An Event For The History Books

Now folks, tell me, what is there not to love about the following image? It is truly unparalleled and groundbreaking - a stuff for the history books:

The happy convergence of GOOD and EVIL - Buddhist monks happily performing the inaugural ceremony of the official launch of high-end recreational fishing in Tsirang - proof that the men of God now sanctifies fishing as an act condoned by Buddhism.

The launching of the high-end recreational fishing in Tsirang and Dagana Dzongkhags (Districts) was conducted with traditional fanfare and pomp - replete with red-robbed monks murmuring holy chants for success and good luck. The Tsirang Divisional Forest Office’s Facebook page announced the event in following words (Do not miss out on the wrongly spelt name of the fish):

“With the amendment of Forest & Nature Conservation Rule 2021, the Department of Forests and Park Services has opened High-end Recreational Fishing in the country. For more sustainable and recreational fishing purpose, the rivers of Bhutan are categorized into Trout water and Masheer water. The High-end recreational fishing site for Golden Mahseer zone II, Sunkosh Stretch - Punatsangchu was launched on 13th March 2023. Tsirang Forest Division in collaboration with Nature Conservation Division, Department of Tourism and Dagana Forest Division initiated the launching program. During the launching, 4 International Angler in collaboration with Bhutanese anglers started the High-end recreational fishing from Sunkosh river stretch. The High-end recreational fishing is exclusively for catch and release purpose only.”

Bhutan’s brand new high-end tourism product is intended to draw in the global game-fishing community, by the hoards. Sadly, that will have to remain a pipe dream - unless the Bhutanese bureaucrats learn to shed their decades old mentality of framing rules to restrict - rather than to facilitate. The Forest and Nature Conservation (Amendment) Rules and Regulations of Bhutan, 2021 recently released by the DoFPS is one such example. It is clear that the government has, yet again, tapped into the wrong pool of minds.

One particular provision contained in the rules explicitly prohibits fishing for the star attraction - the prized Golden Mahseer - during a period and in areas where/when they are known to be most productive. Another provision reeks of self-interest and selfishness - it is clear that the rule has been influenced by some interest groups.

The mighty Golden Mahseer (Tor putitora) hooked and landed at Changchey, Tsirang on 29th October, 2020. For the world angling community elsewhere in the world, a Golden Mahseer this size is .... well, stuff of dreams.

It is hoped that the DoFPS will see through their folly and remedy the flaws in the rules, in order that the objectives of introducing game fishing in the country serves its intended purpose. I, on my part, will be attempting to contribute to the national cause, by sharing my experience of over forty years of fishing the Bhutanese waters for Golden Mahseer and Brown Trout, with the relevant agency in the government. So far there has been no indication that the government is receptive to sound counsel from home-grown talent pool - but citizens have to do our duty, and keep trying, nonetheless.

Introduction of Game Fishing in Bhutanese Waters

Recently the Kuensel newspaper featured an article titled “Fly-fishing, a prospective eco-tourism service”. I see a number of problems with the article. It may be that the reporter misreported the matter or the rules may have been framed with an incomplete understanding of the issues related to fishing.

A school of Golden Mahseer jostling towards the tributary river Dhichhu in Wangduephodrang, Western Bhutan. The fish is locally known as Ser Nya.

With specific reference to the Kuensel article, I would like to point out the following:

“Recreational fishing, also known as fly-fishing …..”

This is wrong. Fly-fishing is NOT recreational fishing - it is one of the many forms of fishing used by the angling class of fishermen/fisherwomen - whether for recreation, consumption or for sale.

“According to the regulation, angling for recreation strictly prohibited use of bait of any kind”

This is another problem - how is one supposed to attract and catch fish without the use of baits, also known as lures? The whole enterprise of fishing involves the use of attractive baits - to mislead the fish into believing that it is seeing a sumptuous meal passing by it, or dangling before it. Other than Trap Fishing or Net Fishing, all other forms of fishing use baits to lure fish to bite.

Types of baits

There are two types of baits: Live Bait and Artificial Bait.

