BANK NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2437, 28 November 1900, Page 52

BANK NOTES.

I have lo thank "N " (Puerua) for his budget, and also for photos, Lwhich I will look into next week. [OFrom the cursory glance at his [manuscript, the article is a most interesting .[vone, .and I shall be pleased to use it next ..fiveek. — J. S. | The Waikouaiti. — Messrs H. Crust, D. VCooke, and G. Crow fished this stream on ' (Saturday, and found plenty of water in the river # which was, however, very clear. A total 'absence of win to break the sur'faee of the water accounts for the fact that ''only 14- fish were taken by the trio, and half [of these were rather small. The remainder 'averaged about 2£lb, and were caught on the [(whitebait phantom minnow. The natural 'features of the river have been very considerably altered by the recent flood. ! The Shag. — I am told that Mr J. Richardeon caught 10 good fish in the Shag River recently, the largest being 41b in weight, i' "Waitaki. — This river continues in good orcler, only the new mouth has partly closed, the old one has opened again, thus spoiling the fishing ground a bit. There have, jihowever, been some good takes lately, the itrout ranging from 21b to 101b, with an odd 0.3 or 14 /pounder. Next month those will be common.- "Sours truly" and a friend got •18 fine nsh for three :days' fishing, using the /usual Devon bait and steel taace. — Waitaki 'Angler., i; "The Molyneux. Stirling.— Mr John HenderBon caught two fish' on the Spit ; weight, 81b. Mr Farquhar, on the same day, caught two ; ►weight, fclb ; taken with black minnow. 1 ' jim informed that a son of Mr John Sinclair, rof Balclutha, has caught a goodly number oi /trout in the neighbourhood of Balclutha since ,the opening of the season. The river has Ifallen 3£ft since last writing, and is in fairly tgood trim now. — Eldrin." l« Puerua, November 24.— For some tiir.e ~>ast the boisterous weather we have exper... ced" in this part of the country has been very much 'against the angler, and little or nothing of 'any importance has come to my knowledge .worth reporting. I am, however, now pleased to report "a change for the better, and no doubt we will hear of same good baskets 'being taken. The Puerua, Kaihiku, and 'Owaka are all in first-class trim for fly-fishing, \s,nd I would recommend any one wanting \to try their luck for a few days to give the •Upper Owaka a trial. This stream is not \mnch fished in the upper reaches, and is fairly alive with trout from £lb to lib. While strolling along the Puerua on a very recent evening I came across a lady angler, and, being always ,glad to meet the fair sex, I ventured to strike - tap a conversation, and naturally inquired what i>ort of luck she was having. I learnt she had >nad fair sport, and seemed quite pleased with (her evening's outing. I might here mention I miss one of our lady anglers from the stream this season, and this, in one way, is to be regretted, as the lady in question was a keep sport, and deserved all the luck she got. She has, however, entered into the bonds of matrimony, and left for fresh fields, in which I. ,-wißh her much joy and happiness. lam pleased to report that I started two newanglers in this district, the Messrs Carney Bros., who have taken to the rod keenly, ana up to the time of writing they have dene 'exceedingly wrell, landing some 50 odd fish. I am always , pleased to get- hold of beginners, and glad to give all the information possible. Mr J. Sutherland (Waitepeka) fished the upper •waters of the Puerua on the 16th. I did not ge/The oi his basket, but un-

derstand he' had good sport. Mr J. Allison has been out on several occasions, and always secures fair baskets. The baits most deadly just now in the Upper Puerua and Owaka are the black gnat, Jessie, No. 4-, Cochybondhu, and marsh brown. The mallard is also a fair fly to have for a stand-by. I thank "Jock Scott" for his kindly remarks in? last Witness", and shall be glad to meet him in Dunedin this week. — Puerua correspondent. Upper Clutha, Lowburn. — Mr J. JamiEon writes that the fishing has been very poor for the last two weeks owing to the snow coming away. The fish were, however, on the rise again, as he got a basket of 19, averaging 21b, on the 18th November with the fly. At the time of writing the water was clear, and a south wind was blowing. The black gnat and the sandfly are proving the best lines. The fish are in the pink of condition, and very pretty in appearance. The Puerua. — -Mr S. Goldsmith informs me that he heard of a good basket being made in this river for one afternoon' sUßiiing. The take consisted of some 30 to 35 fish, weighing about 501b. Mimihau and the Wyndham. — The Wyndham Farmer or the 23rd November says as follows: — The local fishing streams — Wyndham and Mimihau, with their tributaries — are again in splendid trim. We hear of several satisfactory baskets, all, howeter, taken from tho Mimihau. Thursday, last week,. Mr WiL liam Allison (Mataura) had some good sport at Home's bend, by Allan's, his basket including a fine fellow weighing between 71b and 81b. On Monday, a basket of 12 rewarded Mr Matthew Lawrie, and just half of that number on Wednesday afternoon. On Monday evening, after tea ; Mr D. F. Bremner landed a fine three-pounder f ro.oi the .still water of Mr ,W; Walker's lagoon. The same 'day Mr Andrew Simpson caught 14. On Tuesday, Mr John Brand's tally was six, and he had other nice baskets. Mr John Greenshields caught 17 in the lower Mimihau on Wednesday afternoon, and Mr R. S. Drummond • ix. The Waitaki.