TROUT IN THE NORTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20925, 15 July 1931, Page 12

TROUT IN THE NORTH.

hopes for good sport. EFFORTS TO STOCK STREAMS. OVA -FROM CANTERBURY. ft Efforts to establish trout permanently in North Auckland, streams are being made by the Whangarei Acclimatisation (Society. A start has been made with a consignment of brown trout ova from Canterbury which fwe being placed in streams at Kiripaka, Maungawahine and Maungakahia and in (he upper reaches of the Hikurangi River. Rainbow trout were hatched and liberated about 20 years ago by Mr. H. Holman, who had a hatchery at Whau Valley, but until a few years ago interest in sport with rod and line languished. Recent revival of interest is due perhaps to Mr. Mcllvride, a Wellington angler now living at Whangarei. With other members of the society, including Messrs. W. Parkin, L. Sands and H. "W. James, he has fished all the pools in the district thoroughly. Some well-conditioned trout were secured last season, although the general weight was only about 31b. Several fish over 41b. have been landed and on& tipped the scale at s|lb. Four years ago an investigation showed that streams above the Wairua Falls contained trout weighing up to 51b. About 5Q,000 rainbow trout were liberated in the Maunu and Kaimamakau Streams, Helena Bay, and a year later it was found that a good number had become established. Last year a hatchery was formed at Maunu, a few miles from Whangarei, and 150,000 ova were hatched and liberated. Although the streams in the Norlh are comparatively small and not generally fast-running, there is an abundance of natural food and there seems to be do reason why taout should not thrive. It is considered that trout fishing would supplement the big-game fishing of the North. A stream which flows along the new Russell Road is considered to be an excellent one for trout purposes.