BANK NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2443, 9 January 1901, Page 52

BANK NOTES.

The fishing competition held under the auspices of the Otago Anglers' Association on Boxing Day resulted in Mr R. Henry securing first place with the fine basket of 73 fish, .weighing 49±Ib, and Mr David Mill, jun., ftcond, with 30 fish, the aggregate weight of '. Which -was 36jklb. Mr Henry fished the Temuka River anS .captured his fish with a dark ' mallard, while Mr Mill ftmed the Waimca ■River. There were a number of ' other entrants, but none of these sent in any return, as the time for doing this has expired it ,ia not .probable that any others will coma to ''liand. In any case the takes made by the two «nglers named are not likely to be beaten. f In order to test the oft-repeated tale about 'ealmon being taken in New Zealand waters, £Mr Ayson, inspector of fisheries, has recommended that during the present season several W the big fish in the Waitaki, which are beiieved to be true -salmon, should be caught 'tind stripped and the ova hatched out. This Suggestion is likely to be carried out. | The half million salmon ova imported by yfche Sierra in charge of Mr Lambson, superintendent of the United States Marine Fish {(Commission of the Pacific -Coast Salmon {Hatcheries, have reached Wellington in splenf'did. ~ condition. About one-third will be xteaxed at-the Hakatarasmea Hatcheries and the test 'at Lake -Ohau. The 500,000 which were 'expected from Canada will not now be forjirarded till next season. | " I have to acknowledge the receipt of a Heatly-got-up little book on casts and gut generally, published by Bambridge and Co., of England.-' I must ask correspondents to 'affix their names to letters when they are Jnot in the habit of communicating with me 'regularly. Anj and all information or complaints received, they may rest assured, will |be regarded as strictly Drivate as far as the [identity of the writer is concerned, and on 'no account will the name be published or divulged, unless an expressed wish that the name should appear at the-=foot of the letter as sent. Personally, I do not like anonymous and feel that I ought to be in the position of knowing who my correspondent is. At the same time I quite understand jthat in some cases the writer does not care 'stbout placing his signature to letters for •private reasons, but he may rest easy in the • Knowledge that his identity does not pass jfreyond myself. — In reply to a correspondent, asking for information as to where to get a tfew weekß of fishing, accommodation, etc., 'about the end of the month, I would, on the spur of the moment, recommend the Wairthi, but if he will wait till the next issue shall be able to give more particular information as to other rivers and accommodation, etc. The river 'he mentions is very good, •but is just about as far as the Mimihau from where he is. ' i The Molyneux' (Stirling).— On Tuesday, the 25th ult., Mr A.' Anderson gave a trial to some of the upper Teaches of'fhe'Quorn, and caught cne trout and four perch. On the same day iMr-Farquhar and Mr Henderson fished some pi the low waters. Mr Farquhar landed two trout (61b) and Mr Henderson two (9£lb).— iEldrin. ■- The Puerua.— On 'Friday, the 28th December, Mr John MosTey and party visited the fl?uerua, and ha 3 a short time fishing, grassing fl.l trout. Unfortunately one of Mr Mosley's cons met with &n accident, compelling the iparty to leave early,, or possibly their basket /would have been much better. Mr Mosley secured a poacher in the shape of a shag, who j.'was busy in a deep .hole when a bullet from a pea-rifle stopped his depredations. — Eldrin. thank my correspondent for season's greetings. — J. S.] |i Taieri Mouth. — Mr Cam cross, MJ3LR., •who was recently on a visit to Taieri Mouth presiding at a concert there, said he did not know of a pleasanter -place to spend a holiday. He pointed out the spot which he had discovered to be the best fishing ground, .and ■where he had that day oaught, besides other .fish, a conger eel and the biggest Maori chief lie had ever seen.

