4io Fishing Localities. CHAP. xxvi. 



" The Jumna is a splendid river for fly or spinning. I have been told 

 that pure white and pure yellow flies are the best in this river, but I have 

 found the ordinary* ones do very well indeed. This river seems a favourite 

 one for Mahseer ; when the dirty water of the melted snows comes down in 

 May, making the Jumna as dirty as the Thames, large bags are made. 

 The river is shallow in the parts mostly fished over, and perhaps the fish 

 see the lure more readily than in deeper streams. The old town of Simoor, 

 said to have been deserted 1000 years, is on the banks close to the lake. 

 Portions of the paved streets and many gods, etc., are still to be seen lying 

 in the jungle. The Jumna is a good river for monsters. The Tons very 

 bad fishing always. I have not gone in much for the big river fishing, as to 

 be successful, you must have Mullahs with Senai's (inflated skins), and I 

 never fancied this mode of fishing. The Arson has yielded many fish to 

 my rod, and all with fly. I prefer the first and last-mentioned fly for this 

 river ; up to 5 Ibs. is the usual weight, but fish of 1 5 to 20 Ibs. have been 

 caught in it. Snipe are very fond of the edges of this river when going up 

 or down country. I have forgotten the large fish at the Pounta temple on 

 the Jumna ; they are to be had with atta I believe. This is a Sikh temple, 

 and so is the Gurse Dwam at Dehra. A large trout 4f Ibs. was caught in 

 the Arson, near the mouth, when I was there ; it was the largest by if Ibs. 

 that I have ever seen. 



" The Suswa is a splendid stream for fly, and also the Song. I have 

 taken many dozens out of these two streams, the average of a good day in 

 the cold weather, is from 15 to 25 fish, average I Ib. each. I once bagged 

 in one hole 18 trout, averaging nearly a pound, and one small Mahseer; 

 5 Ibs. is about the largest one can hope for, until May, but during May and 

 June, large fish are caught in both streams, but fever is said to be very 

 prevalent in those months. The Song is the only decent-sized stream I 

 know of in these parts that is not subject to floods ; it principally drains 

 Jhils, so the supply of fish is steadier than elsewhere, and the water even in 

 the cold season is comparatively warm. 



"The Ganges, ' The Mighty,' has the monsters. Ask ' Mountaineer' to 

 tell you how to catch them, as he manages to fetch them out when others 

 don't. He tells me the great art is to pitch the bait as far out as possible. 

 He also uses only small Mahseer, about 2 ozs., when he can get them, in 

 preference to any other bait. The natives catch large fish with a very 

 cunning dodge ; the line is wound on a roundish wheel ; the end of the 

 line is weighted with a small stone, say 2 Ibs. weight ; the hook is tied to a 

 snooding about a yard long, and baited with a small fish : sufficient line is 

 unwound, and the stone swung round and round until let go with a jerk, it 

 flies into mid-stream ; the line is then tightened, and tied with a bit of 



* I do not understand what is meant ; I have a shrewd suspicion one is as good 

 as another, and perhaps a good deal better. I have already said my say as an 

 unbeliever in the matter of salmon flies. 



