CHAPTER X. 

 PASTE BAITING FOR MAHSEER AND OTHERS. 



"Saepe 

 Occultum visus decurrere piscis ad hamum." 



HORACE. Epist. I., 7, 74. 



FOR fishing, as in the last chapter, live bait is not always handy, and 

 paste is also effective. I have but little personal experience of this 

 style of fishing, and am chiefly dependent on that of others ; but I quote 

 from no mean authorities. The first was a Nimrod, the other two are 

 excellent fishermen. 



The best fisherman need not be ashamed of acknowledging to a 

 liking for a change at times, and there are times when one is weary with 

 toil, and heat, and the failure of sport in any other way. And more 

 than once have I heard the wail of a right good brother of the angle 

 over monsters who would only feed at night, being much too wary to 

 be taken by any device by daylight. And it is a style of fishing that 

 can be followed simultaneously with float fishing, extra rods being set 

 for it while you are busy with your float. And it is not one fish only, 

 but many that can be taken in this way. The Mahseer and other 

 carps, the Rohu and other Labeos, the Silund (seemingly called also 

 Sinnan), the Pangwas and other siluroids, the Catla, and possibly 

 others that I know not of, may be caught in this way. While experi- 

 menting for a dull interval I have myself taken a Pangwas (Pangusius 

 Buchanani] of 14 Ibs., and a Chagunio (Barbus chagunio). Day gives 

 the sizes of these two fish as " upwards of 4 feet in length " and " at 

 least 1 8 inches," while Silund (Silundia Gangeticd) "attains," he says, 

 " 6 feet or more in length." 



Mahseer are caught at the bathing Ghat at Delhi with paste bait 



