PROSPECTS GOOD

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 118, 14 November 1925, Page 8

PROSPECTS GOOD

FOR THE FISHING SEASON

MANY LICENSES ISSUED.

A little over six weeks have passed since the local fishing season, opened, ai:i the 5 lieatioris ar- that it will be a x cord one,, from tie point of licenses issued, at least, if not from

the point of fishing results. So far 1268 licenses have been issued by the Wellington Acclimatisation Society, the total value of tho licenses being £1006 ss. These figures are considerably in advance of figures for previous years, and the rangers of the society are confident in predicting a record season-so far as the Wellington district is concerned.

So far the operations of fishermen have been hampered very considerably by bad weather. In the early part of the season heavy rain made fishing conditions unfavourable, and lately heavy winds have disturbed the waters to such an extent that trout have been wise enough to hug tho river beds, where all is calm and peaceful. During the past week or so, however, conditions have been steadily improving, and a report received at the local office of the Acclimatisation Society stated that most of the rivers and streams throughout the district are in good order for fishing. So far no- exceptional catches have been reported to the rangers, although several good baskets have been taken. For instance, one augler took the limit of twenty fish on three occasions from the Waikauae River. The Fisheries Act imposes a limit on sportsmen in order that the rivers will not bo denuded of fish, and ai.yone caught with more than twenty fisli in his; basket is likely to meet with trouble. Generally, tho regulations aro faithfully observed by true sportsmen. Of course, this does not mean that when a fisherman has taken twenty trout he must cease operations for the day. Probably the average sportsman takes a good many more than that, but undersized fish aro politely returned whence they came in order that they might make room for their bigger, brothers whose fate it is to bo caught. Sixteen very good-conditioned fish were taken by an angler using dry fly after two hours' fishing in the Kuamahanga River. Twenty fish were caught during an evening in the upper reaches of the Mangatainoka in the Putara Valley, and eighteen fish of an average; weight of IMb were taken by an angler iii the Makakahi.' Both the Mangatainoka and the Makakahi' Rivers are reported to bo-improving, and anglers are well please-1 with the results that have been obtained. There has been some very good fishing in the Man: .vatu Eiver, and a party of fiu boys at Tavakatahuna secured 61 fish between them. Unfortunately, .these were taken on the worm. The Tiritea River has been exceptionally good, and some nice baskets havo been ! taken. There lias also been some very fair ii^iing at the mouth of tho Rangitikei. '