Jump to content

Fishing in SriLanka


AddictedToScopex

Recommended Posts

Ok, so just moving away from Wingham just for a minute I have remembered about my trip to SriLanka (at the Kani Lanka resort in Kalutara) and the Maldives (on the Meeru island resort) in around 3 weeks time. (honeymoon). I have done a little reading up on SriLanka and a lot of people are talking about spinning for various fish in various locations without going into much detail. What I was wondering is can I just wander off to the beach or the river and do some spinning?

 

If so what are the best type of lures to use and what can I expect to catch (if anything).

 

I am aware that being a protected marine environment there is no beach fishing in the Maldives so I am going to look into finding a boat trip fishing expedition instead but any info on SriLanka would be appreciated.

For any web design needs check out http://www.chiptenwebsites.co.uk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, so just moving away from Wingham just for a minute I have remembered about my trip to SriLanka (at the Kani Lanka resort in Kalutara) and the Maldives (on the Meeru island resort) in around 3 weeks time. (honeymoon). I have done a little reading up on SriLanka and a lot of people are talking about spinning for various fish in various locations without going into much detail. What I was wondering is can I just wander off to the beach or the river and do some spinning?

 

If so what are the best type of lures to use and what can I expect to catch (if anything).

 

I am aware that being a protected marine environment there is no beach fishing in the Maldives so I am going to look into finding a boat trip fishing expedition instead but any info on SriLanka would be appreciated.

 

 

I've fished Sri Lanka before, and I caught loads of weird and wonderful species. Just a few notes...

 

 

Be careful of just 'wandering down to the beach'. I was based at the south of the Island, and within 2 minutes of leaving the hotel and walking along the beach I was approached by a group of lads and asked if I wanted to buy some Heroin! It was then that I realised why there were armed guards all around the beachfront of the hotel!

 

As far as the fishing goes, I got lucky. There were very few proper fishing boats where I was, in fact none! I just happened to make friends with a local lad, Chamir, and his brothers, and they organised for me and my missus to go out on a 'proper' fishing boat for a day - it was a home-made cat, constructed from a hollowed out log and was held together with string and a few nails. They fished with handlines and I took my spinning rod. Great fun - I caught cudas, various snapper, grouper etc.

From the shore I saw some big sharks, and I caught all manner of species - much the same as from the boat really. Best lures to take are dexter wedges etc, anything that's heavy - you'll probably need to cast a fair way to get into the fish.

I found that the local tiger prawns were the best bait, rarely catching anything on the spinners and plugs. I was buying a carrier bag full of fresh prawns for about a fiver each day - I'd keep about 50 for bait, then we'd fry the rest up with garlic, ginger and lime juice! spot on!

 

Best advice I can give is try to get friendly with a local or two - they teach English in the schools out there, and all the youngsters speak it perfectly. (You may also find it to your advantage!) We were booked into a hotel, but had to pay for local beer - worked out about £2 per 330ml bottle. When I made friends with Chamir, I'd give him the equivalent of a tenner and he'd come back with four ice-cold litre bottles of said beer, 40 fags and a bottle of local spiced rum - and he still had change in his pocket!!!

 

Be prepared for a bit of a culture shock - Sri Lanka is by far the poorest place on earth that I've been, apart from when I went into the depths of the Kenyan outback. In the hotels, stuff costs what you'd expect it to. Outside, in the real world, a tenner will buy you what £100 will here!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all that info Dave. It is really helpful. What kind of set up did you use with your spinning rod i.e. float, lead? Was it safe enough to walk down to the harbours etc to see the catches and have a chat with the fishermen? I will definetly be wanting to get out on a boat and do some good fishing. I am told that as part of my honeymoon package I actually get a days fishing so I am guessing the hotel sort that out?

 

I will be heading to the Kani Lanka Hotel in Kalutara which I believe is on the South Western coast. Is this near to where you went? Would you not consider it safe to walk around on your own? Just that my fiance is a mad keen runner and will be wanting to go off running every morning and I would worry for her safety if there are people like that around.

