ANGLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2330, 27 October 1898, Page 38

ANGLING.

By Jock Scott.

To he n perfect fisherman you require more excellencies than aro usually to be fouud in such o small space as is allotted to a man's carcass. — Pakkkr Guvoun. Readers are invited to contribute items oriocal fishing news for insertion in this column For insertion in the ensuing issue they should reach Dunedin by Monday night's mail. COMPETITIONS. Otago Anglers' Association. Waiwera | Paver November 9 >Tropmes Waipahi November 10 Acclimatisation SoRiver i ciety's medals Tomahawk December 3 .Trophies (perch comLagoon I petition) Any river ... December 26 Trophies (Hospital Any river ...March 2o ...Trophies (Benevolent i Day) Temuka Club. Competition December 16 I shall be glad to receive dates of other competitions for insertion.

BASK NOTES.

The attention of anglers is drawn to an advertisement concerning the bare-fly competition which takes place on November 10. The Waikouaiti.— l hear Mr Jonathan Telford has been achieving success in the Waikouaiti. lam told that he recently took two fine fish — one 51b and another 71b. — A party of Dunedin anglers visited this river on Saturday, but I could not ascertain the result. The Waitati. — Fishing this stream on Saturday Mr W. Aitken took 6 beautiful fish with the minnow near the bridge. Mr P. Aitken and another Dunedin angler were out, but their takes I do not know. The stream was fairly low and clear, and the fish not on the move. The Waiwera. — This stream, writes " J. 8.," was in good order at the beginning of last week, and some very good baskets were got, but owing to the rough weather it was too high at the end of the week for fishing. The stream is again (October 24) in good order. The fly and creeper are tha lures, the flies taking best being the Peifiahaka, the March brown, the red-topped governor, and the Leith. On the 18th Mr J. Hardie took 17 fish averaging lib, and on the 19th 13 trout. Waipahi, Pomahaka, and Flodden. — "Phantom," the same angler, I think, who reports from Heriot, says the Pomahaka is above Hs normal level ; the Pomahaka is full of snow water, and the Flodden is clear. In the former the minnow or worm is taking best, it being useless to try the fly. The fish, he says, are in poor condition. The Pomahaka is unfishable, and the lure of the Flodden is a midget fly used on fine tackle. Advise anglers to keep away from snow-fed rivers for at least a week or two is his concluding remark. — This reached me too late for last week. — Writing on the 24th inst. from Arthurton "J. R. S." says "there has been a lot of rain lately, and the Waipahi has been partially flooded during the last week. Consequently, there has not been much fishing done. Appearance's are still threatening, and there are more rough weather and cold east winds being experienced. No takes worth anentioning-. ' — Another correspondent writing from "Wsiipaln on the same date says the river at his part is in very good order, and that the lure in use is the fly. The weather, as usual, last week was very rough and cold, and fishing out of the question, but the stream is now good, and will continue so if the weather keeps fine. Mr Peter Murray secured a splendid basket of fish on the 17th, vising the bare fly. No other takes worth mentioning. The Waitaki and Maerewhenua. — I am glad to hear from mv aid friend We James Nelson.

