ANGLING IN SOUTH CANTERBURY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3382, 8 January 1919, Page 45

ANGLING IN SOUTH CANTERBURY.

On Tuesday, 31st ult.. At Timarw, a. deputation of anglers waited on the Hon. T. M. Wilford (Minister of Marine), in connection with fishing in South Canterbury. Messrs J. E. Pigott, L. R James, and Pike urged the Minister that about ei.ghi miles of the Opiki River should be reserveq for fly fishermen only, and that stepf should be taken to restock the rivers with oversea trout. „ .. Mr Wilford, in reply, said that as * fisherman he was delighted to meet the deputation. He could not understand a man fishing with the worm; he would as soon shoot a hen pheasant sitting. As Minister of Marino he intended to do what he could; to keep fly water for fly fishing, but in justice to worm fishermen, he must hear what they had to say before giving a definite reply. If they could not make out a case against the one presented to him that afternoon he would promise to immediately take steps to hare a portion of the Opihi gazetted'for fly fishing only, other parts for the fly and minnow, and the rest for the use of all legal baits. With regard to the need for re-stocking, he was in complete accord with the deputation's views. The Rotorua waters were now in _ the same position as the waters of the Opihi, and he believed that the reason was that new blood was wanted. Tho fish which were first imported had become acclimatised and did not do nearly so well now as when they were first liberated. His desire was to see established one great acclimatisation society for each island with a council for the two islands at Christchureh. Then they should get a grant from the Government, this to be administered by experts, and they would tben bo able to do something of_ a substantial and useful nature for fishinfrfand shooting in both the North and the abutn Islands. "