CHENNAI: Around 40 km from the hustle-bustle of the city, a steady stream of youngsters — armed with their fishing tackles flock the rocky shores of Covelong beach. Besides the regular crowd on a Sunday evening, the coastline is dotted with groups of hopeful anglers, each at a comfortable distance from the other. Among the many trying their luck at catching a fish is Dineshkumar Ravindran.
Sporting a blue jersey bearing the brand of Anglers Fishing Tackles, he casts his 10 ft fishing rod with a lure, 80 metres into the sea and waits patiently. “A few years back, this beach was known only to a handful of anglers. Now, to reserve a spot, you need to come hours in advance.
Weekends get busier at Covelong, Muttukadu and all the way till Mahabalipuram, given there’s good movement of fish along the coastline. NH 4 and Ennore are also soughtafter spots. Angling needs privacy, time and silence. Precisely why you don’t get to witness the activity in beaches within the city limits,” shares Dinesh, the owner of Anglers Fishing Tackles store in Royapuram.
A ‘fin’tastic sport
Once a low-key pass-time, angling, as a recreational activity, has garnered a good number of takers in the past decade. More so, after the restoration of Chetpet Lake in 2014 and the inauguration of Sport Fishing-cum- Ecopark in 2016. Yet, it’s only with the pandemic that there’s been a spurt in angling enthusiasts, says Dinesh. “With plenty of time in hand, people wanted to take up something new. Given the nature of the sport, angling came in handy. Things got easier with informative YouTube channels and vlogs at their disposal. Soon after lockdown relaxation, I had customers frequenting my shop every day.
There were enquiries from different parts of the country,” elaborates Dinesh, who’s been consistently uploading videos on basic and advanced angling techniques in simple language on Anglers Fishing Tackles’ official YouTube page. Compared to just a few years ago, Dinesh says that the commonly- held notion of angling being an expensive sport is changing. His clientele, aged 18-80 and from different economic strata, stand testimony to that.
The store offers all kinds of fishing gear required for different types of angling from major suppliers such as Daiwa, Shimano, Abu Garcia, Mustad, Halco, Okuma, Shakespeare; all this in the price range of Rs 2,500 to a few lakhs. “The store was born out of my passion for angling when I started pursuing the hobby in 2013. Branded fishing rods and gears used to cost Rs 25,000 as they were imported and there was a waiting period. Now, you will find something even for Rs 2,000. The prices are affordable. People don’t mind splurging a few bucks on their interest,” he explains.
Lost in leisure
Besides the adventurous fishing expeditions and adrenaline rush that one experiences after every fresh catch, it’s also the familyfriendly nature of the sport that caught its attention during the lockdown. For Visnu Prean and family, every angling trip in he past two years has been a time for bonding. Beyond the leisure it offers, he explains the overall impact the activity has on physical and mental well-being. “Angling demands all your attention, undivided focus, dedicated planning and most of all, patience. It’s a stress-buster and a meditative process. This low-impact exercise engages your shoulders, back, core, arms and legs, and improves balance.
You also need good resilience to fight back the fish. Spending a good amount of time in the sun gives you vitamin D. That apart, it’s an opportunity to pass on these skills to your children. They get to learn and respect the environment and aquatic life, and be responsible citizens.” For young friends, A Mahadevan and Daniel, weekends are reserved for fishing. “Hunting for fishing spots around the city has been a favourite activity. From Kattupalli to Ennore, we’ve explored all the lesser-known places. We fish in groups to make the activity more engaging and there’s so much knowledge-sharing that happens. Sometimes we venture into the sea on the boat with our fishermen folks and sometimes you will find us on the shore. Standing under the sun for eight to 10 hours and getting our body tanned does not bog us down. To catch a fish, you need to live and move around like a fish. It’s important to understand the water movement and seasonal species. After five days of work, we look forward to this,” they say.
A team effort
The angling community in the city is well-connected with WhatsApp groups and local communities on everyday updates. That apart, the All India Game Fishing Association acts as an umbrella non-profit organisation with the sole intention to promote sport fishing and to protect the fast depleting stock of sport fish by active participation of the angler community in the country. It’s run by more than 7,000 anglers from different regions. “It’s an active group with veterans and seasoned anglers. We emphasise on ethical practices of fishing to everyone who learns from us.
There are also activities, competitions and workshops for all age groups lined-up through the year. We hope to host a few this year,” assures Dinesh. Driven by sheer enthusiasm and active participation, over the years, angling has successfully grown from being a niche hobby to a competitive sport, attracting participants from different parts of the country. “Unlike abroad, there have been only a handful of game fishing competitions in Tamil Nadu in the past five years. Anglers also go to other cities to take part in events. Foreign countries have big sponsors and the sport has great visibility. Here, the competitions focus on encouraging ethical fishing practices and spreading awareness,” points out Dinesh.
A fishy business
While the rising popularity of the sport is welcomed by many, veterans like Vivian Petersen with 35 years of experience in angling, rue that there aren’t many angler-friendly places in the city. “Unless there are rules and regulations for commercial fishing that strictly monitor their netting activities, we may lose out on many endangered species. Fishes need breathing space or they can’t move around comfortably. Commercial fishing also leaves behind tangled nets and garbage in the sea. Our tackles, sometimes, get hooked on to it and break apart. Secondly, a few freshwater bodies in the city are given on lease and that restricts the spot for anglers.
In the past few years, I’ve only witnessed deterioration in the status of waterbodies in the city. At this rate, anglers will have no good spot to fish,” says Vivian. Lack of safe fishing spots with dedicated trainers within the city limits is also a key reason why women step away from pursuing angling. Anita Visnu, despite having keen interest in angling, is forced to stay behind during fishing trips due to lack of company. “Awareness of this sport has to pick up among women. I stay in north Chennai. Apart from the harbour, most of the angling spots are on the ECR and far away from the city; it’s not feasible to travel often. The sport is also time-consuming and so, not many come forward to take it up. You also need good stamina to operate the rods and cast.
But, with more workshops and places like Ecopark in the heart of the city where women can confidently learn and pick up the skill, I’m sure we can have an active women angling group,” suggests Anita. Resonating with Vivian, Dinesh adds, “To promote this hobby is quite tricky as anglers are secretive about their spots. If somebody posts a picture of a fish caught from a particular spot, then the same place will be crowded the next day. We also need to have a good relationship with commercial fishermen so they don’t feel threatened.
As ethical fishermen, we catch the fish, take a photo and release them. While this is a hobby for us, it’s their livelihood.” Going a step further, Dinesh feels that there’s a long road ahead with acknowledging the importance of recreational angling tourism. “Angling tourism can play a key role in the sustainable development of coastal, rural and remote areas, supporting jobs and economic growth. It will take years for India to reach the status of Maldives, Rompin or Andaman, in that aspect,” sums up Dinesh, casting his worries along with the bait.
Get set, fish!
Fishing spots
Freshwater bodies and lakes in the city such as Chembarambakkam, Puzhal, Korattur, Chitlapakkam
and more. Sea fishing spots include Covelong, Muttukadu, Ennore, Harbour, and up to Mahabalipuram.
Time: Dawn and dusk are considered the best times for fishing.
Season: All time, except monsoon. Seasonal species are available round the year.
Commonly caught species: Barracuda, giant trevally, king mackerel barramundi, and more.
Beginner’s guide
— Dineshkumar Ravindran