CHAP, xviii. The Bcimtn. 245 



Cannanore. From the bridge that spans this river at the entrance to the 

 town, capital Bahmeen fishing is to be had, and you can generally hire 

 a tolerably comfortable bungalow on the bank of the river close to the 

 bridge, and from your window you can always see when the fish begin to 

 feed, so you only have to shoulder your rod, and walk a few yards to your 

 sport. 



" I don't know the spawning time of the Bahmeen, but I have had good 

 sport with them all through the monsoon and in the months of March, 

 April, and May. At the end of, and after the monsoon, however, the 

 sea at the mouth of these backwaters becomes almost putrid, and a very 

 unpleasant smell arises from it. When the incoming tide brings this 

 dirty water up the backwaters it seems to poison the Bahmeen, Nair 

 fish, and other large fish ; the water has a brown tinge in it, and, as the 

 tide ebbs, numbers of large fish, all dead, float down with it and go out 

 to sea. At these times the native fishermen wade in and secure the dead 

 fish as they pass with a short harpoon. I need hardly say that, during 

 the months when the rivers are in this state, it is of little use attempting 

 to fish. 



" In concluding these notes I think I may say that Bahmeen fishing 

 is good sport, and quite worth following. In starting on a fishing trip it 

 is well to be provided with plenty of tackle as the fish are strong and 

 breakages frequent. I don't know what weight Bahmeen run up to, 

 the largest I have landed was one of 9 Ibs., but I have seen many larger 

 than this which have been caught in nets, some of the latter having 

 scaled n and 12 Ibs. A Bahmeen of this weight would give very good 

 sport." 



I have seen thousands of Polynemus Indicus brought ashore by a 

 fleet of netting boats: 12 Ibs. was quite an outside weight. They 

 averaged iolbs., and were all very much of a size. Day gives much 

 larger sizes for P. tetradactylus as will be seen below. 



"When taking your bait the Bahmeen does so with a violent rush, 

 in the most determined manner, and away he goes at his best pace as 

 soon as he feels the hook. After he has gone a few yards, and you can 

 safely do so, strike him twice so as to drive in the hooks, for he is by no 

 means a leather-mouthed fish like a Mahseer, and without some such 

 performance on your part he is apt to get rid of the hooks as soon as the 

 line slackens, which, by the bye, you should always endeavour to prevent. 

 Be careful to have your line clear and free, for if there is a check of any 

 sort when the Bahmeen has made up his mind to go you will probably have 

 to lament the loss of both fish and tackle." 



I never could be persuaded to endorse this striking of any fish after 

 he is hooked, my own belief being that if you will only keep on sufficient 



