ANGLING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22810, 20 February 1936, Page 5

ANGLING

By Dry , Fly.

. FISHING LICENCES “We shall have to warn our agents that if anyone is detected ante-dating a licence issued by him he will-have his agency taken away.” said the chairman of the Southland Acclimatisation Society (Mr J. Robertson) at. a meeting of the council (says the Times). When reporting on.a recent court, case the society’s solicitor wrote stating that both his firm and the rangers felt convinced that there had been several cases in recent years where, after a man had been caught by the ranger, he had gone to an agent and had a licence issued to him. In one ease, the magistrate, on the production of the defendant’s licence, said the society could not go behind its own licence and attempt to tender evidence to show that the licence did not cover, the period when the illegal fishing had. been done. ANGLING AT - ROXBURGH A correspondent at Roxburgh writes on February 10: “A party of three from here was out at Late Onslow for the week-end and secured’2o fish, the heaviest 4jlb, all in good , order. The lake is in excellent trim at present, with plenty of water. “A party of members of the Angling Club visited the Pomahaka at the weekend and after the rains, this river wan in good order and at the normal level. Owing to the prevailing east wind the fish were very shy in taking the fly. With ground- baits, some very good bags were taken and the best was one of 12 fish weighing 151 b, and the next was 14 fish weighing 121 b. The majority of the fishermen secured some nice fish. 1 For the present our local lagoons are having a spell. Some excellent fish are being taken around the Luggate with bait casting rods.” PRAISE FOR THE SOUTH Southland anglers are inclined to envy the North Island anglers their excellent sport at Taupo and Rotorua. In this connection, however, it is to be pointed out , (says “Matuku,” in the Southland Times) that for a really skilful angler Southland offers more delightful fishing than the famous North Island resorts. Dr Mottram, a well-known English writer on angling, in his book, “Fly-fishing; Some New Arts and Mysteries,” compares the South Island and North Island fishing much to the disadvantage of the latter. He says:— “ There, .in New Zealand, I unconsciously did a very wise thing. I toured both islands with a' rod under my arm. not seeking fishing, but taking it as it came. Had I taken the advice of others I should have missed all the best, the most sporting and the most artistic of the fishing: instead I should have gone only to certain places—l call , them slaughter grounds—where there is quantity but no quality of fishing. li Magnificent dry-fly fishing is to be had in New Zealand, but it is by no means easy to find and there is no one to direct the visiting angler. . The Government

Tourist Agency always directs anglers to the great slaughter ground, Lake Taupo. They know nothing of the requirements of the dry-fly fisherman. If they would collect trustworthy information so that they could at once despatch visiting anglers' to those waters that would best suit them, and at the same time advertise at Home their ability to do this, then I feel sure that many dry-fly fishermen would spend the winter in the southern summer.” Incidentally Dr Mottram obtained ms best sport on the dry-fly in the Clinton River at the head of Lake Te Anau and in Diamond Lake and Reece Creek at the head of Lake Wakatipu. Dr Mottram’s book was published about 20 years ago, but it is to be regretted that an angling visitor arriving at Auckland to-day and inquiring about angling would receive exactly the same advice as he did. NYMPHS Nymphs, as all fishermen who perform an occasional autopsy know, says an article contributed to the New Zealand Fishing and Shooting Gazette by the Victorian Fly Fishers’ Association, form a large proportion of a trout’s diet during certain periods and as such have engaged the attention of fly-fishers and observers during more recent years. Despite the fact that books on trout fishing have been published for the past two centuries, it is only recently that attention has been devoted to the nymph. ■■ ,G. E. M. Skues. in his book* ‘ The W&y of a Trout with a Fly,” after describing his and other patterns that have, been found to be effective, states that “ all this is very crude, no doubt, and I can cordially concur in the often-expressed wish that some wet fly enthusiasts would set to work and make exact reproductions, of nymphs and larvte in the. same way as Mr F. M. Halford treated_ the floating fly. These should be submitted to searching tests, riot only by one angler, but by a large number of skilled men. Nymphs' are numerous in our streams and lakes as may be ascertained by dipping a small mesh net in the weeds or by examining the underside of stones in the shallows. It is impossible here to describe imitations of all nymphs found, but it is proposed to describe a pattern which has been found generally useful. This closely resembles the- nymph of the March Brown. A prominent feature of this nymph is its three setae or tails, the two outside setae forming a right angle in line with the body when the nymph is in motion. When the nymph is viewed from the trout’s eye-view position it will be observed that it is a slow swimmer and ascends with a gentle motion to the surface. On the descent, the action may be described as parachuting, head first or tails first action rarely being noticed. Light is caught by the everoscillating breathing appendages on the sides of the body, and the shiny pupal sheath exhibits a slight flash -a definite attraction to a trout. .In trying an imitation, it was proved by experiment that moleskin dubbing dyed to a dark brown tone was the most effective. Another material experimented with, which has proved itself is darning wool of a fine texture and of a dark heather brown colour. This wool is teased out before winding on the hook, and is also pricked out afterwards to give a certain roughness to emulate the hairy appendages on the nymph’s body. The setae, or tails, used were rabbit whisks exhibiting a definite taper towards the points. After the supply of these gave out the neck bristles from a dingo skin were used and found to be most effective. Neck bristles from any black dog should prove equally effective. These whisks are tied along the shank of the hook (ranging- from No. 3 to No. 5 in size) and allowed to project beyond the bend the same length as the body to be tied. They should be separated by making a turn of silk between whisks to give the correct angle effect of the setae described above. A length of fine gold wire or thread is then tied in at the tail and allowed to hang until the body is wound on. The wool or dubbing body is wound from the tail and tapered gradually for two-thirds of the length of the shank and then wound in a sharp taper to the eye of the hook. The gold wire is next wound in four turns over and along the body and finished at the head. This wire or thread imparts the flash referred to above. One turn of clipped black hackle is then tied below the. eye and the tying silk given three turns to finish off. A spot of clear lacquer on the finishing off knot holds the knot and gives a brightness to the head of the fly. Before removing from the vyce, the wool or dubbing is gently pricked with a needle, and the fly is ready for use In all wet or dry fly fishing,the insect represented should be closely studied for peculiar characteristics, and the nymph is no exception to the rule. It is by accentuating the most prominent characteristics in any insect or by exaggerating its particular actions that the greatest measure of success is attained. The most pronounced characteristic in the nymph appears to be his peculiar parachuting motion in swimming, and it is in the imitation of this action with the fly that attracts the trout and will * bring him yards to a fly properly presented. The cast .should be greased to within six inches of the fly, and when a nymphing fish is sighted the fly should be lightly cast a few feet ahead and let parachute down a few inches. It should then be gradually drawn in by raising the rod tip. If the fish is interested he will take at once. Whan March Browns are hatching, a ■hopper nymph, which should be greated ci make it float to represent the Emerging Dun. frequently takes good fish m both rough and smooth water.