The Fiji Times of August 13, 1968 reported that a wahoo fish got the biggest bite of the fishing contest at Korolevu, Badroga when it hooked one of the anglers, Ken Wiles, on his big toe.
The article stated that Wiles, 38 of Papatoetoe, Auckland, New Zealand was hobbling around with a bandaged left foot after having three stitches inserted in his injured toe.
Mr Wiles, a real estate agent said : “The fish, a wahoo weighed nearly 70lb, was in the cockpit of the Sere-ni-wai.
“When I stepped over it my foot slipped and went into its mouth,” Wiles shared.
“The fish then closed its mouth. It was very painful and there was a lot of blood.”
But despite his accident with the fish, Wiles continued to enjoy his trip.
“We had a fantastic time. The fish here are perhaps not quite as big as they are in New Zealand but there are more of them,” he said.
He and teammates, Mr G.Baxendale, Mr C.Shields, and Mr P. Henley scored 8491 points and were awarded the Air New Zealand trophy for the winning team.
Mr Wiles also won the Prouds Trophy with a 79lb wahoo, which was the heaviest fish caught on a 50lb test line.
Other prizewinners were: D Gokal Trophy for individual score, G Baxendale (337 points); Burns Philip trophy for heaviest fish, G Baxendale (128lb yellowfish tuna); Millers Ltd trophy for heaviest fish caught on 89lb test line, G Baxendale (128lb yellowfin tuna); Tiptop trophy for heaviest billfish, C Shields (120lb sailfish a new Fiji record) and a K Witherington trophy for losing international team, G Dale, J Hunter and E Petford of New Zealand.
A Fiji team had withdrawn earlier in the week of the competition.
