BANK NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3339, 13 March 1918, Page 40

BANK NOTES.

Angling seems to have come practically to a standstill just now; but that is a phase of the sport quite common when the end of the season is well within sight. Very little information is available so far as the town is concorned, and -so far as the country angler is concerned I have given, him up as a bad job. An odd communication does reaoh me, but I know that there are plenty of fellows fishing regularly, and I may as well say plainly that nothing of their doings _ comes my way for one of three causes—indifference, too much trouble, or keep it dark. That js only a fair indictment, and they know it. There is no claim upon them to do anything, but a little voluntary effort on their part now and again would be oratefully received. Skirmishing round, I heard that the Leith is very low a and that_ there is a plentiful growth Of grass both in the water and along the banks. It may therefore be imagined that anglers have pretty well abandoned the little stream in the meantime. Tomahawk Lagoon.—i Several anglers have been at the Tomahawk Lagoon during last week, but, principally owing to the high wind prevailing - , failed to do any good. The water was stirred up and dirty. It ia evident from the fact that no perch have been taken from the waters of the lagoon for a very long time that these no longer exist there, ana that nothing but brown trout remain. The rainbows that were liberated in the lagoon by the Acclimatisation Society several years ago seem to have entirely disappeared, either through being caught or dieing from natural causes, the latter deduction being preferable. The Waitaki. —Meeting a Dunedin angler, who knows just about as much about the Waitaki as anyone, on Monday, I asked for news, and he tells me that the rivetf has been in bad fishing trim for some time, and that poor results have been obtained by the angler. He further informed me that salmon had been seen in the river about eight miles from the mouth. This looks as if there was a run settjng in. The statement as to the appearance of the quinnat is supported by a further authority. -The Mataura —a Return to Former Days. —The Mataura Ensign writes: —"Now and again anglers get a vision of a clear Mataura, and their hearts go out with a great longing. For these there must be a good time coming—when the river's gold gives out," said Mr Stock at a recent meeting of the Southland Acclimatisation Society anent the fact that on a recent evening trout were rising to flies under the traffio bridge at Mataura. Whitebait.—Whitebait at the hatchery at Mataura have developed into what are ordinarily known as common (says the Mataura Ensign). Whitebait kept under observation at Cnristchurch some time back grew into smelt. The Southland Acclimatisation Society purposes making further experiments. » 'Writ Sarcastic. —Forms are supplied on application to salmon anglers, ( who are to fill them up with particulars of their Catches, etc., and forward them to the Government. Many "nils" will be recorded this season, and 'we know of one angler, at least, who, in addition to his "nil," will be able to say that he has fished a total of 115 hours expressly for salmon.—Oamaru Mail.