fish are cunning. But you're out-cunning them! So, it doesn't matter if you're after Mahseer in India, Salmon in Scotland or sea Trout in Argentina: if you want the big fish, you need to think.
So you have your overall plan and now you need your intimate plan. You're at the water. You're on a pool. Don't just dive in. Think. View every option. Watch the current. Consider the depth. Look for snags and underwater obstructions. Above all, take as long as it needs to actually look, physically, for your fish. Whether you're on a Mahseer river, a wild brown Trout river, or fishing for steelhead on North America's west coast, this is central.
Let's say you do strategize and let's say you do hook your monster Mahseer, Salmon, Steelhead or sea Trout it matters not. First, your tackle has to be completely up to the job. We lost one massive fish this trip through the most simple of errors. The fish ran and ran and the line on the multiplier got close to the spool. With fifty yards of line left, there was a knot, the reel couldn't give and the fifty pound line parted like pistol shot. The most simple of errors that could so easily have been sorted. Rods, reels, lines, knots and hook points...everything must be up to the job. A fifty pound mahseer or a fifty pound salmon, it matters not. These are fish with the power to detect the slightest of weaknesses.
Before you even hook that monster you've got to plan for every eventuality. Take in the topography of where you are fishing. Where there are rocks or waterfalls, or bridges, or anything that is going to aid the fish in its desire to escape. If a big fish can do it, it will do it, so be prepared for anything to go wrong.
Prepare to keep mobile. A massive Mahseer or an enormous Norwegian Salmon, the power is going to be the same. You've often got to keep mobile, got to follow a fleeing fish. If you're going to do it by foot, really tread carefully and follow fast but with every element of safety that you can muster. If you fall that big fish is gone.
If you can get afloat and pursue your monster from a boat or a coracle, then great. But remember, playing a big fish from a small craft isn't as easy as you'd think. It's hard to tighten up on a fish and you find yourself scooting across the surface when you try. Once you're close to the fish again, it's important to try to get back to the bank to finish the job.
And don't forget to hone your pumping skills. Whether you're on fly, lure or bait, pumping is the skill that lands big fish. Gently raise your rod to the vertical, drawing your monster towards you. Then gradually lower it again, smoothly reeling in the line that you've gained. Repeat this process again and again, only stopping when the fish revolts and is determined to take line off your reel again. It's a method that requires gentle assertiveness and once you get it right, you'll break the spirit of any monster you should ever hook in your life.
John Bailey travelled to India with Angling Travel.
