ANGLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3333, 30 January 1918, Page 43

ANGLING.

Br Jook SOOTT. To be a perfect, fieherinan you require moro excellences than are usually to be found in such a e-mail space as is allotted to a man's carcase.— Pi.BK.EK Gilmour. Readers are invited to contribute items of local Ashing n«ws (or insertion in this column. For Insertion in the ensuing issue they should reach Dunedin by Monday night's mail. £ • ■■ ii BANK NOTES. Local fishermen had but a poor return for their lost week-end excursions. The streams were- low, and the hot sun interfered with all tho lures they were able to cast upon tho waters._ That Nature- is red in tooth and claw was demonstrated at the mouth of the Te Wae Wae Lagoon, Southland, last week, when a badly-mauled groper three and a half feet long came on shore suffering

evidently from a submarine encounter. Inside it were seven fair-sized trout. Lantern anglers are having good sport in tho .Nokomai and Garston locality. They report fish plentiful, and that by using .tho fly and cricket as luxes they landed homo with over 110 trout, averaging over a pound weight. Tho cricket was used with deadly effect. Reports from tho Waiau state that so far there has been no great run of trout this season, but tho fish captured are in first-class condition. Quito a number of fishing parties are at the camp at present, and prospects are very much brighter in tho direction of tho "run" taking place, as tho "bait" is making its appearance in the river. Visitors to Manapouri are advised to take their tackle with them, as they may anticipate good sport. Returned tourists report having seen plenty of trout, largo and medium-sized, .in tho lake, rivers, and streams. Our correspondent "Angkor," reports from Roxburgh as follows:—"Since Christmas the weather has not been at all favourable for good fishing. Several parties "were out at tho lake during the holidays, but none of them wore, very successful. During three days it rained and snowed, and it was quite impossible to get outside. Tho largest fish caught was 91b by Mr Fairbairn. The same gentleman the other evening, at the mouth of the Teviot River, hooked a young salmon with the fly. It is interesting to know that tho young fish aro on their way down to the sea. The ono caught was in fino condition. I would advise all anglers who livo near tho Olutha River to be on the lookout for salmon during the months of February and March, because I am convinced that they will be seen. Owing to the river being much more clear than it used to bo there is every chance" of them coming up tho Olutha. I trust that the first angler who is fortunate enough to hook a salmon will report it, as it would bo very interesting news to all." ■■' Our Athol correspondent reports as follows:—"Tho upper reaches of tho Mataura in the Garston and Athol districts, after over a week of thick water, were in flyfishing order on the 19th, and have continued so since that date. The trout are not in first class condition, and the larger ones do not take the fly freely during tho day, whether it is fished wet or dry. Tho cricket is, however, very deadly, but these are now as hard to catch as tho trout. Tho river is well and tho proportion of undersized fish is large. Mr Aitken and a friend have been camped on the bank for five days, and took away some 80 trout from 21b down, caught principally with tho cricket and fly." Messrs A. Anderson and sßedmont have been spending a pleasant but, from 'the creel point of view, not a very "profitable week on the Pomahaka. "They found on their arrival that the river was in flood,' and waited two days for it to clear. Owing to the prevailing east wind the fish wero not moving; consequently few were caught. Those landed were in splendid condition, and were "consumed on the premises." Local anglers complain that during the of tho present season fish have not been on tho take. This condition is not due to the scarcity of fish, because in tho still pools largo fish 'can be seen moving about. It is_ a well known fact to anglers that fish in the Pomahaka are always in good condition, and make splendid sport. Weather conditions up to the present have not been good in this locality. An Oamaru angler caught four salmon m the Waitaki river tho other day. Tho fish averaged 41b each in weight, but were in such poor condition that the angler did , not take them home.