ANGLING NOTES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19161, 18 November 1927, Page 8

ANGLING NOTES.

(BT "CREEL.") Quite a number of anglers visited the Selwyn and Halswell on Show Day, and fishing generally was good- Several excellent catches were obtained from each river. During the week-end bags varying from five to 19 fish per rod were obtained from these streams. Most of the fish were taken on the bully, although a very large fly used as a lure was used successfully by one angler. His heaviest fish weighed 9ilb. Fishing at the Gut one night this week Mr A. E. Armstrong landed a fine fish weighing 12Jlb. Anglers report the fish to be in good condition this season. Anglers who are in the habit of fishing at the Eakaia mouth have so far had another very disappointing season. For some weeks now there have been two mouths, one each side of the Island, and the fish have not been running freely. Only one good bag has been reported on the north side, Mr C. l>eubv landing 16 nice fish during a recent week-end. His heaviest fish weighed 711b. Owing to the recent heavy rain the smaller fly streams have been unfishable lately. The "fresh" should have a good effect, and no doubt better results will now be obtained from these streams. One angler reports quite a successful time on the Heathcotc recently. During a. light rain, and fishing with the worm, he landed six fish averaging Jib. Anglers who have recently visited Lakes Lyndon and Pearson report the fish to be in good condition. Fishing the latter lake for a few hours one day early this week, one angler secured seven fish on the oy, the best flies being Black Gnat, Demon, and Thomson's Fancy. Lake Alexandrina has yielded some good catches to visiting anglers recently. Results from the Waimakariri are very disappointing so far this season, and anglers who frequent this rver are doubtful if the fish are in the river in any quantity. The small streams running into Lake Ellesmere are still yielding some good fish. Quite a number have been taken on the "Silver Doctor" fly at the mouth of the Irwell.

In Germany great pains are taken to import yearly four or five million elvers to stock their vraters. The fry is obtained from the Severn at a cost of us or 6s per thousand. In France they export their fry dead by the thousands to Spain, to be made into fish-glue. This industry has only started since the war, but already the destruction of the elvers has been on such an enormous scale as to arouse the keen apprehension of French anglers. At present the eels are caught from October to spring in the estuaries, boatmen going out at night with a small dip-net and a torch or flare and scooping, in the fry attracted to the surface.

At the beginning of the season the market price ii as much as 27 francs per kilo, when the elvers are still scarce. Later on, when the runs are in full swing, prices dr.op by 50 per cent. The industry is a singularly paying one, a single boat often making nine thousand francs in the season. One case is instanced of three men netting as much as 7500 francs in a week! The aggregate value of the catch is .very great, the exports from one department alone being given as over a million francs a year. It is easy to understand in view of this that French rivers are already practically destitute of eels, which are there a highly-prized article of food and sport. There should be . room .for . a good industry by the Selwyn or Lake Ellesmere 1

According to the "Field," two of the most reliable methods of marking trout are by (1) punching a hole in the gill cover, arid (2) by injecting Indian ink with a hypodermic syringe.

When a novice desires to learn the art of trout fishing he would surely go about it somewhat on these lines. First of all, he should learn to use his rod and tackle to the best advantage,' and to cast his fly or lure accurately and well. Secondly, he should acquire a knowledge of the habits, feeding places, and resting places of trout. Thirdjv, he should learn by observation and experience the type, size, colour, and deceptive qualities of the artificial flies which are suitable for the varying conditions of weather, water, light, etc. It is with the second of these that this is concerned, and for want of a better name we will call it watercraft. Many have a. natural genius for this, some haye to acquire it, and in any case it "ertainly cannot be learnt in a day, JSacli fish seems to have his own particular beat, and woe to any outsider, if he happens to be smaller, who disturbs or covets that place! The largest or heaviest fish usually claims the top of the run or pool, where the first choice of all passing food is obtained and where the tit-bits can be selected, while the smaller ones lie below'Mm ranged in order of size. So carefully is the roster kept, if you kill the fish at the top of the run, you will, probably find that on the following, day the next. in, order of size has moved up to take his place. Now as regards these pitches, feeding or resting places, their 'positions depend upon several' factors, e.g., the amount of food ■ passing, also the water, wind, and- ' light conditions at the time. 'For instance, with a-gradually rising water fish are usually found in the middle of the stream, and when the flood gets too strong they go to the sides and under the banks; while in very low water (usually accompanied by hot weather) they keep close to the sides and under the shade of the banks, trees, bushes, etc.

Fish are also influenced by the temperature of the water, especially the temperature of the surface which''is affected bv frost, snow, .wind, and sun's heat. "When the surface is cold they keep near the bottom, and when it is warm they tend to come towards the top. In a strong wind they seek the sheltered places, behind trees, bushes, and at the sheltered bend of a river where flies congregate; while with an ordinary. breeze they usually move to the bank to which the flies,are blown. Strong sunlight affecis a' fish's vision, and all fish seek the shade of bushes, banks, bridges,- or under a patch of foam or scum to avoid the glare when they get a chance. The chief rules when hunting all wild animals are, these: keep out of sight, keep still, and avoid all sudden movements of the body or limbs. These rules apply equally to trout, which are a very timid and suspicious fish. Look into a river, and you see a good trout poised in mid-stream :' he is almost motionless with liis.head against the current. Do not imagine, because he . does not instantly dart off, that he is less aware of your presence; on these occasions he generally ceases to feed, pays you the _ compliment of devoting the whole of his attention to you, and is just ready to dart off when his suspicions are confirmed.