A Houhora boat came to the aid of two Muriwai anglers who were fishing for kingfish near the Shadow Patch last week but instead latched on to a huge black marlin.
Angler Chad Olsen and skipper Mark Haldane were fishing from the 4m Centre Console Boat last Thursday while jigging with a live trevally bait for kingfish on a 10kg rod with 100lb trace when the marlin struck. A three-and-a-half hour fight then ensued and saw the two anglers and their boat towed four nautical miles before the fish turned and tried to go back out to sea, dragging the vessel for a further nautical mile.
Nearby, Robbie and Lynda Matthews and family were out from Houhora soft baiting on their boat Moet when they intercepted a call on the VHF radio from the vessel asking for a flying gaff and assistance with the capture. They duly arrived on the scene and son Leighton was put on the small boat with two gaffs to help bring the massive fish in, noted Lynda.
"There were two attempts to gaff it but, being such a beast, it had other ideas. Eventually the fish won the fight and was off to sea," she said, adding the experienced anglers estimated the marlin to be in the vicinity of 300kg.
The Ahipara Gamefish Club Facebook page features pictures and a video from the encounter.
