BIG GAME FISH

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 53, 5 March 1925, Page 9

BIG GAME FISH

EXPLOIT BY SCOTSWOMAN

380-POUNDER LANDED

News received from Mayor Island on Sunday evening shows that good sport was witnessed there last week (states the "New Zealand Herald." Three more swordfish and a mako shark were landed, bringing the total captures since 10th February to fourteen swordfish and nineteen sharks.

Messrs. H. Coffey and J. Leitch and Mrs. Bell, of ' London, returned last evening from Mayor Island. This is the first occasion on which they have tried deep-sea • fishing, and they are very pleased with the sport. Mrs. Bell,, who is travelling with her uncle, Mr. Leitch, is a keen sportswoman, and has many tiotable performances as a deerstalker in the highlands of Scotland. She has also indulged in salmon fishing in Scottish rivers. One of her objects in visiting rew Zealand was to enjoy the excitement of the marine chase, and with her uncle she decided to test the Mayor Island grounds. Mrs. Bell said : "The deep-sea sport off' Mayor Islau«i is magnificent. I had heard something of it, and the sport I have had is far beyond expectations. Salmon fishing is a pleasurable sport, but it is not. in it with the big game fishing of Mayor Island. Our party sighted about half a dozen swordfish during our visit. The first swordfish which I hooked on Saturday fought for a short period, slipped the hook, and escaped. The second was hooked immediately afterwards, and after a splendid struggle of an hour and a-half, was captured. A THRILLING CONTEST. Mrs. Bell is the first woman to catch a swordfish at Mayor Island. An account of her exploit is furnished by Mr. S. M'Culloch, of Melbourne, who was in the Hokimai when the fish ■fas captured from that launch. Mr. M'Culloch said : "On Saturday we made an early start. . Mrs. Bell saw a swordfish cross her bait, and shortly afterwards the boatman observed it near the surface. The fish took the bait, hue was given to him, and then Mrs. Bell struck, and drove the hook fast "Away the fish went with some fine struggles on the surface in an endeavour to tree the hook/and almighty run close to the surface. After nearly 300' yards had run out the swordfish appeared on the surface with half a dozen fine jumps like a hurdle racer taking hurdles The engine was started, 1 but just as wa-y was getting on the launch the fish turned and came racing back straight for tlie boat. The line was reeled. in as fast as possible Then we saw the fish race past the bows of the boat at express P<7 oB en we saw him a g™ on the surface 200 yarde.past us, making for an inlet where some days previously we had been fishing for bluefish. When almost in the-, little bay he turned and ;ofX r?auufh PaStUSOn*heother.^

THREE HUNDRED YARDS OF LINE IJ' Th' 7' E? wards most skilfully handgradually the line was reeled in to safety How T°- ,Th 9, tiring down However when "he. was within 30 yards, he sounded, and down he went/down and down until it seemed impossible for hun to go deeper. The launch was manoeuvred so that side pressure could be made on the fish, and he gradually came to the surface some 200 yards away struggle took place. The fish was gradually brought nearer the launch, which had been steamed hard after him, but just when it seemed possible to drive the harpoon into him he sounded again: and down he went to the very depths of the ocean; but it was his final effort and death-struggle. Soon the struggles" ceased, and he lay drowned many fathoms down. The fight had lasted for an hour and a half. '. . r

"The fish was.. not on board yet but gradually it was worked up to the surface brought alongside the launch and the- harpoon driven in to hold the fish fast, as the sea was very rough and the line might have parted. A rope was passed round the monster's tail and another round its middle, and with considerable difficulty it was hauled on board and made fast on the fore deck It measured from the point of the sword to the butt of the tail 10ft 9in and 12ft overall from the extremity of the tail to the point of the sword. Its girth was 4ft, the sword was 2ft 3in long, and the swvead of the tail was 3ft sin and the weight of the fish 3801b," GREAT NATIONAL ASSET.' Mr. Leitch says the sport was as good or better than he had been led to believe. ■Ilie deep-sea fishing was a national asset and he would urge the Government to take over Mayor island and establish an accommodation house where visitors could be catered for. The third, member of the party, Mr. Loffey, hooked a large swordfish which fought strenuously and escaped after half an hour, when it edged alongside the boat and the line snapped. .Messrs. M'Cullough (Melbourne.) and J. -A. Thompson (Auckland) have had exciting sport. On 23rd February Mr M'Culloch landed a particularly fine mako, which weighed 4001b. On 24th February he secured a swordfish which weighed 2281b, and measured 9ft from point of the sword to the butt of the tail 10ft llm overall, with a girth ot 3ft 9in a sword 2ft 3in, and a sfreai of tail 3ft 2im. On 25th February, Mr. Thompson killed a swordfish which weighed 236 Bfi • riffi, me^. ure Q men(* ■ were: Length, aft, gifth, 3ft 9m; sword, 2ft 3in • spread of tail, 3ft lin. An English visitor, Mr. Hobdav, on Friday, hooked a swordfish which," after fighting for 10 minutes, dived under the boat and cut the line. Mr. A. H Court on the same day secured. a-mako shark.