AMONG THE SWORDFISH.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3434, 13 March 1920, Page 2

AMONG THE SWORDFISH.

SPORT Ol*‘l<‘ .\I;\YOR ISL-.\.\’D

L.:\R(;‘: 19 CA PTI IR 15>’ M.\ Dl‘

’.I‘.\URAN(}K, March 1 1.

;'\ft(-1' tllrc(.> weeks’ fishing :cl'f Mayor Island Colonel H. Calthrup flll'lliS}lt‘il par-ticularg concerning the sport provided in those waters. He said Vtha.l

February 22 was a red—letter day for him as it provided the best dayis fishing he had ever had. ‘At, about 8.30 a.m. he hooked a swordfish, which made off at a. great pace, frequently jumping out of the water. Before they could get the launch 11n«le.way to follow the firsh, every inch of line had been run off the oclonel‘s reel. At the last moment the swordfish changed its: course, and this. aided by the launch persistently following the fish, enabled him to recover about 100 yards of line. The fish con tinned to fight for about an hour. It then grew tired anrl was gradually drawn towards; the launch. ll: re--I)(°2l.f'<—‘lllY (live?! under the boat, and on severztl occasions fouled the line 1111» rler the keel. E\'entuzlll'_\' it ozmre close to the ‘boat and was h:lrpuone(:. Althcugll there were four powerful _voullg men on the launch tlley experiencetl ;_rx-eat (litficulty in. getting the lle:l‘.'y fish aboard. It is estilnzlterl that it weighed not less than 3R’l0ll’). On the sunle (lay another swonlfish was C‘21])tlll‘(3(l. its weiglrt being 2641 b. A third was cal)tul'e¢l a few (lays :It"ter\var«ls and weighed not less than I’.-’J0ll».

(EDIOIIOI Cahhrop has fished at the Bay of Islands, the Hen and Chicken;-’: Island, the Gwat Barrier. Kawau._ and on the East (_‘,oasl'_ and considers that for .\‘\\‘ul'flfi.<h and Inakn .<h:-.l’l{-lislxinfj the water-. 5 off Mayor Island offer the best sport. He has also fished oh" the coast of Burmnh. and (‘nnsidm's thai‘ The swcmlfish is: by 6&l‘ the styongesf and swiftest big fish in the world. The Americalls boast of their tarpon fishing, but in his opinion it is in no way ccmpmahle with the sport: which the swordfish gives. Colonel Calthmp alw'ays uses: the rod and line. and does not fish with the hand line.