TROUT REASON AT TAUPO

Taranaki Daily News, 3 October 1930, Page 4

TROUT REASON AT TAUPO

LAKE UNPRECEDENTEDLY LOW. SPAWNING GREATLY RETARDED There are indications that-the fishing season in Rotorua and Taupo districts will, be later this year than usual, states the Rotorua correspondent of . the Auckland Star. While no definite explanation of .the backward conditions is forthcoming, it would appear that climatic influences are mainly responsible. The “run” of fish' to the spawning beds has been exceptionally, slow, and the dry- weather experienced during the autumn and early winter prevented the usual flow of flood water, in the tributary streams. The level of Lake Rotorua has not fallen to any marked decree, but at Taupo there has been a record drop. One resident who has spent practically the whole of his lite there deciares that he has never seen the lake so low; Tongariro tiivei, which should be up 10ft, has not been flooded all 'the winter. The absence of flood water in the rivers has, naturally, retarded the free run of the., fish to then customary breeding grounds, and sport on the lakes will be set back accordingly. However, this does not necessarily mean that fishermen will not enjoy good sport later on. Mr. A. Kean, conservator of fish ana game', has been kept busy restocking various lakes and streams. Some few weeks ago ova and fry were liberated for Lake Rotpiti, 80,000 for Lake Rotokakahi, MOOO for Lake Waikaremoana, and 100,000 for Hainuiana, Utuhina and Ngongotaha ■streams. Since that distribution took pldce 150,000 fry have been liberated in the streams oi Lake Rotorua and Rotoiti and 50,000 in Rotorua streams. . • The steady liberation of young fish in the lake streams ensures a regular supply for anglers during the« season, and there has been no overcrowding in Rotorua for many years. In about 1918 it was found advisable to net the lake and thin out the undesirables, bijt good roads and motor-cars have . brought many more fishermen to the distiict oi recent years and this has inade further netting unnecessary. ,