Live Baits: These are the bait of choice - for its sheer productivity. However, anglers rarely use them since they are cumbersome and hard to come by. These baits come in various forms:  live worms, fingerlings, prawns, crabs, shrimps, squids, chicken liver, lumps of kneaded dough diced with ant eggs, raw chicken chunks, sliced orange halves, etc. etc.

Artificial baits: These are man-made baits made of none-natural materials. They come in the form of: flies, spinners, spoons, plugs, jigs, etc. etc. Some also come in Balsa Wood in the form of Plugs.

I get the feeling that the rule “strictly prohibited use of bait of any kind” could have been misinterpreted to mean that the use of Live Bait is prohibited. I know of the existence of the rule in Bhutan that prohibits the use of live baits – the logic being that use of live baits kills two lives.

“The angling season is closed during fish spawning in all trout waters in November and December, and for Mahseer water in June, July, and August”

I have always been skeptical about the rule that bans trout fishing during, what the rules state, Spawning Period. In Bhutan, spawning months for Brown Trouts are designated as November and December. Scientific records say that in the Northern Hemisphere, fish spawn during the fall (autumn) months which falls between September 1 to November 30, meaning that Brown Trouts spawn during these months.

Even worst, the banning of fishing for Mahseer during the months of June to August is a terrible idea. The reason is that the Mahseer is a migratory fish and it is said to migrate to its original spawning areas, to perpetuate life. It is known to migrate during these very months.

June – August are monsoon months. During this time, the volume of water in the rivers swell, which enables the Mahseers to travel upstream to the places where they have been spawned. During times when the water in the river is low, these mighty fish cannot make the run, due to their huge size. Therefore, banning fishing during the prime season does not seem like a good idea. Also, researchers are finding that spawning among migratory fish takes place in the tributaries, while fishing is done on the main river.

“They are allowed to use fly-fishing or spin-fishing rods and reels, and artificial flies or lures”

What about Bait-casting Rods and Reels? Why is this excluded from the list? The most used gear for fishing are: Fly-fishing, Spinning-casting and Bait-casting. A rudimentary explanation of fishing and types of gear are given in my following posts:

https://yesheydorji.blogspot.com/search?q=All+about+fishing

“Only a single barbless hook is allowed for recreational fishing……..”

What about barbless treble or double hooks? Why are these two hooks disallowed? I get the feeling that it is because the philosophy behind the use of barbless hooks is misunderstood.

Types of baits with barbed/barbless hooks

The merit behind use of barbless hooks in Catch-N-Release fishing

Use of barbless hooks is supposed to give the fish a fighting chance at escape. The barbless hook can come off easily when the fish struggles to escape, while the barbed hook will sink deeper even as the fish fights to escape. Thus, particularly in Catch-N-Release fishing, no damage will be caused to the fish while unhooking for release. The barbed hook, on the other hand, could cause bleeding while trying to unhook the fish since it is not easy to unhook a barbed hook.

Particularly where an angler is inexperienced, he/she may not be able to set the hook in a way that it will not cause damage to the fish. A damaged or bleeding fish is a dead fish - irrespective of whether you release it back into the water or not.

An experienced angler ought to know the proper way of releasing a fish back into the water - there are precautions to be taken while doing so. If the angler does not know, do our fishing guides know? If not they have to be instructed suitably.

Catch-N-Release fishing as a high-end tourism product

I am encouraged that the government is going to allow game fishing in the country. It is a good move. Now lets see we do a good job of it - by making sure that we do not hash it up with unreasonable and impractical rules and regulations.

All About Fishing: Part III of III

In my last and final 3-parts blog on fishing, I would like to present my rods, reels and lures that I have used over the years. Some of them have been with me from the start of my fishing journey – testimony that if you pay good money, your purchases will last you a lifetime. I am also happy to say that other than a number of lures, I have never lost a reel, or broken a rod.

RODS

I own 9 rod sets – all made of carbon fiber blanks and designed for the bait casting form of fishing. Of the nine, 3 are single piece: 2 for Mahseer and one for Trout. Single piece rods are stronger but cumbersome to carry. But these rods can reel in Mahseer of upto 70 KGs – and trout of up to 12 KGs - not that there are any fish in that weight class surviving in the wild.

