DISTRICT FISHING

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 79, 24 November 1931, Page 6

DISTRICT FISHING

FURTHER GOOD BAGS REPORTS FROM WHAKATANE AND WAIKAREMOANA DISTRICTS IMPROYEMENT IN CONDITION Reports received from the Conservator of Fish and Game for Rotorua Acclimatisation district (Mr. A. Kean) indicate that for the fortnightly period ending November 20, there was a slight falling off in angling activities in both the Rotorua and Taupo fishing areas. At the same time, good fishing has been experieneed in both districts and the condition of the fish is stated to be improving every week. Some exeellent bags have been taken, but the number of anglers on the different fishing water s has shown a decrease from thbse during the early part of the season. Waikaremoana. In the Waikaremoana loeality, it was reported that the fish taken have shown a marked improvement in quality. This is stated to be due to the fact that on the opening and sueceeding days of the first week in the season, very bad .weather was experieneed. Anglers mainly confined their efforts i to the Hopuruahine-Mokau and Aniwaniwa streams, where weak fish were harbouring. Anglers fishing from rocks round Lake Waikaremoana and trolling in fine weather in the lake waters took much better fish. It was very noticeable that there were a very large number of late spawning fish, especially in Lake Waikareiti. Good fishing prospects are anticipated after Christmas, and a number of anglers do not bother about tbe lake fishing until then. The reports indicate that past'liberations are now providing some good fish which average about 21b in weight at present. The largest fish were taken from Lake. Waikareiti where the weights of three fish were 10, 10J, and 12 Ibs. respeetively. An exeellent bag of 23 fish averaging 31 lbs. was taken by Mr. R. McGrath, fly fishing at Waikare-Tah-?ke, Using the spoon at Waikareiti, Ma*. W. H. Cook took 17 fish averaging 31bs. in weight. A bag of 14 fish were taken by Mr. J. Galgey fishing with the spoon at Onepoto. Mr. 0. Howard fishing with the fly at Thomas Lake took a similar bag. Other catches reported in the Waikaremoana dis- . trict were Messrs. R. W. Grey, 13; W. Lindiga, 11; C. Howard, 11; M. Dawson, 10; T. Hall, 10; and L. H. Nisson, 10. Whakatane-Opotiki In the Whakatane-Opotiki district, a considerable amount of fishing had been done during the forlnight and the fish taken had been in fair condition, averaging 25 lbs. in weight. The Whakatane, Waimana, and Taa*awera Rivers had been severely "thrashed" and 6 and 71b. fish were occasionally taken with a fair proportion of 3 and 4 poundea*s. The best one-day figures in this district fell to Mr. A. Hepburn, who took 11 fish averaging* 3u lbs. in the Tarawera. Messrs. B. Mitchell and W. Seott had each secured ,10 fair fish in the Whakatane and Waimana respeetively. The next best daily totals taken were those of Messrs. H. Mitchell, F. Ford, and B. Dawson (9 ) . J. H. Hooper, W. Dolan (8), and F. Lord and W. Dolan (7). Rotorua Fishing In the Rotorua area, the Ohau Channel had been a popular rendez■'ous and some good bags had been taken on the fly. Over a period of fight days Dr. Marshall secured 40 fish, averaging 221bs. in the channel, and over a similar pei'iod Major Meyu* took 31 at Ngongotaha. In the Tahuna, near Okere, a nice bag of 10 fish was taken. on the fly by Mr. Len Fisher, the fish averaging 21 lbs. in wejght. Mr. Hannah, fly fishing on Rotoiti, took 28 fish in good condition. Mr. Mehrtons took 21 fish for a week at Ngongotaha. Lake Tarawera had still provided ■ome of the best totals in the dista*ict. For 10 days fishing on this lake, Messrs. Hirst and Hawkins of Te Aroha, took 158 fair conditioned fish averaging 31 lbs. This party was spoon fishing. Mr. White and party of Auckland, fly fishing on the same lake, took 17 in a day. The Waikato River had provided some good fly fishing in the Wairakei loeality. Four rods in two hours had taken 16 fish averaging 4 lbs. at the Aratiatia Rapids and at the same spot Mr. G. Cricket had taken 12 fish averagmg 51 lbs. In this bag there were four fish over 6 lbs. and one 91 pounder. T okaanu Reports from the Tokaanu area, state that there has been a decline in angling activities during the fortnightly period. Up to November 14 Mr. Barlow had taken 83 fish averaging 51bs. These fish were all taken on the fly on the Tongai'iro near the hatcheries. On the same 'iver, but in the Turangi loeality, Mr. Hamilton had taken 50 fish for a similar pea*iod, the average weight of his bag being 41 lbs. Trolling parties operating* in the Tokaanu area had had fair success ilthough their bags contained poor fish which had not recovered from spawning. At Motuopa bay, Messrs. Thoms and Zohs, fly fishing from November^ to November 11, took 38 fair conditioned fish averaging 41 lbs. in weight. x