Woman angler sets new record

By JAYNE SAFIHAO
A WOMAN has set a record at the 38th National Gamefishing titles in Madang during the 10-day event that ended on Sunday.
The angler from Lae, Kathy How­den, on board the Witchdoctor with a crew of family members in husband Bob, son Richard and daughter-in-law Marissa, were all smiles and excited about the new national women’s record when they hauled in the 182kg blue marlin on Saturday evening.
Drawing a small crowd to the jetty for the marlin to be weighed, onlookers marvelled at its size.
 “It was a gruelling two-hour fight to get the marlin on board and I did not like killing the fish but had to,” Howden said.
“It is my first time to catch such a fish. I don’t care how much it weighed until I got the fish on board, once it is on board it becomes competitive.” Howden caught the marlin on a 15kg line.
Gary Litz of the Madang Fishing Club set a national record by hauling in a 109kg marlin on a eight-kilo line.
Their prizes were a 90-horsepower Mercury outboard motor for Litz and a depth sounder for Howden.
The 270 anglers and their families had a rewarding 10 days.
Litz said the aim of the national titles was to tag fish.