FISHING IN THE ORETI

Southland Times, Issue 24524, 27 August 1941, Page 7

FISHING IN THE ORETI

For some time now we have' been hearing a good deal about worm and creeper fishing versus fly fishing. It seems to me the fly fisher is afraid the “wormer” will catch all the big fish before the dry-fly artist can get a start. With the bag limit being steadily reduced, I don’t see that it matters much how tire fish are caught, so long as they are caught with legal bait. Anyway, I’ll bet that the fly fishers catch four-fifths of the fish caught. But that is not all. There are days when there seem to be nothing but sprats rising. These are readily hooked, and, in the process of landing and unhooking, hundreds of these fish are returned to the water, and the majority probably die. My .experience, ovex - a long period of years, is that in worm fishing very few small undersized fish are caught and a good numbex - of eels are killed. Floating worm fishing in low cleaiwater is just as much sport as fly fishing, but sunk-worm fishing should be restricted to boys’ licences. Now for the much-talked-about depleted Oreti. Until last season I had not fished the Oreti for a number of years, and as far as the uppex - reaches are concerned it’s a waste of time for anybody to go up there much after Christmas unless the society gives itself a good pinch and wakes up. I visited the Mossburn district in March only to find that certain people had been camped on the river since the Christmas holidays and had fished systematically until fish were as scarce as hen’s teeth. How does the society think that the fishing in the Oreti could be expected to be normal when we find that the natural breeding grounds are being thrashed to death in the lattex - months of the season? Aftex - seeing for myself what is happening I have come to the conclusion that fishing should finish in the Oreti above Mossburn on January 31 so that Nature is given a chance. The Aparima and Wairaki could be dealt with in the same manner. What’s the use of fiddling about planting ova and getting nothing but discontent among fishermen and allowing the natural breeding grounds to be cleared of fish. If we are going to have fish we must see that these beds are protected and I feel sure that as time goes on the Oreti will once more be a worth-while river. If othex - restrictions are necessary, let the dry fly be prohibited. What a bite I’ll get! HOLD-HARD.