at one time one of Dunedin's most enthusiastic anglers. He reports in connection with the Waitaki that Mr Johnson, fishing on the evening of the 13th inst, took 3 fish weighing 121b and Mr Bailey 1 weighing 31b. These gentlemen say the fish are fairly numerous, and in fair condition, but not T»roperly on the take yet. With regard to the Maerewhenua, the north branch was in tip top order on the morning of the 15th, when MiNelson took 5 fish weighing 7ilb. They were beautiful fish, and in fair condition. They were taken on a black grub. Mr Nelson says the fish are scarce, and he did not see any small ones — a bad sign. All being well, he intended trying the south branch last Saturday to see if there were any trout in it. He hopes he will "have luck," and will "let me know." — Waiting from Waimate on the 22nd inst., an angler kindly forwards me the following: — "As you seem to get but very! little news, and that gathered from other papers, about the Waitaki, I thought I would just drop you a line or two concerning the j lateat takes. Before doing so I would like to say a word about the river. I notice in the j different papers that the Waitaki gets terrible ' names, such as sludge channel, etc. Well, it ! is not so bad as they make out. It is certainly thick every morning up to about 10 o'clock, then it is good fishing all day. Except Monday it is right all day, on account of no sluicing at the diggings on Sunday. The fishing improved very much on the river la&t week, the most successful anglers being Mr W. Gordon, 20 fish for the week, averaging about 311b ; Mr W. Nicholas, 17 fish for three days, averaging about 4£lb; Mr C. V. Clark, 7 fish averaging 341b ; and Mr R. Smith, 8 fish for one day, averaging 3£lb. Mr Nicholas had a bit of good sport in the surf on the 15th inst., taking seven fine fish in two hours, averaging 7^lb. Some of our anglers went down tKe beginning of this week, but had the ill luck to find the river in flood, and only got one or two fish." — I am informed that the Rev. Mr Oliver on Thursday took 3 fish — one 41b, one 31b, and one 61b. They were caught on a brown Devon. The Mimihau.— "W. P. S." -writes that excepting those who live on -tbe_ banks of the streams and watch their opportunity, little ! has been done in angling. Those, however, who do venture out can soon fill their baskets, j Many do not venture out with the rod in such ] weather as has been experienced in the dis- i trict lately. It was the worst opening "W. j P. S." says, that they have had for the last j ■12 years. Keen sports like Mr James Mitchell have only been out on the opening day, and '< he ("W. P. S.") opines that the weather must be bad under such circumstances. At the time of his writing (21st inst.) there was no appearance of a change for the better. — A local paper says that on Wednesday week Mr D. F. Bremner caught 14 fish in the Mimihau weighing 231b. — The second angling competition for the season, under the auspices of the Wyndham Anglers' Society, says an exchange, is to be held on Wednesday, November 2. Notwithstanding that the -weather has been against fishing lately, some fair baskets have been made. On Wednesday week Mr James Kidd caught 13, weighing 171b — one 4^lb ; Mr Bremner, 9 ; Mr J. Greenshields, 7 ; and Mr J. Tough, 8. The Molyneux — Stirling. — Anglers here ■never had a chance to go out last week. In the fore nart the river was high and far too dirty for fishing, and in the latter part it was blowing a regular gale. The anglers held a meeting on Saturday night and allotted the water for the competition, which is to be held on Saturday, 29th inst. Seven competitors have entered. Mr John Mosley paid another visit to the Puerua one day last week, but did not find the fish on the take. He landed 5 trout — weights from 31b downwards. The Molyneux is in good trim for fishing now, and if the weather would take up some good takes might be made. — " Eldrin." The Oreti. — Reporting on this river my correspondent says it is muddy and fuller than usual, the bait used being the worm. On the 15th inst. Mr D. Kirkland landed 3 fish, weighing 6ilb, 4£lb, and 41b; and Mr John Thomas, at Caroline, 24 fish, 281b in weight. On the same date Mr Odin Cockroft, at Caroline, took 29 fish, averaging l£lb each, and on the 16th Mr W. Moloney secured 6, the heaviest turning the scale at 6£lb. Wyndham. — Notwithstanding the prevailing rough weather of late, there have been occasional snatches during which the watch? jl angler _ has been enabled to indulge in his j favourite pastime on the local streams to some purpose. Of baskets worth recording we have heard of the f ollowing : — Mr Hugh Mar- ] shall, of Edendale, tried the Mataura, near j Mataura Island, and landed a splendid basket of 8, weighing 301b, the two heaviest scaling 141b. From the Mimihau the Kidd Bros, have had some fine takes. On Monday week morning Mr Robert Kidd, jun., caught a beautiful basket of 14; on Tuesday evening Mr James Kidd landed 6, and dn Wednesday afternoon 13 more, the heaviest weighing 4£lb. No doubt several other fishermen have had equally good results, but these are the only ones we (W3 r ndham Farmez') have learned of so far. On Wednesday week morning Mr Samuel Joeelyn brought in a plump trout 7^in long, which he had taken out of a 41b eel he had caught that morning in the Mataura. It had ben swallowed whole, and was in no way bitten or marked when submitted to our (Wyndham Farmer) inspection. This j shows that an eel can gulp a fish as neatly as a j shag. Heriot. — "Phantom" reports that streams are ] in good fishing order, and that the best lure ] is the blue upright (?) Two Dunedin men obtained about a dozen trout each on the 19th inst., averaging slightly under a pound. In a note he says, " Too much water for poachers — consequence, good fishing." — Will my correspondent attach his name to the card in future, a3 well as his norn de plume, so that I may know to whom I am indebted for the information? The Waimate Times says: Fish are now plentiful in the Waitaki. They have been coming up the river from the sea recently in shoals, and anglers have in consequence been enabled to return home with some good baskets. Among those who obtained the largest catches were Mr W. Gordon (22 fish) and Mr W. Nicholas of the Hook (15 fish). The fish are in fairly good condition, and several anglers declare that they have landed some " true salmon." „ Winchester, October 24.— Since last report wind and weather changeable. On the 24th, Messrs T. Twigg and Sugden brought in 24 trout, averaging |lb, from the Temuka, while various small baskets were made by local anglers out for an hour's fishing. On the 22nd j Messrs C. Haar and C. Opie went down to the j Rangitala, and returned on the following j i?\ehing with 19 trout, weighing ?61b. Mr j Haar had a tough fight with " something big " j which towed Jiim down to the mouth of the river and was ultimately lost in the breakers. No whales have, however, been reported off the coast. — Correspondent. Kelso. — A few distinguished visitors have been in the district during the past week, and have been busy whipping the streams. Some small baskets have been obtained in thfi Flodden and other creeks, and at Keleo

