ANGLING NOTES.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 30, 8 October 1920, Page 5

ANGLING NOTES.

"By Creel."

, "THE BALLY LIMIT." Two anglers grand with gear all '' gublime, , yfmt out to angle when t3ie weather was finej With rods of split cane, waders and I brogues, ' Of gear up-to-date they had loads and ; loads. The water wa3 good and their hopes ran high ; Said Beggie to Algy, "we fish with the fly; . Tou fish up and 1*11 fish down, I'll bcat you for weight, I bet a crown." The het duly made operations commenced, -When a ragged young urchin hopped over a fence ; A korapi his rod, a string to it tied ; "You fishing?" he said. "Yes," Algy replied. The hoy looker hard at their fancy gear, And said to himaelf, "there's no fish here, I've fished the river and I think I know Where there's one or two beauties, down below." Algy and Reggie fished all the day, Caughfc very few fish, I'm eorry to say. Algy returning met our fisher lad A fish over his shoulder, but the boy looked sad. Algy stared hard at the three poun'd trout, And gasped * "it's ■ a fish, I have no doubt." But the boy replied, with a kind of grin, "That ain't wot yer mate said,, no, not 'im." "Ye'r see, I'd a bet with Jimmy Green I'd catch better fish than ever he's seen! I caught this fish, the bet to win it; But yer mate he calls it, "the bally limit."' ' — "CREEL."

Last Friday, the season, compared to *ome pmvious opening days, commenced mder auspicious circumstances. ihe " »arly part of the day promised great thiijgs, but unfortunately for the fly fisherman the wind came up too strong and cold. However, under these adverse circumstancea some very fair catches were creeled, Complaints are fairly general ; that the fi3h are not in as good condition as lormer years, and in conversation with > an angler of wide experience, he sug.gests, that the explanation may be found in the fact of Southland enjoying such an open winter, there being very few freshes in the rivers, consequently the fish would not have the same opportunity of getting the variety and quantity of food as in former years. Whether this is the explanation or no it is hard to say, but person ally, I think there is something in his contention. A brother angler relates an „ experience he had during the week-end, and there are others I know can sympathise with him in his predicament. It appears he was enjoying himself to the full ainongst the "speckled beauties," when lo, his operations wero interrupted by the sudden appearance of I a very pugnacious bull, who evidently mistook our friend for Dempsey, or Carpentier, of fistic fame. A hurried entry into the water (as my friend said, "frightened all the bally fish"); and our Angler was immune from attack. Not so a fisherrnan down the stream (who no dou bt was not observant as Angler No. 1.), he having to wait under a bank until rescued by the owner of the mammoth. This irritating experience is inclined tq, make one A»k, if there is not a river chainage on most rivers, which legally would make it , ® same as a puhlic highway, and 1 ink the law prevents anyone moving a U (especially of the category of our mammoth) without it being under proper con roi. Perhaps our farmer friends will take the hinfc and remove any such savage ast to pastures new, as us poor anglers ave enough to do to watch operations m ront, without being subject to a flank Attack. opening day, Messrs Pierce and H. J. bmjh creeled some twenty odd fish, and T report the river was in good order. ere was a big number of anglers on the nver. Messrs Welham and Finlay landed very nice fish last week-end, 2-^lbs

being the heaviest bagged. All these were taken on the fly. On the opening day, three local anglers on the Aparima bagged 24 fish with the minnow. The taka included two four pounders. Another fisherrnan creeled nine fish, the heaviest scaling six pounds. They report the fish were in rather poor condition. The Makawera gave better results, some goods bags being secured. One bag comprised thirteen fish, the heaviest six pounds, all in good condition. Another bag of sixteen pounds was taken. The Oreti gave a3 usual .good returns; fishermen using the worm, or "snake," creeling good fish. On the Otamita (Gore), some really good bags were secured on the creeper," Messrs Hoffman br others, J. McArthur, H. T. Braxton, creeling fish up to three pounds in weight. On the same river Mr O. Richardson landed 35 fish on the fly at the bottom end of the stream, although I understand they were mostly small. The Otaria and "Waipahi gave fair returns. On the latter Mr F. Young and partner (Gore), securing twenty-seven fish between them, reporting the fish were in rather poor condition. I would again ask all secretariag to forward in results of competitions, particulars of any good bags, reports of meetings, etc.