Fishing In Sri Lanka

**Nicky_Welsh** · 12-07-2006, 16:10

hi, i am going to the south coast of Sri Lanka next week.
I am staying at Beruwela, a small fishing town.
I just need some advice on successful methods of fishing here, or species i will be targetting.

thanks

Nicky_Welsh

**lucky** · 12-07-2006, 16:33

Try sending a PM to Estuary Perch. I think he lives in Sri Lanka.

**Nicky_Welsh** · 12-07-2006, 18:33

ok, thanks. will do..

**taff2** · 12-07-2006, 22:17

i used the same rigs that i use in the uk i did some spining you can buy lots of prawns for bait they are so cheepyou will have a brill time out there they love there fishing and the t shirts and shorts and all the gear is very cheap out there ave a good time

**Estuary Perch** · 16-07-2006, 16:01

Originally Posted by Nicky_Welsh

hi, i am going to the south coast of Sri Lanka next week.
I am staying at Beruwela, a small fishing town.
I just need some advice on successful methods of fishing here, or species i will be targetting.

thanks

Nicky_Welsh

Nicky, Nice to hear you will be visiting Sri Lanka. Beruwela is great for fishing with a large river flowing into the sea less than a mile North of Beruwela at a place called Aluthgama. This river, the Benthota River (or Benthota Ganga in the local language - Sinhalese) at its estuary offers excellent fishing. Casting plugs 'shallow swimming floaters' around 7 - 8 inches and about 1 to 2 ozs, since it is a shallow lagoon/river mouth, will at the right time of year yield some excellent catches of Barramundi and Giant Trevally. Fishing with prawns (bought at the fish market nearby) too will get you smaller fish like Salt water catfish, Mangrove Jack and smaller Trevally. When casting lures catches of Trevally can range from 4 pounders to monster 30 to 70 pounders and hooking one of them from shore is an experience one will certainly never forget. I have had an Abu 7000 stripped in one 'non stop' run casting a 7 inch 'Cotton Cordell Red Fin' from shore.

However, on a negative note, this time of year, June, July and August, is slap bang in the middle of our South West Monsoon and the fishing in the Beruwela area (which is on the South West coast) is very poor as the sea is rough and the river generally in spate.
If the fishing in the estuary and sea is poor due to the ongoing Monsoon then the only alternative would be to fish a bit up stream in the Benthota River itself (1/2 to 1 mile) using smaller lures (3 to 4 inch) and/or prawns. If you are staying in a hotel or guest house just ask them to arragne a boat for you. An 18 foot fiberglass boat with outboard motor and a boatman who is also a 'fisherman' is easliy arranged - but get the hotel to arrange it as they know the fishermen in the area and will get you a responsible/reliable one.

There is also another alternative. Between Colombo and Beruwela (one hour drive from Beruwela) there is a large lake that is connected to the Sea called "Bolgoda Lake" and I have trolled in it during the monsoon period and caught many good sized Barramundi and Jacks.
If you are interested just pm me and I will let you have a tel no. and web site of a party that arranges fishing (with well made custom fishing boats) trips in the lake which is highly recommended.

**danielmpoole** · 18-03-2008, 16:58

Hi Estuary Perch,

Just read your previous post and I too am aiming to try a spot of fishing on the south or west coast of Sri Lanka in September. Not bothered about bringing gear - i'm more than happy to use a handline and have fished this way for game-fish including Dorado which I believe can be caught off-shore? Anyway, any tips on where to go to yield good fish at that time of year and fish types would be greatly appreciated.

Dan

**crisdafish** · 18-03-2008, 17:23

I was in Sri Lanka about 8 years ago and saw a local man hook up with one of those giant Trevally that Estuary Perch described. What he did was quite ingenious. He was fishing with a rod that has 2 reel seats and as the GT was stripping line from the 1st reel, he attached the second reel to the rod, below the 1st reel. The line of the 1 st reel had a granny knot tied about 6 feet from the end of the line, so when the line on the 1st reel had nearly been stripped off he tied the line from the second reel to the line from the 1st reel just like a leader knot, thus giving him another 200 yards or so of line. After about an hour, the GT started to tire and foot by foot he winched it back. When the second reel was full the line was attached to the 1st reel, the lines cut and after about 2 hours he beached a monster GT. I hope that this explanation makes sense??

**dillthedog** · 06-04-2008, 18:02

hi Nicky_Welsh i am also going to sri lanka on sept 24th maybee i wil see you i am staying in the neptune hotel in beruwela i will take a travel rod and some lures cheers darran

**Estuary Perch** · 08-04-2008, 17:22

You guys better be "GT" prepared. This 70 pound baby was shore caught last weekend.

**danielmpoole** · 09-04-2008, 14:15

Okay Estuary Perch, maybe the handline option might need to be re-asessed! I don't want to have to take any equipment though as having a small child, baggage (including wife) and car seat is enough. I'm staying at a hotel who have said they can hire equipment for me but at $100 for half a day I think that's pretty excessive for SL, especially as they've quoted $145.oo for half a day's deep sea fishing, including boat, soft drink, fuel and equipment...