ANGLERS’ ASSOCIATION

Evening Star, Issue 21218, 27 September 1932, Page 3

ANGLERS’ ASSOCIATION

FIFTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT The fifty-first annual report of the Otago Anglers’ Association, to be presented at the annual meeting to-mor-row evening, states that the committee has to record a falling - off in the membership of the association, this being, no doubt, due to ' the prevailing conditions. Nevertheless, a satisfactory credit balance is shown. A series of nine competitions were arranged during the season, and these attracted sixty-two competitors-—the smallest number for several years. One of the competitions arranged for the Tomahawk Lagoon was abandoned owing to lack of entries. The two competitions arranged for the Shag River were the most successful, and attracted seventeen competitors. Mr L. Griffiths winning first prize (a gold medal') with six fish of a weight of 31 b 13oz. and Mr C. Arnold second prize with eight fish weighing 31b 9oz, This was an any legal bait competition held on Labour Day. The second competition was held towards the end of the season for bare fly fishers only, and resulted in Mr S. Barnes taking first prize with eighteen fish, and Mr J. Rhodes second with ten fish. The two Waipnhi competitions saw twelve and five entrants respectively. The winners proved to be Mr H. Mason twenty fish (weight 251b]. and Mr A. Gladwin thirteen fish (weight 121 b 14oz) in the bare fly competition, while H. Mason took first prize in the any legal bait competition with twenty-two fish (weight 2411) 3oz), and J. J. Wylie second with twelve fish (weight Sib). Seven members visited the Waikouniti River for a bare fly competition. but the results were poor,, only three fish being weighed in. Mr S. Barnes took first prize, with H. Levido second. The three competitions held on 'Tomahawk Lagoon did not meet with much success, very small baskets being taken. Mr F. Monson won the three competitions, and Messrs . T. Veitch and A. Challis were the second prize-winners. Two competitions were arranged for schoolboys, on the Water of Leith, and these wore keenly contested, Masters Harris. Bruce. Matthews, and Turner being the prizewinners. It is hoped that further com-, petitions for boys will be arranged for the coming season. The thanks of the association are duo to the donors of prizes who made this series of coni; petitions possible. A special prize of a 501 b bag of (lour was won bv Air F. M. mson for the heaviest weight of fish in competitions for the season. From an angler’s point of view tho past season was poor, clue mainly to the unfavourable conditions at the week-ends. Waipori dam was probably the most popular water used by anglers last season, and the results were quite satisfactory. During the earlier months bait fishing proved very successful. but later splendid wet and dry fly fishing was to be bad. Support was given to a potit on by the association to have the road lending to this water put in better condition, and it is now improved considerably. The Taieri River was well fished dnr ng the season. and in the earlier and later months of the season some very large fish were taken It is reported that this river shows signs of being well stocked. The Waipori River was not up to previous seasons, except at the latter end The Contour Channel was an improvement on former seasons, and. now that tins water has been cleared of obstructions, good sport should be had during the season. The Shag River was visited by many, but the sport was only fair, the 'fish being small. During the season support was given to a petition protesting against nct--1 ting at the month of the river. The condition of the Waikonaili was not improved as compared with the previous season, but good night fish-

ing was obtained. The Kakanui River was the only one which showed improvement, and good fishing was obtained right through the season. Results at Tomahawk Lagoon were poor daring the whole season, in sp'te of the large number of lish which had been transferred from the Leith. Since last season the lagoon was netted for the purpose of examining tho fish there, and it was found that the water Was well stocked with fish of takeable size. From the Leith forty-eight fish have been tagged and put into the lagoon. Anglers are specially asked to hand the tags to the .'society and give full particulars of the fish taken. At the animal meeting of the Otago Acclimatisation Society four members of the association were successful in being elected to tho council of that body. The association lias every confidence in the work of the New Zealand Research Committee, .and members arc asked to help that body by sending in particulars of the fish caught and scales from spine.