ANGLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3444, 16 March 1920, Page 50

ANGLING.

By Jook Scott

To be a perfect fisherman you require more •xcellencies than are usually to be found in such a small space as is allotted bo a man's carcase.— Parker Gilmour. Headers are invited to contribute items of local fishing news for insertion in this column. Foi insertion in the ensuing issue they should reach Dunedin by Monday night's mail.

BANK NOTES. Owing to rivers—l mean Otago rivers and most likely South Canterbury rivers—being very low, angling has come to nearly a standstill. Small streams have become "trickles," and bigger streams have gone down to such a degree that to beguile the" wily trout has become well nigh impossible. A clear vision has made the dangers of the fish apparent to t.hem. The Waitati.—This little stream, once Eroviding such a good afternoon's sport, as been "in the shadow" during the season. I have made inquiries, but could -find out very little about the stream. I know the Jittle river has been fished to death in the past; has been "drained." There is only one cure, and that is to close such rivers for one, two, or, if necessary, three years, and, more than all, honestly protect them. I am quite satisfied that is the only way to make Otago streams yield, up to their capacity. This is in reference to near, at-hand streams, such as the Waitati. That river has been allowed for year to go down —that, and other rivers; anglers of 40 or 50 years of age who have been resident in Dunedin know that. I think the principle is a bad one —a very bad one; the angler wants his money (license fee) returned _to him 10 times over, and the acclimatisation societies—not one but all —are struggling to foot the bill and cannot. That is the whole thing in a nutshell, and it's quite true. Messrs Lawson and Gillespie were on the Waitati River last week-end, and got a dozen fish each. These fish were<caught in the upper reaches of the water, and the heaviest fish weighed about 2£lb. The Waikouaiti. —I cannot hear of anyone having been actually fishing at the Waikouaiti last week-end, but there was a picnic party enjoying itself about the upper reacht-s, and some of that party saw fish in the pools from "51b to 151 b." , Well, allowing for the excitement of the picnicker, well charged with lemonade, I draw the conclusion that there are some good fish in the upper portion of the Waikouaiti River—only they want catching. They are not easily caught. A Fishing Tour.—Messrs Butterworth, MTntosh, and Foster made a fishing tour south lately. The three anglers left Dunedin on Friday week, and went as far as Lumsden. Fishing in the Oreti in that neighbourhood Mr Foster got a few trout. The Mararoa was tried without success, the water being low and clear. The party Went to Manapouri and tried the north portion of the stream where it runs down to the Waiau. They fished in the early morning and evening, but were again unsuccessful. Mr Murrell, who keeps the accommodation house, remarked that he had never .known anyone catch fish there with the rod and line. Some of the party made a walking tour to Milford,. and on the way the Clinton River was fished, and a six-pounder taken out. The Clinton carries a few large fish, which evidently come up from the lake (Lake Te - Anau), and take up their residence in the stream. There did not, however, appear to be many fish in the stream, which is difficult of recess, the trees coming > down close to the water. When the river is low a goo"d catch might be made from the pools? but the , water is then so clear that it is difficult to touch the fish in it. The absence of the fish is to be accounted for by the presence of shags. The locality is a sanctuary, and .no guns are allowed to be used there, with the result that it is a paradise for shags, which increase and multiply prodigiously. One party coming up Lake Ada saw a shag quite close to them busv on a trout 31b in weight. After leaving the Clinton River the party walked over the M'Kiimon Pass. In Lake Ada large trout were not in evidence, but a few small ones were seen. In the Arthur River fish were seen rising. Upper Pomahaka. —A party of anglers were recently all at the Rankleburn, and caught six or seven fish,, but nothing over a couple of pounds. The river was very low and clear—that is the general complaint, "low and clear.' Personal.—l am very sorry to hear that Mr Geo. Sise, a persistent angler, is temporarily laid aside through some bodily ailment. I am pleased to understand that he is mending.