TAUPO FISHING

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 59, 9 March 1940, Page 23

TAUPO FISHING

BAN ON TROLLING

NOTICE TAKEN IN BRITAIN

*(By Air Mail, from "The Post's" Londoi Representative.)

LONDON, January 19.

"Taupo—what memories of huge and hard-fighting trout this Maori word conjures up in the minds of anglers here, there, and everywhere," says "The Sketch" in its feature,, "When I Was Last A-Fishing." ■", -

"For many years Lake Taupo has been the show place of New Zealand trout fishing. All important personages arriving in- New Zealand, and, indeed, the majority of visiting anglers, have been shepherded by the publicity bureau to this huge lake, because here, more certainly than elsewhere, they, would surely catch large trout.; With a modicum* of skill, they ■ could Sake five-pounders on fly, and with no skill at all they could bag even bigger fish by trolling.

"Much has been written on the evils of trolling with heavy tackle and the harm it has done to the trout fishing on Lake Taupo. The New Zealand Government has evidently taken alarm at the falling away in the trout fishing on their pet reservation, and,-in order to re-establish the lake in the limelight, have issued regulations which have caused consternation among anglers and, one imagines—if the news has, penetrated so far —jubilation among the' trout; The chief bone of contention in the regulations is the ban on trolling, with spoon or fly, within 20» yards of the shore, and that no boat can.be used for fishing witnui this area unless anchored.

"That trollers would be indignant with the ban, which severely curtails their activities^ is not surprising, but it appears that fly fishermen are equallyperturbed. They will not be able to cast towards the shore from a slowly moving boat in places where the precipitous nature of the banks prevents shore fishing. A. more potent reason, may be that the bulk of fly fishermen troll on occasions, and many, with the laudable aim of preserving their peace while fly-fishing, send off their wives and families to amuse themselves trolling. ■■,'■-:■ "A deputation of anglers and launchmen who waited on the Minister, in the hope of persuading him to alter his mind, withdrew crestfallen, but, as a parting shot, invited him to go trolling with them outside the. 200----yard limit. Whether there was any ulterior motive behind the invitatioa [has hot yet transpired!"