I’ve been meaning to share our Bhutan story for ages… but, well, life (and plenty of other fishing trips) got in the way.
Finally sitting down to tell it…
Just hearing the word Bhutan already sounds like an adventure, doesn’t it? A place that feels mysterious and untouched — and for many of us, still a bit of an unknown.
I’ve always had this dream sitting quietly at the back of my mind: to catch a golden mahseer someday. Not an easy fish by any means, especially on the fly and the best chances are in the wild rivers of northern India, Nepal, or Bhutan — those big, majestic waterways that roll down from the Himalayas.
Then, out of the blue, two years ago in 2023 I got an email from a guy named Singhey. That’s how it all started.
And yes — it took two full years to make the trip happen.
At first, I didn’t think too much of it. It’s not exactly easy finding friends who are crazy enough (and willing enough) to go on a trip like this. The cost didn’t help either. But eventually, things started coming together.
David and Tim were keen, and Tim roped in his brother, Graeme.
Four rods, one mission.
I was beyond excited — but I’ll be honest, also a little nervous. We were going with a fairly unknown and new outfitter in Bhutan, and after a bad experience earlier this year with a guide in Indonesia (where I lost over USD 4,000), I was a bit on edge.
All that worry disappeared the moment we met our local contacts outside Paro International Airport. That’s when it finally hit me — this is really happening.
Our journey started in Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, where David and I met up with Tim and Graeme. From Bangkok, the only place that has daily flights, we flew into Bhutan — home to one of the most dangerous airports in the world.
And that’s where our adventure truly began.
Stay tuned — I’ll be sharing the rest of the trip in parts.
RELATED POST IN SFA: Bhutan Trip Planning and What To Expect
Leave a Comment