ANGLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3019, 24 January 1912, Page 64

ANGLING.

By Jock Scott.

To b« 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 Gilmour.

Readers are invited to contribute items of local fishing news for insertion in this column. For insertion in the ensuing issue they should roach Dunedin by Monday night’s mail.

RANK V«TI!1,

The Teviot.—Someone has at last com© to the rescue with regard to the Teviot River, and, whoever ho is, I am very much indebted to him for a brief account of some fishing on that stream. His letter is dated from Coal Creek, and runs: — “In regard to angling matters on the Teviot River, fishermen have not had the sport this year they had the preceding one. Evidently the cold and wet season has something to do with the fish lying low. Two are three parties were out about New \ ear, but were only moderately successful. The largest bag made consisted of two five-pounders and 1 four of 3ilb, with 30 others from £lb to lilb. These were all taken on the bare fly, Pevril of the Peak and Hardy’s Favourite being the most successful. Occasionally minnows were used, but nothing above a pound weight was taken, and that only with the cucoon, which, from my experience, is absolutely the best for this stretch of water. Perhaps later in the season, when the finny tribe are better on the ‘job,’ I will be able to send a little more news to you, but for the present I’ll close. —I am. etc., 3 X.”—• [T nerd hardly say that I shall be pleased to hear from “3 X’ again, but would remind him that it is necessary his identity should be made known to me privately. A little calculation in arithmetic leads one to the conclusion that the angler who was out about New Year and made a bag of “two fivo-fK>unders, four fish of 3ilb, and 30 others from ilb to Iglb was more than “moderately successful” ; at least, he wou.d be so regarded on most rivers. It seems to represent a basket of about 451 b weight. In case any should fall into the error of supposing that my correspondent—good luck to him —assumed the name of a favourite beverage as a nom do plume, it may lie explained for the benefit of the uninitiated that “5 X” is a fine class of grub, and has, in this connection, nothing whatever to do with Speight and Go. —J. 5.3 The Waitaki. —The following extracts are taken from a letter received from the Waitaki; —“There is plenty, of good water—an unbroken stretch from dry bank to sea beaoh. The old mouth is closing slowly. H— was there last evening, and got one small fish. I was out lust night (15th inst.), but touched nothing. W— was out this morning (16th inst.) and got one about 81b. Mac has not come in yet; ho has been fishing at the new mouth all the morning. I think ho finds there are fish there. He was at the same place last evening, and felt a great many, but they would not hold. They were going well for a few days after you left, but not many have been caught this last day or two. S. and M., from Oamaru, came last Saturday, and left on Monday morning with 13 fish, one 101 b. The Mac brothers loft two days after you. They pot 44 fish; there was also a third man. There has been very few whitebait lately. I daresay if they corrc fish will follow them in. Mack has jest come in. He got, two, one 101 b weight.” The Waiau. —I am indebted to Dr MacFarland for information concerning the Waiau. The doctor writes as follows: — “There .‘oeins to bo a prospect that the Waiau mouth will! recover some of its former glory as a fishing place, when the angler may hope for a bag of the big ones. On Wednesday, the 3rd inst., there was a good run of minnows, and on the following day the river was ‘alive with trout.’ Very few strangers now make use of the comfortable camp established by Mr Fred Wilson, of Orepuki, the only two there now being Dr Rentoul and Dr MacFarland. of Melbourne; but if the present conditions continue there is little doubt that others will find their way to this famous stream. The local anglers have been doing well. Mr Mempes. a nephew of the well-known "artist, got 14 the other day, and my correspondent. say a fine catch of II made hy Mr Charles Wilson on Saturday night, the largest of which was a beautiful female

