BIG SWORDFISH CAUGHT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21101, 8 February 1932, Page 8

BIG SWORDFISH CAUGHT.

WOMAN ANGLER'S SUCCESS. BLACK MARLIN OF 823L8. TRACE WOUND ROUND ~ TAIL. [BY TELEGRAPH. —-OWN CORRESPONDENT. J RUSSELL. Sunday. After a three-hour struggle, Mrs. Eastham Guild, writer and sportswoman from Tahiti, caught a black marl in swordfish weighing 8231b., yesterday afternoon. This is the largest game fish caught in New Zealand waters this season and as far as is known is the largest fish caught in any waters by a woman. The fish was hooked close to Piercey j Island, off Cape Brett, from the launch Carrie Fin, recently built in Auckland by Collings and Bell for Mr. Eastham Guild. According to the method of fishing taught her by Mr. Zane Grey and the late Captain L. D. Mitchell, Mrs. Guild was trolling a live bait between two "teasers. The fish did not show at all before taking the bait, and it seized it so quickly that no one on board the launch could determine what kind of fish was hooked. During tho first part of the fight, it stayed in close to the rock and then after half-an-hour made a long run for the open sea. Usually a fighting fish breaks water at the end of a surfaco run and the angler watched closely to see it jump. Instead of leaping into the air, however, this fish sounded and never showed until it came half out of water and rolled over on its side near the end of the struggle. Then the bronze back and short thick spear revealed that it was a black marlin and a big one. The marlin was hooked in the jaw with a single hook, but some time during the three hours of fighting thd trace wound around the tail and broke away from tlte hook so that the fish was eventually brought to the gaft tail-first, held only by tha wire deeply embedded in the flesh. The length of the fish was 12ft. Qjin. and its girth was sft. lOin. The spear measured only 12in. from the tip to the lower bill. Other catches recorded to-day included a 2441b. striped marlin by Mr. C. Stewart, of Singapore, from the launch Avalon. Another, of 3G11b., was landed by Mr. C. F. Goodall, of Russell, from tho launch Valhalla, after a fight lasting threo hours, during which tho fish broached several times before numerous soundings. A third striped marlin, of 1781b., was hooked by Mr. W. llummings, of Russell, from the launch Billy D.

The world's record black marl in, 9761b., was caught by the late Captain Mitchell in February, 1926. A black marlin, weighing 668!b., was caught at Whangaroa on March 12, 1950, by Mr. E. B. S. Watson, of Walton. On January 26, at Tauranga, a striped marlin, weighing 8201b., was captured by Mr. J. Mowlem, pnsident of the Tauranga Deep Sea Fishing Club, fishing off Mayor Island. The fish caught by Mr. Mowlem was then claimed to be the world's largest striped marlin caught on the rod. The record had been held by Mr. Zane Grey who, on March 21, 1925, caught a striped marlin weighing 4501b. What was claimed to be the world's record broadbill sword fish, weighing 6731b., was captured off Cape Brett on January 9. 1928, by Mr. H. White-Wick-ham, of London. Another large broadbill swordfish caught in New Zealand, weighing 5681b., was captured by Mr. Stanley Ellis, of Hamilton, at Whangaroa on January 16, 1929.