BASK NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2509, 16 April 1902, Page 54

BASK NOTES.

The Waikouaiti. — A couple t>f Dui«e«hn Vugler? were at the Waikouaiti Ri\ei for ftbout four or five days at fasti :• time. ;iiici Diie of rhem sot 19 fish, averaging fn:iy 2gib each. 'Iho river was lush, but was fa'hi.^ Wll the time th?y were- there, anJ tl.e .1.tlucem^nt offered to the fish to ultimate.' y ftnd their way into the crtel was the iniiinow. Owaka. Apiil 10 — I have been here for 5.0 days, and though the uvor is in fairly good order, cf a very gocd colour, but rather Sow, it ie as 1 expected — far too late 111 the Season for trouting. From the mididle of November to the middle of [February 1- the best time for this t\vatcr, and consequently I have landed very tew HAi, but what 1 did get were ail in good condition and gave capital sport. I am fishing the upper wateis about Tahatika, and the trouble, i at first imagined, would be to get my fish into town. .11 I am 'taying gx\ miles from Owaka. I wa» glad to find that a rabbit waggon went into the Owaka Btation every morning, and the driver, Mr JELarri*, in vory civil and obliging, and willing \o take down parcels. Having brought the puii-with me, as I had not done much shooting for five or fj"x year?, I had visions of a good time amongst the birds, but, alas ' Man proposes, and the Easter holiday people dispose"; at least, th:-y have to be thanked for scaring the birds so that it is almost (impossible to get anywhere near them, and my visions of the good old clays of 10 years ago were all dispelled, for you •have to go a long way l>ack to get a pigeon, hnd, in attetmpting it by myself, 1 found 1 nyas so.nevvhere about the spot of " Punch's little village of N"--10 miles from any-ft-here. Consequently 1 immediately started tor home, although I hadn't the slightest idea where it was, and after wandering for W long time I .struck a fence : and didn't I Btick to that fence — stronger than mucilage — in spite of my old age. That fence evenlually brought me to a creek ; then I knew my salvation had come, and I wouldn't have jjarted from it at any price, although it treated me very badly, taking me through tough and crooked way. till at length, torn tmd bleeding, it landed me. on a tramWay. Following thih lat last emerged 111 the open some three miles or so from, where I Btarted. and arrived home at du-k, juat as my /friends were thinking of going out to search for me. Mora! — don't wander m the ■hush without taking some food with you, as well a* matches: and a pocket compaIs al«o useful. I generally carry one, but it"? better btill to have a mate with you if pos°ible. I may as well mention that the Eel tiers are very chary of giving you per-mi-s-ion to shoot over then 1 ground, and 111 many cases will turn you off: 111 fact, one of the settlers himself told me that some of his neighbours would not give him permit fion, rtnd I can hardly blame them, considering; the way they are harassed and Rnnoycd by the holiday .shootists-. I may ttay here another week or 10 davf> yet. — "The -loker." The Waiau. — From the account gnrn mo by_ some Dunedin men who visited the rVVaiau about Faster, the season 1- cv 1 llently too far advanced for taking fish. The pariy. when it left Dunedin, consisted of three, but another angler joined them en Voute. The rcult of the ext ursion vvas mo-t disappointing, ai only threo fi 3 h wore taught, and these fell to the iod of MrCru.-t. 