A MONSTER SWORDFISH.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 65, 18 March 1925, Page 9

A MONSTER SWORDFISH.

~.—___ CAUGHT AT RUSSELL. (From Our On-n Correspondent.) \ RUSSELL, Tuesday. . On Saturday in the launch Alma G., . Mr. Gardiner, of Kamo, caught the ! second largest swordfish recorded. The i weight was 4.501b, length lift, and girth i 4ft 10in. The record weight is 5271j. , Mr. Gardiner hooked the monster . off riercy Island and it put up ■ a great fight, leaping hiore than its [ length out of the water 14 times, and requiring great skill in playing it for i the one hour and 53 minutes it took ito land. During this time t!ie launch had drifted five miles. This swordfish has a very short but thicker spear than others, and is much darker in colour, and has a smaller sized eye. : A remarkable thing about swordfish is the K r "< >v e or narrow opening {\\tst like a knife cut) underneath and along the back into which the fins can shut up like a fan. A sea snake about 2ft Cm long was taken out of this fish. Mr. Kershaw, of Hawke's Bay, also caught from the Ozone, oil Cape Brett, a 2401b swordfish last Saturday. Additional week-end catches arc as follows frojn the launch Ozone. Mr. J. W. Kershaw, of Martinborough, Waivarapa, two swordfish, 2801b and 2341b; Mr. J. A. McDougal, of Martinborough, Wairarapa, one swordfish, 3041b; Mr. E. J. Ussher, of Martinborough, Wairarapa, one swordfish, 2381b; Mr. W. Toms, of Martinborough, Wairarapa, one thresher shark, 32Slb, and one kingfish, 441b; Mr. Patterson, of Napier, Mr. Glaisbrook and Mr. (Mako) Smith, of Xapier. from the launch Phyllis, one swordfish, 2SSIb; one swordfish, 2121b; one swordfish, 3441b, and one mako shark, respectively. Mr. Peter Gardiner, of Kamo, in the Alma G., one mako shark.