WITH REEL & CREEL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1880, 14 October 1913, Page 4

WITH REEL & CREEL.

TROUT FISHING NOTES.

A LAKE OF PROMISE

(By "March Brown.")

Tho week-end was not, on tho whole, productive of great results, owing to the effects of the heavy rain which fell on Friday and tho early hours of Saturday morning. There was too much water in the streams, and the consequent discolouration caused fly fishermen to turn for consolation to the merry and bright minnow. At Wainui theso conditions prevailed, so that the day was' not a generally satisfactory one. One persistent endeavouror is said to have taken a dozen fish, aggregating lolb. weight, but others had to bo content with one or two of a sizo not worth writing about. There is plenty of fish, and hope, for anglers at Wainui. Some of those out on Sunday opened up some of tho fish, and found them to bo feeding on worms and creeper (things of earth), denoting that they had not risen to surfaco feeding as yet. Iliat will come with lower mid warmer water. Last week mention was mado of the "slabby" fish being taken in the Waikanac*. This was based on the ono specimen that had been sent to town—a veritable lath of a fish. lam now informed that the Waikanao is producing well-conditioned fish of moderate sizo in fair quantity. Not much news is ever received from tho Otaki: Perhaps the fishing tliero is so good that local Waltons wisti to preserve it to themselves. One angler fishing tho Otaki on Saturday week took lour splendid big follows, ranging from 31b. to '/Jib. When this gots about, there may be a block in tlio traffic on tlio Manawatu line. Major Hughes put up the record for Wainui on tlio opening day. The lish wero seen, weighed, besides tho Major wouldn't well, to cut it short, ho took six fish aggregating 17^11). —tho finest catch ever mado in tho valley. Fact I There is no moonshine about the big fish to bo taken at tho Moonshine. Mr. David Gibbs, a safo angler, iislnng for two days, took seven (or was it eight) beautiful fish, averaging—note tho word—from 3Jib. to 41b. The Hutt River is at onco tho joy and despair of anglers. A man may go forth in tho morning with a singing heart and a rod, and may return in the evening a confirmed misanthrope; and again he may buck up, and "givo it another go," and, 10, a bulging creel. Mr. Charles Allen did no good the first day of tho season, but in two days last week Mr. John M'llvrido took no fewer than seventeen fish, all .in splendid condition, averaging about ljlb. in weight. Ho used an Irish March brown, and declares the fish wore hungry for it. . By tho way, no special fly lias come to tho top so far this season. Up to tho present all tho old favourites havo been giving a good account of . themselves.

In tho Mungaroa Stream, a railway guard lias put up a standard by taking seven fish averaging 31b. in weight in one' day. This would indicato that tho Mungaroa, which has for some seasons been on the down-grade, is returning to form. At South Karori tliero aro plenty of small fish from -Jib. to Jib. in waiting for anglers. i So far tho creeper has been tho favoured lure of fishers in the Akatarawa, and good catches havo been mado up towards tho mill. A fair number of fish ranging up to 2§lb. have been taken from tlio Littlo Akatarawa (Martin's River). > In the Masterton district the Maungatercra appears to bo well stocked with small lisli. One angler lishing for a whole day last week (before tho flood) took' nine fish, tho largest about lib. in weight. Tho water was then exceptionally low and clear, which necessitated lishing on "tlio fine and far-off" principle. The-same day one couple took fl'only threo fish between them, and another pair oiglit—all small. Tho fishing in the upper Waipoua was disappointing before the fresli in the river, and there is no reason to believo it has boon better sinco. One expert took three—and claims an undisputed record for tlio season. In past seasons fisher- , uien were wont to take from a dozen to a score of lish a day without any trouble. It has deteriorated steadily since last visited by vice-royalty., The Upper Ruamahunga is low, and the fishing is disappointing. Off tho Lower Ruamahunga, and whoro it enters the Wairarapa Lake, somo capital creels havo been secured. Tho lish are big hefty fellows, with' plenty of fight, and may weigh in at anything from 21b. to 81b. In this big river the minnow is the most effective luro in the day time, and a heavy fly after sunset works tho oracle. Ono local angler took about twenty big fish in a day last week—all stunners 1 i

It might not bo believed, but those taking flounders in the shallow waters of the Wairarapa have often caught big' sleepy trout from 101b. to 201b. in weight basking in tho warm still waters. It is believed that the lalto i 3 well stocked, and that it would provo as good a fishing ground as Lake Rotorua if thoroughly exploited. It is an ideal lako for "trolling," if there wero launches readily availablo for anglers. The lake should bo tested, for if it is as well stocked as the local people say, it would prove a magnet to Wellington anglers. '■■ It is believer that tho lako produces as fine trout as anywheye in New Zealand, as tho passage to sea gives them a chance to "lick the salt," aiid therein lies health. There is no disease in tho lake fish, which is believed to be partly, if not wholly, duo, to tho briny tonio they get in or from Palliser Bay.