Family: Cyprinidae
Order: Cypriniformes
Myanmar Name(s): none
Occurrence: Native
Description
This species of mahseer remains quite small with a max size of approximately 30-35 cm. Its belly is silvery white while its back changes from dark green to dark grey with golden scales. Fins are usually changing from grey to dark red depending on individuals, probably influences by local conditions of the environment.
Biology / Diet / Behavior
This species of mahseer mostly feeds on both aquatic and terrestrial insects along as well as a variety of freshwater crustaceans. It is also knnown to feed on fruits. Gregarious by nature, they live in big groups where individuals are usually similar in size.
Adults inhabit clear forested streams and rivers, enjoying swift flowing well-oxygenated water. They tend to disappear when human activities degrade aquatic habitats, as seen in other members of the genus. Mostly sedentary, some individuals have however been shown to migrate for a few kilometers up or down the river.
Fly Fishing For Semah Mahseer In Myanmar: What We Understand & Know So Far...
Although they don't grow big, they are an interesting fish to catch on a fly: they are plentiful, usually in groups, they rise very easily on a dry fly, they are not picky on the type of fly whether above water or under water; so general patterns do really well.
As for other types of mahseers, approach remains the key to catching them as, once scared-off they will panic and scare-off other individuals in the pool.
They remind us of trout fishing in small creeks in Europe mountains: fast flowing waters, fishing with a high floating small dry fly (caddis work best), targeting the same posts as one would for trouts, and prospecting upstream in quite rough terrain: many takes, but they spit out fast, testing the angler's reflexes.
They make for a nice day on the water, lots of fish of small size, lots of action, in gin-clear waters.
