ANGLING AND SPORT IN WELLING,

Otago Witness, Issue 2437, 28 November 1900, Page 44

ANGLING AND SPORT IN WELLING,

•. TON. (Fboh Otjp. Own CorbesfondWts.) ■ > WELLINGTON, November 23. Some splendid fishing is now being obtained in the Wellington district. An English tourist, Mr Dawfcon Bragg," of Yorkshire, ;n 1b days landed 'no fewer than 620 trout from the Mimgaroa — a tributary of the Hutt River. Already some 250 fishing licenses have been taken out in Wellington alone, and amongst those who ply the rod are several ladies and quite a number of beys. "Very encouraging reports are given by Mr R. G. Bruce, formerly a well-known member of .Parliament, of the-fish and game in the Rangi.tikei district. There is -\ decided increase in ..wild duck, pheasant, and quail. The increase of the ducks Mr Bruce attributes to an abundance of food owing to the largely 'increasing number of frogs in the district. 'It is well known that ducks do feed on the spawn of frogs, and also on young frogs. At the same time there is a noticeable decrease in the , number of mosquitos, and Mr Bruce thinks this may be accounted for owing to the frogs feeding on r their larvae. The head waters of the Rangitikei are now -well stocked with trout, and the fish are beginning to descend into the main stream. One of the best ,"branches of the river is the Turakina, but strangely enough there are hardly any trout in it. The Maoris have often noticed a great mortality amongst the eels and the native grayling in the stream, which they attribute to the occasional "bursting out of sulphur springs. Probably the same phenomenon has prevented the trout from increasing in its ■waters..