ANGLING NOTES.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14275, 10 February 1912, Page 2

ANGLING NOTES.

ALWAYS TRY,

(By "leon Blue.")

I (STECUIXY WBITTEN FOB "THE rBESS.")Agustus was with mc, and we were feeling rather annoyed with things m general, and the eccentricities of "Salino fario" in particular; for though the day was fine and the water fit, and trout everywhere on view, they declined all dealings with flies ot any kind. Lying in long, stationary length' over the weed-beos, they were apparently just basking in the hot sunshine, anu for all we could catch except watercress, we might equally well nave practised casting over a diick. Ay newer mc cast were tiuuisy or tue reverse, it luuue Jitue eultereuue; tuey were too sluggish .to be scarea easny, and not in tutj least inclined to teeo. uu anything at all. At last we gave up, saying nwas '"too bright"; but Agustus tnen remembered some rippies a ume away, where we should have a better chance;, so we set out on a short cut across willowy water-meadows, stray pieces.- ot rotten, swampy going, and tiny tributary streams.

According to Agustus, we were "nearly there now," at the moment when we came to a high bank, beneath which was a line of raupo a cjjain wide; and . occasionally' glimpses ol water, flowing here or there into a reedy, weedy pool. There we stayed, to consider the question, "How can we cross most unwetted" ; and nothing occurring to hurry us, we sat down 10 survey the scene. The frogs by hundreds croaked a rough-throated chorus among the raupo, the sun blazed from a cloudless beyond, the tussocks were thick where we wanted them most. Auustus said. "I don't sec why one should be unhappy on a real New Zealand day," and I lit a pine and cordially agreed. A stone's throw on his right was a space of water extending a score of yards each way, and presently I noticed that Agustus was messing with his rod. By and bye he was tying a "Claret Hackle" on his cast, and making many preparations of sorts.

"What are you going to do now, man?" I asked, lazily. "You can only foul-hook a big bull-frog in a place like that."

"It's a nice looking pond," answered wise Agustus. "The river must run through this in winter time, and when I sco a place like that I always try." Forthwith he proceeded to get himself below the "pond," and likewise, in the most approved dry-fly manner, he crouchingly approached its furthest depth. Turning comfortably on one side, I thought what a fool- Agustus was, and scanned his doings with the idle interest of the loafer watching the man at work. I saw Agustus get out lino, and smiled; and witnessed the first cast, and thought, "Into the raupo, sonny; now you've caught a weed." Next I was not so sure; his rod bent waterwards in a lovely curve, sprang nearly straight, and dipped again. Surely no raupo stem could have drawn that screech from his reel. Then Agustus spoke. lam not going to defend him now; when he wants anything badly he does not bother to filter his language. So I short-write him. "Bring the landing-net, you blessed fool!" Here could be no doubt, I was needed quickly; so I ran to help. And now there is no man who can rob mc of the pleasure I had while netting for Agustus that short, thick seven-pound fish. "Eleven ounces over six gopc' pounds," said he; "if anybody asks, I shall call it seven pounds and two ounces." And so everything was nicely arranged. ,''

I That incident "gave mc seriously to [ think," and since then I have tried thf most unlikely places* a matter • of course." Most' frequently my efforts have mot with small success, but on the contrary side of the balance are discoveries of trout whore their existence had Htherto been unsuspected, even by the poachers who continue to spoil our fishing. .Nowadays; if I'happen to bo late for an appointment, it is a usun' ouestion, "Where did you stoo to fish?" Sometimes the question ip inconvenient, but one can just live that down as before, and in .snite of all it is impossible to pass a place liko the Fox-r>ool without venturing a cast. This "Foxnool" is a fairly recent find, and bears this name among our friends >from the declaration of my small boy, that he saw sompthinc bis: ami red "like a fox in the 'Badminton,' run across ' the road. Wo assume that it must have been a weasel, bat the place has remained the Fox-pool ever sinco, and blow hich, blow low, you can always catch a fish in that nrlikelv F"ot. It. is on a lonely road in "Cattle Valley," where a concrete bridge spans a creek that in other parts only merits the mime of "dyke," and merits it badly. Below the bridge it widens into a broad, solitary pool, and how trout came to exi«t there I ennnot say. Hanpeninn: tbafc way. with a rod in the gig accordingly. I thought it we!' to stem and try a cast, though T had distinctly +oUI t.fcnt the pool wn* tenantlpßs. » I. did. take" care to let a "•orse bush, screen mc from any possible ocunant of fw p«<M; but, care--Ipc«lv enough, a Governor was ♦brown ijnon the siirfoci, and for n I d r onTv»d nin* in the water. n risp mt> '"i«st.a.Titlv to a three-pound fish. Lucki'v. I h"d sense ennno-h to T>lay bard and in- the shallow . part of th" r>ool. and a fow T»omen+s Inter T b"d a«A+ber of i.hp <5J7e. ]\Tanv unlikely "F^v-fool, , * and +\>\*t time T have a rinniVirr vr>n^r>]: "Always try."