[bamboo_fool]

No, this is not a joke.

I will host a Spey Casting Gathering along the bank of the Ganges River in Rishikesh India where I will spend the entire October. Exact location is to be determined once I have familiarized myself with the city of Rishikesh.

If you can make it on Sunday morning, October 15th, leave a message here or send me a PM.

Official sponsors so far are (still waiting for a few replies)...... Schedule will follow.

Bring your own gear if you can; I will have one outfit for us to try. It's obvious the distance travelled and the difficulties in bringing two handed rods to the foothill of the Himalayas.

• Scientific Anglers, Midland, Michigan
• Orvis, Manchester, Vermont
• TFO Fly Rods, Dallas, Texas
• Schultz Outfitters, Ypsilanti, Michigan
• Poppy's Red Shed Fly Shop, Peck, Idaho
• Great Lakes Fly Fishing Company, Rockford, Michigan
• Sheet Metal Supply,Mundelein, Illinois
• Dun Magazine, Dover, TN
• A Tight Loop Magazine, Dover, TN

However slim the odds are, I hope to see a few souls on the Ganges River.

Jimmy

 

[Aldo]

Love it - spreading the two handed gospel world-wide!

 

[JDJones]

Recreational fishing is virtually unknown in that part of the world. The gravel bar on the inside bend looks interesting. Any clues as to what lurks in those waters?

 

[bamboo_fool]

No idea of why my previous reply was deleted;

However, there are mahseer to be caught further upstream into the Jim Corbett National Park where the wild tigers roam freely. The mahseer are ferocious fighters. I have taken them on an intruder style fly swung deep into the currents during high water in other parts of Asia.

Further upstream in the Himalayan range there are trout to be caught (The Brits stocked them during the colonial days).

Lower parts of the Ganges and its tributaries will have Goonch (a huge catfish) that supposedly have developed a taste for human flesh as they lurk downstream the burial sites where bodies are cremated on top of a floating wooden draft. Catfish upto 120kg have been reportedly caught.

Recreational fishing is virtually unknown in that part of the world. The gravel bar on the inside bend looks interesting. Any clues as to what lurks in those waters?

 

[aks]

No idea of why my previous reply was deleted;

However, there are mahseer to be caught further upstream into the Jim Corbett National Park where the wild tigers roam freely. The mahseer are ferocious fighters. I have taken them on an intruder style fly swung deep into the currents during high water in other parts of Asia.

Further upstream in the Himalayan range there are trout to be caught (The Brits stocked them during the colonial days).

Lower parts of the Ganges and its tributaries will have Goonch (a huge catfish) that supposed have developed a taste for human flesh as they lurk downstream the burial sites where bodies are cremated on top of a floating wooden draft. Catfish upto 120kg have been reported caught.

Time to start tying those flesh flies on larger hooks!

 

[bamboo_fool]

We did it!

I had one guest, Erika, who happens to live and fish on the Spey River in Scotland and plenty of local gawkers watching us casting.

A few locals have expressed interests in learning Spey casting as well..

Rishikesh is a holy city where fishing is strictly forbidden within its vicinity. I worked out a deal with the local authority to have no hooks and keep no flies in possession. I had no yarn at the end of the leader. I simply made a loop at the end of the leader and all cast just fine.

It was fun and successful. We hope to have more people coming from US, Canada, Scotland and Holland next October. We will eventual move further upstream to catch mahseer on the fly and maybe some giant Goonch...

I hope to see some of you next year on the Ganges!

Jimmy Chang

 

[herkileez]

Wow!! Very impressed with your efforts to host this clave, despite odds that would have turned almost anyone else back. It may have seemed like a small success there, but I'm sure you've gained a lot of admirers here, and, hopefully, supporters where you need them there. It will be interesting to see where it goes from there. Good example of thinking outside the box !!

 

[NCFS]

Hi Jimmy...well you did it...congrats...looks familiar..how hot was it?

 

[Botsari]

Looking forward to your first post of a photographic “still life with spey rod and golden mahseer”! Or any species from them Ganges caught on a spey rod. It will be a wonderful milestone on here, as is the photo you posted above.

 

[bamboo_fool]

Thanks for your kind words; it was not easy, given the logistics and impossible-to-obtain information. Persistence paid off and I now know what to do the next time I return.

I hope more Spey Casters can join me next year.

Wow!! Very impressed with your efforts to host this clave, despite odds that would have turned almost anyone else back. It may have seemed like a small success there, but I'm sure you've gained a lot of admirers here, and, hopefully, supporters where you need them there. It will be interesting to see where it goes from there. Good example of thinking outside the box !!

 

[bamboo_fool]

Hi Courtney:

October is considered to be the "Winter" month and temperature hovers at around 90F(32F) in the day and as soon as the sun sets, wind howls non-stop and temperature drops to the pleasant mid 60s (18C), Humidity was always low at 40%.... Remember, this is very far north in India and considered to be the foothills of the Himalayas...

I did get cold a couple of nights and morning...

Hi Jimmy...well you did it...congrats...looks familiar..how hot was it?

 

[bamboo_fool]

Thanks for the vote for confidence, because of my crazily busy schedule, I didn't get a chance to fish as my mobility was limited to only 3 free days to myself.

Catching will come on my next trip - photos will be posted.

cheers!

Looking forward to your first post of a photographic “still life with spey rod and golden mahseer”! Or any species from them Ganges caught on a spey rod. It will be a wonderful milestone on here, as is the photo you posted above.

 

[voodoofly]

We did it!

Rishikesh is a holy city where fishing is strictly forbidden within its vicinity. I worked out a deal with the local authority to have no hooks and keep no flies in possession. I had no yarn at the end of the leader. I simply made a loop at the end of the leader and all cast just fine.

Ahhh, that explains why i didn't get a request for bail money.....

:chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:

 

[bamboo_fool]

I would have been worth every single rupee!

Ahhh, that explains why i didn't get a request for bail money.....

:chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:

 

[Tweed Dweller]

Recreational fishing is virtually unknown in that part of the world. The gravel bar on the inside bend looks interesting. Any clues as to what lurks in those waters?

That is a question for which I would prefer to not know the answer! :Eyecrazy: