FIELD AND STREAM.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 170, 11 April 1908, Page 15

FIELD AND STREAM.

' i ; (Br Dry Fly;)

i . Tho followers of tho gcntlo art in.tlio Wei; lingfcon Vdisti'iot have been harshly treated -ov / the-elements this season. ■ .-The-beginning or tho season- was accompanied by ' strong northerly gales, which mado fishing i,almpst impossible. Tho middlo of tbc season had its drawbacks in tho foi'U) of _ ail extended drought. ' As tho final stagcs_,wbre'neapg, : heavy ; southerly galot, with, much 11 etdotl ram V set/in/ but its .reappearance' last weekj- m •v. addition ,to thoroughly soaking a fow who wero' having a 'final try, lesßeriedfthp.chances . of .making a decent bag.: There are', two or • tlireo locaj anglers who vouch, that. tlio. pre- ': 'sent season is the.'worst.'; they remember, ' and ono of th'em, although';'tho proud possessor .'of. a ! : '.'wet ;lais •line'.', .there, on. dozen occasions i this season. However, it is only fair, to add, :. that this ■ particular sportsnuu seenis to always carry a "pat northerly"; up, his.- 'sleoyo. : y On.numerous eccaSions ,'a light southerly breczo has pwniled in town, and tqmpted ; him to hasten to his favourito stream. Tho - .'WainuiiKill. is "traversed, sometimes tho ;' whara' reached,' 'before/his' northerly '.appears, but it invariably, copio?, . Augleis generally; . .' V have, the":'reputation .of being 'able to express: ■themselves suitably on such occasions, arid A this ahgler is; alleged>to havo once' shocked. 'an enthusiastic golfer, Ti'ho accompanied him . for a day's .fislnng.' ." .' /•. -■ ' . The'.'closing of :/cer.tajn;.streams' .in; the'; ;. .'Wellington district,'igainst.the use of live' baits a couple of seasons ago, at •, tho time, -.-/' caused :aV outcry the' few who ; used - as: ,'. baitsj'' W^rms,,.creepers)l i grasslioppers,"; etc. . The; Society's rangers, asas.well :kno'wri havo • a"larger'di|strict.to'!cove'r, "Dry■ Ely'!' lias . vory'; goodivreastiri to bdievo that, in many • prohibited' strcajris.the- old practice, goes' on.. / In 'ccmvofsation a'farmer, who; is', also• an '/ were; very ; scarce,,,tliis ;( ;tlias ,; : the "use;of 4n em in His stream,'was' contrary ■ to the lawj his only/excuse was that the trout :! there' refuse ■■to-taljo'; artificial/ fly';- ' v This -is not:an isolated case, for ample evidence was ■ to bo seen.oii:t]io '.banks -of the South; Karon' ' stream"'during' fbty , ." ; 'jveeKaV".pf season, when hundreds of/stone?' were turned •- v over;/apparently \by '.creeper hunters.', v. Now ■ /th at ;;it,is to-;fish / in of' our' streams'.witli -live'bait, many alleged/anglers .-.. it ; level 'in. tho: practice? : bui;df ; caught sit/,is'-.to be hoped they, get their deserts. S r i : ';:No' better,illustration of. tho quantity of - ' trout in Lake Rotoriia could bo : forthcoming; *than ithe;catch6s': ! r mado;last,,week, by ,'a (party, "of four .who'wero ori pleasure bent .(says the Kotorua;''Chronicle"). v.TCie,. party consisted' :,/ of .-.Toin, Gray,' of /the //Anchor ■;: Hotel, Auck-:,' V;' land,'C. A. Clarke,arid'sonj ani - A;' Shepherd, who loft- in Mr./Gorbott's launch. .Victory" for ' a ! day's,fishing.^' Tho place, chosen ..was; what is' known as "The llbclta," , 'lying ' 1 between, . Hamurana ; and " tho. Ohau : Channel.' On ■ 1 Tuesday, 31: fishwore placed in the basket, ; '-some ;bfithem weighing' ;4Jlbi ..,So .satisfied ;/t ,:'werelthcy I ,with'-.th ;th<£;day's',sport; '■■■■• that they went out-"again lon '■'Wednesday,, : .. .and were ; even , moro .succgssful; than -on-tho .previous/lay, tKeS; catch" 57, ! fisli. all in fine 'Condition.';' : tlie -..party' ■ agaiii ; on- the lake, ' the take for, the, day was. /. 97' fish; said to bo' the-'record for "'one .day.: ///,In~ threoVdays,.-tho'.-■"party/had ■ secured'/'lB5 -fish;, varying'.iri weight'/froih to' 4Jlb., : averaging {, 31bi",;, and .-' aggregating 5551b. .' : ' About 20 of the fisli wero takeii''on tiioifly',. ; tho/.remainder being-cWught wliile trolling ,beV ■ tweon : ,"Tho '.Rocks" and the Qhau l Channel.i- Tho,.Rotorua .