“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. Organised by the State’s Department of Tourism, the Mechuka Trout Quest is envisioned as a flagship international angling event “designed to position Arunachal Pradesh as a leader in high-value, low-impact eco-tourism”, according to the pre-event press release. In recent years, Arunachal Pradesh, particularly Mechuka, has been on the map of the angling community, with anglers being especially drawn to the trout found here. “Mechuka is one of the few places in Arunachal Pradesh where we have trout. “I just like the experience,” says the Bhutanese angler, who participated in and won the fly fishing category at the Mechuka Trout Quest this year.