TROUT FISHING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 16 November 1929, Page 7

TROUT FISHING.

OPENING OE SEASON

SOME GOOD CATCHES. Reports from the Conservator of Fish and Game at Rotorua indicate that the trout fishing season was opened auspiciously at the. beginning of the month. There were some good baskets obtained, and the season promises to be a. successful one. The conservator states in his dispatches to the Minister in Charge (Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle) that although there were frequent showers of rain there were many anglers participating at the opening of the season. “At the Tokaanu end,” he states, “quite fair sport was obtained both by trolling parties and fly fishermen. The most successful fly fishermen secured 40 fish in three days, fishing with the ‘Matuka’ fly at the Delta The heaviest fish in the' catch weighed 71b.. but the average was 51b. “The honour of catching the heaviest fish on the fly this season has fallen to a New Zealander —a 121 b rainbow, in Grace’s Pool. Other parties. notably from Auckland, ■ secured 50 fish in this, period, averaging 51b The party fished the' Hitt. Log, Grace’s and Major Jones’ Pools in the Ton cal'iro River, using various flies. The opinion is, however, that the best results are obtained with the. ‘Matuka.’ The trolling parties easily had the best, snort, securing 60 fish in two days and a half in Motuopa Bay. Their heaviest fish weighed 81 lb., and the catch averaged s}lbs. The heaviest fish taken by trolling parties was one

weighing 111-lbs.' in splendid condition. “At the Taupe end all the trolling launches were in commission on the opening dav, most of. them making early morning trips in addition to taking out other parties later in the day. Good catches were secured but the average condition of the fish was only fair. Recent reports, however, show that catches show a decidedly better average condition than those of the - opening day. The largest fish in the various catches ranged from 7 to 7-ilbs. The owner of the launch ‘Dawn’ has reported that a number of the fish taken were ripe fish that had not yet spawned. The favourite grounds for the launches have been from Acacia Bay along the shore as far as the Rangatira Point locality. “As yet nobody has visited Wliakaipo. Whan gam at a or Western Bay, but from last season’s results I can see no reason why good catches should not he made again this season. A very enthusiastic and well-known angler of Taupn fished the Waikato River from the Western Bank between Reid’s Farm and the Huka, Falls, using the drv-fly method which was successfully tried out in this water, last season for evening fishing. He took a limit catch of 15 fish which were in good condition, the largest being sjibs. Tim was the best catch in weight for the Taupe end of the district. It is predicted that in a couple of months’ time the fish in the Waikato River would be in better condition at the beginning of the season than in any other locality. This was based on the fact that. Mayflies were to be seen in this. localitv in thousands, and yet they were not to be seen elsewhere at the time.”