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Ken L

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Guest Brumagem Phil

Ken.......I think you're a right miserable B******* for not taking a few of us (namely me) with you!!!

 

Only kidding..........green with envy here as I have the heating turned up full pelt due to the snow outside.

 

Tight lines matey!!! :thumbs:

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Big waves out here at the moment (first time I've ever seen people able to surf them) so the water's a bit murkey and the fishing hard.

We did get out the night before yesterday and there were 10 of us on the beach. Just two bites were had. My mate Ashok landed a nice Mangrove Jack of about 2.5kg and I landed a 5kg Barramundi - both of us were impementing some of the tricks and tips that we've worked out over the last few years and everyone else was just sticking to what they know. Just goes to show....

 

Apparently, the river turned up quite a few fish last night but I was out bait fishing. I only had catfish despite using baits that should have been to big for them. I will persist with the baits though because I've hooked some unstoppable "things" in the past that were to fast for stingrays and I want to know what they are.

Species caught in 2020: Barbel. European Eel. Bleak. Perch. Pike.

Species caught in 2019: Pike. Bream. Tench. Chub. Common Carp. European Eel. Barbel. Bleak. Dace.

Species caught in 2018: Perch. Bream. Rainbow Trout. Brown Trout. Chub. Roach. Carp. European Eel.

Species caught in 2017: Siamese carp. Striped catfish. Rohu. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Black Minnow Shark. Perch. Chub. Brown Trout. Pike. Bream. Roach. Rudd. Bleak. Common Carp.

Species caught in 2016: Siamese carp. Jullien's golden carp. Striped catfish. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Alligator gar. Rohu. Black Minnow Shark. Roach, Bream, Perch, Ballan Wrasse. Rudd. Common Carp. Pike. Zander. Chub. Bleak.

Species caught in 2015: Brown Trout. Roach. Bream. Terrapin. Eel. Barbel. Pike. Chub.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well, I just got back from five days "camping" at the cottage on the Cauvery river.

 

I have a sore bottom from sitting in the coracle fishing for upto 8 hours a day.

I have a sore wrist and partially numb fingers from constantly either casting a lure or paddling the coracle and I have a mild dose of sunburn everywhere except my lips (which are properly burned and peeling), which makes eating chili an interesting experience.

 

I did all the usual pre trip-shopping for food, a Billy can, cups, a bowl, a blanket, candles, a bucket and all life’s other little essentials (like a bottle of brandy) on the evening of the day that I arrived in town and made arrangements with my guide to get a jeep out to the river the following morning at 7.

 

In true Indian fashion, 7 turned into 9 but eventually, we got going and traveled out to the river by 11 or so where I sorted out the payment for the cottage and a five day fishing license.

On arrival, I was pleased to note that the blankets and most of the pans that we left last time were still there (so no need to buy new on any future trips) which makes life a little more comfortable.

 

I unpacked, set up the rods and got all ready to fish only to discover that there was no coracle…….

Not to be outdone, I grabbed the spinning outfit and started walking upstream and fishing from the bank where I found the coracle tied up (next to a brand new one that was locked up) to the bank. I quickly untied it, Paddled it back to the cottage with my landing net handle and sorted myself out for a bit of proper fishing.

 

The first day (half a day really) I had 6 Mahseer but the biggest was perhaps 4lb’s. Still, my score card was opened and I went back to cook my first meal over the open fire a happy boy.

 

Day two was hard work and I only managed one fish of 10lb’s. But had a break part way through the day when I was invited for a rather nice coffee with the owner/manager of the water and surrounding coffee estate (as well as being a lawyer) where we nattered on about fishing, life and the problems of the world. A bit of a contrast between that and my return to camp where I once again cooked dinner over the open fire.

That night was interesting because I was visited in bed by the local ants that are about a quarter the size of the common European variety but bite like little b’stards and then (if you don’t kill them right smartish) inject you with formic acid that stings and burns like crazy.

 

Day three was a bit good. 6 Mahseer averaging 15lb’s with the biggest going 23lb. I was a happy man but had some difficulties reviving the big fish because it had thrashed around in the net and I’d had to waste time cutting the net free before I could weigh and photograph it. I spent almost 20 minutes waist deep in water reviving her afterwards before she swam away - which is “interesting” when the river contains 4m+ crocodiles…

I then went back to camp only to discover that the open packet that contained my evening meal of noodles also contained hundreds in not thousands of ants. Ah well, needs must. I tapped of the worst of them (leaving several hundred behind) and cooked them up along with the noodles for diner.

I’m not sure whether it was that night’s ant inoculation, my ant eating activities depleting the nest or word having gotten around in ant circles that I was not to be messed with but there were no more nighttime ant problems for the rest of my stay.

 

Day 4 I landed 4 Mahseer with a 9lb’er, a couple around 15lb’s and a fish of 24½lb that I put on a stringer (having got permission to do so) before towing her to the bank to be weighed and photographed. No return problems this time and the fish kicked off with no difficulties.

