Rod and Gun. (By "Gamebag.")

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 150, 21 December 1907, Page 18

Rod and Gun. (By "Gamebag.")

[Contributions to this column, addressed "Gamcbag," will bo welcomed. I'hey should be concise, and must be signed with the writer's full name and address, not for publication, but as a guarantee of authenticity.! Although a very fair amount of good sport has been obtained in the district during tho last three months, and somo fish of "respectable" size ha\e been caught, tho present season has by no means been tho best on record. There have been several things militating against a successful season. For the first week or two in October very good sport for tho beginning of tho season was obtained, and high hopes -»-cro antortaiucd tor tho middle and concluding portion of the season. Soon, after this rain was abundant, and tho rivers wero mostly too full and swift for good fishing. This lasted for a week or two, and then thcro was a fair spell of good inodorato weather, in which, perhaps, the 1 best sport of this season \wi been gained. j This good weather continued too long. ! It Boon becamo apparent that if it lasted much longer it would bs a curse instead of [ a blosring. Still the jain kept oft', and : tho conditions up to lime of writing havo been decidedly detrimental to fishing throughout the district. Several times r& contly rain ha 9 fallen, but it has been to such a slight extent that it has been useless. Unless good rain falls beforo Cbristm-s tho hopes for pleasant and profitable sport in tho holidays will not be realised. Many of the streams are very low, and the weeds have grown to a great extent. Most fishermen will havo observed with pleasure the prosecution of a mimber of poachers in the Karori stream. There ar* other rivers in tho district that might well receivo special attention from the rangers — tho Fahautanui stream, for instance, y There is not much to record in the way "lakes" this week. Most rivers have been disappointing. Thfl Acclimatisation Society has been devoting most attention of late to the liberation of- ducks. I'rom all accounts tho ducks liberated have done well. Tho Rotorua Times states that at tho mouth of Iho Utuhiua 14- trout weighing S2o wero cau'glit by an angler a few days ago. In viow of the sudden disappearance of the duolclins3 from tho N6w Plymouth Recreation Grounds it is suggested that Iho board should offer a reward to the boy who catches and despatches the greatest number of rats aud eels. These latter have greedily devoured numbers of trout, and are now oven, turning their attention to tho perch. The Maoris engaged in draining tho upper swamp aro making considerable inroads upon the eels, or tunas as they call them. When the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society's fish distributor was at Lake Coleridge, recently, liberating rainbow trout fry, he discovered somo unstocked lakes, and tho Socioty has decided to stock those lakes with rainbow trout. Trout are beginning to make their appearance hero in large numbers (writes a Huntly correspondent), though catches aro still few aud far between. Anglers assert that last year's flood has put fish- - ing back fully 10 yoars. Tho fish placed in the various lakes appear to* bo doing well, while in the river spawn can be goen in great numbers. The Garden Committee of the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society has decidod to (forward 5000 brown trout fry for liberatton iv (ho Cheviot streams; also 3000 for Iho Waikari River . A regulation, is published in the Gazette prohibiting trout, porch, aud tench fishing, in the Avon river, from tho watercouvso neav fch.% bend on the Rio-cartdn-road, through the city lo tho fridge at Colombo-street, Christchurch. Considerable additions havo "recently bean made to the_ marine fish hatchery at Portobello, especially, by tho "erection of several aquarium tanks in tho hatchinghouse. Theso havo been stocked with a number of interesting specimens, forming a vory attractive show.^ and as plants which have been cultivated round the building aro now in full flower, visitors from Wellington should remember that Iho placo is woll_>worthy of a visit. In order that all who aro interested should have an opportunity of soeing what has been done with tho small means at dispbsal, the board decidod to throw tha hatchery open for public inspection from ]6'th December to 4th January. In the largo open pond 3in which the stock of European !obster3 and crabs_ i 3 kept some of tho largest species of native fishes will also bo found. As, however, the lobsters and crabs live under the shelters and stones in the ponds, they cannot be during the day tiriie. One or two specimens of each will therefore bo exhibited in. tho aquarium tanks. Tho following kinds of fish are already in confinement in tho tanks, and any one who has only seen them dead or dyyig, can form little idea of their beautiful colouring _ and markings: — Flounders, Maori chief (Nothothenia, Maoriensis), fiathead (Kathestoma laovis), leather jacket, pig-fish, young spined dog-fish, young tarakihis (locally known as bream), pipe-fish, sea horses, spotties, young crayfish, prawns, etc. It is probable that orhar species will bo added to these, and that also specimens of the local sea anemones, tunicatcs, molluscs, and Crustacea will bo on view. The jetty at the hatchery can bo approached at all states of tho tide by launches or boats, while the distanco on foot from Portobollo is about a milo and a half. Tho Tarewai will stop to put down or pick up any parties numbering six or more, but *in case of fewor passengers she will only stop ono way. The board express the hope that no damage will bo done by visitors attempting to food tho fish, lobstors, or crabs. FISHING WITHOUT A LICENSE. An interesting judgment was given at Rbxburgh recently, by Mr. Burgess, S.M., in a case in which two men wero charged_ with fishing without a license. The point was raised that the men were not fishing by reason of the fact that they wero using dynamite. Tho maKistrate, in giving the judgment, said, "In this case there cannot be any room to question that the evidence necessary to Bupport a charge of fishing without a license could not bo sufficient to secure a conviction on a charge of using dynamite lo destroy fhh. The latter act is made an offence by tho Fisheries (dynamite) Act, 1878, and the solo purpose of the statute is to prohibit the uso of dynamite. It would bo_ absurd, therefore, to argue that the evidence which would sustain a charge of fishing without a license would bo sufficient to convict a person of using dynamite for killing fish. Tho two_ charges nro differ ont in essence. I think there is doubt, in a general way, that any act. that results, or is intended to result in iho taking of capturing of fish, in any wny, is fishing, and I cannot find anything in tho regulations r6f erred to to restrict the moaning of tho torm "to fish" or "iish.ing" to an act involving ono method only. It is truo that the holder of a liconso to fish is prohibited from fishing in any way excopfc 'with natural or artifical fly, insect, or fish only,' and that tho license, thereforo, only contemplates such fishing by _ tho licensee. The general offect of this is not, however, to put any limited moaning on the words 'to fish' or 'fishing,' but to restrict the licensee to ono kind of fishing only. If he uses any other moans ho renders himself liable as a licensee to penalties under other clauses of tho regulations, but not to fishing without a license. If a person not licensed to flesh catches or attempts to catch fish by any means whatever, whether allowed by a liconsed por"ronor not, lie is guilty of tho offenco of fishing without a license." Tho magistrate found the two men guilty, and fined thorn £2 each and costs.