FISHING THE PACIFIC 



Even with all the sharks in these waters there have been very 

 few cases of fish being hit and practically none when they 

 are being towed to port. The striped marlin are placed across 

 the counter and you have to fight other fish over them. The 

 guides are really awfully good. George Warne always has 

 great luck with the marlin. Francis Arlidge and his brother 

 are tops at the game. Harold Vipond is an amazing fellow 

 because he has only one leg yet he gaffs and takes the leader 

 with those big marlin all by himself and catches them for his 

 party. He has his boat rigged so that he can get around 

 smartly despite his disability and it is remarkable to see him 

 go forward into the bow with the speed and agility of a cat. 

 New Zealanders generally have a tireless energy. 



They were all exceptionally hospitable and I must say that 

 you'll never complete your black marlin education until you 

 fish there, particularly with regard to watching that drop- 

 back. They give it to all the marlin and it doesn't seem to 

 catch any more down deep than it does in the jaw. But it is 

 fantastic to see those little striped marlin take those big black 

 marlin baits and get hooked with them. 



Prior to 1949 most of the big black marlin were taken 

 drifting. New Zealanders do a good deal of drifting about 

 lunchtime, then they also begin to use outriggers. These 

 were first introduced in 1939 when Michael Lerner was there 

 and caught a 708-pound black, and Mrs. Lerner took several 

 up to 500 pounds. The Lerners, as usual, accomphshed a lot 

 and found out a great deal about black marlin, and it was 

 Dr. Gregory of the American Museum of Natural History 

 who first pointed out that the black marlin's pectoral fins do 

 not fold back against their flanks. The Lerners made casts of 



168 



