DEEP SEA ANGLING

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 136, 5 March 1929, Page 9

DEEP SEA ANGLING

SOUTH AFRICAN MAKO SHARK ITS WEIGHT CHALLENGED ALLEGED INACCURATE STORY (Specially written for “The Dominion” by “Ruru,” Thames.) The full story of the alleged 21761 b. mako shark which was caught by Mr. W. R. Selkirk at Hermanns, South Africa, is told by Mr. J. S. Dunn. It is quite a humorous document —that is to any experienced sea-angler—and is as full of inconsistencies as it could well bo. Whilst a visitor to Mr. Zane Grey’s camp on Great Mercury Island, “Ruru" discussed with members of the party the .story of the catch, and carefully compared its dimensions with fish that had been caught and were actually available. Here is Mr. Dunn’s story: “Stories of heroic fights with giant swordfish, projectile-like tuna, and leaping tarpon come almost weekly these days from the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, the famous Avalon of the Pacific, and from Florida. Yet I aver that South Africa holds the world’s greatest angling performance. Mr. W. R. Selkirk, from the rocks at Hermanns, has, captured a man-eating shark of 21761 b. bn rod and line. The struggle between angler and monster fish lasted from half-past two in the afternoon until half-past seven at night, and was witnessed by crowds of holi-day-makers and local fishermen. “Zane Grey and his brother, R.C., Captain Mitchell, J. K. L. Ross, Dr. Holder, and many other famous anglers, have to their credit record catches of swordfish and tuna. In the most up-to-date methods of fishing fast motor-launches have been used. Sometimes they have double engines, so that they may turn in their own length. These launches, with speeds up to 15 miles per hour, are almost as important in securing the sea giants as is rod and reel. Forward dashes the motor-launch and hundreds of yards of line which have been torn off the reel at express speed are recovered by the manipulation of the launch. Struggle for Hours. “Mr. Selkirk, in his world’s record effort, had no’ such aid. He used a sealed paraffin tin as a float, and had only an ordinary 18-cord line on his reel. This was somewhat larger than the usual South African six-incher, so as to hold three or four hundred yards of line. A rod of about 11 feet was necessary, so that the angler could run from reef to reef and clear the low-lying fish drying houses by holding his rod high in the air. It was essential to clear a high reef before the huge man-eater got into open water. Then on ‘Piet’s Klip,’ as the famous fishing spot is called, ensued a struggle for hours. Selkirk having to fight on the rock. There is no possibility i,i this game of the boat being towed and the angler getting a rest. A few details may be interesting. “They would be interesting—very interesting indeed,” interjected Captain Mitchell, as “Ruru” was reading the story to him.” . ■ , . Hermanns Harbour. However, to continue Mr. Dunn’s tale. “The small boy, fishing so skilfully for mullett on Franz Klip just outside Her, manus Harbour, gave a shrill shout... A dark form is seen gliding through' the calm water. .It is a giant man-eater.s, The. wind is off shore, making the little -bay as smooth as a lake. A fleet-footed lad rushes up the cliffs, and reports to ‘Bill’ Selkirk: ‘Tamaai haai’ (immense shark).’ . Bill grasps his rod and reel, which always stand in readiness, and runs down the steep pathway with his paraffiri-tin float, steel trace‘and strong hooks attached. A fisherman awaits him with a bait three or four feet long, most likely kabeljauw (the white bass of America). The two hooks are carefully placed in the back of this bait, which is gently lowered into the water, and han-s six feet or so under the bottom of the float. The Paraffin Tin. The paraffin .'tin is then • carefully placed in the deep water, and the offshore wind blows it into the middle of the miniature bay. The man-eater has glided once or twice up and down. Suddenly all the excited spectators know that he has seen the silvery bait since he sweeps round it in circles, making the bay surge. Smaller and smaller grow the circles, and then, turning a little on his side, he gulps ’down the entire bait. Immediately the float goes down, and the small boys shout, ‘Submarine, submarine!’ Why they do this has never been explain<t seems to have been an expression used when the first giant shark was hook-

