THE FISHING SEASON.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14841, 5 December 1913, Page 2

THE FISHING SEASON.

IN SOUTH OANTERBURt. (FROM A CO-RESPONDENT.) I>uring the past week some excellent fishing was obtained at Rangitata-on-Sea; from- which well-known spot it is reported that "sport has not been anything like so good for several years." Among other successes we are told that •'Mr Lysaght landed nine good fish, Mr Nicholas had fifteen, of which the largest was a ten-pounder"; and "Mr Turton caught seventeen, and a herring which weighed 1.1b." If the weight of tho herring is taken as a of the rest, there was not much lacking in average size. From the mouth of the Waitaki we hear of the capture of numerous fish, ahd recently an angler secured a couple of twelve-pounders with a "Silver Devon," about a mile above the railway bridge. On the south sido of the.river fish have been seen to rise regularly during a hatch of fly, and this fact may widen the field of Waitaki angling enterprise. A ninepounder, and another slightly less in weight were" captured at the Monnt Somers bridge over the Ashburton, but the particular bait is not specified. From the beginning of the season the Ashburton lagoon has contained" a great quantity of.trout. Though rain _a_ fallen in South Canterbury at frequent intery__s during the past : fortnight, some of the fly streams would be very much the better for another downfall, which might put them into fresh. The Kakahu is low and full of weeds, and though it is not hard to make a good basket of trout by careful stalking and the use of a dry fly, the water wants a good scouring butivery badly/ On Tuesday a brace of*; three-pounders was caught with a Red Governor near the turn bi? t_is- river and the Hae Te Moana. The cold rainy weather- has not favoured anglers, for it appears to discourage the trout from rising, while tho river. remains at nearly the same level. Above the junction of the Kakahu and Hae Te Moana, two anglers on Tuesday caught twenty-three fish. Here the river is low, but thero is a plentiful supply of takeable .fish. Further up tbp Hae To Moana, ' two anglers . on Tuesday killed sixty-four fish, averaging a trifle under a pair to the pound; below Quaid's crossing and in the gorge a five-pounder and a four-pounder were taken with' dry flj ; a. "Red Quill." The Waihi river is in fine order, and quito sufficiently high, and some good fish have been caught near Lewis's Mill. At or about the beginning of the Waihi Gorge, an angler took fifty-six" fish, weighing twenty-four pounds, on Wednesday; with""March Brown" and "Red Quill." Below the Orari bridge at Clandeboye, fair baskets of half and three-quarter-pounders were caught with "Red Palmer" and "Coachman" on Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday evenings. It is reported that large searun trout are again occupying their old position under the willows at the junction of the Orari and Ohapi. -Nowadays about three out of every five anglers whom one happens to meet, will hazard an opinion that tho present season is by far the best of several years, nnd it seems fairly • certain that they aro correct.