Indian Fishing Expedition 2010/11 Part 3

The Great Royal Circus comes to Sawantwadi

After a week and a half of exploring the coast the feeling to return to Goa was getting stronger. The idea of being thrust back amongst so many tourists wasn’t inviting but the lure of steak and beer was starting to take over our thoughts. We packed our things back on to the bikes and left the beautiful beach with hopes to come back another time. Heading back to Goa we had a plan to find a beautiful spot where a small river reached the sea. We had camped here when kayaking and made friends with a family so thought it would be nice to return and see if they remembered me.

Throwing the cast net at sunset for mullet, Konkan coast

The first few hours was a straight ride returning the way we had come. Lunch stop was in Ratnagiri where we found a restaurant I had been to a few years before. It was a fairly cheap establishment but served good food, which suited us fine. Sitting inside under the cooling air of the fan we drank cold mango juice in an attempt to get rehydrated. . Half the customers turned and stared as we entered the restaurant while a couple couldn’t tear their eyes away from us until we left half an hour later. The food was good and stepping out side to smoke a cigarette we were accosted by a local drunk, who was determined to make conversation. He seemed to think it would be a good idea if we came back to his place to smoke hashish for the afternoon. We politely declined and turned to get accosted by a cool looking young guy who couldn’t have been more than16. He only wanted one of my cigarettes which of course was not a problem. The exchange did however come with a condition and that was, I kept it secret that he was smoking! Luckily I only knew two people in town, the local hash smoker and him himself, so I don’t think he had too much to worry about.

Surveying the azure waters of the Maharashtra coastline

Vultures that have just fed on a dead cow scarper as they see us approaching!

Back on the bikes we continued to head south for another hour or two. We had a print out of Google earth which we hoped would help find our destination. As we left the main road the image became less and it was difficult to see if there where the tiny roads headed. By some fluke of nature we took all the right turnings and after 10km ended up reaching my friend’s house. His mother looked a little confused when she saw us but called Chandrakant, the man of the house. As he saw us he remembered me from a few years before and a big smile swept across his face. When we had visited in the kayaks we had been the fist westerners in the tiny village so it was a bit of as novelty for them. Soon Amol the enthusiastic son arrived from the beach and was overjoyed that I had returned. I introduced Sam before going for a walk to the beach to look for a camping spot.

Standing with Amul on his private beach, who for some reason looks a little scared!

The Mother seemed very worried about out presence and it was suggested that we would need to register with the police if we planned on staying the night. Since the terrorist attacks a few years before in Mumbai, it seemed everyone was a little on edge. As we were tired we promised to go in the morning on our way back to the village. Amol came with us to the beach and was his usual enthusiastic self. He told us how he was now a coastal guard and was protecting his beach from terrorist landings. It all seemed a little far fetched but we nodded and agreed. He also seemed determined that we should wade across the river and camp on the far side like we had done before. It took a while to persuade him that the best camping spot was just around the corner and eventually we headed there, dropped our luggage before going for a swim and a walk.

Sunset on Amul's beach. I think he was giving the latest detail about his coastal patrol duties!

Then after a surreal hour of watching euro news on his old TV set we rode back up to town 15km away to find some dinner. It was to be the ubiquitous Vada Pav along with a few Samosas and Chai as we couldn’t find anything more substantial. The restaurant was small and dirty but filled with locals and the food tasted good. The people were friendly and although we must have been a very unusual sight in the dusty little crossroad village they welcomed us warmly. Every few minutes a mangy white cat would emerge from a hole in the restaurant floor only to then change its mind and disappear again. After filling up we bought some supplies for the night and then went in search of some old monk rum. Finding the local drinking establishment we walked inside and bought two quarters much to the amazement of the inebriated clients. The proprietor seemed highly confused as to where a couple of white boys had just popped up from and so tried to hurry the transaction along.

Sam on aroad through a beautiful casurina forest, Maharashtra

Back at the beach we arranged our sleeping bags on the warm white sand under the Pandanas bushes, mixed the rum with some Pepsi and lay back and stared at a million stars. It was another beautiful night on the Konkan coast. The tide pushing up but it would only be around reach high by 1am so we set an alarm and got some sleep. The conditions looked perfect for some fishy action but after a few hours of night time lure throwing rewarded us with nothing.

Repairing nets in a small village on the coast

We woke early in the morning and although coated in fine white sand it was another gloriously clear day. With the sun rising over the hill behind us it would be a little while until its warming rays reached our spot. Amol arrived a little while later, and as we gradually woke up he exercised on the beach. I wasn’t sure why he had to grunt and make so much noise but guessed it was a by product of watching too much sky TV. After some Chai we climbed back on the bikes, said goodbye to our kind hosts and once again headed south.

