ANGLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3808, 8 March 1927, Page 50

ANGLING.

By

Jock Scott.

To b« * perfect flsherman too reautra »<« KoeUetieiea -than aro usually to bo Tn TuS • email space u is allot! ed to r -nan', Pabksb Gilmour.

Beaders are invited tn contribute items of local Sahing newa for insertion tn this column. For Insertion in the ensuing issue they should Donedin by Saturday nigat's mail.

I noticed that the Otago Acclimatisation Society is much concerned as to the escape of some deleterious matter into the Water - of Leith from a factory, or factories, up the North-East Valley, and am given to understand that the society is determined to put a stop to the discharge of anything “ that is a menace to the fish in this little stream. I cannot quite understand how it is that some "owners exhibit so much indifference as to tlie disasterous consequences of liberating foul matter that may result in practically killing all the fish for pernaps a _ mile or two. Those engaged in industrial pursuits are unquestionably entitled to every consideration, but when it is within their power to prevent the destruction of trout they might surely make some attempt to. do so. Mr AV, M. Miller, in company with Mr M'Gregor. recently visited the Waipori Hirer, .and secured half a dozen fish, none of which was large. His catch was made with the fly. Mr M'Gregof also made a fairly good basket. I was told a few evenings ago that .the basket made by Messrs W. J. Hutcheson, and H. G. Williams at the Manorburn Dam, consisted of 142 fi«h, the weight ranging from Iglb to 51b. Tlie fish were mostly taken with the spoon bait. The three anglers spent a week at the dam. Mr J. H. Meek spent a week-end at the Manorburn Dam . recently. He went there on a Friday and fished on the fol-

lowing daj’. The weather on Sunday was very stormy, and there was almost a sea on the dam which precluded all possibility of fishing. One or two anglers ventured out in the evening, and caught a few fish. On the Saturday and the Monday Air Meek had two wonderful days, and in conjunction with a friend took 30 fish weighing from lAlb up to 41b on the Saturday. On the Monday they got 15 trout of about the same size. Amongst the catch were a number of Loch Levens, which Mr Meek describes as a wonderfully game fish; far more so than the Rainbow. The angler did not do much good with the green-bodied minnow, and had to fall back on the spoon bait, with which he was • ery successful. The spoon that proved most attractive was the silver-copper one with a copper head. The fish seemed to like a little bit of colour. His companion was Air H. A. Salmon, 'and both enjoyed their outing extremely.

“Creel,” in one of his weekly reports on fishing in Southland, says:—Contrary to expectations and rumours most of our local rivers were in first-class fly order, and some nice fishing was obtained by several enthusiasts. On the Slataura, at Gore, Messrs J. Al‘Arthur, A. Shivas, and A. Crawford landed some good trout up to 61b weight. The heavier fish were caught on the golden devon minnow. In the upper reaches' - at Garston a partv comprising Messrs J. Speirs, W. Henderson, T.s S. Mackie, and G. F. Strang caught a total of 46 trout averaging IJlb. “Creel” visited the Aparima at Hazlett’s on Sunday afternoon, and was pleased to enjoy quite a pleasant experience with the Pe'”ril and Alexander flies. The river was in splendid order, and some satisfactory' fly fish were encountered. Eight trout averaging” a little over 11b were grassed, and about 811 b of fish were lost, through carrying on operations without the aid of a landing net. There is no doubt about the fighting qualities of the Aparima trout, and . the reported gameness of the Mataura river specimens will need to. be-all that is claimed to surpass the vi. ility of the Aparima fish. However, the writer hopes to have the pleas-

ure of the comparison in the near future. The I outhlaud Anglers’ Club are holding an eeling competition at the Iron Bridge, and it is to be hoped that a large number will participate in this laudable operation. Splendid prizes have been donated, so that there is every inducement for anglers to be present. Arrangements are also in train for the holding of the Smith challenge cup competition at an early date. “Red Spinner” contributes a lengthy but interesting article to the Southland Times on a trip he made to Lake Te Anau, from which I cull the following:— “The day was still young, and the prospect of a still twilight on the lake tempted us to put our rods up and row across to the outlet. On second thoughts to save time we decided to motor round, as the boat was there on the beach. As a rule, if the salmon are in a taking humour, one will soon set results, and we were lucky in arriving after the fishing ground had had a few days’ spell. First time over there was a strike and a salmon, second ditto, third, ditto —all to the one rod using a spinning bully. Then the next two were accounted for by my silver spoon, and thus ended the evening of a perfect day. The next evening we accounted for another brace or two at the mouth of the Upukeroa, and as we had all the fish we wanted we let some new arrivals have their turn for the next day or'two, so wc just loafed about in the sun or rowed across rhe lake from sheer enjoyment. As Charlie Evans was going up to the Eglinton to prepare the trap for the ensuing season, we accepted his offer to accompany him, and camped nearby. The fishing in the Eglinton for the first two or three miles is not good for some reason or other, for when the salmon leave the lake they appeal- to journey up the river some distance before resting in the pools, and it was not till we got up as far as the Retford that we secured our first salmon. As on a former occasion, the trout in the lower waters were as scarce as the salmon. I gave it a. good try out from the camp to the mouth, and the only specimen I did get proved almost uneatable.” • “Re<

