The Himalayan Experience – fishing for golden Mahseer
How does one go about describing India and its Mahseer? When I sat down to formulate this in words I found myself at a loss. I’ve been around the block. Having fished for many different species in locales that varied from exotic to downright dangerous, I am not easily impressed, let alone left in awe. India did something to me; it is the one trip I remember most vividly, the one trip I look forward to doing again and again. Mahseer are like tarpon – ancient fish, they demand respect, play no favorites and test your mettle to the limit. They also make you come back time after time. India will do that to you as well, albeit for reasons I still can’t explain. Another refreshing first was the standard of our camp in the mountains. Hailing from Africa, camping in the outdoors is what we do. Been there, done that, have the T-shirt et al, that is, until you camp the way the Himalayan Outback do. Imagine top class service, all the amenities you could hope for, three meals a day and staff eager to please, catering to your every whim. Place yourself in a setting that poets dream of, prepare to do battle with a fish of legends, and experience the magic of the Himalayas. Yeah, right. I could not even begin to describe it

What a catch is a tv show that takes me to some of the most remote places on the planet. So what do I look for when planning a fishing adventure? Likely the same things all hard core enthusiasts want. “To push the limits of the great outdoors, to capture the essence of a true adventure while in hot pursuit of a legendary hard hitting game fish called the Mahseer. To savor the thrill of the catch with a fishing partner who becomes a friend for life in short order, to see the world as a little smaller place through a new culture”.
Pretty tall order to fill……… But this and so much more is what I experienced fishing with Misty Dhillon, founder of the Himalayan Outback, and India keeps calling me back.

Kathryn Maroun
President of What A Catch Productions.
www.whatacatch.net
President Of Casting For Recovery Canada
www.castingforrecovery.com

Our fly fishing group travelled over 800 kilometers by train, jeep, and raft. We stayed in a diverse array of hotels and guest houses. Considering the multi-faceted nature of the trip, which included tourism in Agra and Delhi plus remote fishing in the Himalayan foothills, Misty’s organizational skills in putting together a flawless travel and fishing program is remarkable. If there were no fish involved the cultural and eco-tourism aspect alone would have been reward enough. But there were fish; we encountered the fabled Golden Mahseer every day and some could surely be deemed “trophies”. As icing on the cake, the Saryu River’s jade-green pools and white water rapids were a lovely backdrop to our angling. The thrill of hooking large native fish in the shadow of the worlds tallest mountains, combined with the rich tapestry of India and its people make a journey with the Himalayan Outback one of the globe’s best, and truly unique, angling adventures.

Adam Tavender,
Steelhead Fishing Guide
British Columbia, Canada