ANGLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3005, 18 October 1911, Page 64

ANGL ING.

By Jock Scott.

To be a perfect fisherman you require more excellencies than are usually to be found in such a small space as is allotted to a man's carcase. — Parker Gilmottr. Eeaders are invited to contribute items of local fishing news for insertion in this column. For insertion in the ensuing issue they should Mach Dunedin by Monday night's mail.

Tho following are the competitions fixed by the Otago Anglers' Association during the forthcoming season: October 21. —Shag River. October 27. —Lake Logan, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. November 11. —Waipahi Eiver (bare fly competition). November 13.—Waipahi RiveT. It is probable that a competition will also be held on the Mimihau River some time about Christmas.

Competition at Tomahawk Lagoon.—Four anglers took part in the competition on Tomahawk Lagoon on Saturday, when the weather was fairly rough. No fish were takon, and therefore no returns were made. The Opihi.—A Dunedin angler had five day's fishing on the Opihi and the Tengawai last week, and met with fairly good sport, though the fish were not large, the heaviest caught weighing about l£jh. He and his companions, sometimes one and' sometimes two in number, managed to average about a score of fish each day, and' the Hies generally used were Greenwell's Glory, dark red spinner, and red-tipped Governor. The Tengawai was found to be full of green weed, and requires a good fresh to scour it out. The fish were not feeding too freely, and were mostly out in the rough 'water. The opinion expressed is that when the Opihi subsides a bit it will be in tiptop condition for fishing. Kakanui and Waitaki. —Anglers at the Kakanui and 1 Waitaki Rivers are reported to be doing very well. The rivers are in good order, and fish seem plentiful.— Oamaru Mail.

Liberation of Fry.—The Waitaki Acclimatisation Society yesterday liberated 10,000 trout fry in the Kakanui, and are liberating 35,000 in the Waitaki. The balance of 50,000 will be liberated in the Waianakarua River and Oanraru Creek. The ova was secured from the Government.

The Waitaki.—The North Otago Times says:—"The largest take of trout at the Waitaki River this season that we have heard of is 11 fine fish, by a Waimate angler. The fish were taken in the breakers at the mouth of the river. Generally fish are plentiful, but they will not readily take the lures."

Streams About Clutha.—An -exchange o.f last week says:—"Fishing in the Upper Puerua on Thursday last Mr W. Clark creeled 24-, and reports the fish plentiful and in fair condition. Oni Saturday Messrs P. Mason and B. Conolley paid a visit to> the Waiwera, near the old-hotel, and had a very fair afternoon's sport, killing 27 fish that were takaible, a number having to be returned to the stream. They report the stream swarming with trout, and if they could have struck the right fly there would have been no difficulty in getting a very big basketful. Some good fish are being caught in the Molyneux, more especially towards the mouth, where on Friday Mr D. G. Algie secured four totalling 111 b in weight, and on Saturday afternoon Mr J. S. Algie. caught five nice fish, aggregating 12:1b, heaviest 41b. In* the river around Balclutha Mr Alex. Rattray has caught some very nice fish during the past week. His best so far was a five-pounder caught on Friday night ; and on Saturday his tally was six averaging lib. The Kaitangata anglers are complaining that fish are .scarce in that locality, and so far there have been no 'big uns.' Whitebait is very plentiful in the river, and after this month no doubt the Molyneux trout will'be somewhat 'hook shy.' "

The Pomahaka.—Trout fishing started on the Ist imst., but few big bags of fish are reported. Mr Theodore Murray, fishing on the sth in the Pomahafca River, at a place locally known as "Barley Gully," caught 18 fifth, weighing 291 b. They were in first-class condition. The Pomahaka has been in spate, with snow water coming down.. Anglers look for fair sport when the river is in. better order. In the meantimethere is not much fishing in the small streams. —Exchange. Wyndham Anglers' Association. —The following information with regard to. the first competition of the season held by the Wyndham anglers is clipped from a local paper: The first of this season's competitions, arranged by the above body, was held on Wednesday. The takes, all things considered, were satisfactory, as will be seen from the appended statement suprilied from the official records by the hon. sec. (Mr G. J. C. Smart): — .

Totals .. 64 59 3 Walker's sample room bore an unwonted appearance in the evening, with all the fish caught during the day laid out on white paper on the tables. The competition l being a handicap one, the heaviest basket (being on the scratch mark) ran into third place. The winner, Mr -Allan Young, got his fish from the Wyndham River, near Scott's bend. Some Southland Streams. Brown" gives some interesting information concerning fishing in Southland in a recent issue of the Winton Record. He says:— "Beautiful weather was experienced at the beginning of this week, and a good number of anglers journeyed to the Oreti in search of the finny tribe. Fish were fairly plentiful and were taking very freely. Although a large number were' bagged, no big fish so far have put in an appearance. During last week a large number of fair-sized fish were taken, the most successful with the rod for the week being Messrs H. Grrimwood 60, T. Dyer 60, I*. Kennedy 22, J. Stewart 21, H. Pierce 16, A. M'Leod 15. J. Broom 15, P. Kettle 12, J. Whyte 5, Jas.

Bloe 8, and J. Barlow 8. Since the opening of the season the river has been in fairly good order, and should good weather prevail some good catches are likely to be made. As regards ba.it, any experience is that the Pomahaka, Pui-pLe Grouse, and Red Spinner have proved the most successful so far. The river, fortunately, is very free from poachers, although I heard of a six-pounder being picked up in a mutilated oondition on Sunday last. The Oreti River at Ben-more has long been recognised by disciples of Izaak Walton as one of the best fishing grounds in Southland, and each season is visited by large numbers of anglers from various parts of the province. This year has so far proved nio exception to the rule, and the numerous fishermen who have already visited the district this season have returned home with weighty creels and pleasant memories of a good day's sport. On the opening day the river was mot in the best of fishing oondition, but improved considerably as the week advanced. Notwithstanding the adverse conditions, a party of fishermen from Waianiwa, who visited Be-nmore on the opening day, secured very g?°d bags, and expa-essed themselves as highly pleased with the splendid condition of the fish taken. Messrs H. Grim wood and T. Dyer, of Winton, fished the river at Benmore early last week, and both fishermen experienced little difficulty in securing the limit. I understand that some good catches were made by quite a number of anglers who were on the river on the same day as Messrs Grimwood and Dyer, but unfortunately I was unable to secure any particulars."

A Cautious Scot.—"ls Mr Macpherson likely to be fishing to-morrow—"—"l hae ma doots."—"How is that? Is he away from home?"—"I dinna ken whaur he is."— Not ill, is he?"—"I hae not heard."— Then what makes you think he wont be fishing?"—"l didna say. he wouldna be fishing. I said I hae my doots. He's been dead' njgh on a year."

M H g£ Competitor. %"% £ River. Time. lb. oz. a.m. p.m. A. Young Wyndhani 10 to 5 (first) .. 8 11 12 A. Gregory Wyndham 8 to 5.45 (second).. 13 11 7 J. B. Mii> Mimihau 9 to 6 che 1 ! (3rd) 16 12 1 F. Mitchell 13 9 0 Mimihau 9 to 6 J. A. Munro 6 6 11 Mimihau 8.3a to 5.30 G. J. C Wyndham 2 to 6.30 Smart .. 5 5 0 W. A. LueKch 3 3 4 Mimihau 10 to 5.30