Spinner” goes on to devote a good deal of attention to the mosquitoes, who evidently. paid a good deal of unwelcome attention to him. There is every indication that the run of quinnat this year in the South Island rivers will be an exceptionally large one, and the size of the fish is much greater than before (says an exchange). There are large numbers of quinnat in the sea outside the Rangitata River, and the river iis well stocked with salmon from the sea to reel Forest. Anglers’ reports show that some 300 quinnat have been landed there this season already. Usually the salmon range from 61b to 81b, but this oon 1 ' o ra a -i orit .v are between 181 b and • . bcale readings of fish from 301 b to 11 £ l i Ki ‘ <:^, e t J) at these are three-vear-old fish. The- Rangitata is now running straighter out that it was last season, but in the lagoon formed by a shingle bar at the mouth there are hundreds of salmon, including many small ones from 21b to bib. It seems as though the Rangitata r «L WII bc , a record. At Nugget Bay, off the mouth of the Clutha, a 271 b quinnat was caught by a fisherman fishing for groper. lhe VVaitaki has been very high since the New Year, and opportunities for angling have been few, but a good run there is also supposed to have occurred. r-arge quantities of trout have been taken out of the Hinds River by illegal means this A o ?’ ? Ut the Society had been unable to move in M -e matter as the ground adjourning the river is privately owned. It is stated that nets have been used to take scores of fish. The "landowners, however, have now granted permission to the society to prosecute persons found poaching on the banks of the Hinds, and, when this becomes known, poaching will rapidly diminish, if it does not cease completely. Swarming with young perch in excellent condition, the swimming pool and ponds in the Tinwald Domain form a splendid source for the supply of fish for stocking the lakes and rivers of the county. The Ashburton Society, has decided to ask the Domain Board when it intended to drain the swimming pond, so that the society may capture

a quantity of the perch for liberation in the back country lakes. „ few da ? 3 there 11 as been a slight fiesh in the rivers which tends to improve them as far as fishing is concerned and the conditions at present aro© Snntbl U aV i y xT Ulte x d to fl y fishing (writes the bout‘land News) Mr D. Dickson, who spent a few weeks at the mouth of the Waiau. caught during that time some 212 1 tolal , we *ght of 10331 b. The largest fish caught weighted 161 b. and his snr « hided a 91- salmon. On his most successful night be caught 15 fish weighing lOolb. and on another night 14 fish weighing Although ,he Atlantic salmon has been well established in some of the rivers of the bouth Island, an effort to introduce this sporting fish to the North Island is still in the preliminary stage. Since the establishment of a hatchery at Piriaka, on .the headwaters of the Wanganui River, over seven millions of Atlantic* salmon fry have been liberated, and the intention is to Testock the river annually until success has been achieved. In other parts of the world the salmon go to the open sea, later to return to their home river to spawn and die. The unknown quantity at the moment is whether the Wanganui salmon will develop the necessary homing instinct to establish the fish in the river for all time. The ranger (Mr J. S. Main) of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, reported to< the council on Thursday that during . the past month .the salmon had been running in the Rangitata, but owing to floods no salmon were landed until February 20. In the nine days in which fishing was possible over 300 salmon were landed by rod and line, and quite a number weighed from 251 b to 321 b. There is every indication of a record run of salmon in the Rangitata this season. Of late Lake Alexandrina has given good sport with rainbow arid brown trout, and these fish weighed from 81b to 141 b. Occ asionaliy anglers in the Onihi have had fair sport on the fly, and fish up to 121 b have been landed. At the last meeting of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. Air E. Hardcastle suggested the advisability of writing to Air Zane Grey, and drawing his attention to the excellent fishing to be had in South Canterbury waters, particularly in the Rangitata. where at present ' there is every indication of a record run of salmon taking place this season. It was agreed that the suggestion be adopted, and that the secretary l>e asked to get into communication with Mr Grev.