A Classic 2-pieces rod set from Abu Garcia of Sweden

Custom crafted for me - one piece Mahseer Rod with blanks by Tamer of USA

Real brute of a rod - single piece rod by Shimano of Japan

Single piece trout rod custom crafted for me in 1994

I have 2 rods that are of 2-pieces construction. They both come with pistol-grip handles. One is a classic by Abu Garcia of Sweden. The other is a custom crafted rod specially built for me in Singapore. The blanks are by G-Loomis of USA.

Two pieces classic rod set by Abu Garcia of Sweden

Custom crafted for me in Singapore - two pieces rod set with reel seat made of wood

I have one rod set that comprises of 3 pieces – the blanks are by SAGE of USA and is also a part of a family of rods that is very special to me.

Three pieces rod set custom crafted for me by a rod builder in Singapore - blanks are by SAGE of USA

I have another 2-pieces rod set constructed by Shimano of Japan which I bought in 1986 and forms a part of the family of rods that I hold dear.

Original rod set made by Shimano of Japan - my first and most loved rod set

Two pieces rod set custom crafted for me - with blanks by G-Loomis of USA

The most valuable and precious rod set I have is a pretty unique one. It is crafted by Shimano of Japan and I am told it is the only rod model in the whole world for which a special issue of reels were built to pair with it. I know a rod builder in Singapore who has that particular reel for this rod. When he saw that I had the rod, he was ecstatic and wanted to buy it off me – because he said he had the reel built for the rod. I said, I have a better idea - let us do it the other way round – let me buy that reel off you. He said NO. And I wasn’t willing to sell mine to him – so we had no deal.

During a fishing trip some 20 years back, one friend slammed the car door on this rod’s tip and smashed it out of service. I was heart broken because I loved the rod – its medium action, its length, its aluminum reel seat with rubber pistol grip. I could not imagine giving up the rod. Thus I made a trip to Singapore – with an endeavor to do something with the damaged rod and make it even more meaningful. I hunted for a rod builder with special skills and tooling - to build me rods that would adapt to the aluminum rod handle. I located one – he knew exactly what I wanted. He machined aluminum parts on a special lathe machine – that enabled two different rod blanks to be slotted into the aluminum rod handle. Thus I turned a defunct rod into a family of 3 rods sharing the same rod handle. An example of how to turn a disaster into something even more meaningful. The following is the special rod set of three rods using one common rod handle.

My Most special collection - three rod sets that fit into one unique aluminum rod handle and reel seat

MY MULTIPLIER REELS

As I said earlier, I am into bait casting form of fishing. I have 8 multiplier reels: 4 for the mighty Mahseer and 4 for trout. The black one by Abu Garcia called Ambassadeur F-I-V-E is my first and thus the oldest reel I own.

My collection of multiplier reels

MY LURES

Initially I started off my fishing journey with metal spinner baits. Over time I graduated to plug baits. They attract bigger fish and are more effective and makes for better casting. Some of these plugs are made of plastic and some are made of Balsa wood which tend to be more expensive.

A small selection of my collection of Plugs

ROD HOLDERS/CASES

It is important to protect what you have. I have a number of rod cases that protect my rods during transportation and on fishing trips.

A variety of sturdy rod cases by Plano of USA that fit all

MY FISHING RECORDS

My biggest Mahseer catch weighed in at 27 KGs. My biggest brown trout was caught at Zomlingthang, Punakha. It weighed an impressive 7 KGs.

All About Fishing: Part – II of III

A successful fisherman is by design and not by accident. As everything else in life, to succeed in fishing one needs to work hard – at fact gathering about suitable equipment, feeding habits of the fish, vegetation types, seasonal food available to the fish during a given season and, above all, their preferred hiding places. It is surprising that the same fish species will not feed on the same type of food in different locations. I have also discovered that they do not live and hide in the same type of cover and vegetation. Their habits seem to vary depending upon different vegetation and perhaps level of oxygen and altitude.

In some locations the fish hide under overhangs, around river-weeds - in others they live and prey around rocks and boulders. Some take the bait in the middle of the river – others at the far end of the riverbank. Unfortunately all these are something you cannot always be prepared for – you will have to learn as you fish the rivers. However, what you can be prepared for all the time is a selection of a set of tackles that will consistently deliver under all situations.

