Hunting the waters - Kodaikanal

Fishing or angling started in the hills with the introduction, in the 1900s, of European carp into Kodai Lake, and tout form Scotland into the higher elevation streams. The carp grew to very large sizes in the nutrient 'rich water of the lake and mirror carp weighing up to 10 kgs could be caught during the 1950s. In recent decades the size has gone down, and the common carp has replaced the mirror carp. As usual with local fishermen, some interesting baits in Kodaikanal lake is the home-made 'vadai'. This is made by mixing peanut flour with enough water to pat into a thick chapatti and adding spices according to your own secret formula. It is then fried in oil until a firm crust is formed on both sides. This sort of vadai pancake should be about a centimetre thick so it can be cut into neat cubes with a razor blade. The thick crust helps it to stay on the hook when it is attacked by the myriads of tiddlers that inhabit the lake.