ANGLING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23072, 24 December 1936, Page 4

ANGLING

By Dry Fly

COMPETITIONS

The following is a list of the competitions to be held this season under the auspices of the Otago Anglers' Association:—

January 30 and 31.—Week-end excursion (dates subject to alteration). Pomahaka River, January. 30. ' Any legal bait; hours, 5 p.m. to midnight. January 31: Dry fly only; hours, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aggregate competition for best basket for week-end for cup presented by Mr W. Griffiths. March 6.—Shag River; bare fly competition; hours, 5 p.m. to midnight,

CHRISTMAS SPORT Not for many years have so many camping trips been mooted as this year, and during the past few weeks trailers have become common sights in the streets. Many of those who intended spending camping holidays have, however, cancelled their arrangements on account of the prevailing epidemic of infantile paralysis, and it is improbable that the number of anglers in the Otago streams will be anything like as large as would have been the case under normal circumstances. The rain which has fallen during the past few days has had the effect in many districts, particularly in the south, of causing minor floods, and it is not likely that the rivers so affected will be in good order for the Christmas holidays. Few reports have come to hand, but it is probable that the majority of the southern streams will offer only poor sport. As far as is known, however, the waters of North Otago and South Canterbury are still in good order and should attract the majority of anglers. ELECTRICAL FISH BARRIERS A start has been made on the construction of apparatus for the electrical fish barrier which will be placed at the by-wash in the diversion face of. the Levels plain irrigation system, according to a statement by Mr T. G. Beck, resident engineer to the Public Works Department at Temuka (says an exchange). The barrier will be the first of its type to be used in New Zealand, and is to be installed and ready for operation within a month. Mr Beck said that the department, had, with the co-operation- of. the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, proved the effectiveness of electrical fish guards. Fish were notoriously averse from the slightest electrical currents because of the nature of their sensory organs. Briefly, the system was to make use of a distributed electric potential, the voltage increasing on the down-stream side to ensure that fish carried into the race would sooner or later be turned back. The voltage was at no point strong enough to kill the fish. THE BIG ONES One often hears fishermen, when relating their experiences in collecting a big bag say, "But the biggest one got away." No doubt a great number of very big fish do get away (writes "Red Governor" in the Dominion), and there are two good reasons why they are successful. In the first place a very big fish, especially if he lirss in a deep hole under some shady tree, is usually of a considerable age, and has had some experience. He has most likely been hooked before and, has escaped, so knows how to take advantage of any mistakes on the part of the man on the business end of the rod.

The other reason that a great many of the bigger fish are lost is that when a man who has been landing smaller fish suddenly finds he is fast.to something exceptionally heavy, he may get bustled for a moment, and make a wrong move; and an old-timer needs only one chance like this and he is not slow to take advantage of it. Before one has time to recover he is behind a snag or into a stretch of heavy water, and away. To illustrate this, I might state my own experience only last season. 1 went down to give the quinnat salmon a go, and on arriving at the fishing ground found six brother-anglers there. On making inquiries I found that no one had seen a salmon, so sat down to take things easy, making a cast occasionally from my sitting position and coiling the line on the sand instead of reeling in after every cast, and talking to a friend all the time. About the sixth cast I got a pull, and up came a salmon well over 201 b. He evidently did not like my appearance, as he started off downstream at a great rate, and before I could get my slack line clear there was a halfhitch round the reel, down went the point of the rod, one mighty sDlash, and away he went with about 10s worth of line and gear. That was the only salmon I touched all season, but wasn't he a beauty! He must have been doing round about 40 when I saw him last!

About my second season's angling I had the pleasure of handling and weighing a 231 b brown trout caught by an old friend, one of the best minnow fishermen I have ever known. Ever since then it has been my ambition to land a 201 b trout, and though quite a number of times I have fancied I was fast to him at last, it always turned out to be something about a quarter of the size foul-hooked by the fin or tail.

During my first season I got a ninepounder, and quite a number between seven and eight pounds, but could not get beyond that size. Then a year or two ago, I got all in one season fish of 121 b, 12£lb, and 131 b. The first 12-pounder deserves a little space. I was fly-fishing in some very sluggish water with a nine-ounce Hardy's rod, and not having risen a fish for some time, decided to get into my old punt, christened the " Keranki" on account of its eccentric steering qualities, and drift slowly downstream. I had gone only a little way when I heard a "plop," and, casting into the circle, felt a gentle pull and struck at once. It is always a good sign to feel a pull like that, as it usually means something heavy. The little fellows grab at the fly and make a big splash, but the really big fish takes it steadily and gently. Well, this time, as soon as the line tightened, I knew I was fast to something above the average, and when I put the weight on to bring him to the top 1 found I could make no impression on him, so settled down to fight it out. Luckily, I had not dropped anchor, as the first thing he did was to circle the boat, and for the next half-hour he kept down fighting all the time During the fight the punt turned round and round and one end grounded on a spit, and it was shortly after that that he broke water for the first time. I flashed the torch on him. What a beauty! Fresh from the sea and in perfect condition. Shortly after, as he was coming toward the stern of the boat, I put the weight into him again, and as he went past slipped the gaff under him and lifted him aboard.

Now the old Keranki had only about eight inches of gunwale, and as soon as that fish hit the boards he flopped. The second flop nearly took him over- j board again. The third flop was mine. Right on top of him I threw myself, ! and stayed there until he stopped kick- j ing. To a spectator it must have j appeared ridiculous, but you must ve- i member it was the best fish I had J landed in the course of a long fishing career, and I was not going to run the j risk of losing him. I What pleased me most about the whole affair was that he had been I played and landed on a very light rod with light tackle. I