HUGE GREAT WHITE SHARK GOT AWAY FROM THE SHARK.Byline: Dave Strege Orange County Register Golf superstar Greg Norman Noun 1. Greg Norman - Australian golfer (born in 1955) Gregory John Norman, Norman talked about the one that got away and actually expressed joy over the fact. No, no, no, he wasn't talking about the last Masters or any other tournament that slipped away from him. He was talking about a fish. A rather large fish. The Great White Shark great white shark or white shark Large, aggressive shark (Carcharodon carcharias, family Lamnidae), considered the species most dangerous to humans. It is found in tropical and temperate regions of all oceans and is noted for its voracious appetite. was talking about the great white shark. An estimated 1,900-pound great white was at the end of Norman's line in the waters off Adelaide, Australia, about eight years ago. As fishing battles go, this was the top of the list for Norman, and the list is fairly long. The Shark has caught black marlin, white marlin, blue marlin, striped marlin, sailfish sailfish, common name for a marine game and food fish belonging to the family Istiophoridae and related to the swordfish and the marlin. It is named for its high, wide dorsal fin, colored deep blue with black spots. , swordfish swordfish, large food and game fish, Xiphias gladius, of the warmer Atlantic and Pacific waters, related to the sailfish. It is named for its sharp, broad, elongated upper jaw, which it uses to flail and pierce its prey of smaller fish, rising beneath a school , bonefish bonefish, common name for a fish belonging to either of two species of the family Albulidae. Albula vulpes is widespread in warm, shallow marine waters, and Dixonina nemoptera is found only in the West Indies. , steelhead, bass, cutthroat and many other game fish. Norman said the species he most longs to add to the list are spearfish and bluefin tuna; the latter he hopes to hook soon at Hatteras Island off the North Carolina North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. coast. Even if he doesn't catch anything, Norman enjoys the solitude. Naturally, some days are hotter than others. He once caught 28 sailfish in an afternoon in Mexico. During another outing in Belize, he boated 23 bonefish. Those triumphs might not have been records, but the 8-1/2-pound cero mackerel he caught at Walker's Cay, Bahamas, in July 1994 certainly was. The International Game Fish Association recognizes it as a saltwater fly-rod record on 12-pound tippet tip·pet n. 1. A covering for the shoulders, as of fur, with long ends that hang in front. 2. A long stole worn by members of the Anglican clergy. 3. A long hanging part, as of a sleeve, hood, or cape. . Norman is as accomplished with a fishing rod as he is with a golf club. ``I grew up on the Great Barrier Reef Great Barrier Reef, largest complex of coral reef in the world, c.1,250 mi (2,000 km) long, in the Coral Sea, forming a natural breakwater for the coast of Queensland, NE Australia. ; if you didn't know how to fish there, you didn't know how to fish,'' he said recently before the Shark Shootout Shootout Venture capital jargon. Refers to two or more venture capital firms fighting for the startup. at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks. A shark shoot is what prompted Norman to pursue a great white shark with rod and reel. Television crews wanted underwater footage of Norman with sharks. Norman, an avid diver, had four great whites eating out of his hand. He was in a shark cage, of course. ``Then the boat captain I was with asked, `Have you ever thought about trying to get a world record on 50-pound (line)?' '' Norman said. The thought hadn't occurred to him. Anyway, he didn't have any of his gear. Nevertheless, Norman gave it a try, hooking into this monster fish in stand-up stand·up or stand-up adj. 1. Standing erect; upright: a standup collar. 2. Taken, done, or used while standing: a standup supper; a standup bar. tackle that didn't even fit him. ``We had it to the boat three times,'' Norman said. ``On the fourth time, we lost her at the boat, thank God. I was happy for her to swim away. The knot broke right at the swivel at the leader. I was stand-up for 4 hours, 42 minutes. We would've killed the world record by 400 or 500 pounds.'' Actually, the 50-pound line-class world record is 1,876 pounds caught in Queensland, Australia, in 1955, but who's counting? When the fight was over, Norman went inside the cabin and collapsed. ``Everything was aching,'' he said. Except his heart. ``I'm glad she's still out there somewhere,'' Norman said. ``She deserves to be alive. I had a great fight. I'm not a killer. I tag every fish I catch. I haven't killed a black marlin or blue marlin. I've caught a lot of big fish. I don't believe in (killing fish). ``I've never mounted a sailfish, or white or blue marlin, or a swordfish. I just tag and release.'' Unless it is a world record. Then, maybe, just maybe, he'll consider bringing it to gaff. This is why Greg Norman wasn't unhappy about seeing the great white shark get away, why the battle was so memorable. This is Greg Norman, golfer, angler, sportsman. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (color) NORMAN |
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