Huge swordfish caught off Hawke’s Bay coast smashes club record
Fisherman Doug Cushing set a new Hawke’s Bay Sports and Fishing Club record by catching a 234.6kg broadbill swordfish. The catch was a team effort involving his crew off the coast of Mahia, New Zealand.
Why it matters
Highlights local sporting achievements and community engagement in regional New Zealand.
A huge swordfish caught off the coast of Mahia in Hawke’s Bay has smashed a club record.
Veteran fisherman Doug Cushing caught a 234.6kg broadbill swordfish on Saturday, in deep waters about 50km off the coast of Mahia’s Portland Island.
It set a new club record at Hawke’s Bay Sports and Fishing Club for a swordfish, and marked an early birthday gift for Cushing, who turned 46 the following day.
“They are not easy fish. So it’s pretty special to get one at home.”
He said it was a real team effort and he was supported by crewmates Aaron Smith, Davey August, Adam Stoddart and Nick Dorward on board First Edition.
Smith, who was the skipper, held the previous club record with a 162kg swordfish catch last year.
The five-strong crew set off from Napier on Friday afternoon.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in