ANGLING NOTES.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 39, 10 December 1920, Page 5

ANGLING NOTES.

(By "Creel").

THE HERO. His mind is set, and his features grim, Depict a master strong, success to win ; Grim purpose blazeth from his very eye ; A hero he to fight, to do, to die. (Perhaps). Who is this noble creature so endowed? Whose nohleness enshrines him like a sliroud, Wlio&e knowledge great, unrivalled, has no peer; Is he some great and clever-minded seer ? (Perhaps). Surely such a liero .gT.eat as he, Shall have noble worship from posterity ! Alack, I do not wish to cause you pain, An angler ("mad"), to fish out in the rain. (Perhaps). — By "Greel." Conditions for last week-end were some. what better for those . disciples of Isaak Walton, who leave the trammels and tribulations of the city and seek recreation on the banks of the babbling brook, amid the cleanliness and wholesomeness of , Nature, pure and free. I sometimes wonder whether man can worship God under His blue sky, with the cariopy of the heavens as his church, and the song oi the sweet birds filling the air, like some grand celestial choir. I venture to say he can, and further, man feels within himself full rever,ence for Him who made this universe of ours, and offers thanks in an unostentatjous and duly reverent manner. To the true angler it is a grand world. A party of four local fly fishermen on Wednesday, December 1st, creeled some seventy small fish on the Aparima for an afternoon's catch. The following flies were the popular killers. Hardy's Favourite, Stone fly, Owaka red tag, red hody Waipahi and McKay's Fancy. On the same day, fishing the. Makarewa below Underwood apother exponent of the popular fly fiShing secured a splendid bag of fifteen fish, amongst the take being two beautifully shaped fish, weighing Sjjbs each. Jessie No. 4 and Purple Grouse were the most effective flies. The la-tter pattern "tempted" the lieavier fish. Fishing the Waiau Messrs Aitken and Olsen made the fine catch of 21 fish on t..e minnow. The heaviest fish weighecl 8Ubs, and fish 71b s, 61bs and 51bs were also included in the bag. They report the trout to be in beautiful condition. There is n d doubt that the Waiau is one of the best rivers in New Zealand for large fish. A case of interest to those holding trout. fishing licenses came before the Magis- j trate's Court at Wellington on Friday, states the "Dominion," when Edward B. Gardiner was charged with failing to produce his fishing license when requested to do so by a ranger. The defendant was fishing the Hutt river between Hayward's and Belmont with another man. A ranger came on the scene, and asked Gardiner to produce his license. Gardiner, it was stated, refused to do so, and told the ranger to bring a test case against him. It was contended for the defendant that he was fishing for eels, and did not there. fore need to produce a license. Furthermore the ranger could not demand.to see* his license until he had a trout in his pos. session. Mr R. Cooke, who appeared for the Acclimatisation Society, said the defendant was under a misapprehension as to the interpretation of the regulations,

anl the society did not press for a heavy penalty. Gardine® was fined 40s and costs 43s. SOUTHLAND ANGLING CLUB. From noon Saturday, Decemher 4th, until weigh-in at 9 a.m., Monday the 6th, the above club held a week-end roving competition, any legal bait. Conditions were not "perfectus" and some six bags only were weighed in. The up-country anglerg were the successful contestants, and th§ following is the result. All fish are "cleaned" w,eight : — Name. No..fish. TI. wght. lb. ozs. 1. II. Hammond (Centre Bush) 39 22 0 2. E. Durry (Lumsden) ... 38 22 8 Handicap 25 p.c. 16 14 3. G. Braxton (Invercargill) 21 12 6 R. Jones (Invercargill) .... 9 12 0 J. A. Nisbefc do 5 8 11 Mr Nisbet'won the prize for the heaviest fish with a beautiful speciment of sea-run trout, weighing 71bs (cleaned weight). Tliis fact makes all anglers think seriously of injustice meted out to them by the Government in allowing the continuation of metting trout at the river mouth. Let's hope that this grave injustice will be abolished by next season, Included in Mr Hammond's bag was a "freak" trout with an extra fin, directly situated at the feack of the fish's head. It was otherwise quite a normal trout. GORE ANGLERS' CLUB. A public meeting was held at Gore on Friday night for the purpose of forming | an Anglers' Club. Tfee converer, Mr J. Wyllie, was voted to "the chair, and the f.olJowing- gentleman were present : Messrs B. Smith, D. M. Collett, Hoffman (2), D. Graham, G. Richardson, Beattie, vv. u. Hayles, J. Winning, J. P. Wyllie, C. Steans, J. McArthur, and B. Ward. ApoL ogies were received from Messrs J. M. Gillies, F. Young, F. Wallis, Jnr., and A. J. Grant. It was decided to form a club, and the following office-bearers were appointed. — President, Mr D. McAra^ vice-presidents, Messrs Winning, Collett, and Graham; secretary and treasurer, Mr G. Richardson; auditor, Mr F. Young; committee, Messrs Smith, Hoffman (2), Beattie, Steans, Ward. Hayles, Vvyllie, and the office-bearers. It was decided to adopt the rules and regulations of the Invercargill Society, ex. cept the clause , regarding subscriptions

which was fixed at 2s 6d, the subscr'iption to be ls for all boys holding a 5s license. It was decided to accept Mr W. J. Hayles' offer of the use of his shop for the meetings of ihe Society, and ne and Mr Richardson were thanked for their of. fers. It was also decided to proeure members' tiekets, and letter-hook and stationery as required by the secretary. Mr Winning moved a hearty vote of thanks to the chairman, Mr J. P. Wyllie. The above report from tae "Ensign" makes "Creel" very glad, as he has 'consistently agitated for the formation of a club, and he wishes the "infant" club in the Southland Acclimatisation Society's district long life and p>rosperity.