CHAMPION FIGHTER OF SEA

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 88, 12 January 1928, Page 11

CHAMPION FIGHTER OF SEA

RECORD BROADBILL SWORDFISH CAPTURED

EXCITING AND PROLONGED IN LANDING

The world’s record broadbill swordfish was captured off Cape Brett .on Monday afternoon by Mr. H. WhiteWickham, the London sportsman, who is making his third visit to the New Zealand deep-sea fishing grounds (says the “New Zealand Herald”). Weighing 6731 b., the fish is 911 b. heavier than the previous world’s record broadbill which was captured by Mr. Zane Grey off Catalina Island, and 2211 b. heavier than the previous New.- Zealand record established by Mr. Fredelick Burnham, of America, at the Bay of Islands last January. Mr. White-Wickham was Ashing from the launch Ozone, and was drifting a few chains off Piercy Inlet when the broadbill took the bait, which was on a single hook. For some time, he was in ignorance of the nature of his fish, although the long _ and powerful run it made convinced him that it was a large one. The succeeding minutes were as exciting as thev possibly could be.. At the end of its run, the fish swerved round the launch several times and revealed itself as a broadbill of great size. As the fish gave way, Mr. WhiteWickham commenced to draw in, and he had got his quarry well up to the launch when, without warning, _it made another great run, the reel fairly screeching. The sportsman again gradually obtained the mastery, and after a ’prolonged struggle turned the fish and got it alongside, where it was killed and hauled on board. The broadbill is regarded by ' deepsea anglers as the champion fighter of' the seas, and so difficult is it to capture that the total- caught on rod and reel throughout the world has yet to reach 100. Since his initial experience at the Bay of Islands, Mr. WhiteWickham, who has followed the sport in all parts of the world, has stated that nowhere else can such splendid fishing, be obtained. Fresh renown is added to the New Zealand deep-sea fishing grounds by the latest capture. • Last February Colonel Stapleton-Cotton, of London, landed the world’s record thresher shark of 6471 b., which beat by 271 b. the record of 6201 b. established by Mr. Romer Grey, son of Mr. Zane Grey, a few days before at Whnngarei. In March the record hammer-head shark, weighing 4251 b., was caught by Captain Mitchell, of the 'Z«ne Grev natty, after a stiff battle. • The world’s record raako shark, weighing 5771 b., was landed by Mr. Francis Lewis, of Norfolk, England, in February. Fishing off Cape Brett during last week-end Mr. Joe Rivers, of Russell, fishing from the launch Billy D., caught a swordfish weighing 3021 b. Mr. White-Wickham, also landed a makeshark of 2111 b. from the launch Ozone.