 

Day 5 and the weather had changed. It was noticeably more humid and the wind had changed direction. I started out early and got a hit after about half an hour and was furious with myself because a knot that I’d re-tied that morning failed – my fault, and hooks left in a fish, which is something that I hate to do.

I fished on for another hour and a half without a bite but saw a big fish feeding downstream of me and marked it’s position as I continued to fish and drift downstream.

As I got level with where I’d seem the big fish, I put a cast across the river and after about five turns of the reel handle, the rod slammed over and all I got was raw power that looped over my heavy spinning rod and dragged me and the coracle off in pursuit.

I did the only thing I could and chucked the anchor overboard but kept on moving with the fish, which was now dragging me, the coracle and the anchor. Fortunately after 50m or so, the anchor found some purchase (another 15m and the fish would have been in a submerged tree) and all I could see was the occasional huge flash of silver and a massive tail beating as the fish dragged the coracle round in circles.

After about 5 minutes of dogged fighting, the fish came up and I was presented with the sight of what is quite simply the biggest freshwater fish that I’ve ever seen in the flesh.

It was significantly bigger than my landing net but surged off again at the sight of it anyway before re-emerging and allowing me to seesaw it into the net by scooping it’s head in and then scooping back for the tail and lifting until the fish folded and went into the folds. I lifted the fish into the coracle and took the fish into the bank (no stringers ‘cause the lure had been engulfed and I didn’t fancy messing about and risking getting hooked up myself) where she pulled the scales down to a jaw dropping 47½lb ……

A quick photo and 5 minutes to revive and she swam off to become nothing more than a memory.

The next 6 hours produced just one missed bite (presumably, the big girls were out for a feed and the smaller fish were taking no chances) so I went back to camp to start packing. After an hour or so, it had cooled down and I thought I’d give it a last whorl before dark. 20 minutes later and the rod slammed over again and I was again connected to a beast of a fish. I used the same tactics with the anchor to avoid being towed into a snag and once again fought a dogged fight with a big fish. I decided on a bit of juggling and got a couple of nice shots of her in the water before I landed her and headed off to the same spot where I’d landed the biggie. This time the scales came down to 30½lb and the fish was photographed and returned after a short revival period.

By this time, it was getting dark and I had to rush back to the cottage because I’d used a combination lock and was very aware that I hadn’t got a torch and wouldn’t be able to open it in the dark.

 

A great end to the stay but slightly dampened the following morning when the 23lb fish that I’d spent 20 minutes reviving was found dead – something that probably wouldn’t have happened if I’d felt that I could use a stringer with that fish.

 

I’m now back in Goa and need a rest but Barramundi beckon……..

Edited by Ken L

Species caught in 2020: Barbel. European Eel. Bleak. Perch. Pike.

Species caught in 2019: Pike. Bream. Tench. Chub. Common Carp. European Eel. Barbel. Bleak. Dace.

Species caught in 2018: Perch. Bream. Rainbow Trout. Brown Trout. Chub. Roach. Carp. European Eel.

Species caught in 2017: Siamese carp. Striped catfish. Rohu. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Black Minnow Shark. Perch. Chub. Brown Trout. Pike. Bream. Roach. Rudd. Bleak. Common Carp.

Species caught in 2016: Siamese carp. Jullien's golden carp. Striped catfish. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Alligator gar. Rohu. Black Minnow Shark. Roach, Bream, Perch, Ballan Wrasse. Rudd. Common Carp. Pike. Zander. Chub. Bleak.

Species caught in 2015: Brown Trout. Roach. Bream. Terrapin. Eel. Barbel. Pike. Chub.

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Indeed a great read. Sounds like great fun to me although non-anglers reading it might think we were all insane. LOL, maybe we are but if so, it ain't a bad way to be.

" My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference!" - Harry Truman, 33rd US President

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Indeed a great read. Sounds like great fun to me although non-anglers reading it might think we were all insane. LOL, maybe we are but if so, it ain't a bad way to be.

 

Us anglers all have our quirks :crazy::lol::lol:

 

Well done Ken great read, not sure how I would have got on with those ants mate, a bit of true grit there me thinks :rolleyes::clap2::clap2:

I fish, I catches a few, I lose a few, BUT I enjoys. Anglers Trust PM

 

eat.gif

 

http://www.petalsgardencenter.com

 

Petals Florist

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Brilliant report, Ken

 

Look forward to the pictures when you get back

 

 

RNLI Governor

 

World species 471 : UK species 105 : English species 95 .

Certhia's world species - 215

Eclectic "husband and wife combined" world species 501

 

"Nothing matters very much, few things matter at all" - Plato

...only things like fresh bait and cold beer...

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Last night, one of my fishing nightmares came true.

 

After an hour and a half of fishing without a bite, the tide changed, I changed locations and heared a good Barramundi boof (the sound they make as they explosivly inhale air, water and small fish) at the surface so I knew that there were fish in front of me. Next cast, the lure got slammed and I was into a fish that jumped half a dozen times and had a good old run arround before allowing me to land it. Not big at arround 3kg but a nice start and I used a wave to carry the fish up the beach as far as I could before picking it up by the gill cover.

