TAUPO ROD & GUN CLUB

Taupo Times, Volume I, Issue 15, 23 April 1952, Page 4

TAUPO ROD & GUN CLUB

At a Committee Meeting of the Taupo Rod and Gun Club held last week, several matters of interest to> Anglers generally came under discussion. It was decided to advertise the Club in the Taupo Times," calling for new members to support the Clufe in negotiations with the Department of Internal Affairs, and inserting in the advertisement items of interest to Sportsmen, such as opening and closing dates of seasons etc., and that reports of all Meetings should be submitted to the Taupo TimesJ> for publication. After the close of the 1952 Bird Shooting /Season, the Secretary was requested to ascertain from the Conservator of Wild Life the number of pheasants liberated in the Taupo Dj/strict Ihis season, and also the number of shooting licences issued within the Rotorua AcclimatisatioB area. A recommendation had previously been made to the Internal Affairs Department that spent, senile fishf, commonly known as slabs, which congregated at Stream Mouths to the detriment of the feeding -of healthy young fish, should be netted and culled by qualified persons — preferably Rangers. No official reply had been received by the Club, but the unofficial reaction had been that the angling public would object very strongly indeed to such a procedure, It is felt by the Committee^ amongst whom are men of wide angling experience, that these spent, senile fish will never put on sufficient condition to become takeable trout, and anglers who have fished the Stream mouths, on the Westerxi Shores particularly, will undoubtedly have made their acquaintance on many occasions. It is said that a slab at Whanganui |ieads straight for the beach when hooked, and1 as soon as released takes "up h-is position in the rip once again. At all events, the Club will persist in the effort to have such trout culled out, in the interests of the feeding of young healthy stock, and cannot see that anglers with the best interests of the sport at heart will raise objections to the procedure, providei the . netting iand culling is carried: out by Departmental Officers, ©r other qualified persons#