2008-Year of the Mahseer

[Mack The Knife]

How much did that fish that you caught, weigh.49.99kg?

Already?

[eljefe]

penpusher-Guess??
Here's another-Kenneth with his gold
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/7218/dsc00818pb8.jpg

Mack The Knife-Reel was Shimano 8000 baitrunner.
You're too kind about the cauvery danda-It was christened a lot of names including the bargepole!
Lucky I didnt take the BM / Penn combo-major big water to cast...am shifting over to a 10-50g AX STC 6 pc asap.Any shimano reels to match?

[Mack The Knife]

Mack The Knife-Reel was Shimano 8000 baitrunner.

Makes sense if you were going to put your feet up and ledger or float but isn't it far too heavy for spinning or trolling? I am assuming the boat did not have rod holders.

Shimano do not have a STC rod in the 10-50 gram casting weight category, be it the Speedmaster, Beastmaster or Exage range. The closest you will get to that specification with a STC rod is 15-40 grams or 20-50 grams. The former is available in the 8'/9' or 9'/10' range and the latter only in the 10'/11' range. If it were me, I would buy a TFO 7' 3-piece travel rod rated for 10 to 25 lb line and having a 1/2 to 1 1/2 oz casting weight. If I had to buy a Shimano only, I would restrict myself to the 8'/9' length rod.

If you are going to be using braid a 4000 size front drag reel should be adequate for those waters. The exact model would depend on how much you want to spend.

What do the chaps who have actually fished these waters using braid have to say?

The Daiwa Exceler 4000 reel is proving to be an excellent VFM reel and at the moment it's my go to reel for murrel, rohu and mahseer at the WASI stretch.

[eljefe]

With the danda, it wasnt anyways heavy...no rod rest, pool cue position
THANKS for the stc info, I think I'll settle for the 8/9'- depends on whats available at s'pore
Excelers available in bangalore?$$?
All the guys in the gang were 8/9' with braid, some old salts were on 15lb mono (for years!)
10-14lb fireline/ Braid is quite ideal for these wide open waters, only, using deep divers, we lost a couple of lures and spoons.But all strikes were with deep divers...
ps-have you seen ax stc on cabelas?

[Mack The Knife]

No, you cannot get the Exceler in Bangalore. It costs $80.00 at Cabelas and if I am not mistaken it's $10.00 cheaper at Tackle Direct.

If you are going to use braid, you could well consider the 3000 size as it is approximately 3 oz lighter and that does make a difference when you are spinning constantly for a few hours.

ps-have you seen ax stc on cabelas?

They aren't available at Cabelas.

[Risala]

The point about rod/reel/line was debated at length,for Indian conditions it was concluded that a Med/Hy-Lt rod with a 15/20 lbsline would do just fine,irrerespective of size of the fish (Mahseer)
Vijay,Lalaji,Henry have regularly caught 10 to 20 Kg fish on 15 lb lines,tis what they use all the time incl when fishing in fast flowing waters ,in fact the rod Henry gave me was a lt 4 pc travel rod by Silver Creek on which he has caught his biggest Mahaseer & Salmon both around 25 plus lbs.Incidentally am looking for a light reel to load 15 lbs fire line for this one,..Pl suggest did see the Diawa on IA.
Best

[Mack The Knife]

The point about rod/reel/line was debated at length,for Indian conditions it was concluded that a Med/Hy-Lt rod with a 15/20 lbsline would do just fine,irrerespective of size of the fish (Mahseer)

They probably meant North India. Using 15 to 20 lb line on the Cauvery would be irresponsible because more often than not a reasonable size fish is going to break the line on the rocks and you then have a fish with a hook in its mouth. To say nothing about the trailing line which could entangle a bird or fish.

Bear in mind that the lighter line recommendations are from very experienced anglers who have more than a couple of tricks up their sleeve when it comes to fighting a fish. Anand was using 14lb Berkley Iron Silk when he caught his first mahseer day before yesterday on what would be considered a pretty snag free stretch but the line still got frayed. And this with a mere 4 kg fish.

