with Rod and Line

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7031, 15 December 1932, Page 4

with Rod and Line

By .{Sylph)

As generally seems to be the lot of! the week-end fisherman lately, the rivers were strongly discoloured on Saturday and Sunday. The Pohangina rose early on Friday and by 9 a.m. was a surgingmass of dirty yellow water. The smaller streams south of Palmerston North w'ere iishable, but. most of them were carrying a fair amount of water.

In the Tuesday night competitions the following are the results of the first two of the scries. In the first competition J. Glastonbury caught (i fish, 01b. 10 ozs., N. Palmer, 5 fish, Gibs. 10 ozs.; K. Thor burn, <1 fish, Gibs. 10 ozs., P. Elsmorc, 2 fish, lib. li!oz., W. Ward, 1 fish, 2 lbs. In the second competition H. Hoskings caught 8 fish, Gibs. S ozs., K. Thorburu, f> fish, Gibs. lOozs., N .Palmer, 4 fish, 5 lbs. loozs., H. Lane, 3 fish, -libs, loz., P. Elsmorc, 3 lish, Gibs. Tlio Silver Cup presented by Mr. Speirs, of Louis Berger, Wellington, was much admired at the committee meeting on Friday evening. It has been decided to engrave the cup, “The Berger Cup. ’’ This cup will be an annual trophy, and the conditions will be iixed at a later date. Committee meetings arc not all hard work; after the work is over then the fun begins. On Friday evening the club's official weigher-in was in lighting trim, especially due to the fact that no one had weighed in for the first lap of the Matthews competition. Whether this was the real cause of liis vexation, or the fact that lie told one fish yarn too many regarding liis c-wn catch, and was duly caught out, was not discovered. However, some of the committee apparently knew they were going to be on the mat, and so they decided to present the weigher-in with a little token of their esteem and gratitude for the work he docs for the club. The wind was thus taken out of his sails and he collapsed completely when he- found the presentation was an artistically framed testimonial admitting him to tbo ancient and independent order of Reckless and Inveterate Prevaricators. It was somo time before work could be proceeded with and no one laughed better than the recipient. The Shannon Club arc in a strong position which reflects very well on the keenness of the license holders. Of a total of 15 adult, one lady and G junior licenses issued at the local post otrice the club have a membership of thirteen senior and three junior members. One fish has been weighed in so far for Mr. B. J. Brann's trophy, Mr. C. Young weighing in a 31b. lOoz. brown trout. This starts the ball rolling. As Dr. Anson will be in the Mangahao district at Christmas it is to be hoped he will be at the club’s next meeting on January 5.

“Purist” in the “Gazette,” the Pahiatua correspondent, claims that “Sylph’ ’has been having a dig at the local Pahiatua Club for their penchant for the dry fly. This is not true, but purely jealousy as “Sylph” "willingly admits he rvould like to know how to fish “dry fly.” The Pahiatua Club are solid “dry fly” and catch them in any water. Over this side of the ranges, we have not acquired tho ait of the sport yet, but arc willing to learn. “Purist” states they “stalked” their fish. This reminds me of a good yarn about a Fcilding angler who is not too slim, who in order to catch a certain large fish in very clear water, was seen crawling flat out along the ground pushing his rod in iront ol him. He got the fish and the heaviest of the season. This is reducing the sport to a fine art with a vengeance.