ANGLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3327, 19 December 1917, Page 51

ANGLING.

BX JOOK SCOTT.

To be a perlect fisherman you require mors excellencies than are usually to be found ia such a small space as is allotted to a man's carcase.— Parker Gilmour. Readers are invited to contribute items of local fishing news (or insertion in this column. For insertion in the ensuing issue they should reach Dimedin by Monday night's mail. 1 BANK NOTES. Tho Otago Acclimatisation Society recently liberated in one of the reservoirs at Roslyn 100 yearling rainbow trout. Shortly afterwards it becamo necessary for the caretaker to empty the reservoir, and only one of tho 100 fish was to bo seen. The strangest part of it is that in a corner was found a 41b trout in tho full vigour of health. How it got there is a mystery, as ifc is impossible that one of the 100 can have become that weight in ee- short a time. Its presence, however, may account for the disappearance of the S 9. It has been having what is glibly termed " the time of its life" among tho comparatively small fry. The big fellow has been living on tho fat of the land.

A one-time well-known angler in tha person of Mr Gray is a't present on a visit to Dunedin. Mr Gray was connected with tho teaching profession, and had his headquarters at Mornington, but, obtaining a much higher position in Melbourne, has since lived in that city. Since he has been in his native town he has occupied his sparetimi in mailing fishing excursions with the special object of benefiting his health. His many friends will regret to learn that soma little time ago ho_ underwent an operation. He is now regaining strength. Ho has eo far visited tho Waikaia and Mimihatt River*, and has had very fa'ir sport. Ho and Mr Cameron (of the Mos'giel Woollen Company) intend spending a portion of tho coming holidays on the Wyndham. and Mimihau Streams and the upper reaches of the Mataura River about Garston. Tho Waitati. —Mr A. Harris recently paid a visit to the Waitati in pursuit of sport with tho rod. He found this little stream l very low and clear, and caught a few small fish down near 'the mouth with the minnow. Apparently tho river has been low for somo time, and those fishing it have been mostly boys. Mr Harris expresses the opinion that there are a number of good fish of about £lb weight in the river, especially up towards the sawmills. Ho. used tho Silver Devon. -The ilb fish makes one reflect on bygone years when "Jimmio" Richardson, "Alf Anderson, "Jim" Peake ; and others, to say nothing of "Jock Scott,' fished the little Waitati and got something better than that. But times are changed, and what was once a fair-sized fish is now a "monster."

A Big One Molyneux.— " We (Free Press of the llth inst.) were yesterday shown a fine large trout weighing 12|lb caught by Mr Sam M'Kay in tho Molyneux at B-alclutha. It was a beautifully made-up fish, measuring 30in in length and 19in, round the girth. This i 3 quite the largest fish that has been caught in recent reasons so near tho town." The Rakaia.—Tho Ashburton Guardian of a recent dato says: " Some- Ashburton anglers who -visited the mouth of the Rakaia River during the week-end report having caught a fair number of fish, some of them turning tho scale at 91b. _ It appears that better results were obtained- by anglers on the Southbridgo sido of the river."

Polluting a Stream.—Two men were recently fined £3 each, costs, for permitting refuse from a flaxmill to enter the Wyndham River to the detriment of the fish therein.

A Warning.—An intonation is to be posted warning anglers against fishing in the SulKvan Dam.

Waikouaiti.—Messrs G. W. M'lntosh and A Harris were at the Waikouaiti River last week-end. They found the stream low and clear, and fish shy. They managed, by dint of careful and persevering effort, to take a couple of fish that ran well over lib. It was, perhaps, nothing to "brag" about; but it was, most likely, an achievement in reality. The fish caught were taken on the Alexandra fly, at night. High tides wore prevalent, and there was a fine run of fish; but they were not taking "anything." They would not look at tho nlinnow. However, these fish remain to be caught, however dainty they may have been at the week-end, and it can bo easily understood that tliev would bo dainty after having come from "the salt." Very few fishermen were about; in fact, tho river' was pretty well deserted.