An Angler's Paradise. [ i 



and even twenty pounds, and it is confined ordinarily to three 

 or four large streams, breaking up constantly into numerous 

 smaller ones. It is stated that the Rakaia is the home of some 

 of the finest trout in the world, and that fish get larger and 

 more plentiful the nearer it approaches the sea. They are often 

 caught in the salt water at the mouth of the river itself. It is 

 one of the snow-fed rivers ; and with respect to it, and all streams 

 that so take their rise, the sensible warning is given that the 

 angler should always make inquiry as to the state of the water 

 before proceeding upon an expedition. It was in Rakaia that the 

 splendid takes of trout reported last year were made. Eight fish, 

 weighing eighty-eight pounds, is something indeed worth entering 

 in the diary ; but that was beaten in February the year before last, 

 by one angler taking thirteen fish weighing a hundred and forty- 

 seven pounds, the largest being sixteen and a half pounds, the 

 smallest eight pounds. Even this, however, was surpassed by a 

 party of three gentlemen fishing along the shingle bank, on the 

 south side of the river, near to the sea. They took forty-four fish 

 weighing three hundred and forty-seven and a half pounds." Such 

 reports as these have been numerous and are most encouraging. 



From Tasmania also come most gratifying accounts, as well 

 as from other countries, and a friend writing from Tasmania 

 remarks : " The English trout that have been acclimatized here 

 have done remarkably well and attain a great size." So then in 

 Tasmania also, trout culture, though carried on under the great 

 difficulty of importing ova from Britain at a time when the matter 

 was but very imperfectly understood, has proved a decided 

 success. 



The results obtained in America would fill a series of books, 

 and want of space must be my plea for not going into details 

 respecting them. I may say that I have seen quite enough, when 

 over there on fishery business, to be convinced that a great work 

 is going on, both in the United States and in Canada, that is 

 productive of much good. Salmon have for some time been 

 caught on some of the great rivers by machinery, large wheels 

 being fixed at suitable places in the streams, which literally scoop 

 or shovel the fish out by thousands. So enormous is the de- 

 struction of salmon on some of these rivers that there would soon 



