No Royal Fish; May Try Again Today

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31040, 21 April 1966, Page 1

No Royal Fish; May Try Again Today

(New Zealand Press Association)

WANAKA, April 20. The Royal creel was empty when the Queen Mother returned after her first day of fishing in the lakes district.

The trout were rising at the point where the Clutha river merges with Lake Wanaka but only one member of the Royal party was in luck.

That was the aide-de-camp to the Governor-General (Sir Bernard Fergusson) who landed a 3 Jib rainbow. The Queen Mother used a wet fly to fish periodically throughout the day. She also boarded one of the jet boats belonging to the Government’s Wildlife Division for an excursion on the lake.

Accompanied by Lady Fergusson, the Queen Mother re-

turned to town in a jet craft driven by Mr Harry Tanfield, a local field supervisor with the Wildlife Division. The Queen Mother wore pearls and waders. Her fishing gear consisted of a tan waterproof jacket and wool slacks, with thigh waders, and a floppy wide-brimmed hat of dark green velour, dainty earrings and a necklace of pearls. A large rainbow flashed at the fly cast by the Queen Mother, struck, but then swam off.

Late this afternoon, when the fish were rising and the waters calm, a few local residents headed for the spot but were turned back. At 5.40 p.m. Her Majesty, and the Governor-General—both wearing thigh waders—and Lady

Fergusson were cheered by a crowd which had waited for several hours outside the hotel. “No fish, no fish,” she said softly. A picnic lunch and afternoon tea were served to the Royal party during their sixhour outing. Arrangements for the excursion were directed by the Conservator of Wildlife for the Southern Lakes District, Mr H. W. Axbey. The Queen Mother’s plans for tomorrow —her final day at Wanaka—have not been announced. It is likely that the programme will again include fishing. The trim blue and white caravan used by Her Majesty on her initial outing was left overnight by the edge of the Clutha.