Tlie Pomahaka. — The Mayor of Dunedin, JMr R. Chieholm, ie («ays the Tapanui Courier •of the 2nd inst ) holiday-making in this dis.trict, and spending some of his time coaxing the trout from the Pomahaka. Anglers are meeting with good sport, and the spinning minnow is now the deadly bait.

The Mimihau— "W. P. 5.," writing on -the 27th December, says an east wind and a sun have been the prevailing weather 'rthe last few days, and the water has been ■clear.. On Christmas Day there were a good many rods on the Mimihau. Mr W. Young «got the best basket I heard 01 — five fish, •weighing lO^lb. A few had empty rreels. Mr ?Eanner is at station for his annual holiday, and is enjovine the beautiful scenery and doing a bit of fishing now and again. It is a piiy that the state of the stream and 4he weather is much against sport, as at other times when the streams cannot be visited they are invariably in tip-top order for fishing. Best wishes of the season. — [Thanks — S B.] Tbp Wyndham .Farmer of December 28 s*y«;— Duuag tU© Christmas holidays the

local anglers were very busy. Mr Drummond headed the poll with a basket of seven beauties, weighing between 141b and 151b, caught in the Upper Mimihau on Christmas Day. The Waitaki.— The-North Otago Times says : The Waitakv iias never been recognised as a river where die fly-fisher could enjoy his favourite pastime. It was supposed that the trout in that river rarely if ever rose to the fly, but Mr David Ross the other afternoon had a contrary experience. He noticed fish repeatedly rising to the swivel on his line, and in order to obtain a practical test of the disposition of the fish to take the fly he fixed a hook on the swivel, and making a reddish piece of braid resemble a fly as much as possible he affixed" that also to the swivel. With this simple contrivance he took seven fish. The fish at the time would not look at the Devon, and until the device was put in execution there was no prospect of a basket.— [I have tried the Waitaki trout with the fly in past years, but failed to get them to take. — J S] Mr R. Cookburn had some good sport on the evening of the 29th December. The largest fish caught by him was b a lb, and the smallest 2£lb. The fish were in splendid condition, and take the fly in any of the side streams. Owing to the heavy rain on the 30th the water was not in good order on the day following. Mr Cockburn found the best bait to be the whitebait minror. and the red spinner, March brown, and Jessie flies.

Puerua, January 6.— During the past week a good many anglers have been seen on the Puerua and Owaka, but I am sorry to say these streams are not in a favourable condition for fishing, being much too low, and beginning to get filled with green weed. On the 31st December Mr Geo. Roberts (Dunedin) visited the Lower Owaka at Tahatika. He found the fish plentiful, but only succeeded in landing two, l£lb and lib respectively. That part of the stream is very bad for fly fishing, the banks being covered with bush and veiy long grass. During New Year's Day and the day following Mr Koberts fished the upper readies of the P"er« a ' securing a total of 31 fL»h from ilb to lilb. The water was very clear, and most of the fish were caught at dusk. Messrs Carney brothers, on the 3rd, landed 14 in the upper reaches of the Puerua, using the gentle, while Mr Roberts used the bare fly only— viz., black gnat, Jessie, and March brown. In my last report I referred to Mr Alex. Nicol as having left for the Waitaki. I had the pleesure of receiving a very fine fish of 151b, kindly sent by Mr Nicol, for which I thank him. Yesterday I .saw Mr Nicol, and as far as I can learn I do not think I should care for the Waitaki fishing. He tells me he counted 19 rods on about 300 yards of water. It seems to me a very easy matter to get mixed up with your n«xt-door neighbour. No doubt if jyou hook a fish you get a good one, but I think more sport is got from a basket of ten oi a dozen fair-sized fish. — Puerua 'Correspondent.

