THE BEST LURE FOR M AH SEER 507 



river and have ruined it for sport. It is full too of limestone 

 caves, into which a fish dives ; and you can't get it out again, 

 for the line gets frayed. The largest fish I ever caught was 

 44 Ibs., but they have been captured up to 60 Ibs. In one trip 

 Colonel Hicks, Ommaney, Bourne, and I got in five days 736 

 Ibs. offish of which I got 276 Ibs., Ommaney 258^ Ibs., Colonel 

 Hicks 105^ Ibs., and Bourne 96 Ibs. At another time in two 

 days I caught 272 Ibs. weight of fish. 



1 may here, I think, conclude wild sport in Assam and 

 the adjacent hills. I had on one occasion good pig-sticking 

 with Williamson of the Garrow hills, below Doobree, and I 

 wonder that the Tent Clubs of Bengal do not pay those 

 localities a visit now and then, for the boars are of the largest 

 and most savage. I have put them up within a few yards of 

 a tiger ! 



The best lure for a mahseer is a large spoon-bait, about the 

 size of a gravy spoon, silver on one side and gilt on the 

 other ; it should spin freely and easily, and the treble hooks 

 should be extra strong and keen of point, for the fish have 

 leathery lips, not easy of penetration ; treble gut of the best 

 and fully 6 feet in length ; the line should be fully 120 to 

 1 80 yards in length. Fishing in deep water, lead heavily, as 

 the big fish remain close to the bottom ; strike moderately 

 hard and give plenty of line. Don't be in too great a hurry 

 to land your fish. The scales on the fish are very large and 

 almost as tough as tin, and I found a gaff of no great use a 

 three-prong spear is better, if thrust into the back of the head 

 with force it will penetrate, and your fish will be secured. 

 Salmon flies are good for moderate-sized fish in torrents, but 

 not of much account in smooth water. Salmon rods for 

 trolling. 



THE END 



Richard Clay &> Sens, Limited, London <& Bungay. 



