Nepal is a land of diverse topography, climate, ethnicity, and biodiversity. Within an average breadth of about 150 km, the altitude varies from 60 meters above sea level to the world’s highest peak Mount Sagarmatha scaling 8848 km it has three large river basins namely Koshi in the east, Narayani in the central, and Karnali in the west.
The rivers of Nepal support more than 100 species of fish, including the human size catfish known as Gonch, the famous sporting fish the Mahasheer, and the delicious species the Jalkapoor.
S. No | Common/ Local Name | Scientific Name | Size | Weight | Habitat | Bait | Season |
1. | Mahasheer/ Sahar | Tor putitora | 2.5 m | 50 kg | Large and deep rivers | Fish | Mar. -May./Sept. – Dec |
2. | Deep Bodied Mahasheer | Tor tor | 3 m | 50 kg | Large and deep rivers | Fish | Mar. – May/Sept – Dec |
3. | Copper Mahasheer /Katle | Acrossocheilus hexagonolepis | .6 m | 5 kg | Large and deep river | Fish and meat | Mar- June / Sep. – Nov. |
4. | Fresh Water Shark/Gounch | Bagarius bagarius | 3 m + | 100 kg + | Large and Deep rivers | Fish | Mar. – May/Sept – Dec. |
5. | Jalkapoor | Clupisoma gaura | .5 m | 1 kg | Large and deep rivers | Worms and meat | Mar. May/Sept. Dec |
6. | Fresh Water Eel/Raj Bam | Anguilla bengalensis | 3 m | 18 kg | River and pools | Frogs and worms | Mar – May/ Sept. – Dec. |
7. | River Catfish/ Bachawa | Silondia silondia | .5 m | 2.5 kg | River confluence | Worms and meat | Mar – May/ Sept. – Dec |
8. | Giant Murrel/ Saur | Channa maurilus | 2.5 | 15 | River, stream and lakes | Worms, fish and insects | Feb. – May/Sept to Dec |
9. | Mud Eel/Hile Bam | Amphipnous (Monopterus) cuchia | .8 m | 1.5 kg | River, stream, lakes and swamps | Meat | Feb. – Apr. |
10. | Feather Back/ Patali | Notopterus notopterus | .4 cm | 2 kg | River, streams and lakes | Worm, insects and meat | Feb. – May / Sept – Dec |
11. | Knife Fish/ Chitala | Notopterus chitala | 1 m | 8 kg | River, streams and lakes | Worms, insect and meat | Feb. – May / Sept – Dec |
12. | Catfish/Buari | Wallago attu | 1.8 m | 12 kg | River, streams and lakes | Fish, insects and meat | Feb. – June/Sept. – Nov. |
13. | Tenger Catfish/ Tengri | Mystus seenghala | .4 m | 14 kg | River streams | Fish, insects and meat | Jan – June/Sept. – Nov |
Bait species
S.No. | Important fish species as baits | Predatory species | |
Common Name | Scientific Name | Common Name | |
1. | Flying Barb | Esomus danricus | Mahasheer and Catfish |
2. | Sucker Head | Garra gotyla | Mahasheer |
3. | Singhe Catfish | Heteropneustes fossilis | Catfish, Fresh Water Shark ‘Buster’ |
4. | River Barb | Puntius chillinoides | Copper Mahasheer |
5. | Gravel Catfish | Glyptothorax telchitta | Mahasheer |
6. | Torrent Minnow | Barilius sps | Mahasheer |