Trout fishing in New Zealand from the beginning up to 1892

I am enjoying reading a book about the development of trout fishing in New Zealand. It is an old book written by W. H. Spackman of Christchurch and was published in September of 1892. It details the efforts of the Acclimatization Societies of Canterbury, Otago, Southland and Wellington Provinces in importing brown trout fry from Tasmania and stocking the streams of these regions. He relates the fishing obtained during the 1880's and how they went about it.

This was before the automobile so transport was by train (many country branch lines existed then), or by Cobb & Co coach, and from a station one used a horse, or trap, or walked to the river bank. Camping on the river bank was common and campsites are mentioned, as are hotels and guest houses suitable for the angler.

On the larger Canterbury rivers a rod of up to 14 feet is advised. Spin fishing using live or dead minnow, Devon minnow and whitebait phantoms are recommended for the lower reaches to the sea mouth with individual daily catches of 60 lbs of trout, ranging from 5 to 10 lbs, and to 20 lbs, sometimes being achieved. Conventional fly fishing of the smaller streams in the South and North Island is explained.

Lake fishing had not really been established at that time (Southern Lakes and Taupo), although mention is made of Lake Wakatipu having areas let out for netting large trout which were sold to pubs and restaurants as far away as Dunedin and Invercargill.

Anyone who has fished in New Zealand, or lives there now, will find this a fascinating book, which is readily available at your mouse tip as a free electronic book. Go to Open Library website which has over a million free book titles. Search on "trout fishing in New Zealand" to find Spackman's book. You can download it to your reading device, be it computer or Kindle.