ANGLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 50

ANGLING.

By Jock Scott,

To be a perfect fishcruiaii you require raoie exceilenoies than ma usually to be found in such a small space as is allotted to a icau's carcass. — PjitiKEn Qilmour.

Headers are invited to contribute items of local Sshiug news Cor insertion in this column. For insertion in the ensuing issue ikej should reach Dunedin by Monday night's mail.

COMPETITIONS. OTAGO ANGLERS' ASSOCIATION.

March — Cup Day. — Perch competition, for prizes presented by Messrs J. Wilkie and Co., Mr W. Bremner, and Mr J. B. M'Callum. A picnic will be held in connection with this tornpetition.

The attention of intending competitors is specially called to the rule that they shall not fish the stream for 24 hovirs immediately preceeding the competition.

BASK NOTES o

The Maerewhenua. — Mr James Nelson kindly sends me. following:— " I am sending you my "experiences on the south branch of the Maerewhenua, as promised. A fortnight ago, when I visited it, snow was on the hills, the river was slightly flooded, and the day very cold. The result was I had a long tramp, saw new country, , which I explored, and returned home with an empty basket. I saw many nice pools, and heard that several nice fish, including one 9^-lb, had been caught. I determined to visit the river on a more favourable opportunity, and last Saturday, February 24-, saw me there again. I found the river in good order this time, and for the day's fishing saw and caught' one fish. He was an eightpounder, so my exertions were not wasted after all. I got my fish on the cricket, and he measured 25in long and 15^in in girth. He was the largest fish I have caught for many a long day, and I gazed on his plump form with no small degree of pride. From this you may judge that fish are scarce in the south branch of the river, ,and I think I will try some other stream next."

Romahapa, February 28. — When leaving town six weeks ago last Montlay for the north I promised to send you any angling notes of interest, ■find I daresay you wondered at my rilence, and also why I now write from the south. Well, I had a month at Hanmor Springs, but, being in bad health, was able to do very little fishing. However, I tried the streams on Hanmer Plains. — viz., Hanmer, Rogerson, Percival, and Dog Creeks, all of which are . Bmall and very clear, but with no result, although I saw a few trout. I fancy the streams are poorly stocked, and should be fished at dark. I then stayed one night at Waiau Ferry (a very comfortable, though 'small, hotel), trying the Waiau River for two days, with no good result, for though I saw some good fish, and rose a few, I landed none. This is rather a large snow-fed river, is very clear, and has some beautiful-looking water. In the gorge (which I tried as far as I could safely go) the river is not unlike the gorge of the Shag, with clearer water. I should say it was a minnow river, and requires waders to negotiate properly. I rose some to the artificial cricket. The Clarence River I did not fish, but walked over Jollies Pass to it, a climb of four and a-half or five mile 3, up a height of 1500 ft and a 300 ft descent on the other side. It also is a snow-fed river, fairly large and very clear, but to get any good fishing one has to go some six or seven miles after reaching the river, and stay at a hut with poor accommodation. I did not think it worth the trouble and expense to go (you have to hire a buggy to take and fetch you back). I came here on Monday, 26th, and though the Glen was very low, I yesterday managed to grass 19, all small. I intend trying the Puerua next week, and you may hear from me again. — A Correspondent.

Winchester, March 5. — My correspondent writes that hot weather has been against any energetic fishing being carried on. Langdon's register for the week shows a total of 113 fish weighing 1731b. In this is included 14 fish.Jotalling 751b, taken from the Rangitata by two rods. This water has been rather thick of late. The Opihi and other local streams would be all the better for a freshing.

Upper Clutha. — Lowburn Ferry, February 26. — On the afternoon of the 24th February Mr J. Jameson secured a basket of 7 trojii.

averaging over ljlb. They were all caught on the black gnat. The river was low and clear. — H. J.

The Pomahaka. — The Tapanui Courier states that some fine fi^h are reported as having been seen in the Pomahaka lately, and a few good baskets have been taken by local anglers.

Adequately Fined.— A -Dannevirko "sport" has been fined £10 and costs for dynamiting trout. — Exchange. — The , term "sport " scarcely describes the gentleman. A Big Catch of Eels.— Mr Thomas Ayson caught 2561b weight of eels in the Mataura River on Friday night. Among the catch were eight big ones, whoee weight totalled 1211b, their respective weights being 201b, 181b, 17£lb, 171b, 131b, 12£lb, 121b, 111b. Mr Hugh Marshall brought in 52 eels the same day, which he caught in Ota Creek.

