TELEOSTEI 219 



Pomahaka River 



C. Williams on five trips took 139J lb. ] 

 Wm. Fraser one day (18 fish) 53 „ !■ 1890 

 T. E. Brown 6 hrs (12 fish) 52 „ J 



The Pomahaka gives, perhaps, a better day's sport with the minnow 

 than any other river in our district, baskets of 50 to 60 lbs. have been taken 

 in one day by Dunedin anglers. 



Records for 1890-91 



Clutha River (above Cromwell) : one rod took 90 lbs. in one evening. 



Mimihau and Otaria Rivers: baskets from 30 to 40 lbs. frequently. 



M. Lowriethis seasonin the Mimihau took 241 fish averaging 3 Ibs.each. 



The Upper Mataura is now splendidly stocked, and baskets of 30 to 

 40 lbs. can easily be obtained on a good day, fishing with the natural cricket 

 and grasshopper as a lure. 



H. Schluter, fishing at the mouth of the Waitaki, in Oct., 1888, took 

 three fish weighing 69! lbs. 



The Waitaki Society reported in 1890 that at Waitaki North (in 

 one day.?) 169 fish were taken weighing 1123 lb. or 6f lb. each; the 

 heaviest were, one of 14 lb., one of 13 lb., two of 12 lb., four of 1 1 lb., 

 and eight of 10 lb. The smallest fish taken weighed 3 lb. The best 

 baskets were two of eight fish weighing 60 lb. and one of six fish 

 weighing 50 lb. 



These records only apply to Otago rivers, but similar records are 

 available for other streams all over the areas stocked with brown 

 trout. Thus the largest brown trout taken from Rotorua Lake, ac- 

 cording to Mr A.J. lies, was 27I lb. ; the largest from Lake Taupo was 

 25I lb. ; but Mr C. P. M. Butterworth states that fish of 29 lb. have 

 been taken from Lake Taupo. Mr W. P. Cotter tells me (July, 1916) 

 that in Lake Hawea specimens weighing 26 lb. have been taken, and 

 that though the fish have been in the lake for 25 years, there is no 

 sign of deterioration. 



Mr W. Arthur gives the following interesting facts about this 

 species in New Zealand. The trout spawn (in Otago) from 20th June 

 to 4th August, a half-pound fish giving about 400 ova ; a seven pound 

 fish about 6000. The eggs hatched out in 78 days. At Opoho during 

 the winter the temperature of the water averaged 42° F.; and in 

 the hatchery from 42° F. to 52° F. The best temperature for 

 hatching is 48° F. The young fry average i\ inches long in six 

 weeks, and 3 inches in a hundred days. They carry best when 

 from I to i^ inches long. The only variations which he considers 

 the brown trout to have developed in the new country is that the 

 spawning season is about two months later (relatively) than in 

 England, and the duration of hatching about 14 days longer. 