-— The Timaru Jcuzi says a southern fisherman captured a trout weighing a few ounces over 201b at the mouth of the Waitaki River on Friday last. The Oamaru Mail says that Mr John Sinclair got 21 fish from the Waitaki from Thursday to Saturday last. The Waitaki and Kakanui are running high and dirty, and are not fishable. Winchester, November 26. — Remarkable variation in temperature was the chief characteristics of the past week. Only local anglers were at work in the Waihi, from which, as per Langdon's register, 105 fish were taken, weighing' (j7;zlb. Mr C. Haar took a trip to •the Ra'ngitata on Saturday evening, returning yesterday at 9.30 p.m. with 10 fish sealing 421b. These were in moderate condition. The -Opihi and all other local streams are now in fine order, and the weather is at the moment warm, and likely to continue favourable. The Rangitata is in first-class order, and should continue so till a nor'-wester may come along. — Correspondent. The Otaßiete. — The Otamete is reported to be in magnificent fishing trim just now (says the Mataura Ensign), some very good catches having been made lately. JVlaster Walker Turnbull on Tuesday took 19 fish, weighing 221b, and oh a subsequent morning, fishing for three and a-half hours, caught 17 fine fish. Fishing at Tapanui.— The Tapanui Cotirier states that Mr P. M'Cann secured two good baskets of fish, containing 41 and 19 respec- , tively, last week. This gives him the creditable record of 242 fish in less than two months. On Wednesday Mr A. Mason secured a aplen-" did basket, the take including about 15 fine fish and a large number of smaller variety. For the past few days the river' has been too high for fishing. Fortrose. — Down Fortrose way, saya the Wyndham Farmer of the 23rd November, the disciples of Isaac Walton have? been busy during the last week. Mr J. H. Smith lopped the poll, as ie took six fish weighing over lewt but they were not the "spotted beauties" the poet sings of, but the "real black M'Kay" — to wit, eels. They weighed up to 251b, with a girth of 15in, and were taken from the Waimahaka with a gaff. Mr R. Smith landed some 20 trout from the Tokonui, the weights ranging up to 41b. Mr J. R. BZidd took 12 fish from, the Titiroa and Mataura; total weight, 40£lb, the largest (fish being 6ilb, taken a little above the Springfield lower bridge. A Fine Take.— The Western Star of the 20th November Eays: — Mr D. Kirkland has again had a very successful day's fishing, six large fish being the result. Of the quality we can speak personally, as with a (fine sense of the editorial palate Mr Kirkland has sent us a splendid "sample." — [Presumably this refers to the Waiau or the Jacob's River.] Hedgehope (Southland) Notes. — The correspondent of the Southland News writes: — A good many anglers have visited the district during the season, but I have heard of -no big hauls yet. The Rangitata. — The Christchurch Press of the 23rd November reports that the Rangitata was then clear and in good order for -fishing, — Among other baskets of trout talcen in the Rangitata ckiring the holiday week, Mr Boyd Thomson reports the following: — Mr Jamos Oit 13 fish, Mr M'lntyre 11, Mr Washington 11. The Rakaia. — Messrs A. Young and W. Huston spent last Friday in fishing at the mouth of the Rakaia River, the former obtaining 14 trout and the latter 10, the tota] weight being 1131b. The anglers assert the condition of the fish is not so satisfactory since last flood. Doings at Dannevirke. — Local anglers are having exceptionally good sport just now (November 16). Several good baskets are reported, one knight of the rod returning home laden with^ 20 fine fish. — The fame of the streams in this district is spreading, and visitors from the Wellington district arc becoming quite numerous.. — New Zealand Times. j "Whitebait in the Grey River. — An enormous number of whitebait made their appearance in the Grey River recently, and so dense was the column that the fishers scooped them up literally by the gallon. One successful fisherman filled 20 kerosene tins in an incredibly short ppaco of time. There has been nothing like this during the season, though something nimilar was seen on tho Teremakau a few days ago. The Depredations of Shags. — Recently in the Clinton River (head of Lake Te Anau) a troul was found dead. It was newly-killed being .nuite fre,=h. Examination showed the marks of a shag's Jseak along its sides, disclosing that it had been woiried to death by j the bird. It turned the scale at 41b. Another I trout in o similar state, and killed in the .same j way, «n« picked up at the Arthur finer, jtist j ;ibo\e L^ke Ada. An oel was eyeing- it, ready for a meal. It was about 31b in w eight. One shag, shot the other day on Use Clinton River, was made to disgorge a trout l?lb. It would Fccm the hcaviei trout are too largo for them to iranage, it in deep water, though they can l.ill them. — Couxtjiyjian. Fry foi the I'oi Toi Streams. — Mr J. R. Kidd has been in communication with the Otago Acclimatisation Association. a& a result of which that body has promised Mn^jvynjgljes

of fry to put into the Toi Toi streams, from P-me Buah down to the coast. • A Fall-out Among Noted Anglers. — The Wyndham Herald writes as follows: — A deplorable fall-out of fast friends is reported by cablegram. The parties are the Rev. Dr3 Rentoul and Marshall, of Melbourne, and the cause is the merits of the war in South Africa. [If we mistake not, these two gentlemen were in the habit of spending their yearly holiday in each other's society in New Zealand, attracted hither by our trout streams and the sport to be obtained angling therein.] Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. — At a meeting of the council of this society correspondence and a petition was received regarding Lake Ellesmere. They pointed out thai; the waters were being denuded of flounders, and that the fishermen could not help netting large numbers of tiout, which, as the regulations now provided, they had to return to the lake. The petitioners therefore urged that steps be taken to make it legal to net .the lake for trout and sell it. On the motion of Mi 1 Harmau, it was resolved that the society strongly object to the piopo&al, Lake Ellesmere being the supply ground lor the river?. In reply to Mr Meredith-Ivaye" the secretary said the statement appearing in print after last meeting that fish at Little River had died through being kept in the can was incorrect. An Amendment of the Fisheries Conservation Act. — Regulation No. 13 of the regulations made under the Fisheries Conservation Act, 1884, is amended by an Order in Council by the addition of the following words: — ''Provided that nothing herein contained shall prevent the placing oi any net, other than a stake net, in or across the mouth or entrance of the following river — viz., the Ashley River, or at any place in such river seaward of a straight line drawn from a spot -on the northern bank of the river, to a point "on the southern bank, for the purpose of taking indigenous fish only, nor render any person liable to any penalty for so doing, or for taking indigenous fishljy such means." Acclimatisation of Salmon — Intentions of the Government. — The Evening Post, in the course of an interesting article, gives details of the scheme in connection with the acclimatisation of salmon which the Government intends to initiate shortly. The Post says : "The delights of having a 201b salmon at the end of a good rod are comparatively unknown to New Zealanders, but are within measurable distance. Within recent years several fine fish caught by fishermen along the coast in the neighbourhood of fresh water estuaries have been pronounced by experts to be true salmon, which are difficult to distinguish from our gigantic salmon trout. This has given rise to the hope that /the salmon will become permanently acclimatised, and that the salmon fisheries of New Zealand will be something' to talk enthusiastically about in the future. In the session of Parliament j«ist closed, a vote was passed for the establishment of permanent hatcheries, and the Government has now decided to construct a salmon-rearing station on the Hakataramea Stream, a tributary of the Waitaki, North Otago. As it is improbable that the Hakataramea hatchery will be advanced enough to accommodate the whole consignment, -instructions have been given by the Minister for Marine for the construction of temporary premises .on one of the streams that flow into Lake Ohau, at the head of the Waitaki, 60 miles from Hakataranieaj and if the whole consignment arrives at once, portion of it will be sent on there. Later on, Mr Ayson intends recommending the importation of a consignment of ova of the Atlantic salmon, which is a better sporting fish than its American or Scotch cousins. Each year the Government will import jiist as many as can be reared. Mr Ayson has no doubt that it will be easy enough to rear salmon to large size before liberation. Whether the fish can. be established permanently in our rivers time alone can prove. Up to the present the attempt to firmly establish them in the rivers by turning them out in the fry stage has not been a success."