 

In the moment that I stood upright, I saw the postion of the lure, felt the fish tence and had a virtual premenition of what was to come next.

 

The fish thrashed violently and although I tried to throw it clear and withdraw my hand, the rear set of hooks found a purchace and were driven into my fingers with the full weight of the fish - ouch !

 

Not impresed, I reached for the light on my head, switched it on and was greeted with the site of two hooks driven past the barb into my middle and index fingers as well as a little blood from where the third point had pricked me but torn free before being driven home.

Obviously I had a problem and the first priority was to hold the fish still to stop it thrashing and causing even more dammage and the second was to call for assistance from Angelo who was fishing 40m away.

 

On arrival, his first words were "Oh ****, **** **** **** !" and it took me a couple of seconds to explain that I'd get butchered at the hospital (I'd recently seen what a hospital "Doctor" had done to Ashok's foot when did the same trick) and that I knew what needed doing. First job was was to get the tools out of my bag and fortunatly a knife, pliers and a wire cutting tool (thanks Dave) were in the front pocket ready to use.

We cut the fish free with the knife and placed it safely up the beech then cut the line so nobody would do damage by tripping over it and we could but the rod in a safe place. Next, I tried to cut the spitring but couldn't because it was a heavy duty type that I'd fitted for this trip. I finally managed to cut the eye of the hook in two places so we could remove the lure and the danger from the other hooks. Last job before assessing the state of my hand properly was to sever the free hook point from the treble in my hand.

 

At this point, my hand was still pretty twisted up because of the way that my fingers were stitched together by the hooks but I could see that the hook in my middle finger went in under the shin and that the point was already partly sticking out the other side so this was the first job. I pushed the point through, cut the barb off and pulled the hook back out the way it had gone in.

At last, I could straighten out my hand and see where the second hook was. Not good ! It was deep in the meat of my index finger and at this point, I really thought it might be a hospital job.

After looking at it carefully, I decided that it was unlikely that it had pierced the joint capsule and that there might just be enough space to turn the hook, so I grabbed the pliers and started to push and turn gently. There was suprisingly little pain (endorphines ?) until the hookpoint came back to the underside of the skin where the nerves are and then it was a little uncomfortable but I was very happy to see the point come sticking out through the skin. Unfortunatly, the hook shank was fully burried in my finger and there just wasn't enough room to allow me to drive the barb through , so I had to ask Angelo to push down on either side of the point until it poped through.

 

First cut with the snippers severed the hook just on the wrong side of the barb and I had to really force the cutters in for the second slice to make sure I got it - now that DID hurt.

To my great relief, the hook then slid out the way it had gone in and there was no apparent impairment of function or sensation other than a little discomfort.

 

Although I was laughing (definatly endorphines) at this point, there was no way that I was going to carry on fishing and risk driving muck and infection into the wound so we packed up for the night and I went and cleaned it up properly before going to bed.

 

This morning, things are a little stiff but otherwise remarkably good and I might even go fishing again tonight - after eating a good chunk of the fish responsible for last nights pain.

Species caught in 2020: Barbel. European Eel. Bleak. Perch. Pike.

Species caught in 2019: Pike. Bream. Tench. Chub. Common Carp. European Eel. Barbel. Bleak. Dace.

Species caught in 2018: Perch. Bream. Rainbow Trout. Brown Trout. Chub. Roach. Carp. European Eel.

Species caught in 2017: Siamese carp. Striped catfish. Rohu. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Black Minnow Shark. Perch. Chub. Brown Trout. Pike. Bream. Roach. Rudd. Bleak. Common Carp.

Species caught in 2016: Siamese carp. Jullien's golden carp. Striped catfish. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Alligator gar. Rohu. Black Minnow Shark. Roach, Bream, Perch, Ballan Wrasse. Rudd. Common Carp. Pike. Zander. Chub. Bleak.

Species caught in 2015: Brown Trout. Roach. Bream. Terrapin. Eel. Barbel. Pike. Chub.

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Last night, one of my fishing nightmares came true.

................................

Although I was laughing (definatly endorphines) at this point, there was no way that I was going to carry on fishing and risk driving muck and infection into the wound so we packed up for the night and I went and cleaned it up properly before going to bed.

 

This morning, things are a little stiff but otherwise remarkably good and I might even go fishing again tonight - after eating a good chunk of the fish responsible for last nights pain.

 

Ooooh Ouch that hurts mate, :rolleyes: plucky escape though :clap2::clap2: Hope it heals quickly for you.

I fish, I catches a few, I lose a few, BUT I enjoys. Anglers Trust PM

 

eat.gif

 

http://www.petalsgardencenter.com

 

Petals Florist

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A good result (all things considered) from a potentially very bad set of punctures and to make matters worse, it happened when the fish were biting.

 

Good on you for being ready and a smart move to DYI the removals.

" My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference!" - Harry Truman, 33rd US President

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