Mod and Gun,

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 09, 11 January 1908, Page 14

Mod and Gun,

(By "Gamebag.") [Contributions to this column, addressed "Gamebag," will bo welcomed. They should be concise, and must be signed , with tho writer's full name and address, not for publication, but as a guarantee of authenticity.!! Fishing on Lake Tarawera on New Year's Day, the Hon. J. A. Millar succeeded in landing a splendid 111b fish in tho pink of condition. A number of anglers from Christchurch visited Tomuka during tho reoent holidays, and enjoyed excellent sport in the Tomuka and Opihi rivers. Good baskets were obtained, but no very largo fish were caught. N It is reported that some misconception exists in the minds of borne anglers with regard to the portions of the Avon which havo been closed and those which are open. The secretary of tha Canterbury Acclimatisation Society states that the position is that fishing in tlio river Avon from tho bend on tho Riccarton-road to the Colombo-street bridge is absolutely prohibited, and tho society's rangers havo been instructed to take action against anyone infringing this regulation. Somo lime ago, by Gazette notice, that i/ortion of the river from the Colombo-street bridge downstream to the East Belt (Fitzgbr&ldavenue) bridge was thrown open for fishing with legal bait. N A few days ago Mr. A. (5. Jonassen janded sixteen trout at the mouth of tho Abhburton river, the heaviest scaling 51b. Advices have been received by tho Canterbury Acclimatisation Sooiety that shags are proving very destructive to fish in the Hurunui, Waiau, and Conway rivers. Some months 'ago when the Otago Acclimatisation Society liberated a number of owls in Earnscleugh and other districts with a view to minimising the Email bird nuisance, doubts were | expressed concerning the wiedom of the step. The following letter, which 'has boen received by the secretary of the society from a resident of the Earnscleugh district, explains itself:— "l have an orchard of fruit trees, and in some fir trees .which, I planted, as a breakwind the birds wera very numerous until last year, and ate all the buds of my fruit trees, not leaving me a case of fruit. Sinco ths owls 'were liberated by your ranger I havo had a fairly good crop fruit, and I Consider that this is duo to the work of tho owls in exterminating the birds. In the fir trees which I have mentioned I havo found several empty shells of eggs, and the trees are now' almost deserted by small birds. I found beveral partly-eaten birds in an owl's home in an old sod wall on my property, so that they would seem fo cal both birds and oggs. Tho owls all seem, to be thriving well in the district." The Otago Daily Times understands that only iorty-four owls were liberated in tho district — fourteen in September, 1905, and thirty in September of last year . It is reported by the WatJganui Chroui-' clo that as the result of bush fires in tho vicinity of' tha Makakihi river at Kaiparoro last week, hundreds of dead trout are to be seen floating in tho stream. Irate Squire: "Hi! you, sir I You're fishing in my river. I demand what you'vo caught. ' Fisherman : ''All right, guv-nor. • I'vo caught a cold, and I'm catching the rheumatics, and you'ro jolly welcomo to both of 'em." — Fisjiing Gazette. Some excellent spcrt has been had at the mouili of the Kangitkta river during tho past fow days, Athburton anglers having succeeded in getting fairly good baskets. On one evening two angleis from Ashburton landed hve fish, the total weight of which was 461b, the largest weighing 151b. Messrs ll Prcttou and J. Stephens, on the same evening, each landed three fish, weight from 41b to 61b. Tho long spell <j>l dry weather has had a marked effect on North Canterbury rivers, and particularly on the Ashloj. In some plaee3 tho Ashley has lost all semblance to a flowing river, tho course being marked only by a line of small pooh. As a result tho fish are suffering by being imprisoned in the pools. 'Xho local Acclimatisation Society ha 3 mado arrangements to remove as many as> possible to the more permanent parts of the rivoi, whoro the flow oi water is maintained. Good fly fishing is being obtained in the Ashley at nights. Several Chriftchureh angleis who recently made visits U> tho river secured good bags of nico fish. Anglers who fished the mouth of tho Rakaia during tho holidays were rewarded with good catcheb, which included poveral heavy fish. A start was to be made this week to concrete tho edges of tho ponds in the Acclimatisation Society's gardens at Christchurch. The work, judging by tho results achieved last season, should effect a marked improvement in tho apearanco of tho gaideus, and be. distinctly beneficial to the ponds. Not for many years has the local angler been so unfortunately situated as ho has been during tho past Christmas holidays. Beautiful weather has prevailed, but too rainless. Considering the circumstances, tho rivers of the district were patronised by a good number of anglers, but sport only of a medium quality was met with. Often (he fish were plentiful, generally they were small, but there were occasions when they were of a very fair average weight. The great trouble hab been that tho rivers aro full of weeds. Until there is a change in the weather sport round Wellington will not improve. Good reports, however, aro prevalent from tho larger and more distant rivers up tho Wairarapa. Tho Post' 3 Levin correspondent writes : — Mr. W. Andrew, secretary of tho subcommittee of the Acclimatisation Soe ; rty, reports that 104 pairs of shags' feet at 2s 6d and 137 hawks' feet at threepence per pair, havo been paid for in the past year, l'hirty-two fishing licenses were issued. The Waikanao is overstocked with trout ; tho Manakau, Kuku,_Waikawa, and tho sti earns north of Levin aro also well stocked. Owing to, poaching and dynamiting it is difficult to know what is required to stock the Ohau. The (secretary hai carried out tho instructions of tho Wellington Society, and retunned tho fi.-h in tho water-racea to tho Ohau. Really £ood filling is obtainable in all streams in the district.