Live Bait Fishing For Mahseer

Mahseer become more predatory the larger they become; they simply need the higher food value to maintain their bulk. Offering live bait is therefore one of the great options for an angler targetting Mahseer. The two essential issues when live bait fishing for Mahseer are:

• to deliver the live bait to the right place; and
• to deliver the live bait in a way that is as natural as possible.

Let's look at these two issues a bit later. First, let's consider what tackle is suitable.

A sturdy pike or saltwater rod of 8' - 10' offers a solid platform for fighting any fish you do manage to hook. You can use a baitcaster or large spinning reel depending upon your preference. This should be loaded with 10 kilogram line or similar. Bring spare spools ready loaded, and spare line to reload these in the evenings if necessary.

The trace needs to be able to resist abrasion from the Mahseer's teeth. 15 kilogram line is recommended. It is worth checking traces every cast especially around the business end.

Using a trace with a heavier rating than the main line means that your weakest link is now above most of your terminal tackle. This is probably something you will just have to accept but be prepared for heavier than normal tackle losses. I am not going to recommend you introduce a weaker link further down the line to compensate.

The choice of hooks gets very personal. Long shank vs short shank, thin wire vs rock solid, barbed vs barbless and that's even before considering size. Personally I think the choice is less important than the hooking technique. I will cover that topic separately and put a link here when finished. Using the right hooking technique can compensate for many of the weakness inherent in the hooks themselves.

Whatever style of hook you choose, you will need sizes ranging from 2/0 through to 8/0.

Bring some lighter tackle to be able to catch your own baitfish. This can save money and add some fun when the big fish are hiding away.

Delivering the live bait to the right place

Any experienced angler should be able to analyse a river and spot likely looking locations for a big fish, even when on a fishing holiday abroad. However, it pays to have a local with you and to heed their advice. In these days of Catch & Release fishing the local guide (or ghillie) should know the most territories of the fish on their beats and the most productive spots for different seasons, eater levels and other such factors.

Big Mahseer tend to hang out in big pools. That's not unusual for predator fish the world over. It takes a lot less effort to swim in such places, the temperature stays more constant (a big factor in the hot Indian sun) and food tends to get held up in the swirls and eddies as if waiting to be taken. It is that last factor we need to look at in more detail.

Any deep pool begins and ends with shallower and faster flowing water. The amount of change, the direction of change and any obstructions en-route affect the flow of the water and the best location for fishing. Mahseer like to hang out near obstructions so if you can find one of these with an eddy nearby then that is the place to drop your live bait. The Mahseer will sense the presence of food by the vibrations that the fish in distress will give off and, if all seems natural, you can expect a strike.

Delivering the live bait naturally

A natural live bait is one that appears to be swimming around unrestrained, preferably with a hint of distress as that adds to the chances of a strike.

Depending on your platform, this may be more or less challenging. Fishing from a boat gives you pretty much total control. Fishing from the shore often means finding a solid platform above the target location so that the live bait can be allowed to drift down to it.

Casting can compensate for an imperfectly positioned platform but you do not want to be casting your live bait too far as the stresses involved will ruin your natural delivery. A live bait can be attached to your rig in various ways but all involve the hook or hooks passing through non-fatal parts of the bait's body. A big cast will surely rip these out or do sufficient damage as to become fatal quickly.

Since Mahseer like to stay deep you will need to use some form of weight to get your bait down. This can be below a float/bobber or just on the line depending upon the current, the distance between your platform and the target location and upon your own fishing preferences.

You will almost certainly want to use a long trace between the weight and the bait to minimize interference or distraction but this may be limited by hazards around your platform and in the water. Whether you fish in-line or from a dropper loop is up to you. I prefer the former since this should be the stronger set-up.

Whatever your situation and choices, the bait should arrive at the target location with the current, free from excessive drag from you or your tackle.