Was there a consensus on rod length for mahseer fishing up north? Down south the 9'6" uptide rods tend to rule the waters but I have made the switch to a 7'0" boat rod that has a 20 to 40 lbs line rating and 1 to 6 oz. casting weight. I don't know how well this will work as I have yet to fish with it.

Incidentally am looking for a light reel to load 15 lbs fire line for this one,..Pl suggest did see the Diawa on IA.

The Daiwa Theory 4000 size is 1.3 oz heavier than the Exceler 4000 but if you are not going to be doing a lot of spinning from a confined space, say a coracle with a few people in it, it should be just fine. If you are only going to spool up with braid, then the 2500 size should also be fine provided it puts out a decent amount of drag. You can ask Pran about the Theory 4000 as he bought one recently.

[Risala]

Rusty
Agreed that experinced anglers always pull one out of the bag,but that said,Asif's brand new 30 lb braid snapped twice cos of a defective rod tip,thankfuly at the Hilton when we were loading up.
In rocks a line of any rating will meet the same fate,up North in the fast flowing waters of the Ganga,Ram Ganga & Kosi one is fishing in rocks & rapids almost all the time.

Accept me,all were using rods bet 8 & 9 ft,perhaps for a longer cast and some degree of flexibility but with lt lines and reels to play around with the fish.
According to the wise men a 20 lbs line is good for a 40 to 50 lb fish.

30 plus lb lines are serious over kill for fishing in our neck of the woods,just like on AR one sees guy's knocking hogs with a 470 or a 500 NE or at the very least a 375 Magnum,again not required at all,when
a 06 or a 270 or a shotty can do the job as effectively for the most part.

Best

S

[Mack The Knife]

Asif's brand new 30 lb braid snapped twice cos of a defective rod tip,thankfuly at the Hilton when we were loading up.

Not surprising considering the rod's provenance.

[dev]

So would a seven foot rod with 20lb line (maybe I am over simplifying but that's all I can absorb at the moment) do for most of the North? Can someone pull me outa the rocket science and explain.

Regards,

Dev

[Pran]

You can ask Pran about the Theory 4000 as he bought one recently.

Doc, I don't really know much about tackle. I've used Daiwa theory 4000(spooled with a 20lb line) with my Rowen snakehead rod and have had no problems whatsoever. You're welcome to check if it goes well with your rod the next time we meet.

Pran

[eljefe]

Mack The Knife,In all fairness, the tip top ring had developed a crack-most likely during transport! snapped the sufix 30lb braid like string,while settingthe drag, leaving me pop eyed!!
This happened once before with my uglystik, and i changed the tip top guide itself(bummed it off you!)
will have to change the one on the snakehead too.
Ok Praveen the Theory sounds good, let me see if its s'pore or bangalore

Sanjay, In brush country and densely wooded areas,where short range 'snap shots' are involved, I would choose a 470 over a 30, even for pig! I think we will have to adapt to prevailing conditions.Bhakra with its wide open and snag free conditions and deep diver plugs is a world apart from what Mack The Knife is describing on the cauvery.I would prefer a heavy rod there with atleast 20lb mono.You'll do fine with your present 20lb line on the heavy rod.Suggest you get a 4000 series with 2 spools -one for mono and another for braid for that new travel rod

Dev-just go with the flow, what you have is enough, if you have a spare spool, I'll load it with braid for you to check out.
Me? am back to mono on the JF650 and shimano 8000 baitrunner.Every day is not Bhakra...we had to go through many months of 45 deg heat at pump house and jodh's to get here

[Pran]

This happened once before with my uglystik, and i changed the tip top guide itself(bummed it off you!)

Doc, how did you take the old guide off? did you stick it back with an epoxy resin?

Pran

[eljefe]

Sorry Pran I have been travelling to the boondocks!

On the Ugly stik,I could 'sweat off' the tip with a judicious application of a lighter flame. I had to run to the gas hob in the kitchen to complete the deal, though!
I will try out the same on the Rowentackle rod , failing which, its the trusty fretsaw and off with his head. New one goes on with Araldite.

[Pran]

I will try out the same on the Rowentackle rod , failing which, its the trusty fretsaw and off with his head. New one goes on with Araldite.

Thanks Doc. Did not know that araldite was strong enough to hold the guides onto the rod.