A SUGGESTION FOR ANGLERS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13889, 28 April 1909, Page 7

A SUGGESTION FOR ANGLERS.

To-the Editor of-the " Timaru Herald." Sir,—As the annual meeting of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society is shortly to be held, I trust the members will be prepared to discuss ■what appears to' me to be a reasonable suggestion, one that at all events has been mooted several times since proposals have been made to limit the weight of fisli taken by a single rod. The suggestion is, briefly, . that the Society exercise its powers and for one season at least declare O'Mara's and Burke's Holes on the lower reaches of the Opihi "closed." In these deep reaches the large fish find shelter, and naturally anglers keen on taking heavy weights pay particular attention to these localities. It is suggested, with or without reason, that fish can be secured from these holes in more or less illegitimate ways, and if a close season was declared for them this sort of work would be stopped, while really little hardship would be done to the straight-out sportsman. Whether the scarcity of big fish this past vear is due to losses through stripping,'illegal fishing, or any other cause, is another matter • which could well occupy the attention .of a committee which - need not necessarily be wholly composed of members of the Council. This letter is written purely in the interests of sport, and although it .certainly will not meet with the approval of many anglers, yet it may afford matter for fruitful discussion — 1 am, etc., OLD SPORT.