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Fishing In Kashmir
Fishing is big business in
Kashmir through spring and summer. The British introduced the brown and rainbow
trout to the streams of Kashmir, where they have thrived. At the same time they
introduced the system of anglers reserving ' beats' on their favorite river.
Reservations for beats should be made before one arrives in Kashmir, through an
Indian Government Tourist Office or directly to the Tourist Reception Centre in Srinagar.
The Fishing Season
The
season runs from April to October. Only artificial flies are allowed and each
licence entitles the angler to keep six fish a day, none being shorter than 7.5
cm. Beats may be reserved for a day or a week at a time in one of the three
basic types of streams.
Larger rivers like Sindh or Liddar are full with snow,
melting from May to July, with an occasional pool under boulders. Spinning is
allowed here, but the wet fly and weighted cast tests the skill of the angler
and will produce good results. In April, August and September these rivers are
quieter, and the bigger fish are said to lie in the stiller waters.
Tributaries and water channels near these mainstream beats provide
another type of fishing throughout the season. These are the smaller streams
where only flies are allowed, with wet fly fishing good all season. The third
type are the small spring fed streams and high altitude lakes suitable for both
dry and wet fly tackle.
Equipments
A light two to three metre Rod (fishing
rods cannot be carried as hand luggage on aircraft for security reasons) with an
eight cm reel will suffice. Common flies in use in Kashmir include Peacock,
March Brown, Butcher, Jinger Quill, Coachman, Woodcock & Green and Watson's
Fancy.
There are 61 beats open for reservation throughout the season,
ranging from the turbulence of the Sindh and Wangat Rivers to the tranquility of
the high altitude lakes Krishanshar, Vishanshar, Gangabal and Nunkhol.
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