TROUT FISHING.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18571, 22 December 1925, Page 6

TROUT FISHING.

WELL-STOCKED RIVERS ANJ> LAKES. New Zealand is becoming increasingly popular amongst overseas sportsmen for its excellent trout fishing, and its well stocked streams and lakes have almost a world-wide, reputation .for splendid sport. South Canterbury justly claims .a large . measure of the Dominion's fame amongst keen fishermen, and the. number of. anglers from other parts of New Zealand .and from overseas who annually fish its nvers and lakes is steadily increasing. Many of them, indeed, revisit - the • district every year. ■'■•■'/ n + Thenshing season extends from. October Ist to April 3Uth, and it is generally, considered that the best time to visit South Canterbury for tne iiy-fash-ing is during the latter part of October, until Christmas, and in the closing months of the season, although a good deal depends on the climatic conditions. '4i ! dry summer makes pb'or-fisjnng, but. if there, are fair': rains' between Septem : ber and January,..as has'.be.en.the, case during the past, two summers, .the. fcsn>ihg is excellent. ' "Local anglers; however, ate 1 always ready to advise visiting sportsmen as to.the.best.time tor fishing the streams in their district. _ - trout -rivers -in. South, Canterbury: are, of course, the Rarigitata, which is the northern boundary of the district, and the Waitaki,■the southern boundary. Both of.the.se rivers; are snow-fed, and contain large trout up to 151b and. more. They are minnow streams, and'the fishing is simihv to the minnow fishing .for salmon in the British Isles, except that as.a rule rods used need not be longer than 14 feet. It has been said that between the Opihi and Rangitata .Rivet*, South Canterbury is better supplied with trout streams than probably any other part of New Zealand of a similar area. The Opihi and its tributaries are repute ed to be amongst the. finest fly rivers m .the world, and the Tengawai. Temuka, Waihi, and Pareroa also afford fine sport. AH of these streams are not far distant from comfortable towns, and excellent hotel accommodation is alwavs to be had, although those preferring to do so mny camp on the special reserves set a's'de .for thera on J;he Pumgitata, Opihi, Pareora, and Waifaui rivers. The. Lakes.Excellent lake fishing is also to be obtained in South Canterbury, the best of the lakes being Alexandria, not far from Lake Tekapo. Lake Alexandrina is well stocked with both brown and rainbow trout, which grow to a great size. Recently the fishing m Lake Alexaudrina has been extraordinarily good, record bags having been taken of fish weighing up to 141bs, and, in some cases, more. A* well-known local angler told the writer that in his opinion" this lake would become' a secqnd Taupo, given proper, care in re-stocking on the part of the Acclimatisation Society. McGregor's Lagoon, a small sheet of water near Alexandrina, also gives fine sport, and Lake Sunday,, which has recently been fished for the first time, shows every promise of becoming' popular amongst anglers. Reporting; to-the last meeting of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society the ranger (Mr J. S. Main) stated that, in Lnke Sunday lie.hadJanded. seven fish Avith an average of over.3lb, the best fish weighing 4lb. This., was the first time fishing had been tried in the lake, and the size of the catches showed the remarkable growth of the fish, which were only two years old. The fry which had been liberated in Lake Hartley a year previously were now .ten inches long, and were in splend'd condition, which showed that there was plenty of food in the lake, although it was covered by eighteen inches of ice for four months of the year. Salmon Fishing. Tho introduction of quinnat salmon into the southern rivers has provided anglers with splendid sport in recent years. The snow-fed ftangitata and Waitaki rivers are the principal fishing grounds, and are considered to have larger runs of quinnat salmon than any other rivers in which this fish is acclimatised. Every year, ruary ; 18th and 20th, the'salmon'commenco to come up from the sea, and from then until.the beginning of April magnificent sport/ is to.be had, provided, that the rivers are„not- in flood. Last year, owing to floods, very- few fish were' taken, but the did. meet with - success were rewarded with fish, of record size, averaging about 361b in. weight. ... . The work of the Acclimatisation; Society: in.stocking the.rivers arid lakes of .the district with fish. and caring for the i game is very Valuable indeed.' ■' I