ed, and the word has stuck. Irritated by the pressure on the one, and the .attendant gleaming float, the monster fish invariably niii-kes for the sharp reefs at the end pt. liets Klip.’ Now, ‘Bill’ Selkirk has to make the most of his speed as a football player, and use the length of his rod to keep his line clear. Holding the Line Clear. “Dashing along the side of the harhour wall, he holds the line clear of the fish houses, holds it clear high up at the back of the steepest part of ‘Fiet s Klip, and dashes along the length of the Kreat rock to overcome the most difficult ot all snags, the holding of the line clear at the sharp reefs which lead to the open sea. This done successfully, the giant shark rushes through the deep water at full speed, and Selkirk is bent double, putting every ounce of check on the reel in order to turn the fish before it has taken out all his line. “Soon the float reappears, and we know that the man-eater has decided to take the fight to the surface. Lashing out with his tail, he bangs the paraffin tin, and tries to smash the slender line. But the float holds, and the line is untouched. Then the fish changes his tactics. He rolls and rolls and spins like a gigantic top in the water. With the strain still steady, and in deeper fury than before, he sounds «i«*p. and rushes out at right angles to tk« «*rst run. You need to be fitter than prey*ring for a Rugby international,’ pants ‘Bill/ as he endeay--ours to maintain the strain with his rod bent double.- in an effort to pump back a few yards of line bn the reel. And, so, tor five hours there is this terrific contest between angler and man-eater. Once he is brought alongside’Piet’s Klip and a fisherman offers to gaff the giant with a hfirpoon. Eight men are on the line attached to the harpoon, but Selkirk'yells that no eight men can hold the fish, us he is still strong, and full of guile. So a couple of hours pass, and the shark actually turns into Hermanns harbour, and ‘Bill’ once more has to clear the reef, and run past the fishing houses to get to the harbour’s edge.

News of the Fight. “Needless to say, the news of the fight has spread through the beautiful village, and there is a vast concourse in which South Africa s elite mixes with the humble fisherfolk to see the monster gaffed. The weighing-in ceremony is, of course, a triumph for Bil Selkirk, but he has made so many brilliant captures that his elation is exceedingly moderate and nothing can break down his ever-per-vading modesty. The above will give an idea of what I declare the world s greatest angling feat.” r. ' ' . ■ Such is Mr. Dunn’s account, and when “Ruru” handed it to Captain Mitchell he said: “Hello, here’s Jonah s whale ot a story turned up again in a different setting. We had this story sent over to us in California, and frankly, though there is no doubt the chap caught- a fish, the weight gives the show away. Bor instance, this 18 cord line that it is claimed he used has a breaking strain far below that weight. Why, it is lust half the thickness of the lines Doc. Grey and I use for the swordfish, and 1 doubt if it would hold a really decent kingie. No, there’s a mistake there, all right. Then there’s another thing that strikes the experienced angler at once. There’s not one single dimension of the fish given—just the weight and no sort of cheek on that. Frankly, when you compare the photo of Selkirk and his fish with the one hanging up on the gallows there you can see at once that he has caught about a 3501 b. mako. Perhaps they have a different system of weights over there. . . “With regard to Mr. Dunn’s statement about using the launch to catch the fish, well that may have been done in the early days of angling, but not now. That ‘putting a loop in’ was only done in the days of experimental tackle and is exploded long ago. We fight our fish from the start to finish (and *Ruru can bear personal testimonial that they do, and often Without chair or harness). “According to the illustration Selkirk s tackle 'is unsuitable, and his harness inadequate ; no’ particulars or certificates are quoted ; the discrepancies in the story of .the’fight, suchias the heavy fish on a thin, line' towinffii sealed benzine tin through the water, a proceeding which would inevitably ’snap the line long before it tired the fish, all go to show anyone with a knowledge of big game fishing ■tliat Mr.' Dui;n’s enthusiasm rah away with his facts’.- He talks of gaffing a fish with . a harpoon, for instance. “Another discrepancy is the size of the bait, four or five feet long; well, a white sae bass that size would be quite enough a load for that 18 cord line without the other fish at all. “As a matter of fact,” concluded Captain Mitchell, “when we heard about this fish in California we had inquiries made, and found out that the very most the fish caught was a four hundred pounder. The two-thousand-pound shark was one pfi the jokes of the various fishing clubs of America.” ■ Mr. E. Chadban. president of the Mercury Bay Swordfish and Mako Shark Club, also ridiculed the weight, pointing out a number of discrepancies in the story. .. “I have been big game fishing ever since there done in New Zealand, and apart from anything else the length of the fish is enough to give the show away. According to the photo it is;at the very outside less than 12ft. long, and when you compare it with the measurements of the 6061 b. mako caught the other day, why. this South African shark loses everywhere.” “Ruru” also challenges the weight, and as one with some little big-game fishing experience remarks, the one might perhaps have allowed Mr. Selkirk 10001 b. for his fish if he hadn’t had it photographed. but unfortunately it seems to be a 4001 b. fish.