Immortalized in the stories of Jim Corbett and Rudyard Kipling, huge dark shadows of a great fighter have lurked, in the deep waters of the mighty rivers of the Indian subcontinents. The Mahseer, found only in India, is the toughest fresh water fighting fish in the world. Weighing over a hundred pounds, four varieties inhabit the Indian river waters: the Golden Mahseer, the Silver Mahseer, the Silver Grey Mahseer and the Black Mahseer.

Today, in India, the sport of angling is combined with conservation. As per the existing Indian protection laws, the fish is allowed to be caught, but must be released within a stipulated time period. The average time taken to land a Mahseer is in ratio to its weight--5 minutes to 5 lbs. With just enough time to record its weight, and preserve your moment of glory with the prize catch of film, before the fish is revived-you have to be really quick or else it could just end up as one of those fishy stories of, "the great one that got away."

Trout fishing in the rivers and ice-fed mountain streams is a great sport. You may put your wits against the wily trout--both brown and rainbow--and catch the excitement of hooking a rainbow. Solitude seekers can spend hours in quiet contemplation, of the beauty around.

The fast flowing clear water streams and high altitude lakes of the upper Himalayas are excellent for trout fishing. The challenge and thrill of an encounter with the Mahseer attracts anglers from all over the world. It offers a holiday with a fish, which not only rules the Indian waters like the tiger does the jungle, but also fights the way, no one can.

Famous angling destinations in India

• Himachal Pradesh: Streams feeding the Beas River in the Kullu Manali region are well known for Brown Trout. The cold mountain streams are well suited for trout, and are home to some of the biggest varieties of Trout. The best beats are at Larji valley, situated on the confluence of the river Larji and Tirthan. Sainj, which is also a trout stream, flows on the other side.
• Uttar Pradesh: Dodital Lake nestled among the snow-clad peaks in the Uttarkashi Himalayas is a fresh water lake and a tempting trout pool, where you can get a good catch, during all seasons. The forest rest house at Dodital and Barkot are ideal for the night stay. Other options for fishing Mahseer in Uttar Pradesh are in the Ramganga and the Sharda rivers in the range of Jim Corbett National Park. You can also go to Rishikesh that offers good fishing sites.
• South India: Cauvery Fishing Lodge near Mysore is a great place to catch Mahseer. In Kerala streams around the hill stations of Munnar are ideal for fishing.
• Kashmir: Kashmir- with its network of rivers, streams and high altitude lakes, all abounding in trout, both brown and rainbow, has been rightly defined as an 'angler's paradise'. Trout fishing in Kashmir is far cheaper than it is in other parts of the world. Government departments are ensuring that there should not be any depletion of stock by discriminate fishing. Major points of angling in the state are the Indus and Lidder rivers, their tributaries and a network of smaller rivers and streams.
• Arunachal Pradesh: Main sites for fishing in Arunachal Pradesh are Bhalukpong and Tipi on the river Kameng, Pashighat on the river Siang, and Tezu on the river Lohit.