Fishing: World record claim for 10-year-old's marlin catch

By Geoff Thomas

Gone Fishing



Private boats outfished the professionals in the Bay of Islands last weekend, with a junior world record claim and a husband and wife double-marlin catch.

The potentially record catch came during the Junior Interclub Tournament, with 52 juniors fishing out of Russell.

Ten-year-old Adele Gannaway, of Devonport, was fishing on her father's boat, Lisade, when the marlin struck off Home Pt. Using 24kg tackle, Adele took 70 minutes to bring the 9.12kg striped marlin to the boat.

A world-record claim will be lodged with the International Game Fish Association in the "small fry" section. Another marlin and a short-billed spearfish were tagged and released during the two days of fishing, bringing the total billfish catch for the Bay of Islands Swordfish Club to 15 for the season.

A Henderson couple, John and Judy Douglas, also had a special day of fishing on Sunday, with John catching a striped marlin of 92.4kg and a blue marlin of 160.8kg from his boat, Summerhaze. With no other help on the boat Judy took over the controls while he battled the marlin.

It was a weekend for junior anglers. In another tournament, held at Tutukaka, 90 anglers recorded seven marlin, seven sharks and two yellowfin tuna.

Adam Harrison (15) won the tag release marlin section, and Zara McKenzie (13) won the heaviest-marlin prize with an 83kg catch on 24kg line.

Disabled angler Darryl Ball (14) won a special prize for the most meritorious catch with a marlin of 71.4kg.

The manager of the Whangarei Deep Sea Anglers' Club, Hilton Polkinghorne, took time off to skipper the boat Beretta in the tournament and managed a double marlin hookup - with both fish being caught.

The first marlin has been landed at Tairua, while Tauranga has two tagged so far this season. The Tauranga Game Fishing club's annual tuna tournament saw 48 tuna weighed, with the heaviest a yellowfin of 18.7kg.

Good bags of snapper up to 4kg are coming from the Motuihe Channel, Sargent Channel and Rangitoto Channel, with the occasional kingfish adding to the excitement.

While pilchards are the most popular bait, mullet has also been working consistently and will stay on the hook better than the soft pilchards. If two baits are used, a variety can be offered with pilchard on one hook and a tougher bait such as bonito, mullet or squid on the other.

There are some large bronze whalers and big rays around, particularly between Motuihe and Waiheke islands. Large female "bronzies," which are now officially called narrowtooth sharks, move into the Waitemata in early summer to have their young.

Occasionally they give an unsuspecting angler a thrill by taking a hooked snapper and swimming off with such strength that the angler is powerless - until the line pops.

At Lake Taupo, cool weather has delayed the cicada hatch which dry fly anglers look forward to each summer, but the lower temperatures have kept trout in the lake at reasonable depths.

Harling and trolling with lead lines are producing good catches, and it is not yet necessary to fish the extreme depths with wire lines or downriggers during the day. Popular lures include flash tobies, and cobras and devils in green and yellow, white and yellow, and spotted gold.

Fly fishing for smelting fish has also been excellent, particularly at points such as Waitetoko and at the Tokaanu tailrace.