FISH THAT FIGHT.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 March 1926, Page 4

FISH THAT FIGHT.

FOUR lim its' BATTLE. TOWED DIXGHY NINE AIII.KS. AUCKLAND. .March Id. The real sport of swordlisiiiiig is provided by the gamer fish, and not necessarily hy the big ones. An Auckland fisherman. .Mr H. L. Roes, believes that one swordfish which he look last Thursday after a figb.l lasting four hours was as game as the most exacting sen angler could desire. "1 was off Cape Brett in an lift dinghy belonging to the launch Adelaide,” said .Mr Rees, describing the combat. “Frank Fowler, who, by Die way. hud made my roil and reel, was rowing, and I sat on a kerosene tin in the hows. About three o’clock f hooked a swordfish of fair size. At first lie broached a good deal, and at the end of an hour I thought 1 had him tired out. I had almost gor. him alongside, and we were about to gaff him when away lie went out to sea in a north-easterly direction. which swordfish always take when trying to escape. He set up a great pace, sometimes nearly four knots, and the other launches all thought we were hound I for Honolulu. Altogether he towed us for eight or nine miles, the Adelaide standing hy all the while. The sun went down, but it was a beautifully clear evening, Tim sea was like glass otherwise I should have had to cut the line and give up. He kept on sounding. sometimes he took as much as ‘JoO yards of line, and Fowler rowed hard to get over where he was. arid let me take in as much as I could. 1 never gave much slack, and several times I thought 1 had beaten him but lie kept oil making fresh dashes. “At last, about seven o’clock when it was almost too dark to see him. I got him alongside. Even then there was plenty of life in him. He lashed the dinghy with his tail and his sword, ami I was afraid of ail accident. Fowler gaffed him. and fastened a rope round his tail so that we were able to haul him aboard the launch. By that time I was about tired out. as you may well imagine. ‘‘We found out afterwards that the ligkthousekeeper had his glass on us nearly all the time, and had kept Russell and Deep Water Cove supplied with news about us. When we got in everybody had heard of the catch. The swordfish' weighed only about 2601 b. hut he was as game as any fish could he. T consider he was able to fight so long because ho broached very little after the first- bout, saving his strength. He had taken the bait well into his throat. We found a pilot fish inside each of his gills.” Afr Rees mentioned that earlier in the afternoon he. hooked a larger swordfish, which broached remarkably. skidding along upon its tail for what seemed like fifteen yards at a time. He struck too hard, however, and broke his line, the fish getting away.