ANGLING

Southland Times, Issue 22728, 2 November 1935, Page 15

ANGLING

(By

“Matuku.”)

Last week-end, including Monday, the Labour Day holiday saw a great exodus to the various streams and mostly had some fish to show for their outings. As previously mentioned the lower waters of the Oreti are providing excellent sport for the natural and artificial minnow anglers. At Otatara, the Ferry Bridge and at the Iron Bridge good bags were got during the weekend, one bag comprising nine fish averaging nearly 41b. each. Other anglers have had good bags of fish taken on the Matuku or other similar lure. It is suggested that the absence or scarcity of whitebait improves the angling, as the trout have not the ample whitebait supplies to feed on. There seems no doubt that the trout in the Lower Oreti get ample bullies and shrimps to feed on, as they are in excellent condition. During the week a nice bag of four trout averaging nearly 41b. was displayed in Messrs A. and W. Hamilton’s shop window. These fish were got in the lower Waikiwi near its junction with the Oreti, on the natural. This bag shows the angling within six or seven miles of the city within reach of a short bicycle ride any evening. An angler will, of course, require to strike conditions right and the fish in a taking mood, otherwise he will be prepared to swear there are no fish in the river.

The Aparima attracted numerous anglers during the week-end, but on the whole results from this river were disappointing. On Monday the Aparima was rather high and was really only in order for worm fishing. A few fish were got on the worm, but most anglers had empty baskets. The consensus of opinion is that the Orawia contains an extraordinarily good stock of fish this season and if one is lucky enough to strike the fish in a taking mood he is assured of a good bag. On Monday there was a wonderful batch of flies on this stream and the fish rose furiously at them. There seemed to be quite a variety of flies on the water and the rise of fish resembled a rish of Mataura fish. The trout in the Orawia, though rising so

freely, proved somewhat difficult to catch, having so many ‘ natural flies to choose from that they ignored the artificials. Even the creeper proved only moderately successful, accounting for a few fish. Careful and persevering anglers got moderate bags on the wet and dry fly. Murray’s Favourite, Greenwell’s Glory and Cochybondhu proved the most successful flies. The trout in the Orawia seem to be of two types. In the deep, weedy pools a short thick-set fish with red spots and dark in colour is caught. Again, in the ripples and fast water, a more slender slivery fish is caught, which proves a very game fighter. It is a belief of some anglers that these silvery fish are migratory fish which have ascended from the Waiau and they certainly seem to resemble the Waiau fish in shape and appearance. If this belief is correct, there must be a very considerable migration of trout from the Waiau River into the Orawia. On the other hand it is suggested that the ova from Waiau fish, which run up the Orawia to spawn, produce a special type of fish resembling their parents, and that these silvery fish are the progeny of Waiau fish and resemble their parents in form and colour. It seems quite certain that there is a large run of Waiaua fish into the Orawia during the spawning season. A third suggestion is that these silvery, slender fish are the result of their environment—that the shallow ripply parts of the stream produces a special type of fish. The matter is of special interest and no doubt, if the Central Research Committee applied itself to the problem it could explain the reason for the various types. The Waiau River continues high and unfit for fishing in the upper reaches. At the mouth a few river fish are being caught, but the sea-run fish have not yet put in an appearance. The muttonbirds and other sea birds can be seen working and in Te Wae Wae Bay, over the shoals of smelts and sardines. No doubt the big trout are out there also. Next month (December) the smelts commence to run in and spawn in the ’waters at the Waiau Mouth and the trout will then be attracted inshore and good bags will be got.

There was a rise of about a foot in the Makarewa over the week-end and moderate bags > were got on Monday. The fish were not rising freely, but by carefully fishing sheltered corners a few rising fish could be found and induced to take a dry fly. The dry Cochybondhu and Greenwell’s Glory proved successful. It is reported that the fish are more plentiful in the lower Makarewa from Wallaectown down to the Oreti and some good bags are being got by night fishermen in these reaches.

