TROUT FISHING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18380, 21 April 1923, Page 7

TROUT FISHING.

PRESENT-DAY CONDITIONS. LAKE TAUPO 5 S ATTRACTIONS ' BY RALPH (H. WARD. The angler, with his tendency to indulge in the gentle art of exaggeration, has long been one of the favourite characters of the humorist, and the writer who takes in hand to relate fish stories runs considerable danger of losing any reputation he may have for veracity. Consequently it is not surprising that visitors to the Thermal District have hardly yet realised the significance of the reports that have during the past two years been made public as to the {rreat improvement in the condition of the rainbow trout in Lake Taupo and its tributary streams. In this connection the .following facts bearing on the present state of the fish will be of interest to sportsmen, both local and from overseas. • The only fish native to Lake Taupo were the inanga, which is similar to the j white-bait of tidal streams, and the kokopu. No eels are. to be found in the lake, and neither are they to be found in any stream draining into it. Many years" ago an eel was reported to have been seen in the Tokaanu Stream, but if the story is correct it is certainly the only instance known either to the white settlers or to the Maoris. In addition to the two varieties of fish named above, the fresh water cray-fish, the koura. is also native to the lake. The little fish known as toi-toi, which is found in the Rotorua lakes, was apparently not found in Lake Taupo. As far back as the early 'nineties attempts had been made to introduce brown trout, notably by the late Major Scannell, of th© Armed Constabulary, and by Mr. G. Park, who was stationed as postmaster at Taupo in 1894. The first attempt on a large scale was made in August, 1895. In 1906 brown trout up to and over 201bs. in weight had been secured, but they were exceedingly difficult to catch. Rainbow trout were first introduced in 1903, and in that and the two following years about 250,000 young trout were liberated. In a comparatively few years rainbows were caught up to 201bs. in weight. 1 The largest which can* be authenticated weighed 23Albs, In 1911 a Hawke's Bay angler had an average weight per fish of 10£lbs. for a season's catch. Pood Supply. Shortly after that time the fish commenced to deteriorate in condition and size. The' probable cause was the failure of the food supply, the trout having thinned out the inanga, kokopu and koura, and also various forms of insect life, to such an extent that the securing of a sufficient arid suitable food supply w"as becoming increasingly difficult. The failure to introduce fresh stock from overseas has also been named as the cause of the deterioration, leading to in-breeding. The recent improvement, however, seems to somewhat discountenance this ;■ view, while experiments in the acclimatisation of fish in > other parts of the world seem to show that the introduction of new fish is often followed by a similar deterioration owing to the upsetting of the natural balance of the food supply. Some years ago the Government made an attempt to introduce a variety of freshwater shrimp, but without success, but were successful in acclimatising a small fish which was introduced with the shrimps. During the last few years these small fish, locally known as "bullies," have been increasing steadily, and have created a new source of food supply for the trout, which have been shown conclusively to be feeding on them. These "bullies" are sometimes referred to as being toi-toi, but this is incorrect, for they are apparently the fish native to some New Zealand waters known to the Maoris as "totorongou." ■ _'. This new source of food has resulted in a wonderful improvement in the condition and size of the trout during the : last two yea rs. It should be ■ • mentioned that for some years the Government carried out a policy of netting the lake, but a careful study of the facts leads to the conclusion that the result was negative, although the policy is reported to have met with some success in : Lakes ? Rotorua and Rotoiti. These lakes, however,- are much smaller and shallower than ; Lake Taupo, and the conditions differ largely.

