ANGLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3763, 27 April 1926, Page 30

ANGLING.

By

Jook Scott.

To be • perfect fisherman you require move excellencies than are usually to be bund in such e small space as is allotted to t man’s carcase.— Pabjlxb Uilmocr. Readers ere Invited to contribute Items of local fishing news for insertion to this column. For insertion in the ensuing issue they should react Dunedin by Saturday nignt's mail.

“That the fishing season for trout open on October 15 and close on April 30 in each year, and that the quinnat season close on April 30 in each year,” is a motion to come before the council of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society at its annual meeting. [lt is very questionable whether the dates would be suitable to other districts in the South Island, though they might be quite suitable to the waters of North Canterbury.—J. S.j More quinnat salmon have been caught in the Waitaki River this season than for some years past. Oamaru and Waimate anglers have been enjoying good sport at the river lately. The past trout fishing season in the Pahiatua district has been an excellent one, good sport being obtained in most of the streams. A giant eel which was seen in the Waingongoro River was captured by means of an explosion of gelignite, the Eltham Argus reports. It was sft in length and weighed 271 b, and must have done great damage among the trout. A fishing enthusiast at Wainui beach succeeded in landing a kingfish which turned the scale at 341 - That the quanuat salmon run in the southern rivers is nearing its peak is shown by the appearance at the mouths of the rivers of “soldiers.” These are male fish nearly ripe to spawn. As a rule males do not attain the tinge indicating that condition until they are well up the rivers. The females remain as silvery as those of the first run. It is not until the spawning season is Well advanced that “soldiers” show un at the mouths of rivers, but this does not mean that the run is oyer, because it is not until about the middle of May that the last salmon appear. These very late fish spawn a little distance inside the river, instead of going right up to the head waters as do the earlier fish.. The heavy runs of quinnat salmon have in the meantime ceased, but there will probably be one or two more big runs before the end of the spawning season. The Marine Department has commenced operations for netting the Clutha River for quinnat for sale, and is getting ready to trap quinnat for spawn in the Ahuriri and Hakataramea Rivers in North Otago, and Atlantic salmon in the Te Anau streams.

Experienced anglers stood agape, their creels empty, while a thirteen-year-old school boy, who was making his first acquaintance with fishing, lifted oig fish out of the Waitaki River the other day (says the Waimate Advertis. c ). Seven or eight fishermen were grouped round him, vainly flicking the water, while the boy leisurely dropped his line and pulled up again with a big fellow firmly attached to the hook. The little ’ an cleaned his fish an dtlien sat down. “I think I’ll have another go,” he said, suiting the action to the word, and another finny prize was hooked immediately. The novice caught two 201 b salmon and a nine-pounder, and a 151 b trout. The old hands looked silly. Such is “fisherman’s luck.” It certainly was luck, and reminds me of the story of the Irishman who was induced to purchase a ticket in a “shwape.” It was explained to him that the tickets were half-a-crown each, and that there were three prizes. A month afterwards he called at the village “pub” kept by the lady who had persuaded him to buy the ticket, and after having ordered his customary “long beer” inquired who had won the prizes- The landlady said, “My little Patsy won the first prize. Wasn’t he lucky?” “Indade, and he was luckv. and may I be axin’ who won the second prize?” “My little Eileen. God bless her, she won the second prize. Wasn’t she lucky?” “Indade, and she was. And may I be axin’ who it was won the third fri~<i?” “You’re humble servant, Pat. won the third prize. Wasn’t I lucky?” “Indade, and you were lucky.” “And that reminds me, Pat, that you never paid me the half-a-crown for the ticket.” Pat grinned and said. “And ain’t T lucky.”

Though most of those who sought their sport among the finny tribe during the holidays returned home empty-handed owing to the dirty state of the fishing streams, Mr E. Millicliamp, of Tinwald, had a notable success, landing a salmon from the banks of the Ashburton River. The fish, a 15-pounder, is, it is stated, the first of its species to be caught in the Ashburton. The rivers are in better fishing order to-day, and several parties are trying their luck at the various streams.

