ANGLING

Southland Times, Issue 21997, 22 April 1933, Page 15

ANGLING

(By

“Creel.”)

Changeable weather was experienced for the Easter holiday fishing, and the larger rivers generally carried too much water, but the smaller streams were in good order. The Oreti river was up and down, and when caught in a clear order some fair bags were taken in the upper waters. The Aparima river, despite being cloudy and high, yielded some good bags to anglers whipping its waters. Mr E. S. Kent and party secured a total of 144 fish while camped on the river. Mr E. S. Kent, jun., had a splendid catch ofl6 fish with four and three-pounders. The wet flies Priest and Heckum Peckum were the best killing patterns. One of the party, a lady angler, secured a 31b fish in splendid condition.

From the Waimahiku river, Messrs G. F. Strang and E. Henderson landed a total of 19 fish on the Red Heckum Peckum wet fly. The heaviest trout weighed about 21b and the catch was reported to be in good condition. The Waiau at Clifden was visited by Messrs T. S. Mackie, J. Speirs and party, but the river was considerably swollen and difficult to fish. The minnow lure was the best bait that could be presented and some nice fish were taken on some stretches of water. A few Rainbow were connected, but only one of about ljlb was successfully landed. The others were too strong in the broken water and the hooks on the minnows tore out of the fishes’ mouths. Messrs Ellis and Harold Kelly report that the Waiau mouth was visited by a fair number of anglers, but the water was far too abundant, and a few fish only were caught in the backwashes and lagoons. The Otapiri river returned some nice bags to the wet fly fisher, Mr Angus Macdonald securing 15 trout for a few hours’ fishing on Easter Monday. A Dunedin enthusiast was also rewarded with some nice specimens.

Reports indicate that both at Lake Waituna and Te Anau the results were somewhat disappointing owing no doubt to the cold, inclement weather experienced. The Mataura river was fished fairly thoroughly by a large number of anglers, the worm being the most successful lure used. It is stated that an Invercargill party secured 16 in one day, including a large fish turning the scales at 161 b.

The Lora river was found to be very low and clear by Mr D. Wishart, and four brace of good trout took some stalking and coaxing to the creel. An average of ljlb is a satisfactory return for this splendid little stream.

From the mouths of the rivers at the head of Lake Waikitupu, Mr Duncan (Dunedin), and party caught a total of 100 quinnat salmon by trolling from a boat with the spoon and minnow lures. It is reported that some splendid captures of brown trout have also eventuated in this locality lately, and waters which were considered barren a few years ago now yield some satisfactory returns. This is no doubt due to the activities of the Lakes Country Acclimatization Society, and this body is worthy of commendation for the good work it is doing.

For a number of seasons Waimakariri quinnat anglers, particularly those who fish from Halkett up, have been taking odd rainbow trout, reports "Black Gnat” in the Press. During the last two months, however, it has been the experience of a number of anglers to capture bags of two and three rainbow of from two to six pounds in weight. It would seem, therefore, that rainbow trout appear to be increasing in this river, and it is known that in the upper half of the Waimakarin, even as far up as Cass, fair, though as yet by no means exceptionally heavy bags of the fish may be taken by minnow fishermem

Nymphing for Trout. The following extract on “Nymphing for Trout” is taken from the current issue of the New Zealand Fishing and Shooting Gazette and is written by that capable authority, “Esteetee.”— Whether in a fast stream or a slow the trout will, at the time of the take, be lying in wait in a position where it can maintain itself with the minimum of effort, and can, with most ease come up or out to absorb its prey and return to position. The surface from a small distance in front of it (beyond the small window through which it can see into the air) acting as a mirror, will call attention to everything approaching from upstream. In fast water the nymph will generally come too rapidly to reach the surface after the trout has seen it. So it will be intercepted more or less in mid-air. To rise to the surface to catch a nymph which is actually in the film of the surface and about to hatch, involves a strong effort to turn down again, probably using up more energy than the food secured would replace. So the fish lets it go by. The larger insects, of course, repay more effort than the smaller, with perhaps an odd exception. In slow water in such a case, the trout merely adjusts its fins to plane itself up to the surface, sucks in the nymph and goes down again with much less effort. If the nymph comes on a lower plane, it merely intercepts it with or without a small upward movement. Thus it comes that, in some streams, the nymph is often taken with what looks more or less like a rise to the floating fly. Now, as our artificial nymphs are taken under water, the novice will want to know how to cast them so as to sink, and how to detect when they are taken.

The artificial nymph is built to sink, and it is only necessary in casting to see that it be not delivered so dry as to delay its sinking. On the other hand, it is an advantage to have the gut within, say, two or three feet of the nymph floating, as very often when the nymph is taken under water without the movement of the trout being otherwise detected, the accelerated sinking of the gut cast (what is called the “draw”) will betray the fish. Sometimes, as previously pointed out, the taking will be quite obvious like an ordinary rise to a floating fly, but at other times when the taking is deeper, one only sees a sort of humping of the surface about the size of a soup plate, with a tiny dip in the middle, or if the trout be taking deeper still, there may be nothing but the flash of the fish as it turns or some even more subtle indication.

One fishes the nymph upstream or up and across. On slow streams there must be no drag, but on fast rivers the angler will be aided by the fact that he must keep a taut line, which will often lead to the trout hooking itself.