Tlie * Opihi. — Anglers had a good time of it on the Opihi on Saturday night (says tho Timaru Post), and some capital baskets' were secured. The following takes will give some idea of \he class of fish taken : — 3A-pounder by Mr Hargreaves, 9-pounder by Mr Palliser, Mr Petrie one 91b and one 61b, Mr A. Caldwell one 131b, Mr Macintosh one llJLlb, and one 131b, Mr P. Footer one 151b, Mr Ogilvie 81b, Mr Muller two 3-pounders and one 5-pounder. Mr D. J. Caldwell, fishing in the "big hole" in the lower Opihi on Thursday, landed one 14-pounder and two 10-pounders, all of them in very fine condition. Several other rods also got fish.

Jottings. — " Angling is a maist innocent, poetical, moral, and religious amusement. Gin I saw a fisher gruppin' creelfu' after creelfu' o' trouts, and then flingin' them a' awa. among the heather and the brackens on his way harae, I micht begin to suspec' that the idiot \*as by nature rather a savage. But as for me," I send presents to my freens, and devour dizzens on dizzens every week in oiie family — maistly dune in the pan, wi' plenty o' fresh butter and roun' meal — sac that prevents the possibility o' cruelty in my fishin' and in the fishin' o' a' reasonable creatures." — James Hogg. '"Never use too much power in casting ; it is not only not necessary, but it is injurious. You cast the line with the top and half the second joint, and very little force suffice*! to bring this into play. If you uf-c more, all the effect is to bring the lower part of the rod -into action, which has very hclio spring compared with the top of it." — Francis Francis. "Uncle Sam," said a coloured boy to Samuel, a negro, who used to bottom chairs for Colonel Sandy Faulkner. " whor yer gwine?" " " Gwine fishin',, chile ; why yer axin' me?" " Did yer know that Aunt Matildy was dead?" "Go on, chile! Is dat a fack? Yer doant mean to tell me dat my wife am dead?" "Yes, sah." "When she die?" " Dis morning." "Well, I'se sorry I wasn't dar! Tell 'em to go an' make de 'rangements, dat I'll be back agin dp funeral. I'se clone gone an' dug worms for bait now. Wish I'd know'd it sooner."

