Fishing India

A few weeks ago I returned to India and what a pleasure it was to leave behind the gloom of England and step out into the sunshine of the sub-continent. The fishing has started with a bang! For many months I've been dreaming of getting stuck into some big, hard fighting, saltwater fish and I certainly haven't been disappointed! The fishing over the summer in the UK was certainly good, but there was one thing missing; and that was a screaming drag!

I've mainly been targetting barramundi and, so far, the tally stands at twenty two, with a few bonus mangrove jacks and flathead thrown in for good measure. Plenty more barra have won an early freedom thanks to their aerial acrobatics, but all that I have caught have been released after a quick photo.

The biggest barramundi of the trip so far! It smashed into a saltwater bomber and immediately erupted from the water to tail walk and jump clear of the surface.  With the hooks still holding, a rush for freedom came next and, after 20 seconds, the barra was around a hundred metres away and still taking line. Finally she stopped and sulked in the current for what seemed an age before kiting to the right. I managed to gain some line, but more savage runs came before the fish finally started to tire and I could coax it towards the beach. After twenty minutes, with the help of a wave, I beached the fish and let it recover for a few minutes before a quick photo and release.

Abbey and I visited Karnataka state and tried our luck for barra and mangrove jacks  from the rocks. Unfortunately, conditions weren't great, thanks to cold water, and we only managed one jack. But, what a fine fish for the first catch of the trip.

Close up of a mangrove jack. For fishing from the rocks I use a 8000 sized shimano and  50lb power pro braid  to try and get some advantage over the hard-fighting fish.  Give too much line and surely the fish will find the sanctuary of the rocky sea bed and field of sharp oyster shells.

Abbey trying his luck in the setting sun of western India.

One of the first barramundi of the trip. A fine feeling indeed to get attached once again to one of my favourite fish species, particularly when fishing from a deserted beach under a star-studded sky. After a while, a big moon came over the eastern horizon and bathed the scene in a fine white light and highlighted the flying foxes as they passed overhead to the night time feeding grounds.

A hectic session produced nine barramundi, with two large fish and the rest around 5 kg and under.  I missed another 8 bites and a couple of fish threw the hook.  Some great fishing to say the least. 

One of the bigger specimens of the session. Lots of spectacular jumps in the bright moonlight, but finally  the fight went my way!

Flathead like to lie on the sandy bottom, perfectly camouflaged, ready to ambush any small fish or prawns passing by. This one mistook my shad for a small baitfish!

Another fine big specimen barramundi. Luck was definitely on my side with this fish because the hook hold  was next to nothing. As the fish came ashore in the waves, the lure fell to the sand and, for sure, if I hadn't played it very gently it would never have made it into the net!