CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2430, 18 May 1922, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To The Editor

Sir, —Within a few weeks we shall be having the advance guard of that mysterious little fish commonly known as ‘ f White Bait,” appearing in the Manawatu and its numerous tributaries. Now, Sir, this mysterious little visitor, as a table delicacy is relished by all. Perhaps it is because their stay with us is so much shorter than that of any other variety of fish and like the mushroom, of the vegetable kingdom, makes a welcome change of diet. There is a fascination in catching the elusive little visitors who so obligingly swim into the net in the course of migration up the river. Who amongst us, Sir. when a bov has not taken his scoop-net and caught at least enough for a feed"? The joy of catching them was one of the, pleasures of boyhood. But, l hat all happened over 20 years ago. Now, the fishermen don’t smile when any Bait go past their nets. They don’t go home when they have caught “a feed,” or enough for a couple of meals —far from it. The present-day fisherman has moved ahead with the times and like a good soldier lie sticks to his “post” night and day. He puts his net into the stream at the point lie selects and there he keeps a dummy net. all the season. He can go to Palmerston Nortli for a day or two, or have a few days at the races and when he comes back there is his “dummy” net. still holding his •stand.” At least that was my experience, when last .season I attempted to try my luck and net some Bait, in a stream, that flows into the River about one mile from the Heads or a few hundred yards from the Jetty. On proceeding to the stream I noticed several men and some ladies already there —at five in the morning, mind you. Seeing there \vould he no chance of getting a“stand” there that mdiming I side-tracked to the river—got covered in mud but caught no fish. The good wife told me I knew no more about catching Bait, than she knew of catching snipe. So I retired to bed that night with the firm resolution that I would have a “stand” in the morning. An alarm clock awoke me at 3.30, I dressed quickly and away I went to the stream, or is it a eretjk? before even the larks were singing. Ah. ahead of me loomed up something and out. of the darkness came a voice: “Is that you Stan?” Mv silence brought three more quickly on the scene. I was held up and informed that jf my intentions were to try to catch white bait I had happened on the wrong part of the Globe —but they offered to sell ine some at 3/- per lb. Shades of 20 years ago! Anyhow 1 waited until daylight, and surveyed the scene. On selecting another place I was informed T had to keep my “two chain limit.” I remarked

there appeared to be no, possible chance of a “stand” and was informed T could have a loan of George *; “stand” so long as I faithfully promised to hand it over when I had finished fishing. George, it appeared, was away at the Grand National Races., I enquired the reason of so many nets being fastened it: the stream and was informed that there were no rules on that creek. "We <lo as wo like and once we pul, our net in. it stops in for the season.” So I took the loan of George's “stand” that morning, hut no bait got past the first not that so completely blocked the stream! I put George's net hack and proposed buying a pound of bait off the man in charge of the first net and bought a “pound for 2/(3 and eventually departed with 41hs. for a crown. The good wife took hack all she had said the night before, in blissful ignorance of ray purchase.

Now, Sir, does il not seem absurd lo you that these half-dozen men should be able to commandeer a stream to their own use, for which they pay neither rates nor taxes? Once they put their nets in they stop in. No one else has a chance at all to lish this stream. Now, Sir, a simple solution of the problem of fishing this stream is to throw the set-net right off it and allow scoopnets only to lie used there. There .is the whole difficulty settled and everyone,, young- and -old, man 'or woman, has a fair.chance to catch the “Artful little Dodgers.” With scoop-nets no one would be able to catch much more than about half the bait going up the stream; thus would a certain amount of bait be allowed to follow the course of Nature and multiply. Scoop-nets would mean more sport —for the stream is so narrow.that the ordinary net completely blocks it up and there is no sport in catching fish like that — that's murder! Once again, Sir, l say that the whole thing can he solved by enforcing the Law of the Scoop-net. Thanking you for trespassing on your valuable space, I remain etc., Yours respectfully. 20 YEARS AGO.