27.07.2017
British shark record smashed by Fin-Nor
Skipper Robin ‘Chippy’ Chapman said: “I had a regular party down for a few days fishing for sharks as they do every year. They are a competent group of anglers who always do well. On Saturday, they had a great day, catching 44 sharks, with a good head of big fish. We had a huge male blue, of 129lb, and a good female at 144lb. But we knew there was bigger about! The following day they were straight back out early. John Dines was set in his mind that he wanted a ‘big’un’ and kept to the same method as the day before. He did not have to wait long to see what he had been hoping for. The third fish that day fell to the trap John set. As soon as he hooked up we knew it was big. It went off like an absolute steam train! The drag of John’s Fin-Nor Marquesa 30 class reel screamed as his Fin-Nor Variado 20/30 class rod arched over and he held on to the first run. After forty minutes of hard battling with this giant, we finally got the first sighting. We saw the fish from the bow as it circled the boat once before going off on another surging run straight back to the ocean’s depths. I told John to remember what he saw because if he lost it nobody would believe him! The fish repeated this five or six times but luckily the 400lb 49-strand wire and 10/0 hook held fast.”
“When the fish was finally beaten and ready to come aboard, there were cheers from around the boat,” exclaimed Chippy, “What a fish!”
The Blue was measured as a new British record at 256lb. It obliterated the previous record of 214lbs, set way back in 1959. The fish was measured and photographed then released back into the water - she swam off very happy indeed.
For more information about the boat: www.biteadventures.com
