Inle Lake is a great lake. The lake is about 120 km². Not very deep, I estimate 1 to 3 meters at its deepest, but 2 meters is the avarage deep.  As the water looks clean, the lake suffers some pollution mainly caused by increasing tourism. Hotels are rising from the ground like mushrooms. Also an increase in boats which deliver  many tourist a great day on the lake, help with pollution getting worse. On the banks between the vegetation sometimes you see big piles of plastic floating.  A  enormous floating dump. But what can you do if you have no garbage collection...?

I think that tourism must help a hand with the waste problem. However that can be a hopeless effort with a corrupt  government.  Let's hope they'll find a sollution soon to insure the future of the childern of Inle lake.  

Some beautiful fresh water fish we have seen. Glimmering colours on the skin and nice shaped. Also the common carp is a occupant of inlelake but for the locals very hard to catch. Only the  well known netfishermen sometimes catch a carp. But if you have the time, why not trying to fish carp western style? 

Do the tour

One thing you can to do is do a tour with a boat. Talk to the people in Nyaungshwe, everybody has got a boat. You can do a short tour or a long tour. Most people with boats have maps to point you were you can go. Because the sound of the boat is loud, it's hard to talk. Especially when you sit in a row.  Make sure before you go that you discus the route you want to go. Make sure the skipper knows were you want to go. Some places are touristic and they want you to buy some stuff. The weaving mill for example, or the silvershop. It is not worth the effort to go there unless you're interested. With a fast boat je leave from Nyaingshwe through it's channel. First you meet the fishermen. When your closeby the boat will slow down and the fishermen are standing in position. Now you can take some photo's and when lucky, the fishermen has got some life fish in the boat. He'll show you. They appreciate it if you give them some money for the effort. Then it depends on which route you choose what you are going to see. The jumping cat temple (when the cats aren't on holiday), the floating gardens, Hpaung Daw U Pagoda (long tour) or Maing Tauk are examples.  I took my rod with me and on the way i asked the skipper to go slow. I tried to do some trolling and i had a little succes...

Rent a "fishing" boat

You can rent a boat and do some fishing. I tried to bike to the lake allong the channel. Half way i stuck in a small village. The road ended. But what i sad before everybody has got a boat. With a little bargain i rented a boat for 5 hours. The skipper was a young boy and didn't speak English at all. But he knew his places. Close to the fishermen there is a spot with clear water and a lot of plants. I used a float with build in lead so i could cast far. The boy showed me how to put worm on the hook. Just a little piece that way the hook is just covered. Not more.