f. Trout angling at Tokaanu on the fifth, Master Kenneth Browse, aged 10 years, son of Mr Woodley Browse, of Wanganui, secured a remarkable bag of no less than 19 fish, with a total weight of 1591 b. The total for two rods was 28 fish, and all except two were in first-class condition. Master Browse’s bag is easily the best bag . taken at Tokaanu for this season, j Several trout, weighing up to 101 b each, ; wore caught by Ashburton anglers at tne | mouth of the Ashburton River on Tuesday ! evening. I . Anglers in South Canterbury are enjoying ■ uL*- 1 s P° r k * n the various rivers, the latter being now clear again after the recent floods The fish that are being caught aio m good condition, but the big ones vo V ?, ?9 fc started to run yet, except in the , Waitaki, where trout scaling 131 b to 201 b aio being caught. One or two big ones have also teen taken from the Rangitafca. trout over 81b in weight. The trout can bo seen feeding in large numbers, and their capture is only a question of skill with the minnow on the paid of the angler. One great wttnt is a skilled boatman; the boats but the Waiau is no place for an unskilled oarsman. One sadly misses poor Jack Hunter, whose skill, care, knowledge, and strength were unmatched. Adding to my memo, of yesterday, I wish to say that tliere was another fine oatch on the Waiau last night. Mr Mason, of Tapanui, caught one of 111 b and six other good fish. Mr Mempes and Mr Charles Wilson were also successful with four or five trout each, the largest of which was just over 71b. Tor the oomfert of those who di-like night fishing, of whom I was one, I may add that I got three weighing 161 b after sunrise but before breakfast. Dr Rentoul get first blood, but was unfortunate with has big ones. I have opened my letter to add that there is a brawler working up and down aqut half a mile outside the mouth of the river this morning. No doubt- they will throw overboard any trout caught in their nets, but as there was another fine run of minnows to-day it will, I fear, cause them unnecessary inconvenience, and perhaps on the whole the acclimatisation society and the anglers of New Zealand would bo just as well pleased if trawlers would keep farther out to sea when the trout are on the run up the river.—|T very strongly support what Dr MacFarland says concerning the trawler. It is not the first time there have been complaints as to a trawler coming closer in than is justifiable, and it seems to me to be a matter that the Southland Society might, with the 00-operation of the Otago Society, very properly move in.—J.S.] Restoration of the Waiau. —I have also received from Dr Rentoul an account of the improved condition of things on the Waiau, and as it breaks some new ground I very gladly reproduce it, and thank the doctor for his communication. Dr Rentoul writes as follows:—“The most welcome news anglers have had from Southland for many a day is that the great Waiau River has recovered its original good name and quality. Not for eight years has the angling camp at the Waiau mouth afforded such joyous or profitable sport. The abundance of snow on the mountain ranges and the fulness of the river this summer has quite altered the mournful condition of things. A great run of minnows up stream, commencing on Thursday, the 4th inst., brought up a splendid rush of sea-run trout in its wake. The few anglers then in camp knew that the good old days had returned. The great drawback is the want of a skilled boatman to take up the role of the late redoubtable Jack Hunter. Mr James Mempes, of Orepuki, is, however, as skilful in managing his boat on the water as his farm on the land, and while in oamp was invaluable to the visitors. Mr Mempes's fine haul of 14 trout, running from 111 b downwards, inaugurated the new order of things. Then Mr Charles Wilron. fishing though the night of Satnrdav, the 6th inst., 1 landed 11 good trout, the largest weighing 8 lb. F. Mason was also in luck, his largest weighing 111 b. On that same day, Saturday, the 6th. the two Melbourne anglers—Dr MacFarland and Dr Rentoul —arrived in camp, having motored round from Otautau via Clifd.'.n bridge and the Tuatapere ferry. The gloomy accounts they had received regarding the condition of the Waiau were at. once dissipated, and they were soon at work. Again on Monday morning. Dr MacFarland, spinning a long drt.anoo with the ‘Filsx’ reel, made a line basket, his largest trout weighing The best feature of all is that these two anglers, working along with Mr Mempes and his boat, proved that angling in full daylight was now as productive as it. used to be in the Waiau’s oalm v da vs. manv years agone. No day failed to find a good result. The Melbourne anglers left for the Oreti at Centre Bush and Kanana_ on Tuesday, the 16th, and on that morning, prior to his departure, Dr Rentoul was again luckv in landing some ‘beauties,’ the largest weighing bi'.h. Thmse gentlemen, while delighted with their Waiau visit, give a melancholy account of the deterioration of the Southland inland rivers, especially the once noble. Aparima. which seems to have been shame/ lesslv poached from source to sea. They declare that if more stringent measures are not taken the condition of most, of the • rivers of Southland will scon be as poor as that of the streams in England, end the once splendid name of New Zealand as the foremost angling country oftheworld will be a thing of the past Off the Waiau mouth also, the sight of the trawler, fishing close in shore, by no means increased the joy of the anglers in camp or enlarged their hones for the future.” The Oreti. —T am obliged to Dr Macharland for the following, written on the 21st ; ns t.— r piH Tuesday last the Waiau continued in form. In the morning, before leaving for Orepuki, Dr Rentoul got two nice trout, which are now in the freezer in preparation for a trip to Melbourne. Tho Cmffi is low and clear, lint with fine tackle and careful fishing a delightful day with the fly can be had by any angler who is content with three-quarter-pounders—-none caught by my correspondent have exceeded lilb. There is a clean, comfortable hotel at Kauana, kept by Mrs Anderson. Tt is on the hank of the river, and there is a fair pool just at the bottom of the garden—an ideal fisherman s rest. On Friday evening there was a rise of trout, about eight o’clock, which gave one an idea of the number of trout in tho river In throequarters of an hour it was possible to catch as many as the hotel could use. As yet, there is no appearance of the big searun trout, nor is there likely to bo till after a flood. ~ , „ Several Canterbury Rivers.—Mr A. IT. Shurv has, within the last few days, kindly sent me two communications relative to the doings in Canterbury rivers in the vicinity of Ashburton. His first is dated

the 14th hist., and reads:— Our rivere have been in flood pretty well since Anniversary. I »ot two fish on December 17, and since then have not got a fine. j was at Rakaia last week, where there ar any quantity of big trout. I came homo last Thursday, the 11th, and brought fom nice little trouc with me. I 12 jib and a greenback 10 2 tb—mto freezing works, en .route for Dondon i am now waiting for the Mmister s written sanction to export them. The Act -a)5. ‘ No trout shall bo exported from the Dominion unless with the express sanction in writing of the Minister, under a of not less than £lO. la™ the permit, but a s the Hon. D- Buodo is in Christchurch it may be a few rtysj»fore I <mt it. A well-known angler eajs a friend°of his had a week’s holiday which ho enjoyed fishing in water similar to ours. He had a dozen strong casts, and yet the fish had the best of it, and he nad lost. U minnows. On the day before he was going home he eaw a whopper going for nr, bait In a flash he had his minnow out of the water, and said to the fiah t -o, I’m hanged if you get this one; I another day to fish yet. The fish for an hour were on the job, and Miargctts Jameson each lost six or eight minnows and traces. Margetts did not land a nn, except herrings and kaihwai, which w not P count. On Wednesday Jameson landed four (the ones I brought Your correspondent seems somewhat doubtful about eels. I have hoard of one, and it took three pair of hands to span it thumb to thumb and little fingor toiitUo linger. 1 have speared many in Lake Heron 6ft long, and a cutlet would cover a small pudding plate. As my scales pmy "<ngh to 25!‘b I can not give the weight, but anvone wants eels they can come to Rakaia. or* Rangitata. where they teem to come in from the sea. I gaffed one just behind his head. I had a good three-draw telescope gaff, and as soon as it felt the gait it put its tail over my Shoulder and down mv back, broke the point off the guff, and twisted the steel, so that I had to make a new end to it before I could close it. A killed the eel. but could not weigh it and as I was fully a mile from cornu left it Whilst on eels, the late Mr Oakuen of Lake Coleridge, told me when out on the lake he once noticed a shag fluttering along the surface, sometimes rising and getting his legs out of the water, and then being half submerged. On pulhng the boat up to it the shag tried hard to get clear and then Mr Oakden saw an enormous eel had the shag by the legs. Hayin'-- his gun with him, and being within 20° yards, he shot at the eel’s head and killed it. As it sank it released the shag, which made, off and was immediately accounted for with the other barrel. 1 have often seen teal and duck sliot in the Jakes and pulled under by the cels. I think the skin of a 371 b eel, with the fat and slime, would weigh over 21b. Owing to the Ashburton being so flooded and discoloured, although nianv fish are taken flora 41b down, they are caught on worm or on silvery, both of which style of fishing f object to. I may say that of the fish taken lately at Rakaia, two out of three were taken on the fly. By the way, I saw a report in the Prows or Guardian. Iho Minister has not jet assented to the new regulations of the South Canterbury Society. The rule that a man may not fish with three flies, or two flies and a minnow, or double hooks, is simply absurd. On behalf of our society I say no society should make a rule that is ultra vires and that it cannot enforce, like the last rule referred to. Ten to 15 fish are frequently taken in the Ashburton on worm of an afternoon, but it has been too thick for fly. 1 enclose- a home-made fly to show you how our big trout treat them; but wo get a lot of fish on these flics.” Mr Shury’s letter is interesting and instructive, tiarticularly the portion relating to the marvellously large eels he has hoard about or encountered. The fly enclosed, which is dressed on a double hook of very largo size, lias evidently met with terrible treatment, the hook being pretty well straightened out. By the look of the hook it might have boon used for taking cargo out of a shop’s hold. Mr Sluiry writes again on the 18fch inst.“ I enclose you a cutting from an English fishing paper. They seem to lx- doing as well as I did in ttie Thames 65 years ago. Very little i-nee mv last has been done at Rakaia or Rangitata—just a few small fisfli from 31b to bib, —but from the Ashburton, which is

:-i-a -r. ■ :1 ■ .-m ti-h are lying got. Plenty of herrings (or mullet) and kahwai are being caught. F. Smith got two trout of 9tl> each, anil Curtis one of 121 b on the 16th. I was up the river yesterday. It was blowing a howling nor'-wester all day, so strong that you could not throw a fly on fi-n w.-ter However. I caught one fish of about £lb on a. red-tip governor. As I in; n.i tnc n -i'l.l liianiii ■ i<il;i<- it was coming down thick, but the Ashburton mouth was iishable this morning. Tho south branch of the Ashburton was veryclear yesterday, and the mouth was fi.ilir.blo. As the south branch has three times as much water as tho north, unless the latter is very thick, it is of no consequence. The Rakaia was bank to bank at the bridge this morning, and this will stop fishing there for u few day®. (The cutting referred to is a record of what has been doing on various parts of tho Thames. 1 thank Mr Shury for his contributions.—J.S.).