Few freshwater fish match the guile and sheer power of the mighty mahseer, India's premier freshwater sporting fish. Tales of truly massive mahseer being caught and seen in the glacial rivers of Himachal Pradesh are well known. Our own trips regularly catch around 60 fish per trip with 30, 40 and 50lb fish landed and other big fish lost in the fight. We have fed 60lb+ fish at certain places on the rivers and reports of 100lb fish regularly reach our guides. 

The mahseer of northern India are different from their humped-backed cousins in southern India on the Cauvery. Long and sleek, the northern fish inhabit the fast glacial rivers that fall from the high Himalayas. 

The mahseer exploit the strong currents of these rivers and we are regularly amazed at the sport that even the smaller fish provide. The mahseer are not alone in the rivers either and tales of massive goonch being seen and caught also reach us.

Good levels of fitness and stability are required to ensure you get the most out of your trip. You regularly have to clamber over large boulder fields or negotiate rocky outcrops in order to access fishable water.

We have a large and varied selection of rivers available to fish in India which have different approaches and characteristics. We therefore recommend that you contact us to discuss which trip would be suitable for you.  In general though, you should be adventurous, relatively fit and healthy and expect the unexpected.  Our fishing trips are very well organised but even so, diverse and exotic wildlife often chooses to make an appearance. Leopard, bear and tiger tracks have all been seen near the river as well as a host of other animals and insects.

Having chosen your trip, we provide a detailed itinerary and checklist so you know exactly what to bring and what to expect from us. This includes tackle, clothes, sleeping bags/mats and other accessories as required. Daytime temperatures regularly reach the high thirties so be prepared for sunburn!

Once you are on the fishing adventure, our chefs are very accomplished and produce excellent cuisine to cater for a wide range of tastes. Breakfasts, lunches, snacks and suppers are varied and tasty.

Mahseer Fishing in Northern India (March/April & October/November).

We have a variety of rivers here that regularly produce both good numbers and individual weights of fish each trip. We generally camp by the river and raft every few days to the next site so you become completely absorbed in river life. A reasonable level of fitness is required for these trips as you will fish remote and rocky riverbanks that stretch for many miles in some areas. There's lots of walking and clambering to do as you negotiate the riverbank to access those elusive spots where the mahseer may lie. Spinning, lure or fly fishing is the most successful method for these rivers which are remote and challenging.

Mahseer Fishing in Southern India (January to March).

The humped backed mahseer in southern India on the Cauvery river grow huge and regular catches of fish around 100lbs are reported. Bait fishing is the common method using balls of Ragi (a mixture of flour, water and sometimes tumeric). It's more akin to modern carp fishing in the Europe where one casts one's bait into likely pools and then wait for the mahseer to pick up the bait.  When they do take, it is normally savage and the ensuing fight unforgettable. 

Spinning and other methods will also work here however the most successful method appears to be bait fishing.  Your level of fitness is not so important here because the access to the river is fairly straightforward and rafting or exploration not necessary. You will be camping near the river in very comfortable accommodation with chefs and other services readily available.

Mahseer Fishing in Assam (March/April and October/November).

This region of India is proving very interesting and recent exploratory trips to some new rivers has produced excellent results. Similar to northern India, rafting is the key to success here in order to access the rivers which are very remote in places.  Expeditions will either be large raft/camping trips to explore rivers along their length or else smaller two-man rafts that are used fish small stretches of likely looking water repeatedly from a base camp.