 

Sorry for all the questions but I am just trying to get a better idea of what to expect etc.

 

Thanks Dave

For any web design needs check out http://www.chiptenwebsites.co.uk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Thanks for all that info Dave. It is really helpful. What kind of set up did you use with your spinning rod i.e. float, lead? Was it safe enough to walk down to the harbours etc to see the catches and have a chat with the fishermen? I will definetly be wanting to get out on a boat and do some good fishing. I am told that as part of my honeymoon package I actually get a days fishing so I am guessing the hotel sort that out?

 

I will be heading to the Kani Lanka Hotel in Kalutara which I believe is on the South Western coast. Is this near to where you went? Would you not consider it safe to walk around on your own? Just that my fiance is a mad keen runner and will be wanting to go off running every morning and I would worry for her safety if there are people like that around.

 

Sorry for all the questions but I am just trying to get a better idea of what to expect etc.

 

Thanks Dave

 

No worries. As far as the spinning goes, i was using plugs and dexter wedges for the spinning, but when I switched onto the prawn baits I was using a simple patternoster rig or running leger with a small lead (take a handful with you). Also take some wire with you for short bite traces in case you start getting bitten off - there's a lot of fish with teeth over there!

There were no harbours where I went, in fact, there were no fishing boats - other than the locals and their home-made cats!

I did hear that there was one charter boat further up the coast, but I struggled to find any info on it - hopefully things will be different where you're going. Incidentally, I was staying at Kosgoda, which is about 20 miles south of where you are going.

 

As far as walking around on your own goes, I'd just say be very careful. Sri Lanka is a beautiful place, but it's also one of the poorest I've been to. As a result there are a lot of desperate people there. You get the usual 'beach boys' trying to sell you stuff everywhere, but the 'beach boys' I encountered after being on the beach for just a couple of minutes were selling drugs!

I'd gauge the situation yourself when you get to your hotel. Just keep your eyes open. I should think that the hotel complex and grounds would be way large enough for your fiance to run around - they're usually a mile or more fenced off. Just be careful straying from the hotel area along the beach.

 

You'll have a great time mate, the place is beautiful, the people are very friendly and they all speak very good English.

One word of warning - be careful of the sun! It's blisteringly hot over there - so much so that the beach I was fishing actually melted one day and the sand was crunchy underfoot! My girlfriend at the time got severe sunstroke without really knowing it after coming out fishing with me for a day. So drink plenty of bottled water and take hats, long sleeved shirts for fishing etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Again thanks for the advice Dave. It is really appreciated. Cant wait to get there although looking at the weather reports for the area I think the sun may not be much of a problem lol.

For any web design needs check out http://www.chiptenwebsites.co.uk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Fishing is sacred ritual for a sizeable chunk of the male population. The lure of escaping the daily grind and catching the mystical “fish of a life time” keeps anglers coming back for more. Getting the services of a professional fishing tour company, specially a professional guide can improve the odds of landing the perfect catch and add to the overall enjoyment of a fishing trip.

 

 

_________________

 

 

 

Miami Seaquarium Coupons Discount Tickets

Link to comment
Share on other sites

can you fish in miami seaquarium ,saves all the grind of stalking when you can simply pop a lure in a dolfins mouth :thumbs:

Believe NOTHING anyones says or writes unless you witness it yourself and even then your eyes can deceive you

None of this "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" crap it just means i have at least two enemies!

 

There is only one opinion i listen to ,its mine and its ALWAYS right even when its wrong

 

Its far easier to curse the darkness than light one candle

 

Mathew 4:19

Grangers law : anything i say will  turn out the opposite or not happen at all!

Life insurance? you wont enjoy a penny!

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical." Thomas Jefferson

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We and our partners use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences, repeat visits and to show you personalised advertisements. By clicking “I Agree”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent.