FISHING NOTES.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20092, 22 November 1930, Page 21

FISHING NOTES.

WEST COAST RIVERS. [EXi.Mr.SZVK TO THE TRUSS.j [Hy (iNAT.} Theao Noloa, which are written by a fisherman of lonj? experience and considerable theoretical knowledge, will apponr every Saturday. Letters containing newn items o» questions, and addressed "Black Gnat," care of tlio Kditor of Thb Press, will receive prompt Attention each week.

Although the rivers and lakes ot Wostland have for many years past been producing fine trout they nre by no means so well known to angler' 'in this side of the Alns as they deserve to be. Brown trout predominate, although rainbow have been established in several localities. The Coast is one of the few places in New Zealand where it is still possible to catch large brown trout on the dry fly in the day time. A bag of half-a-dozen fish, averaging 41b in weight, is not an unusual reward for the morning's dry-fly fishing. Hut apart altogether from the «ize of the bn<i, so pleasant are the streams that one may fish all day without success and return to one's quarters well satisfied with the outing. The bush streams are altogether unlike anything that Canterbury offers and the obstacles in the way of the bait fisherman are such that the dry-fly angler can usually kill two or three fish tor every one his less enterprising brother takes. It is only at tne river mouths and in the more open rivers such as the Grey and the Teremakan that the two will meet on equal terms. The bush streams are generally clear, so that it is possible to mark down your four or five pounder, to cast the fly, and to watch him come slowly up, take, and go down again. Kven in wet weather such streams turn a tea colour instead of a muddy yellow, making it possible to watch the fish fighting. There is little need lor "fishing blind," as one does in the lower Selwvn after Christmas. There is, too, on the Coast always the chance of capturing a really large fish, for in a day's tramp along nn unfrequented stream a few fish of ten pounds and over are sure to lie seen. Nor are these large fish difficult to hook, for they take very slowly and surely and allow olonty of time for striking. To land tliem, however, is by no means easy, for sunken logs abound and numerous trees hang down into the water Such obstacles will but add to the pleasure of the true sportsman, for the greater the odds are against him the more he can with justice pride himself on hi 3 skill if he is successful.

It is possible to leave Christchurch in tnc morning and he fishing on the afternoon of the same clay in "Westlnnd. The nearest fishing centre is Lake Jloana (also known as Brunncr) and this lake, with its trihiitnrv on'l overflow streams, offers excellent sixirt. Dismounting from the train at fnchbonnie, the angler would go westward across the plain for four or five miles before striking the lake. Some splendid dry-fly streams containing large brown trout are passed before the lake is reached. A tramp for n few more miles . along n beautiful bush track fringing Brunner would see one at Mitchell's, where accommodation can be obtained. The fish in the lake itself are usually about five pounders, and at Mitchell's nil angler could obtain gootl sport A launch runs from there to the township of Monna :it the other er:d of the lake, whenco flows the ArnoM river down into the Grey. Coming back up the railwayline, b etop should be made at Te Kinea, through which flows the ('rooked river. If a stop is made here, the angler ran obtain eo'od fish either iu the rivor or in Lake Moann, which is within rt ten-minutes' walk of the KtTtion. There are some miles of pood fishing water in the Crooked river, .above Te Kinga, in fact right up to the next railway station, Rotomnnu, brown trout, of up to 101b, can be taken. The Coast trains have a convenient habit of stopping at all the best fishing spots, and if one proceeds on one up frcm Hotomanu and gets out at Poerun, clijr>bs over the blackberry bush to Lake within half a mile of the station, there iR the chance of catching something really large. The people will tell the visitor that the fish in this lake cannot be caught on rod and line, but further questioning will probably bring to light the facts that no one has ever tried to catch them legitimately, but that fish of ov«r 20lb have boen poached from a small creek flowing into the lake. A couple of miles by rail from Poerua is [nchbonnie. and there the round trip would end. * ♦ ' Anglers who have a few days to spare at Christmas micht well make the trip outlined here One word of warning, however, is necessary. The dairying districts of fnchbonnie and Rotomnnu are infested with Jersey bulls, which have an unpleasant habit of chasing 'anglers into the nearest cover, which is usually a river. It is not very consoling to have to jump , into 15 feet of swiftly flowing water in j the Crooked river, as "Black Gnat" j had to do on one occasion, and later to be assured by the bull'is - Jrish owner j that it was ''Sultan the Umpteenth"' that did the trick and that it was ! the prize Jersey bull of the Coast! | '* * A few enterprising anglers who have rowed round >n the shallow water in Lake Ellesmere trolling bullies have been taking large bags. This is a very pleasant way of spending a fine day and is certainly more interesting than night fishing witli the bully. Hart's Creek lias yielded some good fish during the past fortnight, one bag 01" seven and another of nine fish averaging olb having been taken. * * Some disappointment has been felt by tliose fly men who wait until the beetle rise starts before opening the season. So far, cold weather seems to . have kept the brown beetles back and i tliose who have tried the Cnift and North Branch have caught little. • * More fine quinnat were captured in Coleridge last week-end: two anglers secured four apiece, one of the fish weighing 7ilb * * The sport in South Canterbury is still excellent: the Opihi continues to vield 15 and 16 fish to fly fishermen. The Ternuka and Ohape contain anv number of fish, up to lilb, and local anglers have been killing large numbers in the daytime, with Peveril. Greenwell's Glory. Blue Upright. Olive Dun, and Black Gnat. In the even--1 ings the same flies and the Concliman [ are accounting, for good bags.