Mackeral Catches Fisherman

[JackDaniels]

Mackerel catches fisherman

By Roberta Mancuso

May 03, 2005

From: AAP Newspaper

A QUEENSLAND fisherman suffered the ultimate revenge when a mackerel

jumped into his boat and floored him – and then got away.

In what he called a bad case of "fishy's revenge", Glen Hopper suffered

bruised ribs, cuts to his face and arms and a dented ego when the 1.5m

fish jumped out of the water and hit him on Sunday morning.

"It felt like I'd just run into a brick wall , because I was going 20

knots one way and it was speeding the opposite direction," the

43-year-old Sunshine Coast man said today.

"I remember it coming out the water and the next thing I knew I'm in the

back of the boat winded, trying to get my breath."

Mr Hopper, who said he had set out to catch a haul of mackerel on

Mooloolah River, was in his 4m tinnie when the "freakish" mishap

occurred.

He said the mackerel, which he guessed weighed about 30kg, shot out of

the water and into his boat, hitting him in the chin and chest:15:

It knocked the recreational fisher out of his seat and sent him tumbling

backwards before spearing back into the water

"I remember thinking `What am I doing back here and how come I can't

breathe?'," Mr Hopper said.

Mr Hopper, a scientist, said he had taken the day off work to recuperate

from his injuries, which included grazes to his chin and arms caused by

the fish's sharp fins.

He initially feared he had suffered a collapsed lung but doctors

believed he was badly bruised!

A sheepish Mr Hopper said he never explained to his boss exactly why he

needed the day off.

But he admitted he was something of a joke among his mates after

retelling his unusual version of "the one that got away".

"It's fishy's revenge I suppose. It's been a bit of a laugh with my

friends," Mr Hopper said

"I've seen them come out of the water before but not at me."

[jeffo]

had a good laugh at the article... and at the blokes expenense i spose. just a case of wrong place at the wrong time!! what else can ya do but look back and laugh?

[matt_nsw]

thats scary, imagine if he was going faster

i recon it scared the fish as much as it did to him though

[patl]

I once got hit in the back by a spotty fishing the channel at Townsville, at first I thought my mate at the other end of the boat had thrown something at me, but in the floor of the boat was the spotty with blood coming out of its gills, mind you the bruise in the middle of my back wasnt pretty either.

I think sometimes when mackos are feeding on small bait they seem to come up vertical through the water column and spear straight up in the air with there mouth open sieving the bait. I have seen it a few times on the gravel beds out from Cape Bowling Green, We sitting in a 14ft boat and had 10-15kg mackos jumping all around us, got a few though that day.