Opening Date For High-Country Lakes Fishing

Press, Volume C, Issue 29434, 9 February 1961, Page 15

Opening Date For HighCountry Lakes Fishing

After a long discussion the i North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society decided last evening to make the opening date for the high-country fishing season the nearest Saturday to November 1. The season previously opened on November 1. The discussion started when the Society’s fish corfilnittee tabled a recommendation that the opening date for the season be made the first weekend in November. Mr R. W. Ellis protested because five dayr would elapse on occasions before fishing could start “We don’t get much fishing as it is. Let’s have a fair go,” he said. An amendment was then moved that the season open on the nearest Saturday to November 1. Where a Saturday in October and a Saturday in November were the same number of days from November 1 then the earlier Saturday was to be the opening day. “I am not in favour of any of this,” said Mr R. F. Stead. Last year 174 fishermen were at Lake Coleridge on a midweek opening day. he said. “What you are doing is penal-

ising this 174. There will be an absolute bunfight at Lake Coleridge and in other areas if the mid-week and weekend fishermen all come together.” “Like a Race Day” Mr F. J. Gorton asked the fish committee whether the facilities and space existed m the high country lakes, particularly Coleridge, for a large crowd, such as might be expected on a Saturday opening day. “I was amazed at the amount of traffic up there in previous years. It was something like Riccarton race day.” In reply Mr E. D. Farmer said that the lakes could ’.‘cater for thousands. I have seen an opening day on a Saturday and there has been no greater crowd than at any other time,” he said. “The whole thing is puerile,” said Mr A. M. Ollivier. “It can only mean congestion on opening day. This sort of recommendation doesn’t cut any ice with the Marine Department." The only satisfactory solution was to open Lake Coleridge earlier in the year, he said. Mr D. J. Hughey: Mr Stead

forgot to mention that those 174 anglers at Coleridge caught 400 fish. Probably 400 have never been caught since We must do the right thing for those people who are not able to get to the lake during the week. The amended motion that the nearest week-end to November 1 be adopted, was carried by the society