Why Mechuka Trout Quest is drawing anglers to Arunachal Pradesh

Neega Ngurang began fishing as a child, “local style” with a “bamboo pole rod, using a single monoline and one hook,” recalls the sports angler, river guide, and content creator from Sagalee, near Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh.

In 2013, he discovered angling and was hooked — pun intended. “I did not know what sport fishing is, but when I saw a spinning rod on television, I realised that I also wanted to buy it and learn how to use it,” says Neega, who spent the next two years practising angling in the rivers in and around where he lived. “As I gained experience, I also picked up the catch-and-release technique used in sport fishing, and began attending competitions, starting from 2016 or 17,” he says.