WHERE TO FISH—AND HOW

New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 486, 15 October 1948, Page 17

WHERE TO FISH—AND HOW

TROUT AND SALMON FISHING IN OTAGO. The Otago Anglers’ Association, Dunedin. THE CONCISE HANDBOOK OF _ AUSTRALIAN FISHING. By "Taggerty." Robertson and Mullens Ltd., Melbourne, ANGLING SECRETS. By Pat Castle. Mac- ‘ millan and Co. Ltd., London, HE contribution of the Otago "" Anglers’ Association to the general Centennial rejoicings is a useful little booklet which covers (briefly) the history of trout and salmon _acclimatisation in the province, the history of the Association itself, and (most exhaustively) the angling waters of Otago. In the

introductory section of the book some of the statements are a little overenthusiastic (it. cannot seriously be claimed, for example, that the Atlantic salmon has thriven "to an amazing degree" in the Te Anau area), But in the sections which will count most with anglers-those dealing in alphabetical order with the angling centres, and the lakes and rivers of the province-the information is succinct, sober, factual, and exhaustive. Fishing centres are listed first, along with details of hotels,

camping grounds, and fishing waters. Lakes «and streams are dealt with individually in another section, and by crossreference from one section to the other a detailed picture of the angling available in most areas from the Makarora to the Catlins can be obtained. A number of excellent photographs have been used to illustrate the book,

but reproduction is not uniformly good. The Association is not a wealthy body and in the present instance make-up and typography (and the inclusion of 20odd pages of advertisements) reflect that sacrifice of dignity to economy so often forced upon small groups. No New Zealand angler is likely to go to Australia for the fishing, but if one is an angler, and has to go to Australia, "Taggerty’s" little manual is worth taking along. It makes good reading-the author writes gracefully, and with humour as well as authorityand it covers sea.and estuary fishing besides freshwater angling. But the author does not move far beyond the borders of Victoria. Pat Castle’s Angling Secrets are, in the main, the secrets of angling in Britain. Some of them have been open secrets for a good many years, others would be better kept dark by any angler intending to profit from them in New Zealand, But there are two useful chapters on nymph-fishing and some entertaining pages of miscellaneous information.