WITH THE ROD.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1922, Page 3

WITH THE ROD.

SEASON OPENS TO-MORROW, PROSPECTS FOR ANGLERS. (By Ripple.) Gently flowing water, foaming cascades. rippling currents with whitecrested ridges, and limpid backwaters, where the bubbles float gaily around. Golden sunlight, with here and there on the surface of the stream, the fairy-like shadows of shimmering leaves from the verdure of the river bank. These are the imaginary scenes that the angler has visioned for the past week in his anticipation of his first visit to the river on the opening day of the angling year, the day when all care is thrown aside. Even though his creditors be clamoring for long-overdue monies, or the house is threatened with the invasion of the bailiff—what matter—everything and everybody can go hang, provided the angler can steal away to his favorite trout stream and there commune with the song of the sonorous waters and await the favors of the gods. Trout are showing in all the rivers fed from the great reservoir of snow from hoary Egmont’s peak. Big lazy broadtailed fellows, alert two and three pounders, and frisky swift yearlings —all doing their utmost to decorate their pretty sides with bounteous layers of pink flesh from the wealth of feeding to be found in our waters. The whitebait has not been very prolific this year, but there has been a steady run up the rivers for the past six weeks, and the trout have taken toll of this and other feed, and are ripe for the anglers’ basket. And what angler is not ready apd | anxiously waiting for October 1, the i dawn of which day ushers in the angling season for 1922. Rods, reels, lines and casts overhauled, river boots respiked j and oiled afresh, waders artfully repaired with patches that are sure to come off with an hour’s fishing. And the lunch at the river-side—under the shade of some age-old karaka or whitewood trees with a vista of glorious tree ferns all out in their green spring freshness of verdure. How gladly after the morning’s fishing you settle down and unstrap the tucker kit. Out come the ham and egg sandwiches, the lumps of plum cake, the sausage rolls and other dainties that the good wife has contributed towards your day’s pleasure on the river. And here, right at the bottom of the kit, you sort out a thermos flask full of tomato soup, or a delicious draught of cocoa, piping hot, and after you have gratefully partaken of the viands and the old cheery pipe is throwing off a soft cloud from the choicest blend of tobacco, your heart stirs within you and you are living in an enchanted land. How you gloat over the captured spotted trout that be safely in the basket from the morning’s angling. Then up and away to untried waters for the afternoon and evening fishing. Then as the shades of night close down you realise that you have been making history—history that will linger evergreen in the memory. Brother anglers. I know you will “go to it” with a willing heart on the opening day. May your luck be in. and when you have returned home, had the refreshment of the hot bath and a supper of chunks of bread and cheese, with a bumper glass of XXXX., may your dreams he a struggle with some monster old brown trout that has been known to be in the dim depths of the big pool for.the past twenty vears. whose dimensions are fabulous, and whose cunning is such that no angler may take him by fair angling methods.