On account of flooded rivers and bad climatic conditions during the past month anglers in the various 'uthland streams have met with indifferent success lately. Last week, however, a party of fishermen, Messrs R. Brown, W. Mitchell, and A. Shuttleworth, had wonderful sport on the Oreti at Benmore, each succeeding in landing 30 splendid fish on the fly. The smallest trout weighed 21b and the heaviest 61b. —Exchange. The fishing season will finish at the end of the month, and will be followed by the shooting season (says the Christchurch Press). Very few bags were landed during the week-end, and what fish were caught were generally poor in condition. Most anglers are now turning their thoughts to shooting, and are getting their gear ready for April 1, Avhen Lake Ellesmere and other haunts of waterfowl will again resound to the crack of sportsmen's guns.

At the monthly meeting of the Acclimatisation Society at Invercargill it Avas decided that Dr Crawford Avrite to the Health Department on behalf of the society drawing attention to the fact that the Gore and Mataura boroughs were discharging their sewerage into the Mataura Riv’er. reference was made to the health point of view and the bad effect this practice'had on the fish in the river. A suggestion for stocking Victoria Lake with koura (native crayfish) and other trout food was put forward at the meeting of the council of the iNorth Canterbury Acclimatisation Society bv Mr Edgar F. Stead. “ I think it would be a good thing,” he said, “to let the trout out of the lake, and to stock it with koura. We might also try whitebait in the lake, and then the Avon. It Avould certainly improve the palatability of the fish.”

Regarding the movements of Mr Zane Grey, the novelist, during his next visit to New Zealand, Mr J. S. Dick, secretary of the Southland League, has received the folloAving communication from Mr A. H. Messenger, acting-publicity officer to the New Zealand Government; —“ I am afraid it is a little early to say definitely what his itinerary will include, although I think it is quite certain that he will visit the Southland district for the fishing and deer-shooting to be found there.” The Napier breakwater has become increasingly popular with anglers lately, and good catches are reported. Kingfish, schnapper, kahawai, and crayfish ha\ T e been landed consistently, and at night may be seen keen fishermen with the necessary pots and tins to catch crayfish. One man stated: “If the proposed breakwater harbour is going to impro\’e the fishing I’m going to vote for it.” # Anglers are notoriously unreliable in their statements regarding their catches (remarks the Stratford Post), but a very pointed story is told. An enthusiastic Stratford angler, who is anxious to secure the prize for landing the largest fish of the season, was out fishing, and landed a fine trout, Avhich Avould scale somewhere in the A'icinity of 121 b. He looked at it regretfully, and, shaking his head, threAv it back in the water, saying Avith a sigh: “It’s hard having to put it back, but if I took it home they would never belieA r e that I cav’ht it.” The Pahiatua sub-committee of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society during the past year conducted a campaign against eels (says the Wairarapa Age), and 891 were destroyed. A 241 b eel was taken on a line at Makuri. The Fisheries Department’s launch visited the Kuratau Stream, Taupo, the other evening for the purpose of netting trout near its mouth ‘writes a Taupo correspondent). The fish are required for despatch to England for publicity purposes. Fifty fish wore secured, averaging between 91b and 101 b, and including a fine rainbow scaling 181 b. There appear to be numbers of fish round the stream mouths now, but they are not running yet, owing to the long-continued dry Aveather. _ The first rain will send the fish up the rivers. TOO MANY FISH. CHRISTCHURCH, April 22. That fishing throughout New Zealand is going from bad to worse, owing to the rivev.i being overstocked, was stated at last night's meeting of the council of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. Mr Edgar Stead said : ‘‘We have not at the present time sufficient natural enemies of fish. Trout is naturally destined to withstand the depredations of its natural enemies, but it has not enough enemies. Fishing here is going to go from bad to worse.’’