Fishing Line

There is no point in hooking a lot of fish if you cannot land them. Thus a strong and dependable fishing line is important. You have to be able to reel-in the fish you hook and not lose it to a snapped line. There are really only three choices available to us, when it comes to casting fishing lines:

1.  Monofilament

2.  Multi Braid

3.  Fluorocarbon

Mono lines have been there for a long time. The multi braid or braided lines came much later. I use the multi braid because they are stronger; have no memory and are stiff as hell – so hook setting is faster because of lack of elasticity. Because of their superior dia-to-strength ratio, one can load more lines into a reel providing you with longer distance run – if you have to run with the fish so that you do not end up running out of line. Mono on the other hand is thicker in diameter, retains memory and tends to kink easily.

I have not used the fluorocarbon lines.

Three of the primary line types

Lures & Baits

While the rod, reel, line and quality of trebles all matter to a great degree for a successful fishing trip, I have learnt that the bait or the lure is the one that attracts the fish to take the bite. Thus the selection of the bait is crucial. Obviously, your choice of baits will depend on the type of fish you are after. But in Bhutan there are only two fish types that we can look forward to hooking – the mighty Mahseer and the introduced Brown Trout. These two fish are at the opposite end of the scale – one is big game and the other is small game.

The following are the bait types that are available for our kind of fish.

Spinners

Spinners are handy for small fish – like the trout. My favorite spinners are the following. But I no longer use spinners since I find that the plugs yield better and bigger results – small time fish is not my game.

The wobbler called the Tasmanian Devil is an ugly looking bait from Australia - but a very successful bugger. Some Bhutanese anglers never use anything but this strange looking and behaving piece of plastic.

Plugs for small game

The following are my favorite for Brown Trout:

My choice of plugs for trout

Plugs for big game:

My favorite plugs for the monster Mahseer are the following. They have been very productive for me – I have landed a 27 KGs Mahseer with the Abu Garcia “Hi-Lo” – at a place called Sheytey Kharey in Kalikhola.

My favorite lures for the big fellows

I carry more than 2 dozen lures on a fishing trip – but most often I end up using only two of the baits – Rapala’s "Count down Minnow" and Abu Garcia’s "Hi Lo" for Mahseer. For Trout – the same – I end up using the “Fat Rap” and “Count Down” every time – both by Rapala of Finland.

IMPORTANT TIP

I have noticed that the original treble hooks that come with the plugs/spinners/wobblers are not so durable or strong enough. Particularly for our river types where the flow is swift and strong, we need stronger treble hooks that do not flatten out or are brittle and break with the force of the fish’s tug and pull. Thus, I order special treble hooks by Mustad – called the "Short-Shank" – and replace the original trebles with these much stronger and shorter hooks.

All About Fishing: Part - I of III

In the mid 1980’s I was absolutely fanatical about fishing – even more than photography. I was so keen on it that I never attended office after lunch – afternoon was reserved for fishing – every day, all year round. In order that I could go fishing, my day would start at 4AM in the morning. By lunchtime I would end my day’s work. Without fail I would then head for the riverbanks – for fishing.

Some of the friends from those days remember my romance with fishing --- so they have been asking me to show them my gear. Thus, instead of bothering them to come over to my home – I decided to show them here – so that other readers may get to see my collection of fishing gear – that is second to none.

Before I get to my gear list, I believe that it is important for readers to understand a little about what fishing is all about.

The Fundamental Differences

There are few dozen ways in which to do fishing – but in game fishing the three most popular are: spinning, bait casting and fly-fishing. Fly-fishing is a truly graceful form of fishing – some contend that it is for the nose-in-the-air types – but not very productive. For sheer productivity, it has been my experience that bait casting is the true jawbreaker – so bait-casting form of fishing is my choice.

But it is not easy to master bait casting – in fact it is difficult – that is why most shun it. Spin casting is lot easier by comparison. It is my belief that there are less than 10 people in whole of Bhutan who have mastered the art of bait casting form of fishing.

Different Types Of Fishing Reels

While the spinning reel is fixed to the under part of the rod handle, the bait casting reel is mounted on top of the rod handle. Thus, given the manner in which the rods are constructed to suite the choice of reel, the rod's "spine" or "backbone" is on the opposing sides of the rod blank.

