A FISHING TRIP ON THE UPPER WATERS OF 

 THE MAZARUNI RIVER. 



Bv G. E. Bodkix, B.A., F.Z.S., F.E.S. 



And an ingenious Spaniard says, that " Rivers and the inhabitants of 

 the watery element were made for wise men to contemplate and fools to 

 'pass by without consideration. " And although I will not rank myself 

 in the number of the first, yet give me leare to free myself from the last 

 by offering to you a short contemplation, first of risers and then of 

 fish. : ' — The Compleat Angler. 



Previous to May, 1916, my experience of the possibilities of fishing 

 in British Guiana was confined to the usual week-end lukanani fishing 

 at the Lauiaha stop-off. Here lukanani, do not run very lar^e compared 

 with their brethren in the great rivers of the Colony and my successful 

 efforts in catching them have been by trolling which requires a modicum 

 of skill and not even a rod unless one feels like it. 



Early in 1916 I had the good fortune to be included in a party on 

 an official visit to the Peters' Mine, Puruni Kiver. A glance at the map 

 will show that such a trip entails a long journey up the Mazaruni River 

 and a shorter one up the Puruni — its tributary. I need hardly add that 

 the Mazaruni abounds in dangerous rapids but in places is noted for its 

 fish and game. Bearing this reputation in miud I took with me a strong 

 rod and reel with a good selection of spoon baits. Owing to the 

 necessary haste with which the journey up river was made only a few 

 chances of using the rod occurred but my several experiences with large 

 lukanani— a few minutes snatched before breakfast, and again before 

 darkness descended — were quite sufficient to whet my appetite for further 

 experiences and I promised myself that by hook or by crook I would pay 

 another visit to this river and under circumstances more conducive to sport. 



Luck was with me. In October of the same year the late Mr. S. W. 

 Cole, Warden at Bartica, who I had the pleasure of meeting on a previous 

 occasion, wrote to inform me that he was going up the Mazaruni in 

 November for river-cleaning purposes; the possibilities of enjoying sport 

 were excellent, and he considered it a good opportunity, ft did tno tak.- 

 me long to decide. I secured a mouth's leave from the Government, made 

 the necessary arrangements, and left for Bartica on November 19th. 



A short description of some of the items of my sporting equipment 

 should perhaps be included here as they will certainly [rove of interest 

 to fellow a -glers and possibly be of some assistance to them at a later 

 time. 



My rod consisted of a cane built, 7 foot ' Victor ' casting rod, manu- 

 factured by the well-known tirm of Hardy Bros., Alnwick, England. Ju 

 conjunction with this rod 1 used a Eardy'fl No. 2 Silex reel holding 60 

 yards of well dressed silk spinning line of medium weight. A more 



