Pong Dam Mahseer Fishing

Some of the best mahseer angling in the western Himalayas, with fish regularly exceeding 20kg

Pong Dam Lake holds one of the last significant populations of golden mahseer (Tor putitora) in the western Himalayas — a large, powerful cyprinid that can exceed 30kg and is considered among the finest freshwater sport fish in the world. The lake also supports excellent populations of rohu (Labeo rohita), catfish (Wallago attu, locally called mully), and singhada (Sperata aor), which between them provide year-round fishing interest.

Fishing permits are required and available from the Himachal Pradesh Fisheries Department office near the lake. Boats for hire are available at multiple points along the shoreline; the best angling is typically in the deeper channels around the dam structure and along the submerged river channels where fish concentrate. Rohu takes bait most readily during and just after the monsoon season. Mahseer is best targeted with live or dead bait on the bottom in deeper water. Catch-and-release is increasingly standard practice; the Department encourages it for the larger fish.

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A story
The golden mahseer (Tor putitora) was once found throughout the major rivers of the Himalayan foothills but collapsed dramatically in most of its range during the late 20th century due to overfishing, pollution, and dam construction. Pong Dam Lake is now one of the few places where a viable wild mahseer population survives, partly because the lake's size gives the fish room to recover and partly because catch-and-release practices have been promoted here more consistently than elsewhere.