" TOP OF THE WOULD."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18710, 16 May 1924, Page 8

" TOP OF THE WOULD."

AN ANGLER'S PARADISE.

NAVAL PARTY'S JOYS.

EXPERIENCES AT TOKAANU.

One of the happiest of the many sportsmen in the Hood is Mr. N. S. Field, a brother of Vice-Admiral Sir Frederick Field, leader of the Special Service Squadron He is a keen angler, and had a memorable experience in the Taupo dist'l'ict'- • , T J t .V, Mr. Field is a retired Judge of the IHstrict Sessions Court of Burma, where he has made his home in the hill country, 4000 ft. above sea-level. He joined his brother at Singapore for the great cruise in the Southern Hemisphere. In company with Captain im Thurn, of the Hood, also a keen fisherman, Mr. Field recently visited Lake Taupo, and found it to be an angler's paradise. Their headquarters were at Tokaanu, where they secured splendid catches of what were to them giant trout. The party motored from Wellingtpn .during the railway strike to Tokaanu by way .of (Waimarino, appreciating the mountain scenery beyond " the volcanic desert," but quite unable to find expressions adequately to describe the Wai-marino-Tokaanu ' road under plumping rain. They were benighted by the way, because of mud, , and spent a night? in a. roadmender's hut. But, " joy cometh in the morning." The trout at Tokaanu were sportive; shy of the fly, but responsive to the

spoon. "I think it was wonderful," said Mr. Field, who is known in the Hood as " Judge." " You can't catch anything smaller than 91b. There is nothing like that at Home or anywhere else. I should say that New Zealand must) be on the top of the world for trout-fishing. - We had been the guests of Mr. and Mrs.. Riddiford on our way through from Wellington, and had been told something of the wonders at Taupo. The promise of pleasure was modest compared to the measure of fulfilment. ,Our catch included a 15-pounder, several over 131b., and a number between 9 and 10£lb.

" All the fish were in excellent condition. It was hot a matter of hooking lazy giants from a beautiful stream. The trout put up a spirited fight. And they make exceptionally good eating — very little inferior to the best salmon."'

"If the roads were equal to facilities for first-class fishing," added Mr. Field, New Zealand would be. a wonderland for sportsmen."