Locals bounced off the walls calling out “Rainbow… Rainbow” when I hooked a trout. To be true; I had no choice between Rainbow and Brown, but a chance. With bells on; my boys were looking for the next catch. That is how Aseem and Manu took to Angling as a hobby followed by Madhav, my grandson.
It was Uhl, a tributary of river Beas, in the Barot valley. Two exotic species of trout had been transplanted into Himalayan Rivers by the Britishers.
Scrolling my past, I catch up with our trolley rides at Shanan* Hydro station, Jogindernagar- Himachal; the funicular railways for Haulage, operating by cable with ascending and descending cars, counterbalanced.
- Together we learnt:
Angling is Sportfishing. The Game is a technique that uses a fish hook attached to a fishing line, manipulated over a fishing rod, to tether the fish in the mouth.
An angler is a hobbyist supposed to enjoy it as a sport, with nose-in-the-air.
Fishing lines are long, ultra-thin, flexible cords.
A fishing rod is a long, thin stick that acts as an extended lever and allows the angler to amplify line movements while luring and pulling the fish. It also facilitates the co-launching of the terminal tackles.
Fishing tackles are the equipment used when fishing; whereas, techniques are the ways the tackles are used. Attached to the end of a fishing line are tackles; collectively called the terminal.
A rig is an assembly of hooks, bait, lures, floats, sinkers, swivels, etc.
The sinker adds momentum to the hook and helps cast the line to a farther distance.
The fishing reel is used to wind and stow fishing lines. “Multiplier” reels use internal gear trains to gain a higher rotational speed.
A bite indicator is any device that can help to notify the angler that the hook has been swallowed by a fish.
The fishing float, which floats at the water surface with the hook and bait suspended below it.
Angling bait is important to attract prey. Earthworms, rat-tailed maggots, Grasshoppers, crickets, eels, and even ants are excellent for freshwater angling.
Lures-“fake” replicas of food also work; though they do not release any scents.
Some mimic bugs on water, like flies.
Dead lining is the practice of leaving a baited hand-line in the water to check any tethered fish on return.
MSL -The minimum landing size is the smallest fish measurement at which it is legal for the fisherman to keep a captured fish, according to the species of fish,
Fishing is just about catching fish, also with nets, traps, draglines, jugs, and cages. Trawling and even dynamiting – are all ways of fishing.
A Fisherman may make a living from catching fish.
- The popular fish species pursued by anglers, collectively known as game fish, vary with geography. In Himachal, we have tried Angling Trout and Mahseer in their habitats.
In trout waters, licences only for rod and line are permitted; while in general waters both rod and line as well as cast netting are allowed.
As per Trout Conservation and Angling Association Kullu’: ‘Trout have a brain about the size of a pea but are very capable of (apparently) outwitting fishermen most of the time.’
‘Golden Mahseer’ is the state fish of Himachal; Nagaland has ‘Chocolate Mahseer’ as Odisha has ‘Mahanadi Mahseer’.
While judging the Angling Competition for Mahseer, organised by the Himachal Angling Association, I felt proud of the Trophy being awarded to my son Aseem Raja.
- Aseem has an enviable collection of angling equipment. While in Japan with him, I did a lot of Recreational Fishing- Catch and Release. It improves native fish populations by allowing fish to reproduce in the ecosystem.
If a fish has swallowed the baited hook -“bite” or “strike”; its jaw, gullet or gill gets tethered by the fishing line. Once the fish is hooked- “fish-on”; any struggle to escape will cause the bite indicator to signal the angler who controls the line and rod tension to avoid equipment breaking.
Some fishermen follow fishing folklores which claim that fish-feeding patterns are influenced by the position of the sun and the moon. A modern development is to fish with the assistance of a drone.
A fishing license for angling is often necessary. Limits also apply; a certain size range must be released alive after the catch. Closed seasons vary from water to water for managing fish populations. Tournaments normally deduct points if fish cannot be released alive.
There are also destructive fishing techniques. Electrocution, blasting, and poisoning can do irreversible damage to the local ecosystems.
Prof. (Er.) Chander P Mahajan is an art critic & a free lance journalist. The Environmentalist stays in Shimla and Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh, India.
