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Fisherman impaled by giant fish as it leapt across boat
The Times of London ^ | August 4, 2006 | Simon de Bruxelles

Posted on 08/05/2006 4:43:09 AM PDT by mcg2000

Fisherman impaled by giant fish as it leapt across boat

A FISHERMAN is recovering after being impaled on the bill of a 14ft blue marlin that leapt over his boat during an international angling tournament off Bermuda. The 800lb (360kg) fish hit Ian Card with such force that its 3ft spear went through his chest just below his collarbone and knocked him into the sea.

As the fish dived, forcing Mr Card under water, he was able to push himself off the razor-sharp bill and swim to the surface.

His father Alan, 58, the skipper of the commercial angling boat Challenger, said: “The fish was airborne going across the full width of the boat and my son was standing about 8ft from the stern.

“It impaled him with its bill. In one motion, the fish flew across the cockpit and took him out of the boat. He landed about 15ft away. He was under water and had his arms wrapped round the fish as it was pushing him under.

“I lost sight of him for a few seconds. As a father looking at a son who has just been impaled, that is a sight I will never forget.” Mr Card, 32, surfaced 50ft behind the boat with blood pouring from a “fist-sized” wound in his chest. Dennis Benevides, a family friend who was on the boat, called the emergency services and stuffed a towel into the wound to stem the flow of blood.

Mr Card was operated on at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in Bermuda, where doctors said he would have died had the bill struck him a few centimetres on either side.

The Cards had been taking part in the Sea Horse Anglers’ Club Bill Fish Tournament and were in calm waters about 15 miles south of Bermuda. Leslie Spanswick, strapped into a fishing chair at the stern of the boat, hooked the fish at 11am on Saturday.

A 14ft fish would normally take up to two hours to reel in, but this marlin leapt over the boat after just ten minutes, while it was still strong.

After it impaled Mr Card, the line was cut, allowing the fish to escape.

The surgeon who treated Mr Card, Christian Wilmsmeier, arrived on the island from Germany only three weeks earlier. He said: “My home town is far away from the sea and normally I do not operate on such injuries. I was impressed by the dangerousness of such a fish.”

Dan Jacobs, the organiser of the tournament, said: “People have been hurt dealing with marlin, but it is very unusual for a fish to leap completely out of the water from behind the boat and come right across it. Ian is very lucky to be alive.”

The Cards are among the most experienced marlin fishermen in the world.

They were the first to hook a marlin weighing more than 1,000lb in Bermudian waters. Alan Card has hooked six of the ten largest blue marlin caught off the island.

The blue marlin, Makaira nigricans, is a huge commercial game fish that can weigh up to 1,800lb and grow to a length of 16ft (5m).


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: fearnofish; fishing; sea; sport
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1 posted on 08/05/2006 4:43:10 AM PDT by mcg2000
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To: mcg2000

The marlin is telling his buddies about the "one that got away."


2 posted on 08/05/2006 4:45:19 AM PDT by Larry Lucido
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To: mcg2000

Now, this is one of those inconvenient accidents.


3 posted on 08/05/2006 4:45:22 AM PDT by coconutt2000 (NO MORE PEACE FOR OIL!!! DOWN WITH TYRANTS, TERRORISTS, AND TIMIDCRATS!!!! (3-T's For World Peace))
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To: mcg2000

Wow.
Beware of flying marlin.


4 posted on 08/05/2006 4:48:55 AM PDT by nuconvert ([there's a lot of bad people in the pistachio business])
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To: mcg2000

Like the mighty Marlin, Mutual Of Omaha will cut through the red tape and tackle the problem head-on to give you piece of mind.


5 posted on 08/05/2006 4:50:26 AM PDT by battlegearboat
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Don't bring a fish hook to a marlin fight.


6 posted on 08/05/2006 4:53:22 AM PDT by D-fendr
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To: mcg2000

OOohhw... Thats gonna leave a mark.


7 posted on 08/05/2006 4:55:15 AM PDT by mountn man (The pleasure you get from life, is equal to the attitude you put into it.)
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To: mcg2000

"Here Fishy, Fishy, Fishy."


8 posted on 08/05/2006 4:58:55 AM PDT by stayathomemom (From an old cartoon and a Burt and Ernie skit on "Sesame Street")
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To: mcg2000

Just shows the importance of carting around a video camera these days. Somebody on that boat coulda got a million for that vid.


9 posted on 08/05/2006 5:05:39 AM PDT by JennysCool (Roll out the Canarble Wagon!)
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To: mcg2000
Alan Card has hooked six of the ten largest blue marlin caught off the island.

Payback is a bitch!

10 posted on 08/05/2006 5:07:33 AM PDT by vox humana
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To: mcg2000

Lucky....This guy has really got a fish story to tell!


11 posted on 08/05/2006 5:09:06 AM PDT by Dallas59
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To: vox humana

You think the Marlin community had a bounty out on this guy?


12 posted on 08/05/2006 5:17:39 AM PDT by tarawa
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To: mcg2000
What did the marlin say to the shark?

"Let me take a stab at it."

13 posted on 08/05/2006 5:26:11 AM PDT by catpuppy
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To: tarawa

That fish is obviously a member of Fishbollah!


14 posted on 08/05/2006 5:31:59 AM PDT by cajungirl (no)
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To: mcg2000
Some days you get the bear fish, some days the bear fish gets you.
15 posted on 08/05/2006 5:34:02 AM PDT by Grut
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To: mcg2000

For his protection, the government should pass a law requiring a 3-day waiting period before reeling in Marlin.


16 posted on 08/05/2006 5:37:14 AM PDT by Tai_Chung
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To: mcg2000
Ian is very lucky to be alive.


I nominate this for the greatest understatement of ALL TIME!!

Nuff said!!!


The only way this could be outdone is if the fish's aim was a little lower...
17 posted on 08/05/2006 5:43:36 AM PDT by djf (A short fence is mathematically the same as NO FENCE...)
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To: mcg2000

That is some fish tale.


18 posted on 08/05/2006 5:47:41 AM PDT by Fishing-guy
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To: Larry Lucido
The marlin is telling his buddies about the "one that got away."

LOL! Can you imagine this guy telling this story in a bar? "Yeah, back in '06 I was out on a boat with my dad and..." No body, but no body is gonna believe this guy!

19 posted on 08/05/2006 5:59:10 AM PDT by yankeedame ("Oh, I can take it but I'd much rather dish it out.")
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To: mcg2000

did the marlin get away?


20 posted on 08/05/2006 6:00:43 AM PDT by Geritol (All I need is another hole in my head...)
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