Fishermen rejoice as Pong season opens with a splash

After two quiet months, the waters of Himachal Pradesh once again ripple with the excitement of fishermen casting their nets. The annual fishing ban, enforced from June 15 to August 15 to safeguard breeding stocks, was lifted on Saturday, reopening Pong Lake in Kangra to thousands who depend on its bounty.

And the season couldn’t have begun on a brighter note. Sarawan Kumar of the Khatiar Fisheries Co-operative Society stole the spotlight with a giant 26.3 kg Catla — the heaviest single fish of the season. His nets didn’t stop there; he also recorded the highest individual haul, pulling in an astonishing 146.5 kg in just one day. From another corner of the lake, Baldev Singh of Baslahar-Rail village netted a gleaming Silver Carp tipping the scales at 11.7 kg.

Co-operative societies too found plenty to cheer about. The Nagrota Surian Society emerged leader with a catch of 3,446.4 kg, while Haripur (2,715 kg) and Nandpur (2,631 kg) followed close behind. Collectively, Pong Lake yielded 17,806 kg of fish in 2025 — an 8.57% leap from last year’s 16,401 kg. Surprisingly, the small stretch between Baner and Gaj rivers alone accounted for more than 50% of the fish catch at the Pong Lake on the first day.

Fisheries Director Vivek Chandel credited the success to high-quality stocking and uncompromising enforcement of the ban. “The results prove that sustained conservation pays off,” he said.

Built in 1975 across the Beas, Pong Lake remains India’s largest earth-filled dam and one of its richest inland fisheries, spanning 15,662 hectares. Home to prized species like Catla, Rohu, Singhara, Mahseer and Mirror Carp, the reservoir sustains nearly 3,400 fishermen through 15 societies. This season, Singhara alone contributed over half of the total haul.

With nets heavy and spirits high, the fishermen of Pong Lake look forward to a season brimming with promise.