FISHING FOR MULLET.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 161, 13 January 1914, Page 2

FISHING FOR MULLET.

An Hour With The Nets. On The West Coast lha other (lav the cjitor and lh travelling representative uf t-i "Times" together txik a oiv i '.-. west urast, through '•■ u 'i through Kariotaiii, ;i i •; • ugn Waiuku U <:.: > ■ ■ '. on, was a little »or ■ h fn ■ Fukekohe. In these sumtii o ■ •■•! i■ ; • » this district have . :i'i.i i ■ ' i I .rm ins outlets to th .1 enjoyable drives, where tensive and health-giving week wis may he spent. Amongst these is the ceast through the Waiuku gap. Hero, there is a line stretch of beach 110 miles ling, with splendid conditions lor sale surf-bathing. Ihere are also a couple of cottages which may he rented and thereby save the cartage of tents to the sea-shore, besides giving the tiring ami table conveniences which ate always appreciated. What interested us most was a delightful initiation into the art of niullet-natting. This came after an enjoyable lunch in which it was proved what an awkward bird a voung and tender and well-nuurished cockerel is after a twenty-mile ride, nr.d in ths face of an appetising bree'/.e blowing with refreshing coolness from the pea. Mulled deliciously. and roasted to the last sweet turn, it was just a llttlJ too much for one and hardly enough for two. It is dearly worth a trip to the gap to build up a hunger-zest like that. We shall say nothing of the sandwiches, fresh kept by juicy lettuce. Hnw they disappeared was a miracl?.

But to the mull t Our good fnrtune took us to the hospitality and experienced attc tkn of Mr Scouller, who understands the rm.llet and its ways. With great goodwill he showed us the "likely" places where the surface-foam was rusty-coloured, tie explained li»w this spot was unlikely because of its shallowness and how t'jat place was impracticable because of iui depth and the heavy backwash.

Fresently \'c could perceive, Aa the last or (he second last wave broke in, the mullet in their myriads could be seen tnrough the translucent comber against the western rays of the brilliant, sun. Then in the (latter water—after the wave-break was Biiiootheu down—the fish were to be seen again, while here and there one would be seen getting buck to its element with an effort after having been very nearly Btrandtd. Later in the dav the mullet were "heads up" in the water and looked like so many floating potatoes. It Eeeined easy at any point to run the net round and take the prey. But Experience, in the person of our fiaherman host, was not impetuous. We presently saw that the labour of casting, of hauling, of washing and of again preparing ,the net for the next cast must be made worth while. The net is 50 yards long and nine or ten feet deep. The top of tha net is keot alloat by corks, the bottom part is taken below water by its weights of lead sinkers. It is a three-inch mesh so that tor those we catch many will escape.

To the lot of the writer it fell to hold the ir-Bhore end while Mr Scoullcr, with practised run, surrounded the school of mullet he had decided to take. His fett were lifted straight and clean from the water sn H 3 to make as little splash and to enable him to travel as lest as possible. TheD the strain came. "Hold the stick in, with the top part towards yourself, the bottom part furthest away." Those are the instructions. It's easy in theory. Perhaca in piactice, too. But n needs—practice. At my end the mullet streamed round like a drove of terrified sheep. "Splash with your feet to ft ightcn them back to th 3 net!" wera the instructions I got. But my feet were very busilv en gaged trying to grip the elusive sand, anil as 1 wrestled with the straining net-end tne mullet darted by. But an incoming wave eased the tension and the poise was regained. Presently, with help at the writer's end, the net was brought to an ellipse and the shinirg bodies of the fish taken in the first haul could be teen in the entanglement and in the water enclosure within it. They *vere of line even size and in capital condition. Their average weight was over lit.

It was not a record haul. But it was good. There were one hundred and seventeen mullet. Well over a hundredweight of fish. What a healthful food supply for the people! Three other casta were made. But the results were not good. Eight, twelve and thirty-five. But in fishing, as in every other department of sport and commerce, it is the element of uncertainty which gives spice to the pursuit. What a day on the beach. We could gleefully draw figures, and dig holes, and run races and jump as if there were no such worries in ihe world as newspapers. At tne hack there are the weird sand-dunes where the moving hills make daily change of their fantastic forms. There are artful ampitheatres which would serve admirably for ihe use of makers and fakirs of picture films.

Alter cups of refreshing tea, with sandwiches and fruit, followed by a gallon along the foreshore, we return by another pa« through the hills into Otaua, by way of Aka Aka and and I'un. A midnight supper of toothsome fresh fish! Even the Bound sleep induced by the living ilay in the open, en free air was lightened with gl;..ism: e sab unscioua memories of t<> e lotemi . jllct. ]t ii i~l tn Ihe tea-shore by way ■! hi Wa .. : u gap.