ANGLING SEASON

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 118, 22 May 1939, Page 11

ANGLING SEASON

FAR TOO WINDY

RIVERS MERE TRICKLES

"The opening day of the angling season, a day of "glorious sunshine, gentle breezes, and sparkling water," was a disappointment to anglers," says the report of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society for the year ended March 31 last. Wet fly was more successful than dry, and neither were as [ successful as usual. Next day it blew, I and with few intermissions continued jto blow right up to the end of February. . ■ . ■ ■ ■ ! "To give some idea of the intensity of the wind during one period of the blow, the experience of an angling I party is worth relating," says the report. "The party were camped on.the banks of the Mangatairioka River, near Nireaha—incidentally, their camp I was blown down and they had to leave. They witnessed a most extraordinary sight, and one seldom seen away from the seashore. The river was very full and the rapids were a broil of white water. The, wind, sweeping down from the Tararua Mountains, cut the white water from off the torj.rent and literally hurled it over the fields in one continuous wall of j spray, just as is sometimes witnessed, at such places as the coast at Happy Valley in a southerly gale. These conditions were not peculiar to the locality mentioned, for the same, was experienced in other parts of the district, and they were not for short periods, either.

"To further add to the trials of anglers, the Dominion experienced one of the longest periods of dry weather known for many years, resulting in most of the rivers becoming mere trickles, compelling the fish to seek safety in the deeper pools, where they congregated in large numbers. The dry spell was so protracted that at one period there was grave danger of a very heavy loss of fish, and little could have been done to prevent it. The "rangers and others, through constant watching, managed to save many fish by transferring them from rapidly diminishing pools to the flowing water; in fact, had the rain not come when it did, the society would have suffered a very great loss indeed. The coming of the rain averted what would have been a calamity, so far as anglers are concerned.

"Although, generally speaking, conditions were not conducive to a season of good average fishing, nevertheless some good catches were recorded, especially during the latter part of the season. Limit catches were made at Wainui-o-mata, the Hutt, Horokiwi, Waiohine, Mangatainoka, and several other rivers. The Manawatu River and some of its tributaries have also given good sport, and some excellent baskets were obtained. Some remarkably fine.fish were taken at Karere, towards the end of the. season, when he smelts were running."