Photo by : Haamid Bala
Srinagar: If you love fishing and have the expertise of getting a big catch every time, you could possibly be a winner in the mega Kashmir Fly Fishing Competition 2022.
To promote leisure and adventure tourism, the Department of Tourism is organizing first -of -its kind Kashmir Fly Fishing Competition in Pahalgam.
The competition will be held on September 17 and more than 20 anglers are expected to participate in the event.
“The competition will be held in the eastern and western tributaries of river Lidder in Pahalgam. Tourism and Fisheries departments and local clubs have collaborated to organize the event. It is basically a catch-and-release event and referees will be there to judge the participants,” said Malik Waseem Ahmad, Deputy Director of Tourism, Recreation, and Litigation.
He said winners would be judged on the basis of the catch.
“The top three participants will be felicitated while the rest will get the participation certificates from the department. An angler who catches large-sized and more fishes will win the competition,” Ahmad said.
He said the main motive behind the event is to promote adventure tourism and attract high-end visitors.
“Actually angling has been an essential part of Kashmir tourism. We receive a large number of tourists who visit here for angling activity. So the idea is to promote the activity based tourism in the valley apart from routine sightseeing,” the deputy director of tourism said.
Assistant Director Tourism, Pahalgam, Bilal Ahmad told The Kashmir Monitor that arrangements are being finalized to make the event successful.
“All arrangements are being made to make the event memorable. Rover Lidder has been a treasure of trout and people often love fishing here. We want to promote Pahalgam as an anglers paradise apart from its scenic beauty,” he said.
Many anglers from Kashmir are bracing up to participate in the event. “ It is really a nice step taken by the tourism department. Such events should be held every year to promote angling as an adventure sport in the valley,” said Ishfaq Ahmad Bhat, an adventurist.
