There are many things that time and tide could not wipe out from the face of human civilisation. There are habits and hobbies which endured the onslaught of evolution and revolution, destruction and construction, and “isations” and “neo-isms”. Fishing is one of them.
Fishing, or angling, is a common hobby in Shillong as well as other parts of Meghalaya despite the fact that urbanisation and its usual characteristics have seeped into the simple lives of the people here. It is not difficult to find an old Santiago among the citizens who take up the finned challenge and passionately follows the taut line.
Damanbha Lyngdoh, a 32-year-old angler, has been fishing for eight years now and his inspiration has been his “brother and friend”, Vijay Thapa.
Lyngdoh was born and brought up in Shillong and is currently working with a private company. But every weekend, the young angler makes sure that he is out of the city with his angler friends. “I started fishing as a stress buster and got hooked on to it. I go out almost every weekend and whenever I get time. I am completely carried away,” says Lyngdoh.
John Wankhar, for whom fishing is more of a habit than hobby, has been following the spirit of ‘Santiago’ since childhood. “I had stopped fishing for a few years but again started because it really makes me happy. I run away from Shillong every week and sit with my tackle the whole day,” says the 35-year-old angler.
The passion with which Lyngdoh and Johnny speak about fishing reminds one of the Cuban old man, Santiago, in Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and The Sea. Lyngdoh says he loves fishing because it has helped him become more focused and patient.
Thapa, who inspired Lyngdoh to take up fishing for peace of mind, says he would prefer fishing to partying with friends and colleagues. He says he is really obsessed with angling and often watches videos on YouTube on different ways of fishing and the various equipment used around the world. His passion could have inspired Hemingway to create another masterpiece.
Johanan Rumnong, a government employee, echoes Lyngdoh. He says angling, if done regularly, indeed improves concentration. “You have to sit quietly with the tackle and wait for the fish to take the bait. You never know how long it will take but you have to be alert lest a big fish might just be too arrogant to take away your fishing rod,” says Rumnong as he explains the advantages of angling.
Rumnong, who has been fishing since he was five, says he learned the tricks from the elders in his family. “I go for fishing in both river and pond and have been to Umiam, Dawki and Shella, among other places,” says the 38-year-old angler.
For anglers in Shillong, Dawki, Shella, Ranikor, Mawphlang and Ri Bhoi are some of the favourite places to find the best catch. Some even go out of Meghalaya for a more adventurous angling trip. For instance, Johnny’s passion has taken him to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
Kynsai Sangriang, a resident of Mawkyrwat, says fishing was a ritual in his village located near the Rilang river. The 37-year-old angler started angling when he was in school and is still passionate about it. “In the village, the main purpose of fishing was for food. But gradually it turned into a hobby and now I slip out of my busy life whenever I can and go out fishing,” says Sangriang, who recently went to the Umngi river in South West Khasi Hills with other angler friends.
But if you think fishing is only a male bastion then it is time to do some home-work on gender equality for many women in the state too pursue the hobby passionately.
Ika Nongkling of Ri Bhoi started fishing at the age of 15. The 37-year-old angler says she prefers fishing in river as it is “more challenging”.
Nongkling usually goes to Lailad and Wah Iewsyier in Ri Bhoi. However, the government employee points out that it is an expensive hobby if you choose the best rod and reel.
“For fly fishing, the cheapest equipment (the rod and the reel) can cost Rs 20,000,” says 27-year-old Rangdajied Kharumnuid, who learnt the art from his father who was “an expert angler”.
“But when you are passionate about something, the cost does not matter,” Lyngdoh replies when asked about the pocket pinch.
Need expertise
It might be a boring hobby but angling requires experience and one has to know the tricks to outwit the fish. The angler needs to know the level of water where he or she will be fishing and that is the basic knowledge, says Rumnong.
Lyngdoh says fishing in a pond and a river requires different techniques with the tackle. “The river water is flowing constantly and you have to know how far the line has to be thrown. This is fly fishing. But in a pond, the water is stagnant and the tackle should be thrown into the water accordingly,” he explains.
Besides, preparing the bait is also an important part. Rumnong says not all fish will take the same bait and one needs to know when to use flour mix and when to go for worms. “Fishing has many elements to it and one needs years of practice to learn the correct methods,” he says.
Fishing as sport
Beside being a common hobby, fishing is a popular sport in the state so much so that in many villages it has turned into gambling and organisers often use government ponds for the purpose. The prize money at times is in lakhs.
Wankhar says he has participated in several competitions in the city as well as in other districts. But many anglers like Rumnong and Nongkling stay away from competitions and practise it as a hobby.
“I do not go for competitions because you have to pay high fees. Anyway it is an expensive hobby,” says 36-year-old Sain Lyngdoh of Mawkyrwat who goes to the Rilang, Kynshi and Umngi for fishing.
Kharumnuid, who works part-time as a fishing guide and travels across the state for river fishing, says usually competitions in ponds are not alarming as organisers release fish for a particular event. “When it comes to rivers, our people should get more conscious about the consequences. One day there will be no fish left in rivers here if rampant competitions continue. So it is better to practise catch and release in rivers,” concedes the young enthusiast.
Recently, the Department of Fisheries organised a ‘Catch and Release’ competition at Ward’s Lake where hundreds of anglers, including women, participated in the sport.
The practice of ‘catch and release’ is yet to become popular as there is less awareness among people. On gambling, a senior government official says steps are being taken to curb the practice.
“Angling is a fine hobby. Many people blame it for the reduction in fish production. But angling is not a menace till the time it turns into gambling. So the government is now charging fees for competitions and with the money it collects, it maintains the ponds and use in fish production,” he explains.
O Tariang, a veteran fisherman from Jaintia Hills, rues about the attitude of “aggressive young fishermen” today and says there should be a balance between fishing and production.
“Man learnt to fish because he needed food. But his greed increased and he caught more fish than what he needs putting pressure on the aqua-population. As human population grew, more and more fish vanished. So it is time that all individuals, besides the government, become aware of the lurking danger and be reasonable while angling,” he says and adds that he never takes home more than he can eat and releases the remaining fish into the water.
~ NM
(With inputs from Vijay Thapa, Pynshngainlang N. Syiem, Andre Kongri & Kynsai L Sangriang)