ANGLING

Southland Times, Issue 19769, 17 February 1923, Page 13 (Supplement)

ANGLING

(By “Creel.”) Unfortunately most of the rivers were high and dirty for last week-end so that there is very little news to chronicle this week. I have not heard of many bags being caught. Mr Cuthill and his two sons caught nineteen fish on the green trout minnow on the Aparima on Sunday. The heaviest fish weighed 31bs and they were all in good condition. Mr R. Kidd “grassed” five good fish on the March Brown fly on Saturday afternoon. The heaviest fish weighed 341bs. This angler caught this river on (he rise and reporta having seen some really heavy specimens. Owing to the stream being too high and dirty the Oreti river competition that was to have been held last Wednesday was postponed until next Wednesday. It is to be hoped that the river will be in good order for the final competition of the season. On Wednesday forenoon, fishing from the Btnmore Hotel, Kavana, Sir John McFarland, of Melbourne, landed a fine sea run trout on a Greenwill’s Glory. The fish was in perfect condition and weighed 81bs. The big fish are now evidently up the river as his companion, Rev D. Macrae Stewart, of Malvern. Victoria, lost a large one the evening before. Sport at Waiau mouth still continues to be of the fair average variety, no big baskets to be recorded, but anglers generally managing to secure a fish or two (states the Tuatapere Guardian). Experienced fishermen consider that the annual run of fish is close at hand, and that matters should improve directly. On Saturday night last Messrs Cook, Chamberlain, and party caught sixteen, the average weight being about 841bs.

The following tribute to the salmon is taken from a book written by Thomas Stoddart seventy years ago:—“The elegance of its form, the justness of its proportions, its glittering and gorgeous apparel all entitle it to rank loftily in the scale of beauty: while its size and noble bearing, its strength and velocity, the rocks, torrents and whirl pools among which its glides familiar unite in some degree to elevate its pretensions and give it place withal amid creations of sublimity. Hi at it stands unrivalled among the variety of fishes extending to many hundreds in number which inhabit the flood, there can be little question. The dolphin famed in poetry, whose glowing surface may be termed the pallet of nature, the mullet, the opah or king fish, the carp, darie and sturgeon all yield before it the submissive palm.” From the Otago Witness the following is taken:—Mr S. D. Neil and Mr Laidlaw motored as far as Te Anau and fished the tributaries running into the lake for Atlantic salmon. They saw a number of nice fish, and Mr Laidlaw had the good fortune to land three, the heaviest weighing about Bilbs, From accounts given by local residents, there does not seem to be the slightest doubt that the Atlantic sal mon is firmly established there. Mr Montgomery of Christchurch is reported to have paid a visit to the same locality a week or ten days before the two anglers mentioned, and caught some nine or ten salmon.

Mr D. I. Moffett and Mr W. Hodgkins ire making a tour of the southern rivers with a view of fishing the Mararoa, the Greenstone and the head waters of the Waiau, their special object being to prospect for Atlantic salmon. I have received the promised photograph from Mr Munro and there is not the slightest doubt about the Atlantic salmon caught by this angler. The photo is a good one and it also shows a very fine wild pig shot in the same locality. I am much obliged to Mr Munro for his interesting photograph. There have not been any very startling ashing reports from Fiji for some time. It is, therefore, of special interest to be able io report some very thrilling encounters with fish by weilders of the light rod and a spinner (writes the Suva correspondent of the New Zealand Herald). During the holidays Sir Maynard Hedshom, Mr T. E. Fell, the Colonial Secretary and Mr T. Horne went out after fish, meeting with exceptional luck. Heavy rains had brought down the Rewa river in heavy flood. At first sight this state of things did not promise any sport, but as it turned out the conditions were particularly favourable. Seeking shelter from great numbers of riant sauga, walu, and other enemies, huge schools of large mullet made for the shelter of the muddy lookrig water. The water proved a snare for there was only a stratum of muddy water on top, while underneath he water was beautifully clear. Over this water the sport was splendid, better than experienced for many years. The record of the party included several heavy bags. Deluding fish weighing 641 b, 461 b, 321 b, 22ib, 351 b, 421 b, and 511 b. It reaminod, however, for a fisherman from the country, Mr Mark J. Dodds, of Savu Savu to put up a record for Fiji so far as can be iiscoVered. In a report, Mr Dodds says: T have been on a rush trip round the bottom end of Matewa Bay, and caught omc nice fish—three walu, a sauga, four ongo, and, best catch of all a eword fish. The '.atter took me two hours and a half to land, and I was just about as tired as the fish. [ only had 160 yards of line, so had to be very careful, but it was worth it. The fi-h weighed 1221 b, was Bft 4iin long and 3ft sin in girth.