[ Prem Chetry ]
BHALUKPONG, 6 Jan: “Meandering across the two districts of eastern Arunachal Pradesh – East Kameng and West Kameng – the mighty Kameng river has the potential to emerge as a leading fishing tourism destination in the state,” said enthusiastic angler Neega Ngurang.
The Kameng river, spanning about 264 km from its source in the upper Himalayas to its confluence with the Brahmaputra in Assam, flows through both East Kameng and West Kameng districts.
Ngurang, a professional angler and angling guide for international anglers since 2013, has been promoting catch-and-release angling in the state. He said that the Kameng river has immense potential for catch-and-release-based fishing tourism.
In the last week of December 2025, Ngurang extensively surveyed the Kameng river, trekking from Seppa in East Kameng to Tippi in West Kameng. During the expedition, he caught and released a 22-kg redfin mahseer, along with golden mahseer, chocolate mahseer, and catfish, at Tippi.
Ngurang, who owns an angling accessories shop in Sagalee in Papum Pare district, also seasonally guides international clients from the UK, Japan, and Malaysia. According to him, the best angling season in major rivers begins in the first week of April, when the water is clear and fish begin their upstream migration. In contrast, angling in smaller rivers is more suitable during the summer months.
“Professionally, corrosion-resistant hooks are used for catch-and-release. Our state has rich freshwater aquatic biodiversity, and we must enjoy it while simultaneously preserving it. This will help sustain these rich biodiversity resources,” he said.
He added that such efforts could open the doors for fishing tourism, recreational fishing tourism, sport fishing tourism, and fly-fishing tourism in the state.
Driven by his curiosity and enthusiasm, Ngurang plans to undertake another survey of the Kameng river from 12 to 19 January.
