Fourteen Years Fishing.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13834, 20 February 1909, Page 3 (Supplement)

Fourteen Years Fishing.

AN INTERESTING RECORD

The publication of the, following diggsfc of t(ia records of fourteen. wmous xrout fishing should "be read witVv considerable. interest by the. many anglers of tfie district 'and colony generally, and from the facts set forth, the authenticity of which is quite beyond question, very useful deductions can lie made as< to the sport that may fairly be expected from "the South Canterbury rivers. The records have been most minutely kept by Mr C. E. Hassell, one of the most enthusiastic and scientific fishermen of the district, since the year 1894, when he'first took up the sport of trout fishing seriously;. - and in his systematically kept diary no attempt has been made to keep out the records of blank days,' or in any way to doctor np the totals or results, so that the figures he gives may be accepted. with complete confidence, subject of course to small errors that may . have unknowingly crept in/ It will be seen that since his debut as a disciple of the " gentil art." Mr Hassell has grassed fish the total weight of which is about three tons. Season 1894-95. —No. of fish -caught, _ 70. Season 1895-96. —No. of days fishing, 22. No. of fish caught, 228. " Largest basket, 21 fish, weighing 1151bs. Largest fish caught. 121bs, caught on a minnow. Dnring this fishing season baskets of 20 (2), 18 (3), 17 (2), 15 and 14 fish were caught, besides smaller catches. Average dailv catch of fish, 10.356. Season 1896-97. —No. of days fishing, 30. No. of fish 331, weight. 294-J-lbs. - Heaviest fish, 41bs. Biggest baskets 42, 2S, 40, 21, 16 (2), 17, and 14. The balk of the fish were caught on the fly, bnt on four occasions the minnow and creeper were used, accounting for 24 fish out of the total of '331. The biggest catches were made -on clear davs with the wind nortlireast, ■ and south-east. Average basket, 10 13 fish, 9.831b5; average weight of fish

1.121b5. - - " ' ' Q ' Season'lß97-98.—N0. of days 2S days; fish, 367; weight, 299ilbs; heaviest fish, 3lbsbiggest baskets 20, 24. 21 (21, 20 (2), 19, 17, 16, lo (2). -All the fish were caught on the fly, the most successful lures" being the Red Spinner, Red Governor, Light' Spider, Red Upright, and Gnat Ant. The "biggest catches were made on days when the prevailing winds were, . N-E and S.-E. Average basket, 13.5 iish; 11 lbs 0.1-3oz; average fish, 13.040z. , , c ~ Season 1898-99.—N0. of days fishing,33- No. of fish, 578; weight, i sairr £ usu -sqif 09f biggest baskets, 56, 35, 34, '23, 2': 26 25, 23, 21 and 18 (2). All the fish were caught on the fly, the big basket of 56 being the work of the Red Spinner. Other successful flies were Light Spider, Shaw Fly. Red Upright, and Claret Hackle, and the most successful weather was clear with N., N E and S.E. winds; average basket 17:5 'fish, 14lbs loz: average fish. 12.70z. . . - ' , Season 1899-1900.—N0. of days fishing, 36; fish, 833; weight, //9Jlbs; heaviest fish, 3Jibs; biggest baskets, 44, 36, 34, 33, 28, 27 (2), 26, 24; smallest hasket 8. All the fish were caught on the fly and the same lure* as mentioned before were successful with the addition of the White Moth and Coachman. On four occasions the fishing was at night-time. -Weather conditions much the same as before, namely easterly weather seems the most successful. The rivers fished were, the Opihi Pareora . and Temuka. A verage basket 26.3 fish, 221bs 7oz; average iish 13.70z. ■ „ Season 1900-01. —uavs, fish, 793; weight, J323ilbs; heaviest fish, SJl.hs. Biggest baskets 3<, .il, 9Q 98 (2), 26, 25, 23; smallest basket 9.' _With the exception of 67 fif.h canght on the minnow and creeper, al the fish were fly taken. The successful flies were the ones already mentioned, and Hofland's Fancy, March Brown, Hardy's Favourite, Yellow' Governor and Osmond's Fancy. Weather conditions much the same", though a basket of of 30 was caught in a N .-W • w mcl and 37 in a clear sou.-westerly breeze. Eleven fish of the total were caught at. nig Tit. Average basket, 21-J- fish, loibs 12.50z; -average fish, 12.3 oz. _ Season 1901-02.—N0. of days , 39 Season 1901-02.—N0. days 39 ;No ot fish, 669; weight, 557 libs; heaviest fish, 18.'.lbs (on minnow) ; biggest baskets 4b (2)~ 45. 38. 34(2), 28? smallest, 2, 2 3 4 (3). r Tlie minnow accounted for > I ont of the total nrimber landed, one being the big one; already mentioned, whilst 7 the next largest- was 91bs caught on Hoffland's Fancy. Additional flies used to these already mentioned were Blue Dun, Black Governor and Hassell's Favourite (this last fly is like a Red Spinner, except that it lias a dark maroon bodv and white tail; it lias proved a most successful lure). A basket ot 46 was caught in a dull showery day with a S.-W. wind blowing. Forty lsh were caught at night. Average basket, 19.9 fish, 17.Slbs. Average fish, 14.1 ounces. „ .. Season 1902-03.—N0. of days fishing, 45: No. of fish 724; weight, 699 Jibs.; heaviest fish 14Jlhs. Salmon Fly' £ night): biggest baskets, 45, 44 41,- M (2), 28, 24, 23. 22. 19; smallest, 0, I, ] l" 3 4, 4,' 5, 5. Practically all these j fish 'were caught on the fly, and besides the 14Jlb fish already mentioned, fish of 12. 9, 8, 4, and 31bs were landed Additional flifes used were Silver Hofland, Black Ant, Greenwell s Glory, and Blue Dun. One day, (cold sou - west wind and cloudy) an empty basket was all the anglers reward for some hours' hard work.* Fifty-one fish were canght at night, this being Jime the hig ones, were grassed. Averae basket, 17.6 fish, 171bs. Average fish 15.4 ounces. _ , . Season 1903-04.—N0. days fishing, 49; No. fish 568; we.ght <°» lbs ' heaviest fish, 171bs. and caught on Troutskin Minnow; biggest basket,s 46, ,34 (2), 27 (3), 26, 25, 23 18, 17; smallest, 2, 3, •->, 6. &e_ver« takes of one fish only were made a night, but they were large ones averaging lOlbs. each. S>eventy-h\e o the total number of fish were eaiiglit on the Minnow, and a fine lot they were, averaging- nearly lOlbs. \ Jn - rest were canght on flies as mentioned before, the fishing during the easterly weather being the most successnil, though a basket of 2G were secured on a"rainy and dull S.-W T . day. Sixtythree fish which included nearly all tue heavy ones, were taken at night. Average basket, 14.9,1 S.Gibs. Average fish,