-'~Chronicle"...reports thakat. 1 • a meeting of the Council of tho Rod and Gun • Club,-hold on March -13,■ tho matter- of tho -. extension of the fishing season :to May 31 ~/' / was discussed,' iA^ : the>fij4sid^t'tind{.}^rei! . tary woro appointed>to ;draft va :piStition. to' ~ tho Tourist: JJepa.rtnießt ..urging .'-.such • esteri- .. /sion. ... v.--.; ';; \.''.Mr.;'T.. L./ Thompson jbronghtV^frowaH;tho, ;/>;•; matterV of intro'diicnlg I '.thqj|Eng!h fly.l v ,//:This':takes ;the''foi ; m' oK'a;sgfub, : iyhich, bi'eedsi ,7 at;the-iedge of. . r ' i /.®tc• >:thplirststag® , li.eihii i aquatic;_'and as -takes,wing; This griib is' in 110 way injurious,; arid Appears'.to'com'e.'into.existence; at; a;yery .' opponuno time." s-~lt ; .was -resolved.;..to 011- .' .deayoiirytb get ..introduce .the .May-.'fly,- whioh/ikould.; greatly, add .to the food sripply.^;V;;V'-"i,-?-i;; -'t;': The 'mattervpf?imp6rting ; /Cisco , . ova n : as; also; disciiss«l, :.and : <although •0110 . -or. • ••viii^<»es^^^(^epments' :# <iiaa.' ■ , , .bc^ma3e l ';and;it';'w , as ; re<»gmsed i '.S;.wa's''hard' '/■'/' to transport ;th'o'pva',-.it.waS/.ievtirthelc'ssiebn-vsictered: that, jbther shbuld 'be jnado v /to' iriroduci) -/ v ; : 1 ;^ ; v. ■ The- English minnow was also, montioned, : and although it ;?vas ; realised-j-'that; this, too, if'. wais, hard to transport;, the. Gouncii decided to , nrgo. tho Department t6 endeavour ~£6.'. intro--duco- it.' .- : '.'f ':■ The; matter;' of- netting;:trout : ;during';tiie - ~:, fishing • season for,-.a%j/pur^se,4;iiras/'depi:e^- .. cated, and it was resolved; to petition ■ that ip : ba not : allowediVi;"V, v' : y- : ;^i;- *•'■ ! 1. , Repoi ts from , the. \ffpllington -'.'Acclimat-isa-' tion, Society's Game-Farm aro/vory 'satisfac- ": : 'well, and birds'-\havo/been' .;/' distributedin !y^ij^:iilisiHcis^.Wd'..tKorc > -is'' another.batch ready. dricks ■■'r !• vhite progressed ./ favourably ... this ' breeding '; seasoii,;/and/120.. havo/beeii handed . over, to ;" : ,Bub-cbmmittoels^ ' : i goliari pheasants'..which ; 'i ( werß -'imported;;-last V.- .'•y^'-'have/ekce<^ipf«^ectatidn*s,"- : a's'.tftey : -Wr rived -in their off.-sciiscili:. TTliere aro at preBcnt.four young ones, which doing verv well. Tho pure-bred Mongolian birds at , Homo/cost, soriiewhere in the' vicinity .'of £6- ■ each. • . ; ;; , _Tho/yearling.sea-run trout- confined-.in-tho ■ v.-. Upper.' Hiitt , lislv Aporids ; are''.' reported . to' bo' doing vory well Some of them will pro- . • . bably ;bo liberated/during :the,winter'mori%;;' .Tho eel baskets whiclr tliq-Wellington Ac- >■' / dirnatisation./Sbeioty:/has /distributed ' gratis;, ■ 'for. : some seasons havo,;considerably!ihinried //,,;.tho,eels out;in,many/streami/iiTho/Sdijiety,-1 , . 'te meet tho demandsvfor.:'tho : : b'askets,->lias' ■ :'• 01 dorod another dozen, Which are expected-1<) ; arrive lieie any timo Tlioso pertons de- ■ sirous of; obtaininE/iono. should'; niako early ; "... .. application' to; tlie secretary ' - ■ Tho few entluisia,sts angling for'; tho v greedy perch in. the,: Karon. Reservoir ": when Questioned speak' .higfity 'of tho' spoit. ; .. Palmorston North,in a few - ■ : probably bo able to'- provi'do, sbnio perch' fish'- 1 mg.-i There';is'a mpyement-on/foot'thero'.ito' . Btock a chain of lagoons, which have no out- ' flow to tho ManawatU",Biver i --witli-;perch. • As the naturarsurroundings are.suitable,'and' ; . feed is.plentiful, tho perch should'do well '...' and provide' gTO.d sport in time .to/come;. : : ' Tlio .'Palmerscton North Sub-committee. of tho Wellington. Society lias been re-organised .: andVprojmses' t6;bo a,,working.".,institution! They have/been busy.*lately. ? makirig arrange- ! •.* ments ,to preserve'some ■ 3000/'aeres of suit- i ; able land, where pheasants' will; be liberated i givena?chance :to''multiply, i •, -It is also 'their intention have sonie lagoons preserved, : on which mallard; ducks have been liberated.»