'The men who went down vveie not without L'xpejie:>ce m taking trout, and aie not afraid of doing a little work to get them, Ihat what they were told at the Waiau ebout it being too late in tho tea-on 1- no doubt true, and i^ a e< mplete explanation of their non-suecc-a ' The Wyndham. — Trout are not rising freely to the fly t'n- month (say- the .Wyndham Farmer): in fact, a bit" i, 210 w quite a rarity. A local sportsman who Studies their habits somewhat m the Wyndham River says there is an unusually liberal i]Uantit> of ,casonab'p fe^cl for them at pie =.^nt in the way of a small .-pec 10- of crayf h to be found in tlie bet' ol the. r.\ o;-. ■Jiii-, 1- fwm^ to the ab-er.ee of fre-hoi m die live.- tin- ci- in. tlie cavii-h and l.ko irustae-cd thus Ivammm multiplied <-\t"ti( mgly. artl fmni-hed da nty f,tre n;tl in plcnt} tor tlu- tiout The Nelwyn — Altiiruah ii.o roi^iil fl l j(.t'tn Canteibuiy taiL-td t Kc tVath nf a 1 v ,"• numK-r of trout, the pr. -•<',' nt <.f tho Ar r'imatisation S.-cietv iSls .). j{ Fi-'^r) n: founed the I 'lUiit ll at last week'- inoctir^ fliat he could -uppoit tie i.tj.i ' - -: ne Pir-nt tliM i;.")'l fi^h :u«' pltutifu' v. tl. ■ 5..1 r. v1 1 TI tr a 1 iho. pi. =>- % it tin >• Nc'l 1<; ai t'uo Mo'irli of Uivcr- — 1> ,n a-. 1.1. j 1- 1 1 iil«* by Mi C.ii li"'ni a 1' ' •si i>"-.tiii of tho Ota^o Atthi.i_^M .1-1 1 , .-} «i'ty'» Cotii'^il it wcu'il -:eui tl dt an n~< iciT" • - tci be m."le v^un re: ard :n rho r 4iii' :. on- c >.\c- t.i^ r.",ai. r ! af tho mcjuih- of c.i.r iun- m ti.e ''ircttion cf »i\ :iii a frc r Immc' in i*»o i .l'.fi. Cii--ho'm urv f'.iU ronu- mi t,'?t ;h' p -rmi1011 sli'i.il-1 bo 101 fined tf. c i;r.n mrnth-. si a* li'jt to inrc rforo with tho u-i. enmn p; ap the rivers, but i f=ai v<-*j i+^Ju tL^i

if an inch is given an ell will be taken Any flimsy pretext is used for the taking of trout for purposes of profit, and I have a feeling that the movement should be strongly opposed, as I am satisfied that it will make the position of the angler, bad enough now in all conscience, worse. Let all netting, as far as riv«\rs are concerned, be confined to outride the moutli.- Of cour-e it is only my opinion, and I am fain to admit that I have not gone fully into the subject, but at the first blush it look^ to me like a thing that should be stoutly resisted by anglers and all who wish to con serve the sport of angling. I think it would be found, on incjuiry, that in* «aj'ing t'm^ 1 am voicing the opinion of pretty well all who carry a lod — " One of Them." A Destroyer of Trout. — Tlie Wyndham Farmer gne» the following de=cnptit>n of the experience Mr John M'Phail. of Wync lham. ht>d with eels: — Two graphic illn-tra tions of the voracity of the eel and the heavy toll it exacts upon tmut. have been told Ui by Mr John MThail. cf South Wyndham. Tlie other day' he wa- aiig'mg in Wyndham River, whfn his attention vvas drawn to something coming dow 11 -tream The object proved to be an eel. wine h was eatryin-r in its mouth a trout, holding itpr?y by the gill 3 . The eel vetting into shallow water close io where Mr M'Pl'ail j wa.- standing, he nut Its foot on it, when it let go tho trout, which proved to h*> 2lb weight, and bolted. The eel it=ejf appeared to Mr M'Phail to be very little bigger than the trout it wa« about to make its meal of. The second incident occurred a few days later, in the same stream. Mr M'Phai! had his attention diawn m an e\ traordinary commotion in the water, which vvas being lashed into foam. It pioved to bo fouj- largo eels engaging in a battle royal over a plump, newly-taught trout. Might was light, however, and the biggest eel at length asserted its pro\ve»« by getting «o!o po=ae-sion of the prize, with which it glided down stream into shallow water. Mr rl'Phail there got the eel into hi, landingnet. but it wa- pnf >iiong enough to hold rh-- monster, and Mr M'PUail wa- fani <o lor .t e-ijpe. afti r dropping the t lout. J Ac\'o is to i';e next devolopinpnt. ii MThail th'pn th« d^ad trout back to v.'ici" ih. recc-'t fiii! I had taken place, when it ' '.;rh "iTne.liotriy =c zi-H by the next larg< 15 t of (1.--" four c^el-. lvhu-'i al-o gbdrd away j l'Uo .-hailow w <•<-••. Acain the 1 tmlmi.' :.< t p l- ov"d too fiaii fci t-e o<ca-><m. and < ■ '. ' No. 2 a .<o gc)t .-.way ■ n'. hie rl!r l ! •■> 1,.i., \, a- 1 o:jc° m<u-e thru.vn bat., a »»1 li'o ilurd et 1 [ grabbed it. T'n= fp'e tho re', vi.'k.i i.io,!. proved equa' t" tl>" «-t jin p-it upon it. c, pc! eel No. 3 wo- d'llv "nncled Mid knor'nl < nr of time. Fur a third nwr rb<l Mr M'P'iail throw tho trout buck into the v ->'•,-. f:> i again it prejved a lire, v- tho n, nth eel snapped at it at 01 cc. f,i,d v\a* d\iy caught in the ret pr.d i« iv:c! t! > ]. k pp'.dc=patch Tl'e for.'^ .:: ,- -"n ,1.11,...^, v .h.«'-i may be relied upon a, be . <; r- ually true, ] give some idea of the grca, h..vc<; 'that 1- | being caused all the year roui J by this 1 rapatiou, enemy of the " epott^d beauty." i There tan be but little doubt ihat the eel is a far greater scourge to trout than L the ! shag. CondenpeJ E"l c — Some yearn ago eels entered into London water pipes, with very i inconvenient result*. Their latest achieve- ' ment. accord'ug to a newspaper paragraph, has been to effort an entrance" into the ' condensers of H.M. third-clnss cruiser Pandcra, which in con->equence was u'lab'e to leave for the Mediteiranean. Thu eels weiv described as large ones. Tarpon fishing 111 Florida.— " A. ("). S ]', ' gives the lolJowing- mtercoting atcouii t>i carpoii-iiahing in Florida, k.i the I'uU. — , Oh arriving at the right spot the b.ut (a | long piece of silver mullot) wa- put 011 and | about 40ft of line let out. and then the guide lowed blowly up and down, the bait being allowed to be jutt off the bottom of the ground Sometimes there were as many a= I 20 to 30 boats all ccitragod in the oceu- , pation. each angler sitting in lv» chair e\;>ecting a fi-h, and the excitement among them when at la-t it came was interne Di- | rectly you ha\c a tug, yo.i strike for al! you are worth to try and dnve the hook in fiver the barb or make Mr Tarpon jump: thc-11 juii (i\ j our rod (the butt) into the socket ol your bilt or cliaiv. a.id keep tho tip up. Your "vide now jow, a\ ay fa-t, | then tlie tarpon jumps, sonietinie, going bit . irto the air, looking like a j> roat bai of ' ■-liver, from which he gpt<. his namo "Si'v^r , King. ' Again you strike Laid, and ne-vrr ; allow the line to get *lack. for if you do ho will just throw the hook out of In- mouth. Sometime- ho jumps five 01 ni\ tirno- btfoie ! you are sure he is hooked. When you think you have roall p y gor him, your guide row- 1 away trom him, and you leel 111 and keep a taut line on him, working the rot! up and j clown, reeling in all the time, and being a.- ' severe on him a^ your strength and rod per- i nut. Even then he ,omeunics take- the | I 'ie between hi.s teeth and 11111* off for seve 1 ral } ardc a- swift as a bird in the oppo-ite J direction, and jump- again, t-hakin.; Ingreat head. The =tray.i on rod. lino, and thumb is tremendous, and it 111 1 - when he inns out again after being compaiatively pa-rixe that sometime- he 1- Io t. The ehav>ce, are he will double back, leaving a Ion" piece of slack line: and thi- i-> whoie a good guide show- lv- wou!> 111 knouiug isi which dirct tion to row Aft< r pit bablv 20 minute- of tliio 'oit of thing td" fi-h Icithcr tired out or al'<A>- hnn-t 'f to bo tc wed along with tli" boat. Yon row to the shore ard fiiii ='i him off from the beach, which, of course, c.mi only be done if he- 1-. well played out. 01 else you can gaff him 111 the boat. 1 lit 10, again. you r guide uchlto bo a handy man. and it ii> no ioko gafling an EOib to KOlb fi-h and lifung luin into the boat I heard of a tarpon up.-etting a j boat after he wa- gaffed. There 1, no actual | w'.-ntinc ait 111 hooking the tarpon, for \ theie ); 110 telhne; who-o bait ho niay faut v. | but there is certainly pi oat "kill .mcl <.tren,-tii j rf'iunrc' 111 t.'.e p'lyi.ig- a-id i^ilhiip; thi sr fi,i), fJicu- >-!icrglii bei'jg perfi--iV a-tcnncl ! in</ It i- ;t!-o tjuilo mai\ollo\i- on exaruiii irq 11 tnipon*- mout!, in wl.at a tiemt n- I c!o ir. hanl, homy -I'b-tatK--- it i, ma'!« of, .j '1 what i (''ante n ■- 1 1 « '< t tho hook evr-r I f j;rt.-s into it and ko"t>- thpre : for wh"ii l,e ' lump- ami -h.iLr.- hi- ? i-m; hud ard piling - nit 1 JlO 4-jr.r ii^un it 1- a great -tram ci" 'ho he i,k T -,iw v, \einl fi-iit rmm br» ak | rl- ir roc'- l,i - ,u-l r< e1"-.e 1 "-. lii.r T w.i-, \<i\ 1 Imkv .iii i I1 1 hi 1 1.1- l-.ip-- vith 01 1 It 1 t' ri. ->■ ; ir '1 11 v i\< • fi-n -,».i- w'l! Ik < Led m - i,i-;'»i ' .. w ;< 'l 1- a re jlilc p' t 1 " I ! a' o -"v f\. ■, it l'tjt ncp fi-h 10-r liv p ' .''.ill. I■ll -" X t!O ■ 1 11u' 1 1 Ml ' . I 1 .. t ' V \\") P I 1 •! I' "*. et! I'll) -h< • ,-> « ' .', 1 1,1(11 ,1(1 ic' it iiM.-'. I,u t- bt '■ t'i< 11.0- n n m. j- I 11. g way to Ie -o ,; Jl-I1 Vi v j:i t rp.mv t.i'-" :il.i-n>- I v otii'i ti-ii r( ii >ii 4 ti; v ,ur '.'if -.nil" if ,\!ue 1 pu'il nearly a- bard .1- .< taijKii Ainoi.g fit -c are the chii'ir! I a—, g' jP.-1 (mil mrl : Lit-ivuJ. aev.iisii (v.iiieu i-jsia uu 10 sColbh ;

kingfi-h. Fwordfisit. 'evcr.il knui- of -harks, including the 1 i.n'iYi^rhead. whit h srews to an enormcu- i-'zp : the spotted shark, and porpoise-, a- well as a great quantity of tiirtles v. !>ich are speared by the fishermen — who oat them — from the spongers, as t'te <-ponge boa:.- are railed. AmoMjj tho «-mall fish are the -heephead. which are good oat- :•.)£»: tho -mlor'= boy. a prelvy- little --lively ft*! : the tatfi-h, and a hidoou- creatme cabled tl.p toadfish, wMih. if you '-troke with a trick, will ewell up like a balloon, but qoi,.' down agu.n dirct tlv' it is tlnowii back into the water. Very often you hook a -h.uk. ard ho »nos too much play, and if a large one, it i* be-t to cut tho line, a- they wa-te so much time. The outfit for taipcn-fi-hing 1- rather c.\tciiai\e, the reel.- alone to t.ug 35d01, but they ar^ well worth :t. a* a £iea;. clo.il depenc's upon your re°l. and a'-o that it lv. c a gooti chock (.11 it The iotl.- an 1 about Tft long and aie \(iy -tiff and not at ail pliable, vet it is n r.oui to i-eo how they bcii'l diiret.y a tarpon 1- at the othrr cud: ti.o hook- Hi' 1 a! cut 3in to Z2III loiik. <-h1 .lie like moat l>ot>k- : the trace. 01 -ncocl. v ill lift a \rry h-.a-.y d<\ul wimlit; tho l'nc 1- v>vv like a -almon line, only ungl.izcd