AN INGENIOUS FISHING DEVICE

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 223, 8 June 1923, Page 4

AN INGENIOUS FISHING DEVICE

“THE OTTER.” Sir, —I read with interest in your issue of May 23 Mr. E. W. Shrimp, ton’s successful device for “stringing the wires” over the Clarence River, for which he certainly deserves great credit. I also note in your issue of May 29 Mr. Alex. P. Matheson’s mention of the “otter” in connection with tlie above, and I agree with him. It is as old as the lakes and riyers of Scotland. I have fished with it as a boy seventy years ago on the shores of Loch Fyne and Loch Awe, in shire. As a few particulars in connection with the said “otter”—of how it is used, and rigged, may interest .your numerous readers, you might kipdly spare me space for the following :— Take a piece of light board thirty inches long, twelve inches wide, and one inch thick. Cut this board to the shape of a fish, fasten a strip of lead along the bottom so as to sink the fish half-way in the water. Paint the lower half white, and the upper seablue. Paint both sides alike, and as like a fish as you can make ito-head. eyes, and tail, etc. Attach four small bridle lines to the model, two for ard and two aft. say six inches from either end. and make the ends fast to a ring. To this ring attach your towing line. To the tail of your fish make fast a fine line,’ say thirty feet long, and rig on this hne at the end a spoon bait. This spinning m the water helps to attract the fish, and along the line at intervals ng flies, live bait, or minnow. ~ , You work your -otter from the shore if you like. As you walk along the “otter” will keep abreast of you, and by manipulatingjvour towing line you can send the ‘ otter . . . vou like. Of course, a boat is best to work from, but if you are poaching /u are safer on, the shore as you can haul “Mr. Otter” m and stow it away “SSSESUavJftfc vice and proprietors of such .in me Old ' Country when l ett ing aways insert least, no otter fiS I ln might° remark that for the lake •SbS'.rj.S'- > «Yh« Government »v‘ fow people to use the otter on, say. Lakes 'Taupo and Rotorua, also tho rivers down south when the salmon are the inland .people might

have a chance of sampling now and then the imported fish of New Zealand. As it is at present, we only; read about them.—l am, etc., W. D. B. MURRAY. Palmerston North.