ANGLING NOTES.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16156, 9 March 1918, Page 12

ANGLING NOTES.

EXPECTING THE QI'INNAT. (specially written for "tub press. ) (BT "IBON BLCE.") Ever since the first days of l'cbruary. it has been usual when anglers met that their exchange of news and views should include some reference to quinnat salmon, and sport in the big snow rivers, where, so lar, they have been chiefly found. "What about these quinnat is a question leading straight up to the reply, "Well, this year we mast really try to have a go at them somehow," and then ensues a carelul planning of the way in which .a salmon lishing expedition can be worked in conveniently among more pressing

affairs. "\\*here tnere's a will, tiieres a v.ay," we all know liiat: and nowadays, uy the same "way," tnere is au extra ufteen bob license whicn must bo an early preparation for any salmon quest, Possibly, a s the beginuing of a gradual and presumably gentle change, certain rivers are now ucclareu iu»i-utown salmon rivers, like the S\aitaki and Kangitata, vvjiile elsewhere ono may still lish tor trout and chance to eaten a quimiat, and, of course, put liim bacK again, all iu the olden styio. However, tnere is one river lroiu which, in present circumstances, nobody will take many quinnat, or trout either, and that* is the South Orari, where the .water is yet efficiently preserved by an infernal bull, who apparently has survived mv notice of his evii manners. A more, energetic "ranger ' than chat bull was never invented : and, in writing Jiko this, 1' am Eot casting any slur on tho ability of the "Inspector of Fisheries," who is honourably mentioned in a local paper.

Last season, 1 believe, the fust considerable run of quinnat in the- Rangitata, occurred about- the eleventh or twelfth of February, when extraordinary sport was enjoyed by a fisherman who happened to be upon the scene at the right moment. As 1 heard afterwards, '"Ho was giving away tivo and six-pound trout all the way homo: and then he had five great salmon left for himself." It sounded right luscious, and henceforward when fishing was the subject of conversation, it was natural to conclude that salmon fishing was meant, but tbeu in March, the river camo down in flood, aix! stayed so more or less until the end of April. A resident of Arundel, Mr Lewis, was the fortunate angler; and to account i'or his great sport at some little distance up-river from tho mouth, a theory was advanced at the time that the rrout were moving upward to keep clear ol tho quinnat, bin again it does not seem impossible that both migratory trout and satmon had taken a favouring opportunity and run in from the sea together. From one cause or another, it now appears likely enough that the present salmon fishing season will be as short or even shorter, than that of List year, and therefore it will be necessary .to watch carefully said seize any chauce of sport. As a matter of truth the watching part began on tho Baugiatata ten days or so ago, when tidings - were brought inland that quinnat had been showing, in tho sea, at the river mouth, and hero or there a man who could spare tho time went off immediately on the look-out. Great were the preparations, and many promises. "The moment they come in, I will be up in the car to get you, and wo -will have a turn at them ln-fore the news gets round," and everything seemed hopeful and particularly nicely arranged for those who had motors, but then the Rangitata began to behave as such, and the lastreports are of a muddy flood arid nothing doing. As often happens in other cases, it is generally the river farthest away which is most attractive, but I have mot AVaitaki anglers who have travelled north to the llangitata, and "t'otiier way round," and on their return they were all quite convinced that their own river was the best. The "Waitaki men

were surest, so possibly the balance is in their favour. If only .1 could ascertain the exact whereabouts of that place at "Ikawai," in which Mr Stead caught all those fish last season, why, I should feel inclined to just " 'ike away" thero myself'and expect some n.cre. The worst of this fishing at a river mouth is that frequently there are only a few "stands" or likely places at the disposal of a far greater number of anglers than they will fit, and consequently the proverbial brotherly kindness of the fisherman is lost in a desperate hurry and rush to get there first. Experiences at Rangitata-on-Sea have taught me that this hurry may begin by <lark or starlight, and seldom, ends. From an outdoor resting-place which promiseel most comfort on a hot,close night, I have seen first one and then another go stealthily with his tea billy to the village pump, returning bilentlv through the darkness, each one congratulating himself he had waked up first; and if all that stealthing was not with an object of beating the next fellow for a favourite station, why did they not hammer on the walls of the neighbouring hut and cheerfully revile its occupants for sluggish lio-a-beds? Motors from a distant town t-omo humming in from their race against the dawn; the passengers hurry off to s'well the crowd already hurrying by twos and threes along the shingla strip; and as day breaks, and the terns fly clamouring seawards, you try to count Lhe number of fishermen out this morn-

ing, and listen to the yarns the nearest .croup are telling. Then you wonder if the saying. "All men are liars, and some anglers,"' might not be rendered freely. "All men are anglers, nnd seme liars." In spite of all who have gone before, you may look back at almost any time, towards the huts, and still see someone hurrying down to join the rest, and hoping vet that he mav find a place. No doubt, the poor blighter has merely overslept himself, but all the same lie is a nuisance, this last hurrying man. You feel that he overdoes matters, and he gets on your nerves, and leads to things like this: d'M salmon run. X->\v-r wero anr!?™ mot. In hast© to eharo the fun From 6unr:se to sun^t. Xever since minnow span. No matter when the dat*. Than camc that hurrying man, All fearing ho was too late. Damn it, s'* generally me, too, nearly every time. Fortunately the latest from Rangitata tells that there is just now a good mouth to the river, and a fSitr amount of room for the fishermen, but they are still expecting the quinnat.