ANGLING.

Evening Star, Issue 10746, 5 October 1898, Page 4

ANGLING.

Anglers will oblige by forwarding to this office items of interest during the season.

Yesterday’s cold snap, with heavy rain and a ow on the hills, will somewhat interfere with the comfort of the many fishermen now out. The Acclimatisation Society’s ranger, who came into town yesterday from the Waipahi district, reports that the rivers in that I jeality are in anything bub a fit condition for fishing. He only heard of two fish being caught in the Waipahi itself. The reports from the Slia" are also of an unfavorable nature, and experts report that until the heavy snow that is now lying ou the back ranges has melted this river will not bo much good. Mr John Robertson caught thirty-one nice fish ia the Leith ou Monday. The official report, received by Mr D Russell, secretary of the Acclimatisation Society, stated that the rivers in the South appear to have been in bad order after the recent rain, and about Gore fly fishing was cut of the question. The rivers appear bo well stocked, and, contrary to expectations, the dredging on the VVaikaka does not appear to have afieoted the trout so far. In both the Waikaka and M Maura, near Gore, some fair baskets were made by the use of a large white worm as bait. The trout appear to take this greedily for the first two months of the season. One gentleman secured twenty-four nice-sized fish in the Waikaka, and another seven in jhe Mataura. A wejl known East Gore tiogler and his wife secured twenty-one fish from the Waikaka, the lady landing the *■ boss” trout so fur.

Fishing in the Christchurch Avon on Saturday was very fair, there being numerous large takes. Trout fishing (says the Christchurch ' I’rcss ’) was fairly good at I&uapoi and in the Waimakariri on Saturday. It was too windy and cold for the fly, but theie were one or two small takes with minnow. In the Ellesmrre district, as far as can be gathered, very few fish were caught on Saturday morning. A large number of rods

were out on the Salwyn, but only a few fish were caught. On the Irwell and Harts creek no fish were caught. The Rakaia was 100 muddy for fishing. The Lake has gone right out to low water-mark, and it is supposed (writes our Ellesmere correspondent) that the trout have gone out of the creeks ami river with it.

Of sport iu South Canterbury the ‘Timaru Herald’ reports that one angler caught three fish in the Opihi, and was home by midnight on Friday. Those who fished the Opihi mouth on Saturday had the best luck, and there wore thirty rods between this spot and the Milford ford in the morning. A number drove and cycled out from Timaru on Sunday, but had poor sport on the Lower Opihi, the river being too high. At the Temuka sport was much better, and some fair baskets were brought home. The fish are iu poor condition generally, whitebait being scarce, and it will take some weeks yet for the trout to gel in good order. A deputation of anglers wailed on the Minister for Railways, and asked that Saturday till Monday return tickets be available from Friday evening till Monday morning ; that anglers he allowed to travel return at single rates; and that excursion rickets be available to anglers from the afternoon preceding a holiday. The Minister pointed out that by the iccont concessions parties of twelve had reductions in fares made. He asked the deputation to put their rtquests in writing. Messrs P. Ailken, Telford, and H. Crust returned to town lust evening from a visit to the Wuitati and the Waikouaiti, They brought back a fair number of fish, but did not do very well iu the upper reaches of the I ittcr river. Mr Crust caught five nice fish •n the Waikouaiti, aud hU companions did not do touch better.

The Dunedin party that went to the •Shag River returned yesterday with only ve fish, of which number Mrs C’ughill ■ aught three.