a.2slte. „ , . ' Season 1904-0-5. —No. of clays fishing. 44- No. of lisli, GOO; 5721b5; heaviest fish -13, 10 (2), 12, and lllbs: biggest baskets 45, 43, 30, 28 (2), 20 19; smallest basket 1 (3), -. 3- Foit\th'ree fish, out of the total were taken on the minnow, mostly at night, and 6 were taken at night on the bis salmon fly. As before, easterly weather was the time in which all the big baskets were made, though it is only fair to add that some of the small baskets which did not reach double figures, were taken on days when the wind was in the east also. The 'Black Governor" and "Osmond's Fancy" were used with some success, but 'Jif' flies already named accounted for the bulk of the fish caught. The average weight of tiie fish caught was 15', ounces. Season 1905-06. —Davs iishing, 42: fisli, 438: weight, 53931b5; heaviest fish IG, 13i, 11. lOJlbs: bignest baskets 2*>. 2T (3), 20,- 1G ; smallest baskets 1 (3), 3, 5. Sixtv-one fish were secured on a

aalmon-fly at night, and only one, the Impounder,, was taken on the minnow. An the rest were secured by-the small fl.v, the " August Dun," being responsible for two baskets of 21 anil 13 on successive' days. As before easterly weather proved the best for the iishing, vvitfi t(iG water cioai'. Areragß weight, I of fisli l^Ybs. Season 1906-07. —Days fishing 39 ; fish, 338; weight, oVOjibs; heaviest fish 17-j 13, 12-\, 12, 10 (ii) lbs; biggest bas--kets 22, 17 (3), 16, ] 5 (3); smallest 1, 3, 2. One of the nicest baskets of all was taken from the Tengawai river this season on November 9th, consisting of 15 fish weighing 41-}lbs, all caught jon the " Hassell's Favourite." This vns also n good season for night fishing with the salmon fly, 29 nice fish being glassed. Remarks as to the weather as\before. Average weight of tiMi taken, lib Son 9dms. Season 1907-08.—Days fishing." 35; fish, '229; weight, 295.11b5; heaviest, 151bs; biggest baskets 16, 15, 13; smalllest 1, 2, 4. This was a poorer season as far as the number of fish caught, goes, but the average weight was very fair. A nice 15-pounder was taken at night on the salmon fly, which lure also accounted for 37 more of .the total. Weather conditions as before. Average weight of fish lib 4oz lOdms. The following table brings together the number *nd weights of the several years:— . Season. Fish. Wt. lbs.

.1894-5 70 1895-6 228 1896-7 331 294.'. 1897-8 367 299} 1898-9 578 460.'. 1899-0 833 779} 1900-1 793 623i 1901-2 699 557?, 1902-3 . 724 - 699J 1903-4 568 708" 1904-5 6(10 572 1905-6 43S 539= 1906-7 338 590?. 1907-8 22!* 295iTotals 6846- \ 6420