NORTHERN FISHING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 20, 23 February 1942, Page 2

NORTHERN FISHING

| 30 LB ICELANDIC SALMON TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR TO LAND EXCELLENT SPORT The thrill of salmon fishing in Iceland is described in a letter received at Hawera from Captain A. W. Lawn, formerly of Ilawera, who f.s spending his second winter in Teel and, "Winter begins to close in on us," wrote Captain fawn on November 10. "Tt is bitterly cold with heavy winds. The ground is iron hard with ice and the genera! freeze-up lias begun. "Sine? lash winter T have had a varied and interesting time," he continued. "For four months I Avas at sea travelling to and from Scotland over the deadlv western approaches, that, graveyard or ships and supplies. It Avas Avithout much incident. Our destroyers killed two submarines and once ayc canuvupon a bomb ed and burning lanker and managed to save her. The Aveather in the main Avas beautiful; and the extension of daylight to 24 hours in these latitudes was rather a new thing. "I then Avent inland for four months and was stationed on the banks of a salmon river about the size of the Waikato at Taupo," coni'inued Captain Lawn. "I landed there, on the edge' of a great river plain, in June. There are two seasons hero, Avinlcr and Avct, but for nine glorious Aveeks it forgot to be wet, and one could sun bathe Avith equanimity." The attractive feature of this cam]) of Avhich Captain LaAvn Avas commanding officer, Avas that it offered opportunity for salmon fishing. It Avas most difficult to get the fishing, but he became friendly Avith an Icelander, Avho has fishing rights from Monday to Friday, and Avent out Avith him often, the Icelander providing him Avith Avaders. rods and tackle. "We had considerable success," continued Captain Lawn. "A catch of 701b or 801b each in an afternoon was good going. That Avouhl be about four (ish. When you realise that a '50-pounder Avould take upwards of an hour to land, you Avill realise' Avhat I mean. It was excellent sport, but fighting a fish of that size for 75 minu'es. as I did. made one desperately cramped in the hands and shoulders. In fact, one became so desperate that one felt like chucking the Avhole fishing match aAvay for a rest. AnyhoAv, I became cruite -J success and a credit to my tutor." Returning to England for three weeks. Captain LaAvn Aisited London, York and Scotland. "The trip back was not so good as there was a full: gale bloAAing all the time, and Ave got back here in a snow storm, to find that a lot) of Americans had arriA*ed. The feeling betAA r een the British and American is of bon accord, but the Americans want to be in this shoAv 'boots and all / I don't blame them. "We are settling doAvn hoav for our second Avinter. The davs are very short, but on clear nights we the northern lights to amuse us. T am organising an officers' club as Avell as my other duties and it ought to be a boon to everyone, as there is no central meeting place at all for officers. Indeed, there are few enough for the men," he conceded.