ANGLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3764, 4 May 1926, Page 54

ANGLING.

By

JOCK SCOTT.

To bo • perfect fisherman you require more oxeellenctea than ore usually to be iound in suet a small space as is abetted to r man's PaRKEB GILMOUR. Headers are Invited ti contribute ftema o f local fishing QQwe (or insertion to this column. Foe insertion in the ensuing issue her should resot Dansdin by Saturday aignt's mail. The season is over, and I must make my adieu to anglers. It can scarcely be regarded as having been a good season as far as I can find out. The weather has, in the first place, been decidedly against angling, especially what is termed the lighter art of angling—that is fly fishing. But even with bait fishing the rodrnan has not been overweighted with success. I want to thank all those who have assisted me in giving as much information as I could. There has not been much enthusiasm displayed in this direction, but all the same, “the smallest contribution has been thankfully received.” My last piece of advice to those who carelessly throw rod and tackle aside, is the same as that given to those about to marry: ’‘Don’t.” It will pay you to spend an hour or two in oiling rods, drying lines, ami putting tackle of all kinds carefully away, pending the coming of October, 1926. The saddest word in the English language is said to be "Good-bye,” but it has to be said sometimes.—J.S. (I had almost forgotten to say good-bye to my friend “Creel.” He, I think, is an angler and I wish him all sorts of good luck.) I hear that the Manorburn yielded some good bags during the last few days of the season, but details are not within my knowledge. The Tomahawk Lagoon seems to have fallen off very considerably latterly, and the local men have for the most part given it “best,” is it that they have “had other fish to fry,”—l mean the lure of the Exhibition may have proved too powerful for them. A few fish—of course, not of any great size—have been taken during the last week from the Waitati. I regret to record the death of Mr J. F. Peake at a ripe old age. It was Mr Peake who “broke me in” to angling many years ago; first on tlie banks of the Water of Leith, and later on at Waitati, the Shag, Owaka, and many other rivers. “Jim” was a keen angler, and a good sportsman. I knew him well, and can speak with authority. He was also my preceptor in volunteering when I joined the old Dunedin Artillery at the age of 18, and that was not yesterday. Following is the screed of “Creel” for the close of the season:— “For the final week-end of the 1925-26 season, the rivers were again in good order, and s.vne fair catches were made by local anglers. Some 16 anglers took part in the final competition of the Southland Anglers’ Club, and the waters fished were from Centre Bush up to Dipton. Although the river was in good order most of the participating anglers had to be content with small fish, most of the bags weighed in averaging only 41b. The winning bag was returned by Mr T. S. Maekie, who had 24 fish, weighing about 121 b. Mr R. Ure was second, and Mr A. L. Whelham caught the heaviest trout, which turned the scale at 31b. This fact of the consistent average of the fly bags of Hb weight taken from the Oreti River confirms the opinion that this liver still needs the persistent efforts of the local Acclimatisation Society to bring the fishing back to the standard possible to he obtained a few years ago. Of course, there is not the slightest doubt that the Oreti has to stand more intensive fishing, year after year, but as the greater proportion of the society’s revenue is obtained by the issue of angling licenses, it is certainly up to the society to study this fact, aud return to the angler the full value for the money paid. At Benmore during the week-end Messrs R. Brown and W. Mitchell caught

