Fishing in Nepal - Top 6 Places for Himalayan River Fishing

  • Mar 1, 2025
  • Rajesh Thapaliya

It's summertime in Nepal, and most people may seek ways to evade the blazing heat. But for anglers, it's the season to rejoice since they can count on Nepal's sweeping rivers for fishing. 

Regarding fishing, the rivers in Nepal never fail to support the fishers. Home to a wide variety of fish, it's excellent fun to go angling in Nepal's gushing rivers and streams.

Winding through the hills and remote places of Nepal, you can develop many new species of fish thriving in the river.

Most rivers alongside Nepal's lakes boast fish from different families, including Rainbow trout and Silver Carp. Until now, Nepal has preserved more than 200 species of fish, of which 190 are indigenous.

Anglers can also find themself during an adventure with the rivers offering adventurous sports such as rafting. Trishuli, in particular, hosts thousands of people yearly, allowing them to experience the thrill ride.

Table of Contents

For those looking to Fish in Nepal but unsure where to begin or which place is best, we've listed the 6 Best Places to Fish in Nepal.

6 Best Places for Fishing in Nepal

Seti Karnali River

Considered one of Nepal's best fast-flowing rivers, Seti Karnali is a vision with a magnificent setting of lush green hills. Anglers can cast a Fishing line while enjoying the magnetic view.

Seti Karnali is a significant tributary of the Karnali River system, which flows through western Nepal. It is formed from the glaciers and snowfields surrounding the two mountains, Nampa and API.

The lesser-known part of Karnali, the Seti River, provides habitat to as many fishes as silver Mahseer, giant catfish, Sahar, and Bokar. Besides Fishing, anglers can use their spare time for rafting and even camping on the bank of the river.

Tamor River

When most rivers lose their giant Fish to chaotic human activities, the Tamor has more. A river is a dwelling place for more than 26 varieties of Fish, including Balitoridae, Cobitidae, Psilorhynchus, and many more.

Hence, anglers traveling near Kanchenjunga or Sapta Koshi will have an exciting time since the water rewards rare Fish species. Unlike any other place, Fishing in the Tamor River is exceptional, following the spectacular view of Mt. Everest and Mt. Makalu.

In the glory of eastern Nepal, Tamor flows downstream from Kanchenjunga, meets Sun Koshi and Arun at Tribenighat, and forms Saptakoshi.

Balephi River

The Balephi River has had unique and diverse aquatic species for several years. It has helped nourish and thrive a broad Fish genus, including Catfish and golden mahseer.

A small tributary of the Bhote Koshi River, the Balephi River starts from Langtang flowing to many regions in the Himalayas. Chanute is apparently where most anglers want to be for Fishing, but you can also travel to nearby towns like Jalbire and Balephi Gaun.

The river is too close to Kathmandu, and it takes only two and a half hours to reach the waterway. In addition to angling, fishers can enjoy the natural scenery and go rafting.

Kali Gandaki River

Kali Gandaki is an ideal place to start catching enormous Fish in Nepal. You can trust the river any day to trap large-size freshwater Fish since it's home to Golden Goonch Catfish and Golden Mahseer.

One of the longest rivers in Nepal, Kali Gandaki originates from Mustang and flows through various places in Nepal and Tibet. The sweeping river also provides a splendid backdrop for anglers, with soaring green hills and gorges.

In between Fishing, anglers can take a leisurely break and have fun rafting. If you disagree, you can camp on the river's edge.

Babai River

The nearby Babai River offers incredible things, from exotic wildlife to flora and beautiful landscapes. Meanwhile, the river gives anglers a variety of Fish, which can be more fun than watching the view.

Babai Valley has as many as 50 Fish species, including the gigantic Golden Mahseer, Indian Trout Barb, and Goonch. As the river flows through a conserved area of Bardia National Park, fishers can glimpse wild Asian Elephants, rhinos, and deer.

You can travel anywhere inside Bardia National Park or around Chepang to enjoy Fishing in the Babai River.

Phewa Lake in Pokhara

In addition to its vibrant city, snow-capped mountains, and temples, Pokhara is famous for its lakes. The city alone has more lakes than anywhere in Nepal, including Rara, Phewa, and Begnas.

While all these lakes shine with their unique features, anglers choose Phewa for Fishing. The lake's rich water allows a variety of Fish to thrive.

As varied as Golden Mahseer, Catfish and Common Carp are the catch here. To reach the lake, anglers must make no extra effort except to ride for 5 hours.

Besides these fishing places, Ankhu Khola and Budhi Gandaki are also options for fishermen. You can experience a rural homestay. In addition to Fishing and a traditional stay, you may enjoy the view of the great Himalayas, green hills, farming terraces, and more.

Basic Fishing Gears

High-quality fishing Line

Anyone who sets off to go Fishing in Nepal must have strong fishing lines in their kit. These lines help to fight giant Fish and prevent the hook from being lost. Avid anglers often use monofilament Fishing lines, as they are efficient, resistant to abrasion, and durable.

Bobbers

Bobbers work as an indicator to anglers enabling them to know when the Fish has lingered in the fishing bait. They'll notify you when the Fish comes to the hook by hopping. These days, Bobbers are versatile and come in different shapes and sizes to quickly adjust to the bait. You can have either regular bobbers or spring ones, which quickly sense the presence of Fish.

Fishing Rod and reel

Anglers of all skills require a quality, adjustable, and long-lasting Fishing rod and reel. They are the key essentials for any angler, whether a pro or an amateur. A simple spinning rod and reel weighing 8lb to 20lb performs well whether the water is fresh or salt.

You may want to check out the best ultralight spinning reel and ultralight fishing rod.

Sinkers

Another small gear that is very useful while Fishing is a Sinker. It adds weight to the fishing cord to maintain stability, increase the possibility of sinking, and maintain casting distance. Unlike lead sinkers in the early days, there are varieties of sinkers available in the market, such as Pyramid, barrel, bullet, and dipsey sinkers.

Fishing Lures

Fishing Lures are artificial bait that tempt and trap Fish. They are a proxy for natural bait and work well in every water type. It's wise to use light-colored lures in clear water, whereas in murky waters, dark-colored lures work fine.

Rajesh Thapaliya

Rajesh Thapaliya

Namaste! I am Rajesh, a Nepal travel blogger who provides Nepal travel tips to travellers who are planning to visit Nepal and know about Nepal.

I am a tourism service provider in Nepal So far, I have been to the Nepalese Himalayan base camps as a tour leader and collected lots of information about the Nepalese Himalayas. You can find my experiences in my travel blogs, so it may make it a lot easier for you to travel to Nepal.

You may find beautiful photos on Instagram,  Facebook and Twitter. I have worked very hard to be in this stage after high school and dedicated my experiences to the people who would like to know about Nepal and Nepal travel.