THE FIGHTING KINGFISH.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1975, 4 February 1914, Page 9

THE FIGHTING KINGFISH.

(By Tefegrnpn.-BpeolaJ Uomsponaent.l Auckland, February 3. For sport the kingfish, described as "tho gamest fish that - swims," is said to bo second to none. U certainly satisfied a party of Auckland sportsmen —Messrs. W. H. Hazard, F. Cullen, Moore, Jones (2), Hoaro (2), N. A, Duthie, and Major Kay, who returned the other day after 1G days' fishing, at tho Bay of Islands, and northwards as far as Whangaroa, and southwards as far as Sail Rock, outside Whangarei Heads. Tho party left Auckland in the cruising launch Virginia, and found kingfish in shoals, not only at tho Bay of Islands, but at Whangaroa, thirty miles to the'north, and even at Poor Knight's Islands, soino seventeen miles off tho Coast. On the first dav at Russell tho bag totalled 39 fish, the largest turning.the scale at 351b. This, how- ■ ever, is not tho largest specimen secured this season in tho locality, as a southerner named Stillson obtained a fish weighing 611b., and W. Barry, of Waihi, ono of 501b.

The thrill that kingfisliing affords is akin to that of big gamo hunting, where tho ' sportsman lias to match his strength, judgment, and skill against a good adversary. An idea of tho excitement of tho sport may be gathered from tho fact that a game "fish will sometimes fight for nn hour and a quarter before succumbing to tho gaff, and. for every second of that time, tho fisherman has to concentrate his faculties upon "playing" his fish.

The party iii question did not uso the usual bait, pipis, but with an artificial spinning bait composed of a piece of bright steel, spoon-shaped at each end, to which two largo hooks were attached. The uso of this gear, however, necessitates the launch travelling at six or Seven knots. At a slowor speed tho fish are able to detect the luro. When afish snaps tho bait it instantly dives downwards, and, if tho fisherman plays but too much lino and permits it'to reach the bottom, it is almost certain to escape through tho line being severed among tho rocks. Tho sport is undoubtedly ono of tho finest which New Zealand waters afford.