Mackeral and Kingfish boats, Tarkali

We didn’t make it too far down the main road before an excited looking policeman leaped in front of us. Thinking it was probably best to stop; we pulled into the rough parking area and ventured inside the police station. I quickly figured Amol must have called and notified them that we were on the way. I guess they hadn’t come across too many foreigners before as the whole thing seemed pretty novel to everyone in the station including those who didn’t plan on being there that day. After filling in a “C” form and explaining the foreign tourist rules regarding registration to the boss we were set free to get back on the road once again. Sam seemed to think we might be going to jail so was pretty relieved when we sped off down the road.

My first Mangrove Jack on the fly!

On the way back we stopped to meet Stefan in Vengurla who was fishing for the evening. Tides looked good for after dark so it seemed a shame to miss the opportunity. As the light went we started cast a little way up from Stefan who was fishing with his friend, Artu. I had a really good feeling and it wasn’t too long before a big fish nailed my rubber shad. It fought hard and began jumping from the water and then suddenly the line went slack. When I inspected the lure I noticed that the single top hook was bent. Stupidly I hadn’t removed it like I usually do and so had lost a good Barra of around 7-8kg.

The second Barramundi of the evening that wasn't as lucky as the first.

Luckily not long passed before another hit the same lure when cast in the same area. At first it took line quickly before kiting to my left where I knew there was a chance it might cut the line on the rocks. After a second I felt the horrible grating sensation as the line rubbed on a submerged oyster encrusted rock. I knew I had to quickly change my position if I wanted a chance to land the fish, so ran to my left. As I tried to jump up onto the next rock I slipped on the smooth granite, landed heavily on my back and narrowly missed going for a swim. As I recovered and climbed up to my new position Sam arrived to help land the fish. The line was still hung up but after some gentle persuasion a lively Barra of around 5kg came to the rock ready to be gaffed. Nothing happened for the next hour so we decided to head back and try to catch the last ferry into Goa, in time to find some food back in Arambol.

Sunset over the Arabian Sea, West coast India

We spent the next week or two fishing hard on the coast around north Goa and south Maharashtra. We tried to hit the good spots every evening as the light faded. As the light drops out of the water predators come out to hunt and a carefully placed lured can often be pounced upon. The anticipation rises as that magical time arrives when the sun is burning red and sits just a few degrees from the horizon. If nothing has happened already, now is the time to prepare your self as those bigger specimens arrive to tear through shoals of defenceless baitfish.

A decent Barramundi caught from the beach on a lure

A trip up to one of my favourite spots was in order that being Querim estuary. Little had happened here in the weeks previously. Stefan had caught a few decent Barramundi and I understood that a few other guys had been lucky too. Thanks to the sands shifting during the monsoon the usual deeps had moved further from the beach, so it seemed fish were a little harder to intercept. However, many people were talking as though the estuary had died a sad death, “there’s nothing left” they said! Sure, vast amounts of Barra have been removed in the previous years but there are a good few left. I suspected, as usual, it’s easy to speak badly of a spot if you haven’t got the knowledge to catch an occasional fish. I wonder how many times a fisherman has left from a session downhearted and declared it’s a poor spot. The fish were there but he chose the wrong technique which resulted in a blank. Then, along comes the next guy who chooses the right lure and has a red letter day.

Markus holding two Barramundi that couldn't resist hitting our lures

Having put in a vast amount of hours on the estuary I knew exactly what was going on and how an tiny difference in techniques could make all the difference to who catches and who doesn’t. Arriving at the estuary we found Stefan fishing, along with Winston who I hadn’t met before but had chatted to on a forum. Stefan had been fishing for a few hours and had nothing to report, not even a bite or two. I felt highly confident of catching a fish, which I think is one of the most important ingredients to consider when hitting the water. A lack of confidence will more than often result in a fishless evening. It all paid off, as within the first five minutes a cracking bite resulted in a beautiful small Barramundi which I quickly slipped back into the white water. Stefan was surprised to say the least, but has seen it all before so wasn’t too phased. Only a few minutes passed before another much bigger fish made an all out attempt to pull my rod from my hands. A great fight ensued over the next few minutes until I managed to pull the fish close enough to land with the help of Markus and a wave. Around six kilos it was destined to become our next meal.

Fisherman on the beach, Tarkali

Everyone was immediately on the hunt for a similar lure to the one I was using, as it seemed to be making all the difference. Again within a couple of minutes my lure was savaged by a much bigger fish. I quickly loosened the drag to give line as the small hooks I was using would definitely give way under any substantial pressure. It wasn’t however going to be the hooks that let me down but rather the split ring that was ripped from its mounting. To my left I heard Markus shout that he was on and in double quick time he had a beautiful slab of silver on the beach weighing in at around 9kg. Stefan was next to get a fish on, but unfortunately it was short lived as the hook slipped. Unfortunately during this short spell of feeding Sam was plagued with wind knots so didn’t manage to get in on the action. Five Barramundi on the lines in around fifteen minutes in a “dead” river, not bad really! And all because we managed to present them with exactly the right meal!

