QUESTION OF FISHING TACKLE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 2514, 15 December 1927, Page 5

QUESTION OF FISHING TACKLE.

FISHERMAN PROSECUTED. An interesting discussion upon the technicalities of fishing took place in the Magistrate’s Court, Palmerston North, on Wednesday morning!, when Walter Ernest Gosling appeared before Mr J.'L. Stout, S.M., charged with using hand lines for the purpose of taking trout in the Manawatu River. An Acclimatisation Society’s ranger stated that he visited Gosling’s property and' had found three hand lines set in a hack-water of the river. The tackle was an ordinary hand line, attached to strong trout traces. Gosling had stated that the lines were set”for eels and flounders. The ranger was of the opinion that the tackle used was not strong enougfli and too expensive to use for eels, while, as far as flounders were concerned, hie had seen many thousands of trout taken on such tackle, but had yet to see a flounder taken in this manner. The accused stated in evidence that lie had never taken trout this season out of the Manawatu. The baejk-water in which the lines were set was a far more likely place for eels and flounders than * for trout. The tackle was not expensive, and although he admitted that it was not usual to use tiffs type of gear for eels, lie had caught them on such tackle, as. well as a number of flounders. After a brief discussion between the accused and the ranger as to the advisability of using trout traces to catch eels and flounders, the Magistrate stated that as there seemed to be a certain amount of doubt in this case he would discharge the accused. At the same time, lie would issue a warning that in future any persons found using such tackle would ho severely dealt with.