TROUT FISHING.

Northern Advocate, 20 December 1932, Page 3

TROUT FISHING.

To the Editor

glr.—l read with some astonishment the account of Professor Pcrcival’p visit to our trout streams and his conclusion regarding the upper waters of the Hatca stream. I distributed the first rainbow fry in the Waitana and Mangakiroa streams, the upper tributaries of the Hatea, in 189 G, and dwelt for many years on the banks of the same and fished them for the last 33 years, capturing thousands of gooTi trout during that period. Therefore, I claim to know something of the suitability of those streams for rainbow trout. The late Mr Lake Aysou inspected these streams with me some years before his death, and he declared them excellent ns regards food, but lacking as. to good spawning beds. Therefore regular stocking would be required. During the late Mr Harry Holman’s lifetime that was done, and good head of trout maintained, but since his death, some 12 years ago, all our rainbow trout streams have been badly neglected by the acclimatisation society. Only twice during that period lias any stocking - been attempted; Once a small quantity of fry was obtained from Rotorua, which arrived in bad condition, more than half being dead. Then, three seasons ago, a fresh’ start at hatching ova was made, but none of this fry was placed in the above streams. Yet, in spite of this long neglect, a number of trout still persist in those streams; three or four may usually be had during an afternoon, and, although small, running from half to two pounds, they are game fish and excellent eating, as the koura, with which the streams are stocked, is ideal trout food, producing red-fleshed fish of good flavour. In addition to the koura, Mr Ayson, turning over a number of stones in’the stream along Cork Bros.’ property, pointed out to the writer the larva of several insects on which the trout feed. These, together with the crop of green beetles ( in the spring, and the large cicada flies in the autumn, should provide ample food for many times the number of trout now in these streams. I am therefore of opinion that if the society did thenduty by these streams, by regular stocking from year to year, they would attain their reputation as is the past as good rainbow trout streams, from which excellent bags of two to three pound trout would be obtained. I am, etc.,

L. HANLON,