FISHING THE PACIFIC 



significant point to me is that they do not go farther south 

 than Eden in Australia or Mayor Island in New Zealand. Per- 

 haps they instinctively avoid colder water. The average tem- 

 perature off Bermagui is about 63 to 64 degrees Fahrenheit. 

 Off the Chilean coast— as already noted— you find striped 

 marlin water down to about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, but I 

 think this is as low a temperature as marlin can stand. Some 

 of the Australian experts feel that marlin swim on around the 

 South Islands of New Zealand and eventually follow the 

 South Equatorial Current past Tahiti and on to the Chilean 

 coast. Personally I do not believe that fish found off Chile 

 have any connection with those frequenting what is found in 

 New Zealand and Australian waters— but this is a moot 

 question. 



Noumea, the lively French city which is the capital of 

 New Caledonia, would be a wonderful place to fish out of if 

 it were not for the prevailing strong winds. There is a good 

 harbor but the run out to the fishing grounds is far from 

 pleasant when there's half a gale blowing. 



Bermagui is famous for one outstanding fishing record. It 

 was there in 1939 that Mike Lerner, fishing with the late 

 Bill Hatch (one of our greatest guides and friend of all 

 fishermen), caught single-handed two black marlin weighing 

 in the 200- and 300-pound class, handling both rods and reels 

 at the same time after having hooked the fish himself. He 

 almost duplicated the feat the next day but lost the fish 

 right at the boat. I have hooked two striped marlin at once but 

 didn't bother to fight both. I handed one over to a novice 

 angler who was with me. I believe Mike's feat is about tops 

 for sheer skill and dexterity in the art of big game fishing. 



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