A Holiday Trip. — A Dunedin angler who lately spent a fortnight's holiday in the G-kn-omaru district sends me the following: — Anglers who are content to catoh small fish can still obtain good sport in the 'Omaru. j Above Gregg's sawmill the stream is alive with j trotit of JJb and fib, with an occasional I pounder, but large fish are unknown, except perhaps to guddler6, who are said to take a great many trout out of tliis part of the stream. Baskets of 40 to 50 small trout are frequently caught here with the fly and maggot, and .a Qlutha fisher is said to have recently basketed.. 72. jn .one .day. My own takes «bove the mill were 37, 40, 26, and 20 (for three liours,) -. largest fish V P \b. Fiom Mr Begg's twine-mill to the sawmill the trcut are larger, many running to lib. After a heavy fall of rain (the only one wosth mentioning in a fortnight) I took 22 fish weighing 19ilb— a fcplendid basket for the 'Omaru. Lower down the fish are still larger, and the angler who catches the incoming tide about a mile below Romahapa station will find the trout running up after the shoals of minnows. A fly or maggot oiopped in front of the pursuing trout is usually taken, and as the u e trout have very little fight in them the land-ing-net can be used immediately. These fish average l^lb. All the streams in this district are very low, and festooned with that green slimy weed which adheres to the stone*. A day was spent at the Puerua, but it was very low and clear. "Very few fish were seen, and none caught ; but the Little Puerua gave 10 fish, largest 21b. A day spent on the Owaka resulted in a basket of seven, averaging a little over lib, and an evening on the Kororoo seven small fish. This latter stream is said to be mercilessly poached. Visitors to the 'Omaru complain of the smallness of the fi<-h, and suggest that a ladder should be put on Mr Begg's dam, to enable spawning fish to go higher up ; but residents who undoubtedly know what they are talking about and would like to see the stream improved say that nothing would be gained to anglers by the erection of a ladder, as the large fish would be fished out with larger hooks than those used by license-holders. If the matter complained of cannot be remedied, it is very regrettable, as the district is most beautiful, and the stream one of the most convenient and easily fished in the province. Winchester, January 7. — Since the Ist inst. the weather has been uncommonly sultry, but visitors and local men managed to bring in nice baskets from the Orari a"d Waihi. The Opihi has been rather broad for successful fly-fishing. Nor' -westers brought the Rangitata down rather thick. Langdon's register shows a total take (with fly) of 231 fish, weighing 1381b. — Correspondent. The Rangitata.— Mr J. Velvin, of Gore, on a holiday trip to his old fishing grounds at Temuka, was most successful at the ♦-angitata. He landed 11 fish, scaling 68£lb. The largest was 101b, and the smallest about 31b. The minnow used was the green back soleskin. ' Mr Velvin in earlier days was an enthusiastic j follower of angling in South Canterbury, and has secured some good baskets. His latest for two days' fishing is not the worst. — The Christchurch Tress reports *hat the Rangi- > tata is clear, and in splendid order for fish-

ing. The New River.— The Southland Times of the 4th inst. says: — Half a dozen lovely trout at Mr F. A. Steans's door attracted the attention of passers in Dee street yesterday morning. They were the result of a couple of hours' fishing at the New River, below the ferry, the previou 3 day. Mr Steans has rare luck with rod and line, and seems to know always iust where the fi=h will be at any given time. At all events, he always gets back *ith a good basket, and that without loss of time. Yesterday's lot ran from 2Alb to 4^lb. and in splendid condition.

The Waiau.— Mr F. H. Wilson, of Orepuki, had a most successful day's fishing at the Waiau last week. For a holiday, anglers who have not been west could not do better than seize the present opportunity for trying their skill in the great river. The Oreti.— On Christmas Day Mi J. F. White succeeded in landing a 221b trout from the Oreti River. The fish was in prime con-

