ANGLING IN THE SOUTH.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16411, 3 January 1919, Page 7

ANGLING IN THE SOUTH.

DEPUTATION TO HON. T. M. WILFORD. THE WORM AND RE-STOCKING. (special to "tote tress.") TIMARU, January 2. On Tuesday afternoon a deputation of angiers waited on the Hon. T. M. Wilford, Minister of Marino, in connexion with fishing in South 'Canterbury. Mr J. E. Pigott, who acted as chief • spokesman, said that the deputation had a matter of great importance, not only to local fishermen, but also to tho whole Dominion, to put beforo tho Minister. Thero was a serious deterioration in tho fishing here. There were threo principal trout streams in South Canterbury, one of which had a world-wide reputation as a fly-fishing river, and all of which used to urovido good sport, but which now provided very indifferent .sport for anglers. Twelve years ago tiio Opihi river was an ideal fly stream, and so far as feed was concerned it still was, but the fish were not now thero. In earlier days it was stocked with fine, lusty fish, which gave the best of sport Ironi sourco to mouth, but to-day none of the rivers in South Canterbury was any good. Years ago an angler could go out any night to tho Opihi and get a creel of thirty fish from pound to three pounds each without any trouble, but to-day it was hard to get a sprat. Thero was no suggestion that tho fishing had been spoiled by tho pollution of tho rivers, as in somo other parts of the and the reason assigned for the falling oil was the unduo toll taken by worm •fishermen, and tho fact that the rivers required re-stock-ing with fish of new blood. Seventenths of the trout wero wormed out of the rivers in tho first few weeks of the season, with the result that in the latter part of the season, thero were practically no fish left. The deputation considered that a portion of the Opihi, from the main traffic bridge over the Opihi, at Arowlienua, up to Hanging Rock, a distance of oiglit or ten miles, should be prohibited for all but fly fishing. This would ensure some sport for the whole, season, a.nd would givo the fish a chance which they could not get when tho wholo river was being wormed. Anglers considered they were fortunate in having a man like the Hon. T. M. Wilford as Minister of Marine, as he was a keen sportsman, and understood tho position thoroughly. Mr L. B. James said tlmt ho had fished in South Canterbury streams for the past fifteen or sixteen years, and could endorse all that Mr Pigott had said. Tho fishing used to be very good, but it was now very poor, and he was strongly of opinion that the rivers should be re-stocked with fish from over seas, and.that a portion of the Opihi should be set aside exclusively for fly fishing. There would be ample room elsewhere for those who wanted to fish with the minnow or the creeper. With tho latter the majority of the fish were taken out in October and November, with the result that later on the best, free-rising fish had disappeared. He had himself fished with the worm, and knew it to be a very deadly lure. If a portion of the Opihi wero sot asido for fly fishing as a6ked, a boon would be conferred on anglers in general. Mr Arthur Hope said that away back in 1882 he used to fish tho Opihi and used to get fish up to 151b out of it. 4uch fish wore never heard of now; it was good now to got 3ib fish» Ho agreed that worming, and the need for re-stocking, were responsible for the deterioration. ■ Mr Pike, a visiting angler, was asked by the Minister to express his opinion. Mr Pike said that he had fished m almost all parts of the world, and he believed that the Opihi used to be one of tho best flv streams in tho world. It was now nothing like as good as formerly, and in his opinion this fine national asset had been spoiled by worm fishing. He was in hearty sympathy with the ideas of the deputation. THE MINISTER'S REPLY. Mr \v moid, m rojjiy, saia tuat as a fisueriuau lie was ungated, to meet. Liu; deputation. He ooiuu not unoersUuiu a man fishing witn the worm.; no wouid as soon snoot a heu pheasant, suuiig. As AUuisair of jUariiio no intended to do wuat lie comd to keep hv water for lly hsuing, but the imputation was so unanimous in expressing tneir views that lie must, in jusucu to worm nshermon, liuar what they liad to say belore giving a definite lypiy. -tie would promise, however, to gue his decision beiore he icit '1 liuaiu. iu the meantime he wanted the "u Oiiu hsiiermen to place tueir side ot the case before him, and it they could not lUuKa out a case against tne one presented to linn that afternoon he would pjoinise to immeaiaUiiy steps to nave a portion of tlio Opihi giusettea for Hy htjwnjj; omy, otner parts lor tho lly and minnow, und the rest lor tiio use of ail legal bails. lie had lly fished in more oountries than this, and lie did not know a liner lly stream than the Opihi. There were any number of tlies on it but the fish uid not seem to rise. With regard to the need for re-stocking he v. us in complete accord with trie deputation's views. He had accompanied tne two men who had caught the first trout ever taken at li-otorua, and he had caught tne first two fish ever taken at Tarawera. They were caught on the fly, one of them [ weighing 121b. Tho liotorua waters were now in the same position as the waters of the Opihi, and he believed that the reason was that ne;v blood was wanted. It was not uncommon to get 81b and 101b fish at Rotoruu at one time, but to-day they did well to get a six-pounder. The fish which were first imported had become acclimatised and did not do nearly so well now as when they wero first liberated. The remedy was to start de novo with ova from abroad. His desire was to see established one great acclimatisation society for each Island with a Ccuncil for the two Islands at Christchurch. Then they should get a grant from the Government, this to bo administered by experts, and they would then be able to do something of a substantial and useful nature for fishing and shooting in both the North and the South Island. At present they had triple control of acclimatisation matters, the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Tourist Department, ant! tho Minister of Marine each having control in different parts, 'lliig should be altered so that one Minister could control the lot. He wished to make it quite clear, however, that the Government would not find all the money; the acclimatisation societies would have to help and not hoard up their funds. He asked whether the South Canterbury Society had any money, and if so were they prepared to use it in conjunction with _ whatever money the Government might spend for tlio improvement of fishing? In reply the Minister was told that the South Canterbury Society have about £300. and that they aro prepared to use it as suggested. Mr Wilford replied that he was very pleased to hoar this. Ho would give the worm fishermen till Friday to state, thp'r case to him, and after that he would give a definite reoly to tho requests made that day.