The local cow tamer wanders the villages playing his trumpet in exchange for rupees

Sam was to have a session to remember a few nights later as we headed for a rock mark which looked like it had good potential. It was a long walk of around two kilometres to reach the place we wanted to fish and half of this was over the rocks. Not just any rocks, gnarly, jagged and sharp they threatened to severely damage anyone who took a wrong step. A local throw netter told us another fisherman had been coming almost daily which gave us hope of their being some fish about. With a view of dolphins out at sea, a sea eagle above and a long deserted beach in the distance it was a spot well worth fishing. Small fish swim in clear rock pools while behind us the land climbs steeply giving way to a band of long dry grass before thick forest cloaks the top of the hill.

Deserted beach, Maharashtra

With the water looking good and plenty of fishy looking spots to throw lures at, we started fishing around five o’clock. Almost immediately what looked like a small Palu grabbed my rubber lure just as it was about to leave the water. Definitely having bitten off more than he could chew the inevitable happened and he fell back into the water. The real action only started after the sun had set. Sam’s first bite was very close to the rocks and turned out to be a good fish of around 7-8kg. It put up a good fish but the sturdy tackle managed to subdue it after a few minutes. We called Ashok over but he seemed determined to fish in another spot. Not long later, Sam got lost two fish in the space of a few minutes thanks to the hooks pulling. Ashok was the next to get lucky and pulled in a Barra of 5 kilos.

Local fisherman, Konkan coast

By this time a couple of guys had arrived and were fishing a little way down the rocks from us. They must have seen the commotion ain the light of the half moon and known that the fish were on the bite. Sam was next to get a hit which he quickly struck into. It was another great fish which decided to give us an acrobatic display illuminated by the silver moonlight. The hook luckily held as it repeatedly jumped from the water. Eventually Sam expertly managed to guide the fish into a quiet bit of water where we could make a grab for it.

Sam with a big Barra caught from the rocks on a lure

It was decided that this one should be released so after a quick snap Sam chucked it back into the sea. Unfortunately as it hadn’t been revived properly it turned belly up and began to float away. After a second, it was out of reach and in a few more seconds it would be out of sight. It would be a crime to waste such a fish and there was only one thing for it. Stripping down to my boxer shorts I jumped into the black swirling water and swam after the Barramundi. With my fingers securely clamping onto its jaw, it was time to figure out how to get back onto dry land. Luckily there was not much of a swell which made life a little easier. Still a slip would mean some bad lacerations from the barnacles and oysters. Getting into position I waited for the right moment when some water would push me upwards. When it came I was back up on the rocks ready for more fishing, a little cold but none the worse for wear.

Sam and Ashok hold three Barramundi that took a liking to our lures, the biggest was destined to go back but it wasn't to be!

I was the next to get a fish on but as quickly as had come it was off and long gone. We ended up with eight Barramundi hooked and three landed. The guys fishing next to us didn’t seem to have had a touch all evening. I’m sure they must have been wondering what the hell we had been up to with all the shouting and swimming going on. We decided to call it a night and started on the long long trek back to the bikes. This is when the evening started to get more interesting as we had to negotiate the treacherous way with over 20kgs of fish. Luckily we had a bag so I offered to carry the catch while Sam and Ashok carried my tackle.

Mackeral drying in the sun, Konkan Coast

Walking the rocks in the day was hard enough, but in the dark, carrying over 20kg of spiky fish and wearing flip flops is another matter. Luckily the batteries in my head torch weren’t completely flat so I could just about see where I was going. Still every step was perilous and could have resulted in some serious pain had I gone down. The walk seemed to go on forever and by the time we eventually made it back to the beach the sweat was pouring from my skin in torrents. Another short stretch and we would be back at the bikes. And what a relief it was to get back and drop that bag into the foot well.

Morning after a night session on the beach

The fun carried on though as we rode through the village. Expecting everyone to be sleeping we were surprised to see a bunch of guys hanging out in the road. Ashok was desperate for them not to see our catch so we tried not to stop as they enquired to whether we had caught anything. A moment before the fish had started to slip and were now tottering on the edge of the foot well about to fall into the road. Should they fall our cover would have been blown, but somehow with Ashok’s foot supporting the unstable bag we managed to creep by the villagers without incident. Around the corner we readjusted our load while we laughed at what a close shave it had been and then sped off up the road. (For those of you wondering fishermen in India are extremely secretive about their spots and catches!). We waited up the road for Sam who seemed to have disappeared. We were wondering if the guys we had seen were beating the truth out of him, when a small light appeared back down the road. Sure enough it was him but riding only with the light of his head torch. We thought he was still employing stealth tactics but it turned out his headlight had decided to give up the ghost. It was a long way back home with no headlight so luckily as Ashok can see in the dark he offered to ride Sam’s bike the rest of the way. Following closely behind me we eventually managed to get home without any further hitches! It had turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable and eventful evening.