Improvement in Trout. At the present time the trout in Lake Taupo are almost up to the average weight reached 12 or 13 years ago. It may confidently be predicted that at the present rate of improvement they will in another year be quite up to that average. Fish were caught last year in the lake by trolling parties averaging up to '61bs. each for a day's catch.. During the last two months of last season a party of': Hawke's Bay fishermen fishing in the' Tauranga-Taupo Stream caught 400 fish on the fly, all- in the ; stream itself, ;of an average weight of just over 7£lbs. ; A rainbow weighing 181bs. r was y caught at the Aratiatia Rapids, , and one ■-■ of 161bs. was landed at Tokaanu by an American lady angler. This season the same improvement has ; continued. * Fish of lllbs. or- 121bs. are as familiar now as once of 81bs. or 91bs. were four years ago. The largest fish caught so- far this season scaled 19£lbs., and . was caught trolling. Fly fishermen have secured fish up to 171bs. in weight, one weighing that having been caught at the Waikato Outlet at Taupo last week. > ' - , Catches Decreasing. , But this improved condition of'the fish has been accompanied by a decrease in the numbers of fish caught. .Four or five years ago parties trolling, on the lake with three rods would, for :an average day's catch, get from 25 to 35 fish, and often even more o. would be got. : Now an average day's catch is probably from 12 to 20. Of course, the fish caught four or or five years ago would I include probably 75 per cent, of "slabs,".fish in poor condition, whereas now :it is ■ probable that a day catch would not average more than 20 per cent, of slabs -at; the outside. This diminution in the number of fish caught (which also applies, of course, to fish caught on the fly) is attributed to two different causes. One theory advanced is that the little fish, the "bullies," are eating the trout ova and so lowering the natural rate of increase. The second, theory is that the decrease is not due to a decrease in the numbers of trout in the lake, but To The fact that the improved food supply furnishes so much: food that the fish are not so easily tempted by the artificial baits. It is probable that the latter theory is the more correct, but from the fact that there are not so many young trout seen as there were four ,or five years ago the first theory, ;as to the " bullies " (or totorongou) eating ova, may have some foundation in fact. It seems a legitimate conclusion to draw, however, that the improvement in the food supply, with the resulting improvement in the condition of the fish, will soon result in increased reproductivity and that this will balance the possible inroads of the bullies." , •* "

: ; Re-Stocking Policy. The prevailing opinion among those acquainted with the subject seems to be that the time is now ripe for the commencement of a systematic policy of restocking the lake with fresh stock from overseas. There? is now an ample food supply, and such a policy would ensure that the virility of the fish did not suffer. It: is understood that the Government some time ago had practically selected a site" for the establishment of a hatchery, but up to date nothing further has been done, largely on account of the financial stringency of The past few years. . Proposals have from time to time been made for the introduction of Atlantic salmon into the lake. Apart from the question of the ' possibility of such ah undertaking being successful, it is doubtful whether it would bo a wise move, The rainbow trout having been so; successfully acclimatised it would seem the better course : to concentrate ; ; on maintaining the present splendid •■', condition of these fish. ' : .' : "y : '::;.■•"■•'■' '.^'' : \'..' '>:■"■ '■ '/:-": Reference is sometimes made to disease among the trout in the lake, ; and the presence of so many 'slabs a few years back was commonly thought to be due to gome : widespread, infection. This .was' not : t >he cue, iTha Btaqbei; pi fish »ff<wk^

■ ■*<-,-■• ......,, -.. —~— - —■ — 1 — , ■ ......... .'"* -■» with disease • has at no time been mora than a small proportion, and the commonest trouble with those which i were affected was the presence of a small para- ii sitic worm in the flesh of the fish. Statements which have been made as to " the great majority of the fish " ; having, ; a - few years ago,' ■ the in them, show an ; ignorance of the facts of ' the case. The great majority of the slab fish were fish suffering from malnutrition, most of them being aged fish! The mortality among the inanga, kokupu and totorongou a couple of months ago may have been due to some disease, but there is now practically no sign of this, and the number of these fish has not been appreciably affected. Similar occurences of such mortality among these small fish in the lake have been noted at several periods in the past. Spread of Information. In conclusion a matter that must be referred to is the question of publicity being given to the character of the sport to be obtained in the district. Anglers from overseas seem to be unable to obtain up-to-date information from the Government Tourist Offices. In a Sydney paper there recently appeared an article by an AujAralian angler mentioning the trout fishing in "New Zealand. This writer had been to Rotorua but had no knowledge of the Taupo fishing. Two lady anglers from Australia, Mrs. E. E. Keep, and. Mrs. Johnstone, of South Yarra. were only able to obtain information as to the Taupo fishing when they arrived in Auckland. Their pleasure can be imagined when they were fortunate enough to secure.several fish each on the flv during the day that they were able to spend at Taupo, the largest weighing 15 pounds, and the average being 10 pounds. Some system should be" devised of supplying the various tourist offices, particularly the overseas offices, with a summary of the fishing conditions, not only at Taupo, but also at Rotorua and other places, such summaries to be compiled at the close of each season so that intending visitors could, on enquiry, obtain reliable and really up-to-date imformation as to the sport to be had at the various centres. New Zealand has many unique attractions for the angler, equalled rainbow trout of the inland ranging from giant sword-fish to the unwaters, but' unfortunately the virtues of advertisement have not yet been fully appreciated, either by the Tourist Department or by the private persons whose business interests are intimately connected with ; the , various tourist re- . sorts. " \ , :