ZANE GREY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 18 March 1927, Page 13

ZANE GREY.

‘ ‘GREATEST PROFESSIONAL FISHERMAN.” “Smith's Weekly” (Sydney) is no admirer of Zano Grey a.s a fisherman. In a recent issue it says:— Zane Grey, together with ft contingent of other Americans, lias arrived in New Zealand to make a further onslaught on the rainbow trout hud thfe big game fish, swordfish and moku Bh ark. Last , year Grey was a guest of the New Zealand peopW. They provided him'With free transit, they sent a cinemal/rgrapher with 1 im on his various fishing, excursion:?, .they gave l hint thb rights of the films outside of New Zealand and Australia, and generally gave him a good time. In return, Grey .criticised, his hosts, or rather those’of them ,who fish. He said that the tackle used in New Zealand was crude ami unsportsmanlike. He repeated the statement in the hook he published last year. Grey did other things a.s a fisherman which ' annoyed New Zealanders, Australians and Eng’ishmen alike. He runs his fishing on circus lines. When he caught a swordfbh no announced through a, megaphone hi grandiloquent tones, “Mr Zone Grey has caught another swordfish; w'eight 2731b5,” as the case might be. Then there would be run to the mast head a pennant with “swordfish” printed' on it. ■ Gno Australian who regarded the procedure as swank, announced', when

lie caught a swordfish, that it weighed CUOO pounds and in the place of the pennant run up to the mast head his pyjama pants instead. Which was a disgraceful thing to do. - as everyone-, will agree. -•- ' ;;; However, New- Zealand and Australian fisherman who pursue I lie I rout with a .fly' arc not greatly concerned:, with what Mr Gr.*;« sn,\s about l.lieni,/ or their methods. They regard him as a tyro who may become expert mm of tliesti*<lays tf 1 lie■. Ht.iflc.H to it lorfft enough. Mtlurice Brown, of Sydney, lias been trout fishing for 28 year;.. lie has landed many a beauty on light tackle, but bo still thinks that lie has something to .-cum. But lie is afraid I h:>b f Zane Grey will ,bo unable to teach .him.( Harry Andreas is another well-known fisherman who has caught trout, swordfish, and moku sharks m New Zealand waters long before Grey eamo to the Dominion with his megaphono. Of him Fred. W. Thompson, now of Warwick, Queensland, hut formerly lion, secretary of the Bay of Islands King

Fish Club, Russell, writes: —“I boarded in the same bouse with him ai Russell. He had excellent tackle. IK was too geid.'emanly a mail to rm dofimmpydjm' r tackle, but made appre .piiatjjs siioy stioils’- if lie thought tie tackle unsuitable." I thou Id deoidedi. frill him aii export both in fishing an helping,_olhers to fish. I have neve; Jicafxl him say an unkind word a-boii anyone,’!' and never heard him hoiiabout Jus. own undoubted prowess.” . Yet Grey in his beak insults AndrccWhen Captain -Mitchell,. who was L Grey’s party,' cmiglit the biggest .swore fish in the world in New Zealan waters. Grey wrote to Andreas askin him for tho loan of his scales* to weig the fish. Just that and nothing mori Grey, in' his book, -dates that Andre: refused an invitation to come and vie the fish, Ids innuendo being that Andreas refused to come along because he Was annoyed that, someone had caught a bigger swordfish than lie had himself. . About this particular-fish, caught' by Mitchell. An Englislifnan tells the

story. He came along after the fish was caught': He, had a camera and took a snap of it. He, took another from a diliei'ciit -angle. Then he announced to,' -Grey tliat he was taking ’ photographs: of ft-.-;. “Wait a minute,” said Grey. lie .posed' behind the fish with rod Ilf'hand. “Shoot,”-said Grey. “Sorry,” said the': Englishman, “I have run out of. fihns.” Qr. course, tho fellow behind) the fish should-'’ have been Mitchell,‘ -.a,; self-effacing , Englishman who is well: liked hy all the 1 ; fishermen who met . him in New Zealand lilst year. Truth is that Zane Grey is the world’s greatest professional fisherman. He has made more money-out of fishing than any other: professional fisherman. ~-s J |la.Js entiCed,,,to alj credit for that. ;, 'dßut amateurs decidely object to -him telling them how : they should fish.