a- few fishermen were successful in the river/ but no sensational " takes " are recorded. Lake Wanaka. — The fishing seasaa on Lake Wanaka opened with some fairly good hauls. Mangan and party got 23 large fish, the total weight being 1701b, an average of about 7ilb. Sachtler got 7 beauties, and Russell the same number. Canterbury Angling. — Mr W. J. Alpe's fishing register shows the following takes : — During last week Mr W. Patman, 12 fish, 301b, largest 51b, "from . the Waimakariri ; October 10, Mr fl. Kimber, 15 fish, 581b, largest 91b; Mr O. Kimber, 5 fish, largest 61b ; a Springston angler, 13 fish, averaging 41b ; Messrs J. Cusack and 3. Stapleton, 11 fish, largest 41b, all from tho Selwyn. From the Kakaia and other streams, recently, Mr Barker, 1 fish. 91b ; Mr Brown, 5 fish, 151b ; Rev. Griffin, 3 fish, 61b ; Mr O. S. Denby, 9 fish, 311b ; Mr Loudon, 3 fish, 61b ; Mr Overton, 4 fish, 91b ; and Mr R. P. Hill, 2 fish, 41b. From the Avon— October 1, 5 fish, 71b ;j October 2, 4 fish, 41b ; October 3, 3 fistTllb each, Mr P. J. Molloy : October 4, 4 fish, average 21b, Mr M. O'Brien ; October 6, 2 fish, 21b, Mr M. O'Brien; October 10, & fish, lib each, Mr P. J. Molloy ; October 13, 8 fish, 71b, Mr P. JT. Molloy ; October 13, 4 fish, 41b, Mr M. O'Brien; October 13, 3 fish, 31b, Mr J. J. Molloy; October 15, 18 fish, average gib, Mr P. J. Molloy ; October 15, 2 fish, 51b, Mr J. J. Molloy. From the Heathcote— October 12, 1 fish, 51b, Mr P. J. Molloy; October 14, 1 fish, 21b Mr P. J. Molloy. From the Avon, Mr S. Rose has made the following baskets : — October 1, 3 fish, 2ilb, l^lb, and l£lb ; October 3, 11 fish, 161b; October 5, 3 fish, 2£lb ; October 6, 2 fish, If 1b and lib ; October 8, 2 fish, 41b ; October 11, 2 fish, 31b; October 14, 1 fish, 2^lb; October 15, 2 fish, 31b and lib each. From the Rangitata — October 17, Messrs 0. Haar and O. Opie, 10 fieh, 301b. From the Waihi— Two anglers, 18 fish, and another 7 fish. Rainbow trout are (says the Timaru Herald) by no means rare in both the Temuka and Opihi Rivers. On Saturday Mr N. O. Nicholas brought in one from the Temuka River which scaled about a pound. Several others were returned to the water. Mr James Kidd while fishing in the Mimihau captured an eel which weighed 171b. A notification with reference to the Acclimatisation Society's gold and silver medal competition on the Waipahi on the 10th prox. for bare fly only will be found at the head of this column.