The cow tamers mate blowing his trumpet much to the delight of the village kids

Our fishing guru Ashok suggested that we make a short trip a little way into Maharashtra where we could stay with some of his friends. He assured us the fishing would be worthwhile and time and time again we heard the story of fast biting Mangrove Jacks. Previously he had told the family, who by the way, are respected fishers that he would undoubtedly bring them some Barramundi from his evening session. Unfortunately the Barra hadn’t been on the bite so he couldn’t keep his promise. So Ashok wouldn’t lose face we decided to have a go and see if we could do any better. The plan was to return to our hosts with at least one of these sort after fish. Rarely caught in the nets good sized Barra are unusual to see in the market and because of this will be highly appreciated when presented as a gift.

Sam and Ashok with the world's weirdest looking Trevally

On the Estuary a fisherman will find it hard to predict whether the Barra will bite even if the conditions look perfect. Many times it will look great but unfortunately the fish have decided to dine out elsewhere for the evening. When Sam, Ashok and I reached the river mouth the tide was pushing in nicely and without too much imagination we could picture larger fish following the hoards of mullet and other baitfish up stream. The question was would the fish be there this eveveing? Ashok was first to cast his lure into the rising water. A couple of turns in and he asked if I could change his handle to the other side of the reel. As I had half unscrewed the handle I felt a knock and then a pull on the rod! I struck and surprisingly was into a good fish which turned out to be a beautiful Barra of around 3kg. Because of this super lucky first cast we could now relax as we had a gift for our hosts .

Sam and a decent estuary Barra

I quickly changed the handle for Ashok, grabbed my rod and cast my lure as far out as I could into the swirling water of the river mouth. It only took a few turns of the reel before another Barra homed in on the lure and smash into it hard. It was quickly on the beach along with its mate after putting up a spirited fight. My lure flew back to the same spot and as I slowly retried it once again it was nailed hard.. This time the culprit was a small MJ . It seemed that we had arrived exactly at the right time and sure enough next cast another Barra hit my lure, but quickly jumped and shook the hooks free. Sam got the fourth Barra which he slipped back to its watery home after a quick mug shot. Ashok didn’t look happy to see the fish go back, as after all it was his pride at stake, so we decided to keep the next one. The fifth Barra decided to choose Sam’s lure and came only a few casts later. I got one more while Ashok went for a few casts up the beach only to return a few minutes later with a tiny Trevally which, amazingly we persuaded him to release. Hopefully the first of many!

The camera never seemed to stop attracting the resident kids!

With Four good Barra and a Mangrove jack we decided to call it a night for a couple of reasons. Firstly I didn’t want to see any more fish removed when we already had enough and secondly Ashok was getting twitchy. Being away from his home patch he seemed vey concerned that no one saw what we had caught. As we fished, a guy had been gliding across the still lagoon in a dugout to illegally collect sand from the spit. As Sam carried his last fish up the beach the sand miner had come to see what was going on. This was too much for Ashok who announced we must leave at once. For us it’s hard to understand Ashok’s concern, but as I have seen it all before, I explained to Sam that it’s something just to except and not to question. Ashok obviously has his reasons and being guests we should honour them. Back at the bikes tensions rose as some local guys who were sitting by their boat questioned our purpose. Ashok asked us to hide the fish as what sounded to me like a heated discussion went on. After a few minutes the guys drifted off and we went on our way. It seemed by mentioning our respected hosts the fishermen had decided that we were ok. It probably also helped that Ashok told them that we had caught nothing.

A lively little Trevally that hit a trolled lure

Worn out from fighting the little trevally....Baba drives the boat

Wide smiles spread across our host’s faces when we reached home. They couldn’t believe what we had caught from the shore in such a short space of time. The old mother seemed to be the happiest of them all as we presented the fish in the darkness out side the house. We got the feeling that we would always be welcome which is great as we were staying in one of the most relaxing places I have had the good fortune to visit. It was such a pleasure staying with such warm friendly people that I hoped I could return time and time again.

Ashok washing our catch

The next day the men of the house, Babu and Govind, took us out in their boat to troll along the coast. It was all familiar territory to me from when I kayaked past the area a couple of years before. It was however nice to sit back and not have to paddle, but I vowed on the next trip to bring my kayak to this fantastic area. Just being in the boat was enough, but we also managed to land three small Trevally, as well as a lovely 2.5kg speckled snapper for Sam. Although they were only small fish they fought incredibly wel,l but being on the boat didn’t do them justice. It looked like there were some great land based fishing spots in the area, so we planned on coming back to battle the fish from terra firma at a future date.