Types of Rods & Reels

How the spinning/casting reels are mounted on the fishing rod handle

Bait casting and spin casting employ two completely opposing ways in which they deliver the bait. In the case of the spinning reel, it is the weight of the bait that pulls the fishing line out of the reel’s line spool, as it travels through the air. The reel’s line spool remains static – it does not spin. Thus the moment the bait stops traveling through the air or lands on the water, the line’s motion stops. Thus there is very little chance of a bird’s nest being formed on the reel.

The bait casting reel on the other hand works completely differently. In this case, it is the reel’s line spool that spins and throws out the line as the bait shoots through the air, upon casting. Thus, even if there is the slightest of mismatch between the speed at which the bait travels through the air, and the timing of your release of the line and angle of the rod that will control the line flow, you are in for a serious case of bird’s nest. Also, unlike in the case of the spinning reel, in the case of the bait casting reel, the spinning of the reel’s line spool does not stop even when the bait has stopped traveling – thereby causing a huge bird’s nest.

Tangled line – called a Bird’s Nest

Being able to master the precision and timing takes months – thus not many are tempted to take up bait casting form of fishing. But if you have the tenacity and patience to master the art, you will be rewarded with a number of advantages (too numerous to list here) over the spinning reel.

King of Fresh Water Game Fishing

Feast your eyes on the following monster of a fish - called the Golden Mahseer (Tor putitora) - regarded as the king of fresh water game fishing. My own records of this fish are: 27 KGs in Tingtibi, 23 KGs in Sheytikharey, Kalikhola, 19 KGs in Harachhu, Wangdue, 15 KGs in Burichhu, Tsirang and 13 KGs in Piping, Chhukha.

The above fish was caught day-before-yesterday at Changchey, Tsirang. I have no idea what it weighed - but my guess is it would weigh about 20 KGs minimum. If you happen to hook this fish near a rush, your goose is cooked - it will drag you for close to a mile downstream. The trick ofcourse is to trick it to turn its head upstream so that it cannot make a dash against the current. If it turns its head downstream, a fish this size will most likely be not landed - you either run out of line or the fish will snap the line with sheer force of its pull. I have also known the fish to dash the lure against a boulder - in an attempt to unhook itself.

If you do manage to hook one of these beauties, I can guarantee you that the adrenaline rush would be well .... subliminal!

Mahseers are migratory fish - thus if it is still in Changchey - it can only mean that the fellow is a resident - a rarity but not uncommon. This is almost November - they should have already headed for the Bay of Bengal by now.

Chasing the Mighty Golden Mahseer

I just returned from a 4-days fishing trip to Tsirang. This time we were aiming for the mighty Golden Mahseer (Tor putitora). The Golden Mahseer is an endangered fish species found in Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan. Biggest and strongest among fresh water fish, the Golden Mahseer is perhaps the most sought after fresh water game fish. They can grow upto 9 ft. in length and over 54 Kgs. in weight. In Bhutan they can be found in Punatsangchhu in the West, Tingtingbi in the central, Dangmechhu and Kurichhu in the East and Kalikhola, Panbang, Manas and Yangbari in the south.

Hooking a Mahseer is tough - but landing it is even tougher. I know of a friend who struggled to land a Mahseer for over two hours - unsuccessfully. At the end, he had to cut the line in frustration since he had no more energy left to fight the fish.

The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) accepts Belgian angler Frank Van de Wyer as the world record holder for his catch of 19.96 Kgs. (44 lbs) Golden Mahseer, caught in the Sayru river in north-central India. This is minuscule compared to Bhutan’s record of 35 Kgs. – the Golden Mahseer was caught in Homa Khola, Kalikhola on 25th September, 1978.

Photographic evidence of Bhutan's record catch - note that the fish is taller than the pony to which it is strapped.

My own record catches are: 27 Kgs. in Sheyteykharey, Kalikhola, 23 Kgs. in Tingtingbi and 19 Kgs. in Harachhu in Wangdue. The fish below was caught by me on July 14, 2016 at Burichhu, Tsirang. It weighed in at an impressive 15 Kgs. My tousled hair and sweating red face is evidence of the struggle I went through to land this king of fresh water game fish!

