BANK NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2241, 11 February 1897, Page 21

BANK NOTES.

The Waitati — Mr A. Anderson spent last Saturday at tbr. Waitati and took, for that river, some exceptionally fine fi-h Using the March brown, he succeeded in basketing about a doz<-n fish, weighing 81b. The stream was very low — in fact there was very little water in it, and it was very dirty. Fulton's Creek. — A correspondent tells me that on Thursday he went to Ofcskia and fished along Fulton's Creek up to the Waipori Lake. He taw plenty of trout and perch, and u*cd a variety of lures, but wan nob successful in his efforts to entice the fish to take anything He mentions that at the bridge between tho lakei he saw hundreds of mullet, but though he tried for them they were nob to be caught either. Thk Waipahi — The Waipahi, ssys a correspondent, is in fair fishing trim, although low and clear. The late rains have cleared away the weeds to a great extent, and fi*hing is consequently more pleasant. Som* good baskets have been made lately both by visitors and by local men, the best bait being the cricket. Mr C. Trustier took 2H'b of fish last week for three hourt>' fishing, and the taka included a beauty of nearly 61b. Mr E. Harrison, of Fukerau, had a couple of days on the river lately, aud got 241 baud 181b weight of trout ; while Mr J. R Smibn gob 24£lb, 161b, and 15Alb for three dav»' angling last we«-k. A New Zealand Salmon. — We (Field) have received from New Zealand a fisa captured under circumstance* ijpijieuftei.' explained. It ■was submitted to Mr G. A. Bonleogpr, a the Natural History department »t tbe British Museum in Cromwell road, and that experienced scientist pronounced ib " a true fypical nalmon (Salrno salar), and not a troub " The following letter was torwiwded in advance of the fi*h :—: — " Sir, — I have se*t you a frozen fish which was caught out at sea. The interest to us lies in the fact that it is a ce»-going upeciei. We have known for a long time that our trout do go to sea, and we catch them frequently freehrun in tidal waters and also at the months of the riven witb rod and line, spinning with artificial minnow, and in the sea water i'self, and nearly all of these fiih are very clearly brown trout by their markings, and may be only fish (trout) that bave temporarily left the river, and remain in it* vicinity. Others are reported to have been taken quite d-ffurent in appearance, more like a salmon, and we are told, after rooking, th»t the flesh is pink, and a. different flavour, &c. Ib is also reported that fishermen catch trout in their nets many miles from tbe mouth of any river out as sea. Lighthousekeepers alio report that they swarmround the coast at certain seasons, and these seasons are generally when tronb are out of se»son. We have bfifn anxious for a long time to secure one of these fish caught at sea, and it is only quite recently that we have got one. The specimen Rent was caught in a nubermen's neb on August 22, near tbe Oamarn Harbour, in the sea The nearest rivers arc the Kakanui River, eight miles south, and the Waitaki River, 14 milss north. A very *m»ll etre&m runs inbo the harbour through shingle. There is no entrance excepb in big floods, but I fancy tllab in coasbiDg round tLe fish feel the freßh water and collect near the harbour. Ab any rate the fish in question seems built on different lines to our brown trout, and in many respects is more like a saltxon. I have thought it good enough to send to you, and shall be glad to hear your report on it — Harry A. dh Lautour, President Waitaki Acclimatisation Society, Reed street, Oamara, October 27, 1896." 'Ihe MniiKAU.— "W. P. 5.," writing on tbe 3rd inst., informs me that Professor and Mrs Haswoll, from Sydney, have just concluded an eight days' visit to the Unper Mimihau, the total catch of fish beins 107. weighing 16Wlb, the heaviest fish being 3ilb. All the ilih were caught with the cricket, and on the average only five hours a day were spent on the etream, which was low and clear and full of Maerewhenua, February 1. — Dear Jock, — Having a few minutes to spare, I must tell you a few hours' fishing 1 had in the Ben ' omond Creek, a tributary of the Maerewheuua liiver. The Maerewheuua, as you already know, is a sludge channel, and consequently Ashing in it i* out of the question. Near •Livingstone ib receives, on its left bank, the Ben Lomond Creek — a small stream, flowing between very high hills. The banks shelve out gradually, so that there is no hiding for fish, unless under stones and in the bottom of some of the deeper pools. On Saturday morning the creek was slightly coloured by Friday •ternooa's rain, and thus luck was somewhat

