RAKAIA RIVER MOUTH

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23514, 17 December 1941, Page 10

RAKAIA RIVER MOUTH

Sir—Both “Inquirer” and “Sherlock Holmes” are well bushed regarding river mouths. “Inquirer’s” remarks regarding a river fishing well when it has a large lagoon, have caused quite a few laughs among the anglers on the Ashburton side. It is a well known fact that when a large lagoon exists, the fish will always feed in the middle and the chances of catching them are almost nil. One old Rakaia angler advanced the theory that perhaps “Inquirer” was the city man who visited the river last year and was seen to be baiting the hooks on a salmon spoon with a piece of meat. As for "Sherlock Holmes,” it is a pity that he doesn’t spend more time on the case instead of making wild guesses. For his information, I can assure him that the mouth that recently opened on the Ashburton side opened of its own free will, and unfortunately closed with the same will, much to our regret. The first decent flood will open it again and not with the aid of scoops as "Sherlock” suggests. I have yet to see scoops used to open a mouth; and I have fished river mouths for 23 years. When "Sherlock Holmes” has the fortune to see a new mouth cut through, especially on the i akaia river, he will realise how crazy it would be to be helping it with a scoop. We would welcome a visit from Mr Hope. He would not collect the £IOO penalty, but we would give him a day out that he would long remember.— Yours, etc., LURE. Ashburton, December 15, 1941.