LINE AND TRIGGER

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 666, 11 December 1902, Page 8

LINE AND TRIGGER

(By

“Gillie.”)

Soto® shags shot last week on. the Mamrahoe River were fouod to contain trout. One of the birds had loaded up two trout, one being eight inches in length. It is really awt-onishing the size of fish that these birds can swallow, and they are verv destructive indeed to small fry. The only remedy is to wage unremitting warfare on all the tribe, and shoot them on every occasion possible. It is simply amazing the destruction a single shag can accompush in the course of a few weeks.

The Emperor of Germany is endeavouring to introduce grouse on his sporting estates in Germany, so pleased is hn with the- sport in the Old Country. Several consignments of live grouse have been despatched from Brumfries to the Royal shootings near Konigsberg, Germany z : It is very interesting watching salmon > goaag up river, for when put to it they are able to leap the most amazing distaHCoB>. In Irish rivers the highest leap in ' OH# single perpendicular effort has been 14 feet,, but the fish, by going up a series of rapids on which ladders and steps have been placed to aid them, have climbed hundreds of feet.

A new kind of championship was to be created last month in England, when what was termed the Sea Angling Festival was to take place at Hastings and .’■'t. Leonards. Competitions were to be held ■lmulf.aneously from boats and from the

Hastings and St. Leonards piers, and the fortunate individual who made the heaviest one-day catch of fish during the festival won not only a gold medal, but the South of England sea angling championship trophy. On the whole, about £lOO was given away in prizes. For the best catch of whiting on any one day, for the heaviest one-day catch of cod, and for the heaviest one-day catch of flat fish, not exceeding twelve in number, there were three prizes given. Then there were special prizes for the heaviest round or fiat fish taken on each day, and also for the greatest number of sizable fish caught on ant one day of the three. 3 here were also gratuities for the men who manage the boats of the prize-winners. 3 'he only method of fishing allowed was with one rod. winch, and running line, and the tackle attached must not have more than two hooks.

Those who have a good deal to do -it* fish can tell at a glance whether they are. fresh or not, but such experts bat e had to graduate in (h< ir knowledet*. 1 hree sense*

are used in telling whether fish are good. Thev. are those of smell, sight, and touch. Few people know that the sense of touch i is of value in determining the condition of fish. Most people look at the eyes and i gills, and nearly everybody knows that fresh fish have bright red gills showing I some degree of shapeliness. .When a fish I is turning bad the gills first show the pro--1 cess of decomposition. They turn a dark I red. and sometimes become covered with j mucous, which sticks them together slightI ly. At the same time the eyes lose their bright appearance. 3’he coloured portion of 1 the iris loses its distinctive hue, and the ’ glassy cornea which envelopes the front of the eyeball becomes dull. 3’he sense ot smell is not an infallible guide when fish ' have been cleaned," but it is a. guide to some extent, and must not be disregarded. The market people say, however, that a blind man can tell when a bsh is good by the feel of it. One soon learns to detect good from bad fish bv the sense of touch. A fresh fish, or one fresh enough to be

1 .l ’ 4| -.“I considered wholesome has firm flesh which, when pressed slightly, does not retain the finger mark. With all these senses to help one there should be little difficulty in choosing fish. If iced fish is spotted strangely with yellow it should be left alone', the spots are fungoid growths.