Paihia woman Jo Henwood came close to setting a New Zealand record with a monster big-eye tuna on Saturday.
Ms Henwood was fishing with her partner, skipper Chris Purdie, in their catamaran Ocean Runner 22 nautical miles northeast of Cape Karikari when she hooked the 132.8kg fish. The current New Zealand women's record on a 37kg line is 102.25kg, Mr Purdie said.
"But unfortunately we had to disqualify the fish as it demolished our game chair and I had to switch Jo to standup gear. In the ensuing panic I assisted her in boating the fish. It was still a lot of fun and a massive achievement for us," he said.
The couple are members of the Bay of Islands Swordfish Club. The tuna was weighed in courtesy of the Doubtless Bay Sportfishing Club at the Tokerau Beach weigh station.
Ms Henwood's brother, Terry Henwood, was the convenor of the previous weekend's Bay of Islands Swordfish Club junior tournament in which 8-year-old Hunter Scott landed a 250.8kg black marlin (see story at top).