On the Mimihau on Sunday morning during the rain, there was a splendid rise of fish and anglers with the wet fly got good bags, up to a dozen fish in a couple of hours. The Pui-ple Grouse and Red-tipped Governor proved successful. Tlie fish were a good average size, running up to about 21b. The above notes indicate that good fishing was got in the various streams. Present indications are for further fine weather, and for the coming week-end anglers should have good sport. The snow-fed rivers, the Waiau, Aparima, Oreti and Mataura, seem to be carrying rather much snow water. However, the Takitimos seem to be getting bare of snow and in another fortnight the big rivers should be in good order. The anglers of Southland are mostly prepared to adopt progressive methods of angling, but there is one method, namely, “Thread-line fishing,” which seems to have been ignored in Southland so far. Thread-line fishing is claimed to be an English improvement on the American bait-casting method. The American bait-casting rod and reel is well-known in Southland, being largely used at Te Anau for salmon fishing in the Waiau River. The American bait-casting reel has been brought to u high state of mechanical perfection. It is equipped with lever-wind-ing, anti-back lash and multiplying devices. Further, it is put on the market at a cheap price. American casting reels can be bought in Invercargill as low as 12/6. It must be admitted that the American bait-casting reel is a wonderfully efficient tool and a novice can with the safety devices learn to cast long distances with very little practice. The drawback of the reel is that a very heavy minnow is required or a heavy weight on the line. Also the rod is a six-foot “pole” with no play and gives no sport in playing a fish.

For many years the English counterpart of the American bait caster was Hardy’s silex reel and the “Ariel” and various Nottingham reels of a similar type. In the hands of an expert these English reels were very efficient and very long casts could be made with them. However, in the hand of a novice they could get one’s line into a most unholy “bird’s nest.” Most Southland anglers could not or did not spare the time to become efficient in the use of the silex and Similar reels. This statement is subject to some notable exceptions. There are some Southland anglers who can cast a heavy minnow nearly across the Waiau River with a silex reel.

Some years ago English tackle makers began to put on the market various light bait-casting reels. The principle of these reels is that the barrel of the reel is parallel with the rod and the line runs off the end of the reel, the barrel not revolving as the line runs out. The Illingworth reel was one of the first of these, followed by the “Helical,” “Duplex,” “Stanley” and others. These reels are used with very light lines of silk or artificial gut with a very low breaking strain. They are fitted with a slipping clutch so that if a heavy fish is hooked the clutch slips and he cannot break the fine. Some few years ago Mr Alexander Wanless published his book, “The Angler and the Thread Line,” extolling the use of the thread line outfits, particularly the Illingworth reel, which was the reel he used. Probably some of Mr Wanless’s claims were rather exaggerated and his book brought forth a storm of protest in the English sporting Press. The champions of the Nottingham casting reel challenged Mr Wanless’s statements and no doubt his claims were probably exaggerated. Messrs Hardy Bros., the famous English tackle manufacturers, put a light multiplying silex on the market and claimed that their casting reels were equally as efficient as the Illingworth. It is significant, however, that within the last year or so Hardy Bros, have put a thread line casting reel with a non-revolving drum known as the “Altex” on the market. This reel is on the same principle as the Illingworth and other reels and has a drum parallel with the rod, with slipping clutch, etc. It can only be assumed that Messrs Hardy Bros, found the other English light-casting reels becoming so popular that they were obliged to manufacture one to meet the competition.

In the northern parts of New Zealand light-casting seems to be a popular method of fishing. Tisdalls, Ltd., make a special rod for use with light bait-casting reels such as the Altex, Illingworth and others. In Southland there are ample waters eminently suitable for light bait-cast-ing. All the tidal waters, Lake Waituna and the Waiau, Oreti and Mataura should give good results with a light bait-casting outfit. In the Invercargill Library Mr Wanless’s book on thread-line fishing is available to anglers and anyone interested should read Mr Wanless’s book and he will get full information as to all the details of this method of fishing. There is one drawback of threadline fishing—in some English waters it has proved so deadly that it has been prohibited by the authorities as being unsportsmanlike.