dition, its dimensions being length, 2ft Bin ; _girth, 18in. — Winton Record. Doings up North. — The Timaru Post of the 28th December states as follows : Recent reports show that fishing has been very good lately, and large takes have been the rule rather than the exception. The Rangitata is in grand order just now, the fish being well m, and the same may be said of the Opihi. At Pleasant Point Mr Drummond Sharpe, fishing on Friday evening and Saturday morning, caught 61 fish, weighing 541b. Mr Macdonald, of Woodbury, had 4 nice fish at the same time and place. Good sport has also ! been obtained in some of -the smaller streams, notably the Ohapi Creek, where Messrs M'Kay and Twigg took 26 fish (averaging a little over lib each) on Saturday afternoon. It i& worthy of note that the fish are being taken with fly in the Upper Rangitata, a feat which has always been considered almost impossible. Nevertheless, several fish have recently been taken with the fly at Peel Forest, the largest scaling 71b. An example of pluck and perseverance in connection with angling may frequently be seen on the Orari River when a son of Mr Bain is out fishing. Although the youngster has unfortunately to get about on crutches, he has taken two fine fish of 41b and 31b respectively. Such keenness trader adverse circumstances deserves every encouragement.—Mr Boyd Thomson reports (says the Temuka Leader) that fishing at the Rangitata has been very good during the past fortnight, large fish now making their appearance. Mr Turton had excellent sport, his largest fish scaling 151b, the smallest 41b. Mr F. D. Barker has also done well, securing a very good basket in a night and morning. The average would be about 71b. Mr Marshall, of Dunedin, landed in all 19 fish, amongst them one 131b, another 111b, one 91b, down to 41b. Ho used a very small whitebait phantom. Messrs Nicholas and Hope had a good time, and the former landed one weighing 13£lb.— The Press of the 31st December says : The Rangitata, Ashburton, and Rakaia Rivers are now in good order for fishing, fiie late heavy southerly sea blocked up the mouth of the Ashburton, and caused the lagoon to ran very full. . Matters that Urgently Require Kecnlying. —\. correspondent who writes from ASyndham on the "4th inst. says: "Dear Sir,— ln the lul.rrßt of license-holders in this dictrict, i should like to call attention through your valuable column to the poaching that is carried on in tfhe Wyndham River in its. upper waters at a certain station. The shearers caught a o-reat number, and make no seciet of the matter. I believe a spear is kept on the station for the purpose, the squatter not being abovo taking trout by the same illegal means. Surely something might be done to put a stop to it. Another thing that requires looking after « the pollution of the river with dead animals. \. horse or cattle dying near the river is hauled down and thrown in to save the trouble of burying. If a dog wants killing, he is tied head and legs together, and pitched in. When the river is low they lie on the bars, and in hot weather create a horrible smdl. We hope the Acclimatisation Society will do something to remedy this.— £l commend the matter to the consideration of the "Acclimatisation Society. It certainly wants investigating, and should receive attention without deThe Riackstone Hill correspondent of the Mount Ida Chronicle, writing on January 3, says : Anglers complain that poaching "is a common practice. the poachers even going so far as turning creeks and running the fish out on the grass. Licensees think outsiders see the most of the game and yet nearly all the fisn. Energetic measures must be adopted, and as convictions are not easily obtained, the heaviest penalty ought to be inflicted instead of tlie bare amount of license fee and costs. The costs and chances are all in favour of the poacher. " . Most of the anglers returned from the Opihi on Tuesday (says the Timaru Herald). Mr P. Foster sot five splendid fish on the minnow, running from 71b to 131b in weight. Mr F. Tas'ker got 19 fish on the fly, heaviest 41b, and two on the minnow, lO^lb and 1241b. Mr F. Palliser got a 41b, 10£lb, and 12£lb fieh, all on the fly, and 12 smaller ones. Mr J. Palliser had" a ba-ket of 15 fish, heaviest 21b; Mr F. Allen 16 fish, heaviest l£lb ; and Mr George Trigpr*. 14 fish, heaviest l£lb. Good baskets of trout continue to be taken (says the Tapanui Courier), especially from the Pomahaka, and the present season is said to be -the best ever experienced on the river. The trout are now in splendid order.