FIELD AND STREAM.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 336, 24 October 1908, Page 9

FIELD AND STREAM.

(By Dry Fi,y.) An unpleasant northerly .visited>■ Wellington last week-end, and greatly handicapped thoso anglers who went fishing. With the wind upstream, difficulty was experienced in keeping the lines in tho water. Two anglers, who fished at Porirua, did fairly "well, securing thirteen trout, the largest of which was 2Jlb. The Makara proved disappointing. to at least three anglers who tried their luck there. Two " nine-incliers "' comprised the total catch, the fish refusing to take even tho creeper. ■ With few exceptions', the streams locally are yielding well. Tne best bags have been obtained at Wainui-omata, Mungaroa, South Karori, and in the upper reaches of the Hutt River. Tho Waikanao River is full of small fish, but nothing largo has been reported as being caught there this season. The Akatarawa has not come up to expectations, only small bags having been secured, there. Rainbow trout thrive in many streams, but so far.the efforts of the Wellington. Acclimatisation Society to introduce them in local waters have been practically unsuccessful. According to the "Taihape Times," the best local catch of'.the season.was secured oho day last week by Mr. Greenwell, says our Raotihi correspondent, who caught a rainbow trout in the Mangawhero which turned the scale at 71b. Before the twenty limit was introduced by the local society, any angler who "made.a iS immediately included-in the list of pot hunters." Things in the South Island, however, are different, for an exchange reports as follows The openingday competition .of the Wyndham Anglers' Society was held 011 Thursday, October 1. The conditions were not too favourable 1 , an east wind prevailing. The following was the weigh-inJ. E. Mitchell, 36 fish, 191b. 90z.; W. A. Leitch, 14. fish,. 111b. ,10oz.; W. J. Drummond, 11 fish. 81b. 8oz.; John Munro, 9 fish, 51b. 30z." " On various occasions enormous eels have ooen taken, from the many small. streams near Wellington. The South Karori' stream seems to harbour a lot of these destructive monsters. On Thursday morning orio eel, weighing 1911b., was secured,, and. on being opened was found to have three fair-sized trout inside. _ At the New South Wales Anglers' Casting Uub meeting, held recently, Mr. C. H. carried off five prizes,: included in were the Rawson champion cup, presented by the Governor, ..which is to be won throe times to become the absolute property of a competitor; the Usher champion cup, presented by Mr. F. A. Hyland, .which has also .to bo won three, times to become the property of a competitor; and tho champion medal presented by Messrs. Eastway Bros. Dr. H. L. Maitlarid was the recipient of, three prizes, Mr. D. Solomon of two,- and' Mr. H. K. Anderson' of- 0n6.. Certificates wero awarded to .others'/ 1 " Mr., ; Chudleigli". H. ■ Gorrick is; well knownthrough-j out;-Now, Zealand I 'as. lan' ardent" 'follower ofsiiort '. generally, : and " particularly,efficient' with' tho ! rod and : gun. V;- . ~ '1,. i The bush fires in the Taranaki district last year by some means wrought havoc, among the fish in tho streams. From one or two ■ streams the supply seems to have entirely disappeared. In the rivers of South Taranaki, however, trout aro more- plentiful., A Stratford angler took a basket of; fifteen fish from the Patea .. River 'recently. ■ The "Manaia Witness'.WifoportsedthaV somej excellent catches were obtained last week/ and" that fish, are fairly plentiful in the Kaupokonui ..and, other streams..- ; > Y?IrV who Has' - instructed many! amateur?-' in ' tho r> art of' 'fly-tying, is '•"very clever, with- tools and Australian "woods i! hi tho making of I rods- (says the "Sydney Morning Herald"). '.Nowadays the fancy of anglers runs to neat, light, woll-built split cano or split bamboo rods, but anglers have not. to throw ■ their memories far back to recall the days when greenheart rods did all the great work; on tho rivers, even amongst the lordly salmon. Mr! Bradley exhibited at. tho Casting Club meeting on Thursday a rod made of Australian wood, which wiil hear comparison with those fashioned from South Americajv'.greenheart. It was on thewhippy side, -but in those days of stylish: casting and patience in playing a fish.: thoj whippiness! would not:/be a serious draw-! back. Certainly one could, 4 use. this ■ rod' all 'day without getting tired, and it is' to be hoped that Sir Harry Rawson,' for whom it has been made as a memento of the -Australasian championship" casting tournament, will find it an effective weapon on the Snowy or some of its tributaries before he leaves. V It would bo a 1 worthy record for an Australian rod to catch an acclimatised and Australian-born trout weighing over six pounds. According-- to the "Otago Witness," the Mataura Angling • Club held its first competition for the year on Labour Day. Out of 11 competitors, four weighed' in. Mr. W. Allison was first with 19 fish, weighing 391b., heaviest fish 51b.; Mr. Jas. Barclay was second with 24 fish, 291b.; Mr. M'Gowan third with 14 fish, 191b.;. and Mr. Jas. Murdoch fourth with six fish, 121b., Tho day was exceedingly stormy, and anything but an angler's day. . The ,next competition will be held on the King's Birthday. ~ , . .

. The rivers of North Canterbury appear to bo well stocked this season, and numerous good baskets of trout, in capital condition, have been taken (says tho "Weekly Press"). During the last few days the following catches were made in the Selwyn:—One of twenty-one fish 671b.; another basket of 14 fish 451b.; and another of five fish 171b., and two others obtained twenty-one very nice fish. At tho Waimakariri one basket of seven contained a 51b. fish. The best catches in the .Selwyn'tliiß season have been a 201b. and a 141b. fish.