Anglers can look forward to a hefty catch when they get an opportunity to test their patience once the lockdown curbs are relaxed.

Lakes in the steel city are teeming with fish with some weighing as much as 50 kg.

The Jamshedpur Angling Club had suspended activities at Jayanti sarovar (at Jubilee Park), Beldih lake (near Dhatkidih) and Bara lake (near Sidhgora), for over a year.

The club’s general secretary Sukumar Ghoshal said, “The aquatic population at all the lakes had ample time to grow since angling was suspended. We have plans to resume angling once the situation improves completely.”

According to him, the Catlas at the lakes weigh between 40-50 kg. Ruis and mirgals weigh around 35-40 kg.

“The size and weight are enough to make our members happy,” Ghoshal said.

The JAC had released jira (fish fries) at all the three lakes in June-July last year. “We released jira procured from Ramsagar in Bengal,” Ghoshal said, adding they would not release jira this year since there is adequate fish stock at the lakes.

“There are several old fish in the lakes which have grown before release of jiras,” the club general secretary added.

The Covid-19 pandemic has hit angling hard in the steel city. It forced the cancellation of two annual events – one on the birth anniversary of doyen of Indian industry JRD Tata on July 29 last year and the day-and- night competition in November. Both these events attract a good number of participants, especially from Calcutta and Kharagpur.

The 236-odd members of JAC are anxiously waiting for the pandemic to become normal and the landmark Jubillee Park to reopen.

According to the rules of the club, established in 1947, it mentions that angling can be conducted at other lakes only if it is held at Jayanti sarovar. The Jubilee Park has been closed for over a year due to the pandemic.

Ghoshal, however, said they would not like to hurry when it comes to resuming angling at the lakes. “We would not like to hurry even if the Jubilee Park reopens and angling resumes at the sarovar since most of our members are aged between 65 and 75. There is a likelihood of our elderly members catching infection. We would wait till the pandemic-related situation normalises completely,” he said.