WORLD RECORD MAKO

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 104, 27 January 1931, Page 3

WORLD RECORD MAKO

Capture Off Cape Brett

LONDONER’S SUCCESSES

A world record mako 'shark was captured off Piercy Islet, Cape Brett, last week, by Mr; H. White-Wickham, the noted London angler, fishing from the launch Ozone (states the “New Zealand Herald’s” Russel correspondent). Weighing 7981 b., the fish was 1681 b. heavier than the record sharp caught by Lord Grimthorpe in January, 1928; and was lift. 6in. in length with a girth of 6ft. 2in. The fish captured by Lord Grimthorpe measured 10ft. Siu. and had a girth of sft. 6jin. Mr. White-Wickham’s launch was drifting gently off Piercy Islet when the huge mako took the bait. It put up a strong fight, and provided thrilling sport before it was successfully landed after a struggle of nearly an hour. The fish was sent to the authorities of the Auckland Museum.

Mr. White-Wickham, who has visited the deep-sea fishing grounds at the Bay of Islands regularly during the past five or six years, has several other good catches to his credit. Previous to the world’s record thresher shark, weighing 9151 b., caught by Mr. Stanley Ellis, of Hamilton, in March, 1929, Mr. WhiteWickham held the world’s record for a thresher with a fish of 8321 b. In January of 1928 he secured a record broadbill swordfish weighing 6731 b., which exceeded by 91b. the record formerly held by Mr. Zane Grey, and during the 1928 season he secured a record hammerhead shark weighing 4001 b. Last year Mr. White-Wickham claimed to have caught the smallest mako of the season, a fish weighing only 101 b.