My latest catch of the Golden Mahseer. Landing this beauty was a tough job because it was hooked at a very difficult place in Burichhu, Tsirang. At the end of the struggle, the fish broke one of the three treble hooks of my Balsa wood plug bait called the Jointed Minnow made by Rapala of Finland.

The Mahseer is not all about monsters - cute little babies too are game.

A cute little baby Mahseer weighing about 3 Kgs. After a pat or two, the baby fish is released back to the water.

However, both the monster and the baby are released back to the water - after the photo shoot. This practice is called “Catch-N-Release”. There are others who practice “Catch-N-Haves” :)-

Fishless in Punakha

I just returned from a 9-days fishing trip to Punakha. Not a productive trip but a very fulfilling one, nonetheless. I am usually considered the man-about-camp, as far as number of catches is concerned. I have always been depended upon to reel in the stew but in seven days of working the frigid river every morning and afternoon, I did not land a single fish. Others in the group had no better luck either - all of their efforts failed to yield a catch. Two of the support team had better luck - they caught a few good-sized Brown Trouts (Salmo truta); one of them (Lungten) even managed to false-hook a local variety called the Snow Trout (Schizothorax richardsonii) a rarity since this specie of fish are bottom feeders and do not normally take baits.

  Snow Trout (Schizothorax richardsonii)

The photo below shows a catch of Brown Trout made by one of the support team members named Chado.

 Brown Trouts (Salmo truta)

Talking of Brown Trouts, you may wish to know that this fish specie is not native to Bhutan. The late Prime Minister Jigme Palden Dorji imported the fingerlings from Kashmir and introduced them to our rivers and lakes some six decades back.

We fished every inch of the river - we fished from the river banks; we climbed onto boulders and driftwood to cast our baits and spinners and flies. We fished from atop the rubber boat; we wadded waist deep into the freezing water, we spin-cast, we bait-cast and we fly-fished. In desperation, I and a friend even resorted to my signature “dredging operation” which involves sweeping the bottom of the river with multiple flies strung on a leader weighed down by lead split shot sinkers. Simply NOTHING! At the end of the 7th day, we decided that the river must have been severely depleted of fish stock provably caused by last years flooding of the river as a result of huge mud slid in Gasa area.

For those of you who understand fishing, look at the following impressive inventory of fishing gear I used during the trip. 

Rod Handle: 
My machined aluminum pistol-grip Bait-Casting rod handle is a vintage model made by Shimano of Japan. It is said that this is the only rod in the whole world for which Shimano designed a specific reel to pair with it. It comes with the distinctive marking engraved on the back of the aluminum reel seat that reads “Designed for Professionals”. I have been using the same rod handle for the past 35 years. During a fishing trip a few years back, a friend slammed the car door on my original rod tip and smashed it out of service. Thus the present rod that slides into the rod handle is a retrofit - custom built for me by a rod builder based in Singapore. My name is inscribed on it - in gold.

Rod Blank:
The rod blank is by Sage of USA. It is a fast action, three-piece design and is 6 ft. in length. All the Guides are made of gunmetal to ensure strength and smooth flow of line.

Bait-casting Reel:
My reel is an open face bait-caster made by Shimano. This premium CALCUTTA model is made of Diecast aluminum frame combined with graphite. With this silky smooth reel, I can cast a #2 bait across the Wangchu.

Line:
I use Berkley FireLine Braids - 15 lbs TEST, to fill the deep, deep spool of my Shimano reel. This high technology braided line was a national secret of the US during the cold war era. The line is extremely thin and so strong that CIA issued them to their field agents as standard issue weapon of espionage - to choke KGB agents to death. Only after the end of the cold war, this product was released as a consumer product.

Baits & Lures:
I use Rapala brand of artificial baits. They are the world leader in artificial baits, originating in Finland. Their models such as Fat Rap, Jointed Minnow and Countdown Minnow are my favorites. They are made of Balsa wood. These lures, shaped like fish, mimic the movements of a wounded fish as they cut through the water.

These lures’ success is based on a simple fact of life: Big Fish Eat Small Fish.