“A creature so beautiful;
of classic proportions
and noble frame.
Rainbow colours, sail-like fins,
and scales of glass.
Infinite perfection that defies compare,
and demands obsession.”
THE MIGHTIEST MAHSEER
Cover size: 245 mm x 175 mm
Pages: 224 pages
Print: Full colour throughout
Binding: Cloth-bound (hardback) in blue.
Foil-embossed in three colours to front cover and spine, with green and white ‘top and tails’ to spine.
‘Indian’ orange endpapers.
Silk laminated dust jacket.
Special ‘The Mightiest Mahseer’ book-mark.
The Kaveri River and its tributaries are renowned for the largest mahseer to be found anywhere in India – the mighty ‘hump-backed’ Tor remadevii; and as a history of the largest recorded mahseer from southern India, this book is unashamedly concerned with the captures of those mightiest of all mahseer.
Long before the days of the Raj, legends, rumours and tales of monstrous fish abounded within local tradition, and from the mid-19th century, the ‘hump-backed’ mahseer became highly regarded by the privileged elite of the British Empire and Indian society as a sporting fish, “Even surpassing ‘the lordly salmon’…”
Raised onto such a high sporting pedestal, the scene was set for a truly phenomenal period of mahseer angling in southern India during the latter days of the British Raj. A total of twelve rod-and-line captures of mahseer in excess of 100-pounds were recorded, along with an amazing number of 80 and 90-pounders.
However, in 1947, India finally gained her independence and mahseer angling was all but neglected for over three decades, as it began to drift inexorably into distant memories and fading sepia photographs, to become an almost forgotten legend…
With this passage of time, the mighty mahseer was ripe for rediscovery; a new generation of anglers began to read through those dusty, forgotten library volumes from the days of the Raj as they discovered the enthralling mahseer literature of the past.
New ambitions were created and dreams nurtured within the minds of a new breed of young, determined anglers with adventure and a fish of legend on their minds; and mahseer angling history would be made once again…
“Thanks for the copies of the book, it looks superb!” ANDY CLARK (Trans World Fishing Team)
“Enjoying every page of your masterpiece – spent almost the whole of Sunday devouring it!” OWEN BOSEN
“What a fabulous thing! Congratulations!” PHIL CREW
“In my opinion your mighty mahseer book has been a veritable diamond in a mountain of coal of piscatorial books I have purchased and/or read this year (and there have been many). The volume of research, detail and love put into this wonderful outcome is clear to see and is applauded – easily my favourite book of the year. Totally stunning!” JOHN CAMPBELL
“Loving the book! Congratulations on completing such a monumental achievement! Just remember all those old books on Indian mahseer that we devoured – people will be doing that with your book in 50 and 100-years time.” NIGEL BOTHERWAY (Fisherman’s Blues, Talk Sport2)
“What a superb book – the mahseer book I have been waiting for – the photos and information are outstanding! The book of the year! On my mahseer shelf with the old classics!” SIMON DUNBAR
“Blown away! Absolutely brilliant! Probably the best mahseer book ever written!” KEVIN ANDREWS“A great piece of work my friend!” JOHNNY JENSEN
“The book looks amazing – a true masterpiece of historical and modern southern Indian mahseer fishing.” DAVE PLUMMER
“What a beautiful book, congratulations!” MARK VEYSEY
“This most superb creation forms a unique record of the largest mahseer caught on rod and line. A beautiful and thoughtfully produced work of art that may just make you fall in love with mahseer too.” ANDY COWLEY
“That’s a mighty mahseer book you have – It’s beautifully done.” SAAD BIN JUNG
“Glad I added this one to my library. Colourful, exciting, full of history and information. Mahseer swim my thoughts uncaught, but this book helps fill that gap – thanks Stephen!” PETER WHEAT
“WOW! I am blown away – what a fantastic book!” JAMES HEGGIE
“Everything about the book is superb – it means so much for all the anglers who fished there.” JAVED ANSARI
“My heartiest congratulations – just like the fish, the book is simply stunning! Meticulous research and an extremely valuable account of the importance of this species. Hats off to you and thanks!” ADRIAN PINDER (Mahseer Trust)
“Just finished reading ‘The Mightiest Mahseer’ and what a very enjoyable read it was too. A very well laid out book that documents the history of the amazing captures of the mightiest mahseer caught. Our sport does need publications like this to document our rich history for future generations – hats off to you Stephen, for publishing this gem.” GRAHAM COOK
“I am truly blown away by both the quality and the content – thank you!” NIGEL ROBERTS
“Filled with tales of great mahseer catches from southern India and full of great photos – a well-written and well-researched book – my book of the year.” SIMON’S WORLD OF ANGLING
“For those of us lucky enough to have spent precious time on the banks of the Kaveri and now have to rely upon memories, this fantastic book will satisfy our cravings until hopefully one day we will get the opportunity to meet the mighty mahseer again – thanks Stephen.” STEVE GLASSUP
“I had to drop you a line and tell you that ‘The Mightiest Mahseer’ was nothing short of brilliant – I couldn’t put it down. Not just a brilliant read, but superb to hold and to look at too – you must be so proud of this book – truly fantastic!” MARK SHETTLE
“‘The Mightiest Mahseer’ is clearly a work of love, and this book needed to be written; not just to chronicle two incredible periods in the history of angling, but to remind us what we have lost and how fragile are the environments upon which the sport of fishing depends; and trust me, this is gripping stuff – a ‘Boys Own’ chronicle of angling dreams. Whether you were lucky enough to be there or not, if you’ve got angling adventure somewhere in your soul, this is a book you should read.” MARTIN SALTER
