First-timer hooks herself a great white at Cave Bay
Waihi’s Holly Manukonga won’t forget her first catch in a hurry.
Taken fishing by her boyfriend Josh Lonergan last night, the pair were looking to hooksomebronze whalers off Bowentown’s Cave Bay whenshe snagged what felt like a big one.
Upon reeling the fish in they discovered it was a baby great white shark.
“I just did the usual, threwsome bait out andwehooked awhite,” Lonergan said.
Heestimated the shark was 70 to 80kg.
“So not the biggest but it’s still a shark, it’ll still bite you. Wewent in the harbour a few weeks ago, in the boat, andwehad a white behind in the burley trail. There have been a fewseen around.
Not the biggest but it’s still a shark, it’ll still bite you. Josh Lonergan
“It’s all part of it, I take the bait out to about waist deep, throw it out and sprint back as fast as I can. It doesn’t take long until you get a hit. I do a lot ofgamefishing, a lot of harbour fishing. I enjoy the buzz, the adrenaline, it getsme pumpedup.”
Hesaid the encounter had not deterred his girlfriend Manukonga. In fact, he said, she wasmore enthusiastic than ever.
“She’s allergic to fish so it’s pretty funny – she had never caught a fish before. She was pretty sore after reeling it in.
“She wasn’t as excited as me, I’ve been catching sharks since I was about 10, but if anything it’s madeher more keen to go out and do it again.”
After reeling in the baby great white they unhooked it and released it back into the ocean.