some 90 fish, the heaviest of which was a lagoon trout of 61b weight. Mr Mitchell was responsible for its capture. As these are the final notes for the season, a short resume of the season will no doubt be in order. It can be safely stated that for the most anglers the season has been disappointing, the rivers for quite a considerable period being too full for heavy water. *1 lie only redeeming feature is that the fall season’s fishing has been very satisfactory, the Mataura River especially yielding sonic good baskets. This river is voted by most competent authorities to be the coming river of Southland.” Evidence against the shag as a bird destructive of trout, is piliug up. The Ashburton Acclimatisation Society lately examined 2G of these birds, and 24 of them contained trout. Anglers are notoriously unreliable in their statements regarding their catches (remarks the Stratford Evening 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, which would scale somewhere in the vicinity of 12Ih. He looked at it regretfully, and, shaking his head, threw it back in the water, saying with a sigh: “It’s hard having to put it back, but if I took it home they would never believe that I caught it.” One of Rotorua’s most consistent visitors and successful anglers, who usually spends many months in the district, expressed the opinion that the authorities who are responsible for the fishing were not alive to their responsibilities (says the Rotorua Chronicle), that the conservation of fish in the spawning season was neglected, and that fish were not in the lake or stream as in previous years. After three fveeks’ fishing his aggregate amounted to 50 fish. There was a possibility of the season affecting the result, but it was not conceivable that it should do so to the extent apparent to the fisherman. He suggested that- it was time sportsmen awoke to the fact and protested. An enthusiastic sea angler of Wellington, getting his boat out at daylight recently, was intrigued by the movements of a school of fish some 300yds out from the beach. They did not behave like kahavvai, but were "porpoising” lazily. Through a field glass he saw at once thai they were not kahawai, and the thought crossed his mind that they might lie quinnat salmon. The school of a dozen fish was pointed out to the crew of an Italian launch which came in about the same time, and who had also watched it. Thg fishermen catalogued the fish as quinnat bound for the Mutt River v<to spawn. Their theory found some justification, as soon afterwards they secured a small quinnat in their nets. It was recently stated that a schnapper, believed to be a record in size, was taken in a trawl in Auckland waters. The fish weighed 1941 b. The other day, however, a bigger schnapper was caught by a resident of Seatoun. Wellington. The fisherman was spearing for butter fish at tlie Pinnacle Rock when the schnapper swam within his reach. He made a lunge at it, and speared it. and took it into his boat. It weighed 2141 b. measured 3ft 4in from snout to tail, and was 294 in round in the widest part. On the shores of the Wash, and more particularly on that part o.f it that adjoins the Gedne.v Marsh, there is practised a form of fishing as primitive, perhaps, as is to be found anywhere in this country. Soon after high water, the sand hanks with which the Wash abounds begin to uncover, and at half ebb miles of these banks are exposed. They consist of clean, firm sand, and are interspersed with numerous Streams, some of which are mere rills, while others are sufficiently large to be worthy of the name of rivers. These streams drain the higher portions of the banks, and begin to run as soon as the sands uncover, and continue even after the flood tide has started. They form the habitat of thousands of dabs, or “butts” as they are locally called, and, their particular haunts being well known to the sniacksmen of the district, they are taken in large numbers in the following manner. At approaching low water the smack is "anchored” by the simple process of running aground on the bank, and the fisherman "lands” and proceeds to the scene of action armed with no other weapon than his hands and a “butt net.” This appliance is merely a semicircular net, and takes the place of the landsman’s creel, simply being used to hob. the fish when caught. The butts lie on the bottom of the streams almost buried in the sand, and are invisible to the eye, but, wading gently up the rill, the butt fisherman carefully rakes the bottom with his fingers. Immediately a fish is felt, and before it has time to escape, it is held firmly on the bottom by the pressure of the thumb placed behind the gills. The’fingers are worked through the sand underneath the fish, which is then hurled on to the dry sand, afterwards to be picked up and placed in the net. Butt fishing is an excellent sport, and the knack of holding the fish is not difficult to acquire, although ehe novice will miss many fish before he learns the art of placing his thumb in the right place and unless that is done is it impossible to hold the butt, which invariably escapes. The fish thus taken are of unite an appreciable size, specimens weighing 12oz to lib being frequently taken, and they are, moreover, very good eating. Large numbers are cau"ht in this manner, and .although the period dicing which fishing is possible is limited on account of the tide. 20 to 30 good fish taken by one man between tides is not an uncommon number, ami in these days when the sole, which used to form an appreciable part of the shrimper’s catch, appeal# to have deserted the Wash, they f'rm a most acceptable addition to the smack mn’s bag.