BANK NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3487, 11 January 1921, Page 43

BANK NOTES.

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Two anglers from Dunedin (Messrs Black and Webster) were at a lagoon in the neighbourhood of Alkmton on Monday week, and caught a dozen good perch between them, the heaviest fish weighing a little over lib. The capture was made with the worm. 1 hear that Mr Ait-ken, of Invercargill, landed a nice sea run trout weighing 18!b from the Waiau just before the holiday season. Southland reports state that the early stages of the season have been productive of the best sport met with for a number of years. Among many who have visited the Oreti are Messrs Blair, M‘Stay, Periman, and Robertson, who spent a fortnight’s holiday at Lumsden. The first week the weather was boisterous, with a strong nor’-wester blowing, and tired men with sun baked faces reported poor baskets. In moderation the nor’-wester is the favourable wind, but this party secured bigger baskets with a slight south-west breeze. Every part of the river was fished from Josephville (six miles below Lumsden) up to the junction of the Acton and Irthing Rivers, about four miles above the township, the largest fish of 4i!b being grassed by Mr Periman. On the second week good bags were got by each the party, the fish ranging from lib to 3|lb. The favourite flies were Light Caperer, Black Gnat, Black Spicier. Tweedledum, Red-bodicd Pomahaka, Lake Size Jessie. Hardy’s Favourite, and Lysaght. 'JTie successful minnows were Brown Trout fmd Golden Devon. Mr C. P. M. Butter-worth has gone to Hawea Lake to spend three weeks rainbow trout fishing. Messrs _G. T. Moffett and Gilchrist, of Invercargill, have gone to Queenstown to try Moke Lake and the Lochiel River at Half-way Bay. I hope next week to be able to give readers some information as to their experiences. Sir J. MacFarland (of Melbourne). Mr R. McDermott (of Adelaide), and Mr Gray (rector of the Ladies’ Presbyterian College, Melbourne), are on a fishing expedition to New Zealand. Sir J. MacFarland spent an afternoon on the Mataura River at Garston. and landed five nice fish, averaging about He then joined the rest of his party at Lumsden, and they fished the Oreti in the vicinity of Caroline, Josenhvijle, Lowther, and the Irwin, at Five Rivers. They -were charmed with the water they covered and with the scenery and climate. They found the fishing fair, having grassed a number of fish up to 31b. Last .week they intended to fish the Oreti at Winton. Lochiel, and Centre Bush, and to subsequently spend the day at the Waiau. It is probable they may visit the Waitaki and have a try at the salmon. I wish the Australian visitors good sport and hope to hear that they have met with success. Messrs G. P. Sise, A. J. Sise, Du Croz, and R. B. Williams spent the Christmas and New Year holidays at Lumsden, and had a most enjoyable time. They fished the Oreti, which rose and was high during the early part of their stay, but they metwith very gratifying success. Mr A. J. Sise landed the largest fish—a very nice sea run trout of 7Rb, which had evidently recently come up the river. The e»tch was all the more creditable from the fact that Mr Pise took it on a 3X cast. The river was found to be ..well stocked with fish, which were in good condition. The party fished the river about Josephville, Lumsden, Lowther. and above the railway bridge, and, although they got nothing very large, took some good fish. The most of the catch, outside the big fish already men tioned, would average about J,]b. but an occasional 21b or 31b fish found its way into the baskets. The Red Waipahi and Greenwell’s Glory were the most killing flies. Mr G. Stuart during New Year made a capture from the Waitati River that might relate to tin; past in fishing. In the course of his angling he hooked a fish which proved to be 61b 9oz, a phenomenal capture nowadays from any small stream in Otago. The fish was taken just above the traffic bridge. Late renorts of the Waitati state that the river is low and clear. The opinion expressed is that the only chance of catching fish in the Waitati iust now is to use very fine tackle and “st-amt back.” Another report as to the Oreti says that three other Dunedin anglers were at Lumsden during New Year time. One of them informs me that they “did no good.” He accounts for the result by a high northwest wind blowing, which. I understand from other sources, was experienced. The results of a visit by three Dunedin anglers to Deep Stream at New Year time were poor, as they only got small fish, and not too many of them at that. Tire river was low and clear, and, according to the story told, eel catching provided excitement. They got 20 eels in a very brief period, and I can quite picture the fun and stir there would be over the catching. I’ve “been there” myself in the past. It is evident from this that Deep Stream is full of eels in the lower reaches. The following paragraphs are borrowed from ‘"Hie Digger”:—Mr Peter Fraser

(Wallacetown), on the evening of the 28th December, caught two fish on M'Carthy’s Perfection minnow in the Makarowa. They weighed 6-}lb and ofjb respectively. Messrs Crofts and M’Kcnzie visited Lake Waituna and secured eight fish on the artificial minnow. The heaviest fish were 10’b, 811 b, down to 51b. Mr Arthur Butt fishing the Aparima with the fly, secured nine fish in splendid condition. The heaviest fish weighed 241 b. Hardy’s Favourite was the popular fly. A report from Wyndham chronicles the result of angling by some enthusiasts on the Mataura River. Messrs George Strang and F. A. Lftfflsay have been landing some nice fash on the fly in the evening, when the fish seem to “take” better on this river. Fish from 141 bto 51b 3oz were “bagged,” and Red Body WaXpahi and Pomahaka the killing flies. A local angler visited the Waiau and landed some fine fish on the Perfection Minnow. The heaviest fi h turned the scale at 1441 b, and was declared by experts to be one of the finest specimens x>f female fish landed from this river. News severely condensed about South Canter bjjry may be summarised by saying that there is a run of big trout in the Opihi, one caught weighing 121 b, and that a large number of anglers were on the river at Christmas time.” The Timaru Herald records the fact that, some fine salmon (quinnat) are still being taker, from Timaru breakwater.