FISHING AT TAUPO

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 114, 17 May 1927, Page 10

FISHING AT TAUPO

TROLLERS' OPERATIONS

FREE FIELD FOR THE FLY

It is probable that steps will be taken soon to further control fishiug in Lake Taupo, confining the operations of the troller, and giving .the fly fishermen a clear uninterrupted field to himself. . A deputation from the Hawkcs Bay Acclimatisation Society made several suggestions to the Minister of Internal Affairs on Friday for improvements at Taupo. Mr. J. H. Edmundson urged that < the regulations should be amplified, as it was felt that at present there was a great deal of confusion and a certain amount of- heart-burning owing to the manner in which some people had used spoons in the lake. At Easter he had seen a two-inch spoon thrown into the well-known Lop Pool in the Tongariro. . "It nearly made me weep," ho declared; "it was absolutely a sacrilege." He considered the Tongariro River.should be made solely a fly fishing river from the bridgo on the (Taupo-Tokaanu road to tho mouth. The society also recommended that the Hatete or Hinemaiai, the TaurangaTaupo, the Waimarino, and tho Waiotitpu Rivers should also be "confined to fly-fishing. The society also contended that it should be illegal for launches or rowing boats to troll cither in the Waikato River or in the mouth of the Tongariro.

. Referring to the region of Taupo itsolf, Dr. F. N. Harvey declared that fly fishing had gone off terribly, simply on account of the fact that launches were out from daylight, mid as a result the buy was depleted Of fish. Tbe. action of lauuehes was reacting now'on the people, of Taupo and on the launches themselves. Tho people, in fact, were "getting the wind up," and thought that the trend of i tbe fishing was towards Tokaiwu and the Tongariro River. His opinion was that that bay should be restricted to fly fishing,, and ho considered the people of Taupo would agree to such a proposal. An exception could possibly be mado* during the holiday season.

Tlie Minister (the Hon. X, F. Bollard) said that several of the deputation's suggestions he had been discussing with his department for some time. A lthough it was too late to do anything this season, he hoped to do something next season. "I do propose," said Mr. Bollard, "to set aside certain parts of the lake to fly fishing. As to trollers, I propose to make it necessary for them to keep well out into the lake. Every year we hope to,improve conditions, and we want to give New Zealand anglers tho best go." '