Deep-sea Fishing with Rod and Line. — I take the following article by Mr J. Vincent Hope from the Australasian Pastoralists' Review. The fishing described by Mr Hope was done in Wellington harbour: "There is nothing very elaborate about my equipment. My rod is self-made, in three joints, from an American carriage ash pole, and is generally used as a- trolling rod for bottom work, being, if anything-, on the stiff side, 9ft long, and weighing under 21b. But to-day I have a fancy for kahawai, so discard my top joint and insert as third joint another section of ash, to carry a top joint of New Zealand lancewood, which is strong and supple, giving plenty of play, and extending my rod to 15ft. I use an ordinary Nottingham reel, a simple tanned line, and a Limerick hook, No. 85, gimped or gutted. Five or six feet from the hook and live bait — a small 4in to 6in herring caught in the pool below — is the cork vermilion float, and with a cast 20ft or 25ft from the rocks the poor little herring is swimming in the stream as decoy for an outsider from the shoal of kahawai which the screaming gulls assure me is out yonder in the bay. The off -shore breeze helps to carry my float and bait well out, and just as I am, seating myself to pnjoy my pipe, always with a hopeful and watchful eye on the spot of red cork out there in the sky-blue waters, the float quietly and suddenly disappears, there is a gentle strain on my line, and the weight on my top joint indicates that it is time to be up and doing. As I spring to my feet ' whize-e-e-e ' goes the reel, and off in a straight line goes my fish. As he rises the sun strikes his plumbeous sides, and just then he sounds, going very strong. ' What is it, sir? — kahawai?' says the inevitable seaside ranibler coming up to be in at the death. ' No, sir, barracouda.' For there is a slack in my line, and it takes me all my time to reel in and keep taunt as my friend at the other end comes up for his jump, which he does more viciously than a kahawai, and my heart goes into my boots as 1 remember that I am not out for barracouda, and that I shall only laud him by cheer good luck. 'Ha! I thought so,' I exclaim, as the waters part, and up jumps a 4ft or sft barracouda a good 2ft into the air. But I am ready for him and up goes the top of ray rod, for I must keep a good strain on my line, or he will shake the hook out of his mouth. As he rises in the air his strong teeth gnash and snap, but miss the line, and down he falls again, shaking himself vicioiisly in the endeavour to free himself of hook and line. Away at right angles, and the reel whizzes and hisses as he takes out yard after yard of line at a tremendous pace. But it is just the pace that kills, and before he has gone 15 yards he rises again for his last effort, and 1 know that if my tackle holds I have got him after that, for he hasn't got grit for more than two such runs as he has given me. Up he comes with a dash, even as vigorous as the first, and as he cleaves the water and rises in the air, 'he shakes himself like some great dog on the sea beach freeing himself of the water in his coat ; snap go his teeth, and he falls back to the water. But there is no longer any strain on my line and rod, and there is an irritating smile on the face of the inevitable seaside rambler, who offers mo the gratuitous advice that — ' you want copper-wire strands and a swivel for them, sir ! ' Well, I know I do ; but I try to conceal my vexation as I reel in for the purpose of executing repjiirs. For my friend has severed my line with'his teeth, and is sailing away at the bottom, free, certainly ; but with a very uncomfortable feeling in his jaw. And throughout the struggle neither combatant has thought or cared what has become of the poor little decoy herring ! But I am out for kahawai, bo I bend on another short casting line, catch another herring, and, finding myself somewhat cramped by my confined position on the rooks, I take my stand on the adjacent pier, and cast again for kahawai. 1 have not long to wait, for presently my line is whizzing through eyes and reel, and I feel sure of a seven-pounder. Whilst there is plenty of brilliant play and dash, I miss the vicious tug of the barracouda, and know that this time I have a more stubborn foe to conquer. I must keep cool and vigilant, and hold my rod in an olevated position, so as to bring its, plasticity into gle^f &aeft a .ftocui #taaia

on my line, "otherwise a rush at right angles, or a turn back on a slackening line, will afford my fish a chance of escape. Down, down he goes, and as he gets near bottom, the line slackens as he takes a horizontal course, and then begins' slowly to rise for a struggle. As ho nears the top he suddenly dashes along the surface, then, lashing the water with his tail, again disappears, and presently I find him • going to sea.' He is heading round the end of the wharf, and as 1 follow his course I am compelled to reel him in short in order to prevent him from winding the line round the piles of the wharf. Ha! I have him on the other side, and now, combating a weaker and still weaker rush, lead him shorewards into shallow water, where he quietly allows himself to be landed either with the gaff or by leeling the line up to within the rod's length, and holding the top landwards with the left hand, without slackening, until he can be seized with •the right hand. ' Good boy ! ' says a whitehaired militaiy-looking man wlio is standing beside me a3 I secure my prey, and who has, he say 3, watched the fight from the beginning. ' I have fished salmon in Scotland and Norway, and I never saw a better catch ! What is he? ' ' The Maoris call him a kahawai, but he is also known as the native salmon,' I explain, as wo both admire his beautifullyspotted sides, ' and,' I add, ' stuffed with oysters and well basted, he will make a capital supper for a tired angler ! ' The kahawai is of elegant form, and lively habits, in which it resembles the true palmon. It affords good sport to the angler, although not a large fish, will rise to an artificial fly, and is easily taken with spoon bait. When hooked it will give plenty of play, and dies hard. In pre-civilised days the Maoris caught the kahawai with a curved and hollowed piece of wood about 4-in long, into which was let a glistening piece of pawa shell. At the end was a bone hook, and this rude appliance was attached to a flax line and trawled behind the canoe. The fishing I have attempted to describe is often exciting enough for any reasonable angler, and I have many a time found myself, after 20 minutes' hard work, wondering whether, after all, I was going to conquer ; but as a rule 10 minutes or a quarter of an hour, it your tackle is good, is sufficient in which to kill the most courageous kahawai from the shore. But, if hooked from a boat, a battle royal must be faced, and with a strong fish fully half an hour may be occupied in bringing him alongside and helping him over the gunwale with the gaff, and only then if you have had the good kick to keep him clear of the kellick line."