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[Riggles P. <nec...@de...>]

E had with the whiting, catching between four and five dozen by six
o'clock. Then, after boiling the billy and eating some fearfully tough
corned meat, we get into the boat again, hoist our sail, and land at the
little township just after dark. Such was one of many similar day's
sport on the Hastings, which, with the Bellinger, the Nambucca, the
Macleay, and the Clarence, affords good fishing practically all the year
round. Then, besides these tidal rivers, there are at frequent intervals
along the coast tidal lagoons and "blind" creeks where fish congregate
in really incredible quantities. Such places as Lake Illawarra and Lake
Macquarie are fishing resorts well known to the tourist; but along the
northern coast, where the population is scantier, and access by rail or
steamer more difficult, there is an absolutely new field open to the
sportsman--in fact, these places are seldom visited for either fishing
or shooting by people from Sydney. During November and December the bars
of these rivers are literally black with incredible numbers of coarse
sea-salmon--a fish much like the English sea-bass--which, making their
way over the bars, swim up the rivers and remain there for about a week.
Although these fish, which weigh from 6 lbs. to 10 lbs., do not take a
bait and are rather too coarse to eat, their roes are very good,
especially when smoked. They are captured with the greatest of ease,
either by spearing or by the hand; for sometimes they are in such dense
masses that they are unable to manoeuvre in small bays; and the urchins
of coastal towns hail their yearly advent with delight. They usually
make their first appearance about the second week in November, and are
always followed by a great number of very large sharks and saw-fish,
which commit dreadful havoc in their serried and helpless ranks.
Following the sea-salmon, the rivers are next visited in January by
shoals of very large sea-mullet--blue-black backs, silvery bellies and
sides, and yellow fins and tails. These, too, will not ta