ANGLING.

Press, Volume XI, Issue 1409, 15 May 1867, Page 2

ANGLING.

[From the " Argus," April 27 ] The angling season has now with us been practically brought to a termination. The fish haunting our rivers chiefly sought after by the votaries of the gentle art is the bream. He 13 generally to be taken of a good size, is excellent for the table, and being of the temper of the English trout (" bom to conquer or die") affords tine amusement for the sportsmjui. The bream-fishing season in the waters contiguous to this city did not begin very well, and the enthuj sialic anglers hereabouts, and their name is truly " legion," were as frequently fated to come empty away from a favorite spot which many a time before had yielded up its treasure so grateful to the angler's heart. About a couple of months ago a marked improvement took place. The fish to throng the Saltwater river, to'bite boldly, and fight bravely ; and there was a continuance of good sport. The members<>f the Anglers' Protection Society have had match meetings for the past two seasons, held on a Saturday, which have generally been well attended, the competitors van ing from : fifteen to twenty-five. Tlio point of i starting selected is Raleigh's punt, on < the Saltwater river. During the < present month there have been two - contests, one about a fortnight ago, when the number of candidates for I piscatorial honors was greatly reduced < by a storm of rain, which has seldom i been exceeded for power while it lasted ] in Melbourne. Those who were I courageous enough to brave the ele- j ments, were rewarded with a fair share i of sport, the first and secondjprize-

takers having baskets of fish • incuriy l-'ibs ea:-!.. Th....; 1!r ., n 8 ! ling mutch <.:' t Ik- ai-mmi wsh !m ' M'.iuhy, tho Itivcr WVrrih™ },* r ! I si'-kvh'd for the trial of ~!<;;] 'p. ,f > i basket whi-h gau.ed the ii Psr ." .'° (weighed l:i;i)s. There wnv j vi-rv good baskets of mixed ii.-,!i, M ,".j' as mullet, silver bream, salmon U eels, and ono gentleman even had a fl a ( head which weighed a couple of pouui The nvcr ? and creek, up n , unt ' abound with fish, and we notice that at Avoca, among other j,l; U >es L anglers' society ia being organised An inhabitant of many of O u r waters is the blackfieh, w hj c { attains a largo size; for instance in the Upper Yurra,\where he maybe taken frequently weighing half-a-dozea pounds. 1 hough an acceptable contribution to the kitchen, the blackfiah does not prove sufficiently attractivo to the angler, because he is not so gamesome as some other classes of the finny tribe. Still he is looked after by sportsmen in parties of two and three who desire a visit to the romantic parts of the country where he j a frequently to bo found, and w |, 0 besides enjoying the scenery and fresh air, can generally bring homewards a heavy cargo of the easily-deluded but not to be despised blackfiah. W e con. tinually receive fresh evidence of the perfect acclimatization of tho salmon in Tasmania. The " Hobart Town Mercury " of the 19th instant reports "that on two days previously* Mr Alderman Crisp and a small party of gentlemen were fishing at the mouth of the Jordan, near the Old Beach when they observed a fine salmon' weighing about 7 lbs or 8 lbs disporting itself closo in shore. At first they doubted the character of the fish, but were enabled to obtain a second and full view of it, when they were fully satisfied as to its identity." When the supply of king salmon becomes sufficiently abundant to throw open the streams of Tasmania to angling, under, of course, proper regulations, that island will become a great source of attraction to anglers in this and the adjoining colonies—that is, to all who can spare tho time and money ; just as the trout streams of the English lake district, or the salmon rivers of Scotland and Ireland, attract sportsmen from several hundred miles distant. There will thus be presented the highest form of gratification to tho angler; while, on the other hand, the money expended by visitors will be found very useful to a country which is not orerprosperous at present.