ANGLING NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17078, 29 January 1916, Page 12

ANGLING NOTES.

(By IRON BLUE.)

TACTICS. From a crevice in the rocks, beyond the pool, a straggling bush drooped waterwards above an eddy, where, retired as far as might be under, the covering branches, a four-pounder awaited what food the swirl -would' bring. On my side of the river, a shingle strip gave standing room, from which a fair fifteen-yard cast might reach the fish; but more cliffs, were much too close behind me, and the bush left only a foot-square spaco to put a%• It was not an easy cast by any means, and, though at first I would have tried it, at last I could not, for an unwary effort broke off my fly against the rearward' set of cliffs; so I repaired damages until Augustus joined me. Then I tempted him into taking charge of the whole affair: " Augustus, there is a rising trout that you cannot catch." Augustus has ideas about fishing—groat big ideas, and often " wrong 'una M —but he is a good fisherman in spite of all, and he got right down to business without delay. Only one thing seemed' to trouble him, "What made you leave this fish for me?" ho queried, suspiciously; but I knew that was merely "the way Augustus shows his gratitude, and withdrew'a little distance, 10 watch events. Orouchingly, along the shingle strip, he approached his quarry, and presently the cast was made; but the flies caught fast in the overhanging bush. Now, I expected Augustus to arise in wrath, and to scare the fish, while struggling madly to regain his property ; but instead of that, Ins tactics were admirable. He remained crouchino\ and tightening tho line steadily. until a. smash occurred, ho lost no more than the end fly and an inch o trut, Another fly was despatched upon its quest, but again bad luck D<v fel the angler; a second smash, lwo. T counted slowly, and, though Augustus bad-worded me most eloquently, the trout staved undisturbed and ready to rise. \ third fly met a better fate. The fly dropped in the opening exactly as it'should, and a moment later \ugustus- was chasing a firmly booked four-pounder down the river. He got that fish, and deserved him well, for remembering—even in such trying cir-cumstances-the most important <liut often forgotten part of angling tactics, "Keep out of sight." PACKING TROUT. Lately at a fishing camp by the Opihi River, I was shown a nice.oaten, or trout which had been lauded during the previous evenings fishing; but mithinkiwdv they were covered with nMckfeorof^nint-tokeeptbem fresh " Few things absorb a tainting flavour more readily than trout, and I should be ready to hazard a guess that when they were cooked and brought to table these minted fish were very far from nice. , ~ . , Especially after a day's fishing, when packing away his captures m the basket for the homeward journey, the angler will hurriedly collect handfuls of the nearest and greenest things for a covering, but if "he is wise bo will take care that none of the hay-feverish smelling grass called " sweet-scented vernal is mingled among the rest, or the flavour of all his fish is sure to be spoiled very quickly. Forgotfulness of .this little fact lias led to .frequent disappointments.

By the way, for some given reasons, it seems that many anglers believe the coming autumn fishing will be particularly good, and that unusual quantities' of big trout will be caught at the mouths of the snow rivers. It has been suggested that, if this opinion happens to bo correct, it would be a nice act to have some of the best frozen i and sent homo to various Red Cross places for our wounded men. I think so too. What about it? THE RIVERS.

During the early part of the week some excellent fly'fishing was obtained in the upper Opihi and in the Opuha Gorge, but tho hot weather has lett the majority of the smaller streams in a low and weedy condition. A great improvement in the angling outlook dates from Wednesday evening, when rain began to fall heavily, and at the moment of writing seems likely to continue for at least another twenty-four hours. Some of tho rivers have not been* flooded for two seasons, and the present downpour is most welcome in every way. , On tho contrary, the Rangitata has been, in a state of greater or less flood since last October, the constant northwesters bringing down fresh after fresh. Wet weather in Canterbury affects this river very little, and from now onwards it is hoped that the clearing process will begin. The upper waters are now very well stocked, and so far'have been very little fished.

Another day's rainfall will better fishing prospects about a hundred per cent, and a good: upstream run of trout should follow.