The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 6, Issue 4 (September 1, 1931.)

Big Fishing

Big Fishing.

Figures are hateful, some one said; out with statistics and let us have something more human. But there is something peculiarly charming about figures when they register one's big fish catch. I have seen a stolid silent Englishman break into transports of delight and utter quite ridiculous things and cut a ridiculous caper on the green at Taupo landing place when the largest rainbow trout in his basket registered just seventeen pounds on the scale.

I scarcely dare to think of the things he might have done had he emulated his compatriot, Mr. H. White-Wickham, of London, and hauled in a fish weighing just on 800lb. as that enthusiastic angler did last season. The fact that it was a mako shark and not a troutlet would not matter; it was caught with rod and line.

Eloquent to the lover of good fishing are some sea-sport statistics to hand from our Northland. During the last season, according to a report at the annual meeting of the Bay of Islands Swordfish and Mako Shark Club, held at Russell lately, the total number of big game fish caught was seventy-six. This number included a world's record mako, a shark of 798lb. caught by Mr. White-Wickham. The principal catches were: 41 mako sharks, average weight 248 3/4lb.; 20 swordfish, averaging 279lb.; 6 hammerhead sharks, 333lb. One thresher shark was also caught; it scaled 523lb.

These figures are only for the principal fishing-ground in the North,; there were catches of big fish also off Whangaroa and Whangarei.