FISH TAKEN IN PADDOCKS

Southland Times, Issue 23688, 10 December 1938, Page 18

FISH TAKEN IN PADDOCKS

FLOODING OF RIVER

By

MATUKU

Anglers were again unfortunate with the weather last week-end. The heavy rain on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning made most rivers unfishable. On Sunday morning the Makarewa was in fair order at the Settlers bridge and at Wallacetown. Most anglers went to the upper waters, but found that, contrary to the general rule, the Otapiri, Lora, Dunsdale and Hedgehope were higher than the main stream and quite unfishable. Recently mention was made of taking fish in the flooded grass paddocks adjoining the Waimea stream. One angler reports having tried out this method on Sunday on the Titipua with success. The Titipua, like the Hedgehope, was flooding back into the paddocks along the low lying swamp. A careful examination of these runners revealed a few trout (and many eels) cruising round taking worms or any other tit-bits they could find. A couple of hours fishing with the dry fly added three trout averaging over 2Jlb each to the bag and the angler was well satisfied that the day was not altogether wasted from a fishing point of view. A 3x cast proved too fine to hold these fish among the snags and rushes and an angler will be wise to use 2x gut. These fish are nearly 31b in weight and when hooked must be held as if they dive through a few clumps of rushes they will break a fine cast. This fishing is excellent practice in casting. The fish can be seen cruising through and among the rushes. It is only here and there that there is a small space of clear water, perhaps a yard square, into which the angler’s dry fly must be cast. If the angler can get his fly fairly over the fish he is almost sure to take and be hooked. One three-pounder was bagged after stalking and casting for more than half an hour. This trout was in view practically the whole of the time. A No. 12 Cochybondhu or Dark Red Spinner fished dry will prove quite successful. On Sunday, numerous eels were also cruising about in the same water as the trout, but the eels failed to take notice of the angler’s dry flyHOLIDAY ANGLING With the advent of motor-cars with trailers and camping outfits the popularity of holiday angling has greatly increased. Most anglers have ideas about their choice of resorts, but a few suggestions may be made. The climate and surroundings of Central Otago always attract a number of holiday anglers. The Hawea river and the Clutha near Lake Wanaka provide excellent trout fishing, both brown and rainbows. The best fishing here is in the evening just at dusk for rainbows and after dark for browns. Every pool in the Hawea river between Lake Hawea and its junction with the Clutha contains one or two anglers every evening about Christmas and New Year. During the day time on a suitable day good sport can also be obtained in the Clutha and Hawea with wet or dry fly. Favourite camping spots are at the outlet of Lake Hawea and on the Clutha river near the Alberttown bridge. Good sport can also be obtained trolling with spoon or minnow in Lakes Hawea and Wanaka, either from a launch or rowboat. When the trout are feeding on the manuka beetle on the lakes the skilful dry fly angler can test his skill with a Cochybondhu fished dry. If an angler can take two or three 5 or 61b rainbows on a 3x cast he will have all the thrills-he wants. The angler should seek for a lee shore with a slight breeze to blow the beetles off the foliage on to the water. He will then find the big trout cruising along picking them off the surface. Visitors to Queenstown can try the sport on Moke Lake and on the Kawarau river near the new bridge on the Kingston-Queenstown road. If conditions are favourable the dry fly will prove most successful. THE WAIKAIA The Waikaia is a beautiful stream, similar to the upper Mataura. It is dirty with mining tailings for about three miles above Waikaia township, but above this up to Piano Flat there is about 10 miles of excellent fishing water. The fish are much the same size as the fish in the upper Mataura and the same flies will prove successful. There are ideal camping spots in the bush near Piano Flat. There are grassy flats surrounded with patches of native bush providing ample firewood and shelter., In the opinion of some visitors the surroundings are scarcely less beautiful than those in the Eglinton Valley. The water near Piano Flat is generally heavily fished at Christmas time and an angler will get better sport by taking his car and running four or five miles down stream to below Glenaray station. From Glenaray station down to McKinnel’s bridge provides the best fishing. If an angler is concentrating on an angling holiday he would be wise to camp near McKinnel’s bridge. There is an old orchard there which provides shelter and firewood for a camp and the water will provide better fishing than at Piano Flat. The Pomahaka resembles the Waikaia and provides excellent fishing throughout its whole length. From Tapanui the angler can fish upstream to the Liethen and downstream to the junction of the Waipahi at Conical Hills. There are excellent camping spots, but anglers must remember that it is a serious offence to light a fire in a State forest and much of this river flows through State forest lands. Below Conical Hills the Pomahaka flows through the Rocky Ranklebum Gorge through the Blue Mountains and this neighbourhood provides most interesting fishing. This gorge is full of rocky ledges and pot-holes and contains a stock of good fish. Anglers are advised to wade carefully in this locality as one step over a rocky ledge may cause a drop into 10 feet of water. Below the Ranklebum Gorge the Pomahaka again flows over a gravelly bed to its junction with the Molyneux above .Balclutha and this locality provides good fishing. OTHER STREAMS There are many other excellent fishing streams in Southland available to the holiday angler and a few may be named. The Mataura river generally clears about the holiday time when the mining claims close down. On the Waimea Plains between Ardlussa and Gore the Mataura is clearer than lower down and generally provides excellent fly fishing at Christmas. This part of the Mataura provides rises of the wellknown “Mataura Midge” and anglers will have the same difficulty in catching fish as when these rises occur lower down stream. However, on any favourable day an angler is assured of sport in this part of the Mataura. After a hot day there is generally an excellent evening rise which provides good sport. Similarly, the Oreti about Lumsden and Mossbum can be relied on to yield good sport and is reported to be well stocked with large fish. The Oreti in this neighbourhood is generally fished with a large dry fly such as a redtipped Governor, but a smaller fly will probably prove quite successful. The Mararoa also provides excellent dry fly fishing, but the fishing here calls for a special technique. The fish are scattered over a long stretch of the river and

an angler must be prepared to walk miles of shingle in a day’s fishing. He will find, however, the fish of large size, weighing four or five pounds each. If an angler takes four or five of these fish in a day on light tackle he should be satisfied with hw day’s sport. From Mossbum or Lumsden the Upper Aparima in the neighbourhood of Dunrobin and the Hamilton Burn can also be fished. The Waiau river during the last few seasons has come into its own as a dry fly stream. The Waiau is rather high, but it should be in good order before the holidays. The Waiau can be fished at Monowai, at the Wairaki mouth, at Motumote and at Clifden. The dry fly will prove most successful, but with a fair breeze or at dusk the wet fly is quite successful. In addition to these larger streams the smaller rainfed streams are always worth a try-out. They become somewhat overgrown with weeds from now on and any decent sized fish are liable to be lost in the weeds. However, an angler will always be prepared to take a chance and if a fish escapes in the weeds good luck to him. Fine gut is necessary to attract the fish, but heavier gut is required to hold the fish if they rush into the weeds. The angler will require to make the best compromise possible. The lower waters of the larger streams will all provide good fishing, particularly for the minnow enthusiasts. Lake Waituna and the Waiau Mouth are generally in good order in December and January.