INDIANANGLER

Hi people,

IndianGypsy has started a thread that will help everyone, from the newbies as he intended to the experienced gurus. But a lot of us still don't know the names of many fish or how they are doing out there in the cruel world.

I am posting a few pictures of a few fish i have had the pleasure to meet. I am adding the little info, mainly freshwater, I have on these. And I request you to keep adding as much info that you can. So that thread becomes a good reference point for all of us.

AliBhai, Fredfish, Bobby, IndianGypsy, Bops, Santosh, KenL and the rest of the gurus, please take responsibility and make all the info posted here is correct.

Thanks guys. And may the fish swim forever.

Golden Mahseer (Tor putitora)

Found in a few rivers in the Himalayas. Endangered. PLEASE CATCH AND RELEASE.

Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Introduced species. Now running wild through the canal system. If fished in a farm pond ie Bablee's jodh, take home and enjoy.

Murrel/Sol/snakehead

Some types are in trouble. Other are numerous. But as they are much sought by the meat collectors and netters release the females and the old large ones.
An occasional one for the pot is fine.

Kalabans (Sinilabeo dero)

They used to be a pain on the Ganga. Foul hooking themselves constantly while you tried to get that elusive piece of gold. But now they are hardly seen. And when you do they are pretty small specimens. Not good to eat and should be released anyway.

Good initiative Ken and I will try to update it as much as I can. In view of the depleting fish population due to indiscriminate netting, blasting, electrocuting, poisoning, habitat destruction and what not, I am still hope full that these very anglers who are sometime accused for all the sins, will form a voice which will be instrumental in saving the cause and once again we will have our water bodies as clean and teeming with fishes, as they once were. It is just a matter of joining our voice so as to be heard over the madness now.

Regards,

Ali.

I was amused to read two innocent topics deteriorate into a argument in the last couple of days and hence decided to resurect an old topic. I am hoping that all the pent up frustrations anglers face having to work at a desk when they could be out angling could be put to constuctive conservation discussions rather than get into arguments.

Our group has been fishing for a fair ammount of years. We have fished both fresh & salt water in India. We over the years have caught & killed a lot of fish but at some point in the last 6 years we changed that. As a group we collectively decided that all masheer, trevally, yellow tail & queen fish caught would be returned. They are excellent game fish but poor table fish. We also decided that snapper, barramundi & grouper below 6 lbs & above 30 lbs will be returned. We do this and there are members on this site who have joined us on trips who have seen this.

We do carry ice boxes & the fact remains that fish above 6 lbs is very expensive in the city ( I recently paid Rs. 500 for a 4 lb snapper in Mapusa market) and cannot match fresh caught & properly stored fish for taste.

I hope the moderators and us members can come up with a guide for both fresh & salt water fish for beginers and hardened anglers, on fishes to return at all cost, fishes that are not good table fish, and advisable size of fish to keep.

The fact is, not all fish caught by anglers will be returned back to the water but before we do keep it would be good to have some standard to meet.

hi yvan .... i ditto your words.

A happy turn of events indeed!It is worth the strife.
Regards,
Yaj.

here here .. guys lets get started asap..

Fish like groupers don’t taste good above 8 to 10 Lb,
Mangrove Jack of above 5 KG is a rare catch.
Barramundi of 10 Kg. and above are females and should be released.
GT / Barracuda, the big ones not only taste awful but may also contain high level of Ciguatera.

Groupers & MJ's above 10 LB & Barra above 20 LB should to be released back in order to maintain a healthy breeding stock.

Hey Kenneth,Great idea,Man!! really appreciate that.


here's my 2 cents worth..

starting with my beloved fish

Lates calcarifer (Barramundi)




Conservation Status
Not threatened (as yet!)

Please avoid picking up anything smaller than 50cm.
and beyond 80cm.

The bigger ones(80cm. and above) are usually females.

Regards,
Madhur.

ken, santosh , madhur , thanks a million

you guys , i m over the top with joy, seeing this ...


keep em coming.

Fantastic initiave guys. BOPS - you should consider making this thread a sticky.

Good initiative Ken. I've been working on a little docket for the past 2 years, which i have put together in electronic format. Its a handy thing to have on your phone/ipod/PDA while by the water, a little ready reckoner of sorts... will make a post of it and share it with all on IA.

Cheers,

IG

thanks I.G.

Awaiting your post ..... eagerly..