ANGLING NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10753, 26 April 1913, Page 6

ANGLING NOTES.

(By ELRAE.) On April 30 the angling season terminates, and if the "usual date is adhered to the season will reopen locally on October 1. Mr F. Billons caught a fine basket in. the Slain Drain last week-end. The catch comprised fifteen sizeable iisJi, and all were taken on Red Tip Governor. At this time of the season trout do not seem to discriminate flies, and take varying patterns offered. An angler who fished at Temuka last Sunday landed eleven, most of them being taken on different flies. Tho fishing at Little River was very disappointing this season. Undoubtedly the large fish were unable to enter the streams from the lake, and this is attributed to opening the outlet ot the lake earlv in the season. An exceptionally dry spell followed, and the shallows wher-o the stream enters the lake wore against the fish making upstream. However, the poorness of the trout fishing was in a sense lessened by the large numbers of perch that were in evidence.

Only a comparatively small section of Christchurch anglers journey to the Ashley River. It is too much of an uncertainty to tempt many, and this season has been very patchy. Generally the fish take readily at night either large fly or live bait. Compared with last season's catches, the Ashley must have been very disappointing to a large number of adherents who make their week-end trips there.

The Cast is by no means an easy stream to fish, but yet proves an attraction to a number of visiting anglers. The Oust has been very good this season. Some large bags have been taken with fly, and one local angler has caught well over a hundred during this season, the largest being three pounds. Always an uncertainty, the " Waimak" has, generally speaking, not disappointed its many followers. The majority of the angling fraternity who fish there usually experience "a feast or a famine." It has been quite as good as in former seasons, and some very fine fish were landed by the bully anglers near Kaiapoi. At Stewart's Gully, at times during this season, sport was particularly good. Near White's Bridge there were not so many trout taken, and some attribute this to netting operations which are alleged to be carried out in that vicinity. The North Branch has been very well patronised this season, and with good results to the fly fishermen. It seems rather a pity that a popular resort, such as the North Branch, is not closed to the live bait angler, particularly the worm fisherman. It is acknowledged in other parts of the dominion where streams are set aside exclusively for the use of artificial flies and lures, that the fishing has improved considerably. The principal sport-providing waters in the Canterbury district are provided by the Selwyn Kiver. It is reached from so many points, and undoubtedly is easily the most popular of local fishing resorts. The upper reaches this season have been somewhat disappointing. This is on account of the prolonged dry spells, and the prevalence of green 6lime. Some large bags were secured early in the season, but in most cases the trout taken were small.

Up till Christmas the Lower Selwyn was very heavily fished bv the bully anglers, and some excellent catches were recorded. The fish were there in large numbers, and fed well. The latter part of this season has again shown that the large fish take fly well during the day time, for some nice bags have been secured. Fishing from Coe's Ford to the Ellesmere Bridge has been food for some weeks, and nice fish have een taken with fly. About Greendale sport has been obtainable with both fly and worm all the season. The general opinion about the Rakaia fishing this season is that it has been better than for a number of years past. Fish up to nineteen pounds have been taken on minnow, while others nearly up to that weight have been lured with large sunken fly. Notwithstanding the uncertainty of finding the Rakaia dirty several C'hristchurch _ anglers journey there weekly and this season they have, had ample reward for their travelling. Quite a number of license-holders are content to fish the Avon and Heathcote. This season both these streams have yielded well to both live bait and fly fishermen. The Wairarapa, a. tributary of the Avon, has been particularly good. Another small stream handy to Christ-church, the Styx, lias been well fished and some good catches recorded. The Waiau and Hurunui Rivers are not of much interest to the average town angler. The Hurunui has had an "off season" nnd not many heavy catches have been made. The Waiaii, near the Ferry, has provided some fair sport this season. Some nice fish were secured by Mr Oeorge Parsons and ranged up to six pounds. Better sport was obtained near the Waiau township, but the catches were all made with worm.

Tho Tenmka is well to the fore as a Tosort where an angler with ordinary skill can make a bag with fly. This season it has quite upheld its reputation. The preen slime was very prevalent in most South Canterbury streams early in the season, but timely freshes helped to alleviate the trouble and pood sport generally has resulted.