Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-28
World Is Interested in a Real Anglers Paradise

Of the rod: while a further useful
device consists in the wearing of a
canvas vest, to which is attached a
cord made fast above the hand grip
on the rod, which throws most Of the
weight onto the shoulders.
The finished product of a New Zea.
land rod Is anything but a handsome
one, but those experienced in fishing
in these waters prefer the use Of the
homemade rod over the bought tackle,
which they admire but do not use
Their rod is guaranteed to bend but
not to break.
A species Of salmon known as "ka-
hawai- and weighing from to S
pounds is used (alive) for bait. Some.
times the hook is placed in the back
OF the bait and the kahawai allowed
to swim around until it attracts the
attention of the swordfish or mako, but
usually the hook is passed through
both upper and lower lip, thus keeping
the mouth Of the bait closed as it is
towed behind the motor launch at
about four knots an hour.
" X n
WHEN a swordflsh sights the bait
he gives chase and strikes with
| his sword. This strike is felt by the
angler, who Immediately plays out
| line to allow the bait NOW dead from
the stroke Of the sword to lie still.
After being satisfied that he has killed
his quarry, the swordfish proceeds to
swallow it, which takes about 80 sec.
onds, and when the bait is we'll down
the angler makes his strike, drives
| the hook home and then the fight
Is on.
Away goes the fish straight out to
sea, and the line reels off rapidly. I'm.
mediately the strike is made the
launch operator gets his boat in line
with and follows the fish. Very often
| the first rush will take almost the
whole of the 600 feet Of line before
the fish stops to consider it's position.
Then it may break water and walk on
| its tail on the surface. This may be
followed by a series of leaps. While
in the air the fish endeavors to throw
! the hook. and unless the hook has
been swallowed the angler must keep
his line taut or he will surely lose his
| prize.
After walking and leaping the
quarry will again rush away, or pos
sibliy may sound make a deep dive,
and so the fight goes on for some
hours. The swordfish is game and
fights to a finish, and when 1t has
| made it's last rush it usually dies be-
| fore it can be taken aboard.
1t is not uncommon to hook two
| swordfish from one boat at the same
time, when more than one rod is oper'
| ating. Occasionally the two are land
ed, but more often one or both are
/ lost. Landing a 400pound swordfish
| is hard work, but the angler expert
| ences a mighty satisfaction when he
realizes that the fight is over and his
prize fish alongside.
| A swordfish is a fierce fighter, q
demon for punishment, punisher OF
anglers. At his sporting best he is
| very largely a surface fighter, leaping
| not as the mako does, but rising a few
| feet only from the surface and going
| in for tremendous long distance
| Jumps, 35 to 40 feet at his best, with
great lashings of fiukes and tail anc
| shakings of the long. billed head tc
break away the gall Of the treble anC
trace. Another, again, will work un
dersurface, but no man who knows
the shark will confuse his deep-goine
swordfish with another shark. for this