INDIANANGLER

The year 2002 saw the destruction of a monument in kashmir.the landmark 50 year old tourist reception centre in srinagar was attacked and burnt down by terrorists.the angling fraternity suffered a huge loss as the dept. of fisheries was located on the first floor and all the records were lost except a few.the archives in that building housed photos of record trout caught in various beats/streams of priceless history.(in black and white of course).one of the most beautiful and reserved only for v.i.p.'s stream is the bringhi in south kashmir.it has witnessed chief ministers,governars, chief justice, and similar ranks flying down there in helicopters to fish.
I have had the privilege to fish EVERY stream in kashmir.its something i cherish very deeply.my bond with the kashmir waters is inseperable.i know every beat and stream and high altitude lake like the back of my hand.
over the past 25 years i have seen many a person trying to get a permit to a beat.without prejudice most have been a cheap tourist type trying to be a wannabe.in my experience angling in kashmir is almost surreal.
i generally like to revisit certain beats every year.bringhi upper is right there in my top ten.its like an ode to be here.this time of the year the waters are perfect.the level,clarity,swiftness,and no rain are just right factors.
started casting a little late at 10 am.my old trusted gillie bashir assisting.used a dt4 flyline with a 5wt rod.flies uesd were invicta on the main and beadhead stonefly on the dropper.
over the years bringhi has fished very well with average size pounders and above.i was dismayed at the average size this year.half pounders and below.disappointed i asked bashir wats wrong.apparently too many cheap tourist type wannabes have been issued licence for the same.its a pity that the dept. to generate some revenue has closed its eyes.its not the case with bringhi alone.all the streams are being looted by the tourist and the hanji houseboat owners.these archtypal had no access to a sport reserved for the upperclass.i hope the dept. rectifies the same soon.
more reports to follow from kashmir..................

my angling lodge.










a nice rainbow trout for the grill.



the bringhi stream.



nearby mountains.


me and my gillie bashir



the catch. all browns.



TO BE CONTINUED..............

Nice catch!

dude! I'm middle class! does that mean I am not supposed to go fishing?

No offense but I think its a sport for anyone who can be patient enough to take to it!

Being of a specific caste! be it upper middle or lower is not in the hands of an individual! even a lower class individual if passionate can be fishing somewhere....

No offense again! Its just hard for me to relate angling/fishing to be a sport of the upperclass.

No heart feelings mate.

Regards,

omesh, the issue is the way the catch has become considereably smaller and less due to over fishing.earlier it was restricted to a few known anglers and officials .that way the dept. regulated the permits strictly.now it has allowed anyone to fish.i dont come in the general/middle category.this is kashmir.only influential people were allowed to fish at one time.if you read carefully i've said upperclass not uppercaste.so for me its a disappointing thing that something reserved exclusively for me has been breached by commoners.

this place is as beautiful as it gets i guess ! thanks for sharing the pics

cheers !

thanx samitm.

Nice location and great fish congrats on that. Just as said when it comes to class a bit sour thing to say. But from my point of view which ever class a person belongs to but being a responsible and ethical is more important.

Hi there,

Its sad to know the state of the catch as compared to what it was earlier. It could have been regulated better by the authorities. However, responsibility is not constraint to classes. If it was well regulated even commoners could enjoy some responsible fishing. Surprising that the upper class / influential people ignored the basic facts that if allowed people would use unfair means to fish / over fish a resource. You very well know that the influential hand gets the job done, in this case a review of the regulatory authority would have done the job for us.I am certain you can play a vital role in restoring the stocks and we as commoners could give you what ever means of backing to raise voices. Remember its never too late. Lets not waste time in cribbing instead find a solution to a problem.

By the way they images are awesome and I an sure you must have had some more to share. There us no way you can resist taking just couple of pics :) If you have more of them please do share them. (anticipation)

Cheers and tight lines.

DeZZ

Nice location,
Nice fish,
Equally nice pictures.

Thanks for sharing mate.

upper class = very responsible anglers
middle class = somewhat responsible anglers
low class = irresponsible anglers
(please tell me this is what you meant)

Ravi

No hard feelings mate. seriously no.

I understand the feeling. As dezz mentioned. Its the authorities that get the job done, they are influential, you can play a pivotal role. We can support you.

I am truly hoping you meant....
upper class = very responsible anglers
middle class = somewhat responsible anglers
low class = irresponsible anglers

All aside..... commercialization is bound to happen anywhere and everywhere.

Lets make a difference or just continue letting it be the way it is..... I'm just trying to cheer you up my friend as I hold high regard for you as your an elder and I thoroughly enjoy your posts as an angler. I'm more unhappy about you being disappointed than anything else of what has been mentioned. Life is too short to waste on disappointments. Having said this. Cheer up my friend. Its not nice to see you in low spirits for whatever the reason may be.

Best Regards,

dear all. yes that is wat i meant.its just annoying that the fragile ecosystem in kashmir is being compromised.

I think that the situation is not limited to Kashmir only.... its all over.

-Ditto-

Bringhi (Daksum) Lower,Middle,Upper .Dessu Bidhar, Mather.........open to all NO CLASS RESTRICTED.. TAKE Permissions +Fee ranging 500- 1000,.... They will also allot a guide who will give you all information......