in my way. When I got to the stream I at once decided that the fly would be the best, so I buckled on four, putting in a large governor as bottom one, which I used as a cricket hook. Crickets were numarous, co I had no difficulty in getting a supply. I soon saw that the cricket was the bait, and before loDg I managed — after losing two nice fish — to basket tho same number, averaging about lib. I then fished a long way, and travelled a good deal of ground, as the water was shallow and pools anything but numerous, before I managed to get two more in a few minutes, the last of which would bs over lAlb. Again I had to travel a good distance before I managed to catch another, about lib. Moving still further up, close to the edge of a big stone I secured my lasb and best fish, fully 21b. After this I travelled a mile or so further on, but without any luck. To tell you the trutb, the neh are very scarce, and I did not sec half a dozsn fish besides those I ciught. Through carelessness in scrambling over some rocks I lost two nice ones coming down, one of which I reckoned was as big as my best. The fly, I found out, was no good, and with bub one exception tbe fiOi were taken with the cricket. They were beautiful specimens, and as plump and firm as possible, and when cooked they wenb high. Some day soon I intend trying my luck on the Waitakt, and also on the Ot^kaike, which I hear is very clear and difficult to fish. I may just mention tbut I banketsd tli9 six fl-*h, average over lib, in three and a-half hours. Should I have any eporb At somo olher time I will let you know. So hoping you are well, — I am, &c, J Nelson. The Moltneux. — Tho folio wing fishing takes have been made here during the week :—Saturday, 30th ult. : A. E. Farquhar, 2 fith, 6!b ; J. D. Willocks, 2 fish, 61b ; A. Duckworth, 2 fisb. Wednejd*y, 3rd: G. Byers, 3 fish, 111b ; tt. Anderson, 1 fish, 3b. Thursday : A. Duckworth, * fish, 24!b (heaviest fiih 91b) ; J. Wright, 3 fi»h. Saturday : A. Duckworth, 4fish, 201b (heavies, fish 9^lb) ; G. Auderson, 4 fi^h. 161b ; J. H«nd<r«on, 1 fish. Stirling. — The anglers hold their nexb competition on Thurediy, <be 18t,h. Winchester. — Wo have had a quiet fortnight. Lftogdon's register shows 136 trout ; average, i^b. The rivera are wanting water, Iboagh thi RftTigitata :-s: -s in a slight muady flood and is not apprcwhed. • . • The Cf.ristchurch Press of the sbh inst. says tbat; on Wednesday night Mr T. Beech, of Cam Mills, captured an eel 201b in weigbb, and measuring 4it 9:n iv length. The tine of a hay fork was b^nt ir dragging tlie eel out of tho watrr. Fully 300 eels havo been taken from a deep pool near tbe spot where this raon6ter was canght. Large Eel. — Tn tbe Waihi River Messrs Cook and M'Kay last week csuglit an eel which measured 4ft llm in length aud 17m in girth. It turned the scale at 281b. South Canterbury. — The Lybteton Times pays: — "The recent rains have improved the condition of South Canterbury streams, and come good baskets are being taken at Temuka and Winchester. Several visitors have had good sport, and local anglers have taken fish scaling 81b and 101b with the minnow, and with the fly as many as 30 fish, averaging Jib, hare been Uuded'by oue rod. The bar ab the Opihi mouth has again been opened. The South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society's rangers have instituted ptooeedings against persons who are charged with poaching. There has been a deal of poaching, eippcully in upper icaches, but it ha» been difficult to secure offenders. All sorts of devices are said to be resorted to for the destruction of fhh. Dynamite and limo, as well as 'speare, gaffs, and gloves provided with books, are epokon of, and there is ground for believing that occasionally nets have been used. The society intends to rigorously suppress these practices." • . • The Wyndham Herald of tho 6th inst. says: — ''Of late anglers seem to have been quiescent ; still there are one or two iteni3 to be recorded that s.how the sport is not dead. On Wednesday afternoon 'ait Mr D. F. BroainM 1 ciught six fisii in the Mimihau, including » few respectable weight*, and Mr W. AVilson caught half a dozsn in ths Wyndham on Friday evening, one being 41b. Mr M. L.vwrie keeps up his reputation for capturing heavy tieh. Here are the weiguts of some of his big fish .• — In 1892, ab Matanra leland, 151b ; in 1895, at tho mouth of the Mimiliau, 151b ; iv 1894, in the Mimihuu, nee-r Lumadeu'w, lV£lb ; same year, ne*r the mouth of the Mimibau, one lO^lb and another 9Jlb ; and on Thursday last in the Mat&ura. he caught one 9£lb. These six fish make a total weight of 71lb. Mr Lawrie balieves in the minnow for big fish, and his faith seems justified by results A large number of novices are giving the perch pretty constant attention, but the scaly creatures don't seem to be taking mech hook just at present, and the slock ot ungkrV patience with them is becomiug exhaunted. This morning Mr H. Munro, of Venlaw, caught six nice troub in the Upper Mimihftu." ■ Mr J. R. Kid 3, Fortiose, writes to a Wyndham paper :— *' Not many ol your Wyudhain anglers pay U3 a visit. This is a wopder, too, seeing you have such keen sports up your way. There are some good fish to be got here, but of late they have not been taking well. I coughfc one en Thursday weighing 61b aed one on Friday morniug 3£lb. Tho iniunow that I have used most successfully is spotted like a trout, and 3in long. I have this season caught 20 trout weighing 811b ; but I oi.ly fith «in hour or two ab a time, and I am no expei't ab the game. Our local sports would be glad to welcome any of your rod-casters any day they cac give us a call."