Sikkim Himalayas An Anglers Paradise

Dr. Namgyal T. Sherpa

Anyone can be an Angler Angling as a sport is getting popular by the day. Through the ages man seemed to be charmed by this pastime. Prehistoric man lived along the rivers and followed the fishes wherever they migrated so that besides everything else he could fish for himself. Since the time he landed the first fish with the help of some crude tackles he has been hooked forever. Gone are the days of unwieldy bamboo fishing poles and clumsy wooden contraptions. Angling is today high tech with feather light graphite rods and superfast alloy reels. Anyone can be an angler and in angling, every experience is the first experience! The feeling of the bite; the tug of the line; the rolling of the reel; the rattle of the drag; the jerk of the arms; the mad run up and down the river bank eyes fixed on the fighting fish; heart pounding; huffing and puffing; hands shaking and sweating maybe for 30 minutes or maybe for 2 hours! And when you land a record Sikkim Mahseer, you will experience the ultimate thrill! There on the river bank you can choose to be alone or have someone dear to your heart beside you feeling the warm caress of the spring breeze. The quiet of the woods is broken only by the distant echoes of a woodpecker and the swishing hum of the river flowing by. You wait expectantly with the rod in your hand for that sudden thrilling quiver! Your campsite is a cacophony of coloured tents smoking in the distance. Occasionally someone comes with a welcome hot mug of tea or a bamboo of chang. What could be a better idea of a holiday! The Rivers Teesta and Rangeet are the two principal rivers in Sikkim. They meander towards the south and mingle at Triveni near Melli a small town in south Sikkim. Thereafter the river courses through West Bengal and eventually crashes into the Brahmaputra. The Teesta, the bigger of the two rivers originates from the lake Tso Lhamu near the Tibetan border in North Sikkim. Its main source is the perennially melting glacier snow. This river bisects Sikkim almost into two halves. It has many tributaries. Save for a few months in winter, the Teesta remains murky throughout the year. Fishermen have taken advantage of this characteristic of the river. They have observed that fish, especial-lly the bigger ones, prefer to stay at the confluence in the clear tributary in order to go stalking at night along the murky river. The Rangeet in contrast, remains emerald green throughout the year, save during occasional monsoon floods. The river is much gentler and quieter. Hence its banks are idyllic for campsites. It originates from the Rathong Glacier in West Sikkim. Through its course it flows by some historical places like Yoksum, Tashiding, Phur Tsachu et al. There are a few hot springs along the river.

Climate Most of Sikkim is wet from the month of June through to September. The annual rainfall ranges from 2000mm. to 5000mm. The lower regions like Melli, Jorethang, Singtam and Rangpo (which incidentally are good fishing spots ) are hot and humid in summer but pleasantly cool during winter. However as one goes higher to areas above a couple of thousand metres, the summer in these areas are pleasant and the winters are severely cold. Sikkims Game Fishes The game fishes of this Himalayan region have engaged the enthusiasm many scientists and anglers. Joseph Dalton, the famous naturalist wrote this in 1848 in his journal, Large fish chiefly cyprinoid were abundant in the clear waters of the river Rangeet. Among the 48 species of fish in Sikkim documented by Dr.Pushpa Tamang, the maximum number belong to the family cyprinidae species. Among them the asla, sometimes called snow trout are the fishermens commonest game fish. Both the trout and the asla bear almost no scales on their bodies. However the resemblance ends there because one is a ferocious predator, whereas the other is a very shy species. Catla is the next commonest game fish. It prefers the lower altitudes. Like the carp and mahseer, its body is covered with scales and it can grow to great sizes.It is a predator like the mahseer. Catla can be lured on plugs and spinners and can be fished year long. Mahseer is the king of game fishes. Locally called saha, it can grow to great sizes. The documented record catch is a 20 pounder caught in the Rangeet river. There have been reports of a 45 pounder caught at the Teesta- Rangeet confluence. The mahseer is a fighter and it will not give up easily. Unless one is well prepared with the appropriate gear to land a record mahseer, more than half the chances are that he will be the winner! The Sikkim mahseer, unlike the Cauvery variety, has an elongated body like the great tarpon. Its body is covered with large scales and it has a golden sheen. It migrates up and down both the Teesta and the Rangeet rivers. It spawns high up in the remote mountain streams during autumn. The mahseer season is summer and early autumn. The lures to use are spinners and plugs, and the line must be heavy. Summer is the season for a variety of catfish. When the river gets swift and murky, they become really active! The rocky areas and deep whirlpools of the river are the habitat of eels. Local fishermen have been known to catch fresh water eels weighing nearly 7 kgs. The lakes and clear streams in the higher altitudes are regularly stocked with brown trout. Spring and summer are the seasons for fly fishing and spinning.

FISHING GEAR a. Basic Tackle for Mahseer and Catla Rod Medium action spinning rods 3.0 3.7 m. (9 4 ft. ). Reel Multiple or large capacity fixed spoon reels. Line 5.4 8.2 kg. mono. (12 18 lb ). Lures Plugs and spinners. Hooks Size 4 -6 treble hooks. b. Bait Fishing Rod spinning rods. Reel and line as above. Hooks Size 2 12 (Depending on the river and bait. Long shanks preferred.) Bait Depends on the season. c. Spinning for Trout Rod Medium action spinning rods. Reel Medium capacity fixed spool reels. Hooks (Already on lures.) Lures Spinners, spoons, plugs. d. Fly Fishing for Brown Trout Rod 2.7 3 m ( 9 -10 ft.) # 6/7 medium action fly rod. Reel Lightweight fly reel taking a # 6/7 line and 46 m (50 yd.) backing. Fly Lines Floating, neutral density and medium sinking. Leaders - 0.91 2.7 kg (2 6 lbs) for dry wet fly lures.. Flies Selection of dry, wet fly and lure patterns. ( Dr.Namgyal T. Sherpa is the Consultant and Head , Medicine Department, S.T.N.M. Hospital, Gangtok. He is also the Treasurer of the Sikkim Anglers Association.) .