ANGLING NOTES

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21376, 19 January 1935, Page 10

ANGLING NOTES

(•PICIAU.T T»aiTT»» JOB TBJI t»E»f.) I IBr BLACK GNAT.] Tuess Notes, which are wriiftn by » fisherman of long experience and consider able theoretical .knowledge, will appear every Saturday. Letters containing news items or questions, and addressed to "Black Gnat," care of the Editor of "The Press," will receive prompt attention each week. Weeds and Weather I The recent prolonged spell of hot. I dry weather and consequent lack of freshes have allowed an unusual | amount of weed growth to appear in j the smaller streams. While the fly j fishermen, and more particularly those i who use bait or minnow, find the I weed a serious obstacle and greet it j with many hard words, it is interesting I to know what a real benefit weed is to most streams. Dr. R. W. Butcher, in "Salmon and Trout Magazine," indicates the vast importance of weed to the general welfare of rivers and therefore of the fish in them. The proper aeration of the water which is necessary to the existence of abundant sub-aqueous animal life is brought about to a large extent by the weeds. In slowly-flowing waters with a muddy bottom the organic matter in the mud is continually absorbing oxygen and reducing the supply available for the animal life. l?ie weed patches are producing oxygen during the daytime and so will often provide the only habitation where the invertebrate I animals and fish can live happily. Dr. I Butcher says: "A weed patch is an ideal home for the invertebrate fauna, not only because of the usually abundant supply of oxygen, but also because of the protection it affords from the rigours of the current. In a fast river or in one where the floods are very large, few animals will be found on the smaller stones, because these stones are being continually shifted by the current and no animals like such places. In other words, they prefer a permanent dwelling protected from the greatest strain of the swirl of the current." As trout will thrive only where there is an ample food supply, it is seen that the much-maligned weed is often useful. » • • A Christchurch angler who recently spent a fishing holiday on the West Coast was unlucky enough to arrive when the drought was at its worst and all the streams were so low as to be almost unfishable. Fair sport was obtained in the Orangapoko and Arnold. There was an amazing evening rise on the Arnold, during which there seemed to be a fish to almost every square foot of water. They were taking a large white moth which, as the light faded, came on to the water in myriads. A hard hour's casting brought two good fish each to this angler and his companion. An evening rise such as this is often most disappointing, in spite of every fish in the river being properly "on the job." The difficulty is to know whether to keep on casting to the fish within the immediate vicinity or to push on and try to find one that seems hungrier than the others. As the light fades, and there are still no fish in the bag, (he angler is inclined to become desperate, and that as a rule means a few bad casts and the loss of a fly. The best method, probably, is to stick doggedly to a fish that is rising well, and put the fly over him as frequently as possible. Provided the angler's wrist and patience hold out long enough, the fish is sure to make a fatal mistake sooner or later. When there is much natural fly on the water the evening rise will often be but an empty promise unless the angler is prepared to wait for the usually more steady rise after dark. "Red Palmer," ol Geraldiuc, has sent in further interesting observations on the dry-fly fishing in the Rangitala, of which a short description was published in these notes iast week. He says: "You have in no way exaggerated the quality of the fishing there, and in fact have very sadly understated the size of the fish. I have on more than one occasion landed fish of more than eight pounds at the Gorge, and have hooked and lost several of more than 10 pounds. This season the river has never been clear enough to fish a dry fly; but as soon as it does clear, I will feel obliged to go over and" try to kill a 10-pounder that beat me last season. I consider three or four trout for a long day's fishing a good bag there, or, for that matter, for anywhere j else where they arc upwards of four pounds." * • * "Silver Doctor."—There is no special license for the taking of quinnat salmon only. The ordinary halfseason license costing 12s 6d is the cheapest you can buy, and allows you to take all acclimatised fish in the North Canterbury Society's district only. Thanks for the particulars of reel brake. A description of it will be published as soon as space permits.