Pitched battle lands giant

ANNE MATHER   |   April 06, 2013 12.00am

 

FOUR Tasmanian fishermen have full freezers and battle scars after a tense struggle with one of the most powerful and elusive fish in the sea.
The fight with the massive broadbill swordfish, which weighed in at 225kg, left the four men with rope burns, bruising and one back injury.
The rare catch was hauled in on Thursday, near the Hippolyte Rocks off Eaglehawk Neck.
Fisherman Ken Smith, from New Norfolk, said landing the fish was a long fight and a team effort.
"It was a mammoth task," Mr Smith said.
"We were all working flat-out, and everyone ended up with an injury.
"But it's a once-in-a-lifetime catch".
Mr Smith said the four on board his 6.5m fishing boat had already thought themselves lucky after catching a feed of blue-eye trevalla and some bream, when they spotted what they thought was the dark outline of a Mako shark diving below the boat.
His son Jason managed to hook the fish and struggled with it for an hour.
Ater a further 45 minutes of "thrashing and kicking", the men managed to drag the fish on board the boat.

  Jason Smith with his massive broadbill swordfish catch.


Full Article:  Themercury