SWORDFISH AND SHARK.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19407, 17 February 1925, Page 4

SWORDFISH AND SHARK.

jj . FISHING PARTIES’ FINE SPORT. ]i fs eom Oue Own Coebespondent.) § ; AUCKLAND. February 15. ;V i News has been received from Mayor •) Island that the first swordfish of the season i' were captured in those waters this week. The fish fought gamely as only this species •J; Cart fight. So far four swordfish and one ii Mako shark have been secured, while several | qwordfish escaped after being hooked, ij Mr A. S. Butler, of London, and Mr V. v S-’ Bennett, of St. John’s, Newfoundland, | \Vho, visited Mayor Island this week, re--41 thriled toi Tauranga last night. They fished f fot 1 ’ a half-day on Tuesday and for a full 5 day on Wednesday, securing two swordfish ■ and one Mako shark. The swordfish I weighed 3001 b and 4301 b respec- '! lively, while the Mako shark was 1701 b. ; ; The shark was hooked on Tuesday, and fought gamely for 40 minutes before it was a killed. • It possessed a formidable set of !5, teeth, which the sportsmen are retaining as 1 trophies. Vvhen out on Wednesday, Messrs Butler 3 and ,Beunett caught two swordfish, the i? smaller- one weighing 3001 b. It fought for ?i a quarter of an hour. Many times it leaped it right out of the water, and on other occuI sions it assumed an upright position, pro,l polling itself by its tail and shaking its head 5 vigorously while so poised in an endeavour Ito rid itself of the hook. Eventually this r fish was drawn close to the launch and t harpooned. In the afternoon the sportsmen t secured a great prize in the shape of a swordfish weighing 4301 b. This was a magI nifioent specimen, and fought strenuously ff6r' '65 minutes. After the lish was hooked ■'the launch followed it for about two miles. fThb fwordfish adopted similar fighting tac•'tlcs to the one secured earlier in the day, ‘.and broke the surface about 20 times between -the periods of sounding. The diffiBultieg of landing the fish were intensified y the rod cracking, but Air Butler evenStually brought it within harpooning range, lifter which it was drawn aboard. P The visitors characterised - the sport as jfiemarkably fine. They have both fished in jjjihe fumed tarpon waters off Florida, but this is their first experience of swordfishmg. •They said they would have no hesitation in Recommending swordfishing as a sport to J their friends. They declared that it is equai ■to tarpon fishing. t.„ Another party is fishing at Mayor Island. *They secured a swordfish on Tuesday and •another on Wednesday, their vyeights being ; ‘thcy *hooked two swordfish simultaneously. The lines fouled and one fish escaped, the gtiuu; J