FISHING THE PACIFIC 



with more fishing and better tackle so that they might get the 

 utmost enjoyment out of the sport. 



There was a practical reason for the encouragement of 

 fishing for those caught supplemented the diet, providing a 

 welcome change. 



In the Marianas there is even better fishing, in fact much 

 better, than in the Philippines, and the Army, Navy and Air 

 Force personnel stationed at Guam, Saipan and Tinian in 

 particular, enjoyed some good sport. 



Guam is by far the most attractive of all the islands I 

 visited, although I thought Saipan very lovely. Guam rejoices 

 in fine bathing beaches and the people are attractive and 

 hospitable. Captain Forrest ("Boney") Close, U.S.N., was 

 stationed there for over a year after the war and enjoyed ex- 

 cellent fishing for wahoo. Following the war an admiral be- 

 came the I.G.F.A. representative for the western Pacific 

 islands. 



There were plenty of sailfish in the Solomon Islands 

 throughout the war and there are many sailfish, wahoo and 

 big marUn around the Fijis. There is some fishing out of Suva 

 and off the outer islands. The Fijis may conceivably be 

 developed in the near future. They probably have the best 

 chance to get going of any place I have run across in the 

 western chain. 



Japan of course has plenty of striped marlin and swordfish 

 but most of them are taken on the flag Hnes. I doubt very 

 much if rod-and-reel fishing will ever be developed although, 

 after what has happened in the Pacific and other parts of the 

 world, it would be too broad a statement to say that it 

 couldn't happen there. I do beheve, though, that the average 



192 



