Madison Ross weighs in a 302kg blue marlin which is a pending world record. Photo/ Supplied
Madison Ross weighs in a 302kg blue marlin which is a pending world record. Photo/ Supplied
Madison Ross has caught some decent sized snapper and kingfish before but now the Northland teenager is looking at a world record after landing a blue marlin weighing in at a whopping 302kg.
The first-time marlin angler managed the tricky task of catching the monster fish on just a 15kg line, which is more suited to catching snapper, after a three-hour battle.
The catch puts her in the running for a world record, pending official scrutiny of the line and plethora of paper work submitted to the sport's international body in the United States.
Madison Ross weighs in a 302kg blue marlin which is a pending world record. Photo/ Supplied
Once it is official, Madison will become the world women's record holder for blue marlin on a 15kg line as well as the junior world record holder.
The 16-year-old Kamo High School student was competing in the Arthurs Emporium Tutukaka Junior Tournament with her team-mates Todd Yendell, Sam Henwood and Kurtis Bot.
The team were fishing off Wynne Going's Tutukaka based-boat GPS just off Cape Brett when the fish struck the lure about 11.30am last Sunday.
The battle to get the blue marlin onboard boat GPS took three hours. Photo/ Supplied
"It all happened so fast ... it was a bit of a shock," recalls Madison.
"It was my turn, so I got the rod and the boys helped me with a gimbal belt. Then I just started winding it in and winding and winding."
The fish jumped out of the water but Madison was head-down reeling the line in and didn't see how big it was.
"Everyone was yelling and saying it was huge."
The first hour and a half flashed by, Madison said.
The crew including leaderman Sam Yendell managed to get the marlin close to the boat a few times but then it put up more of a fight.
At one point it took out most of the line that had been reeled in by Madison.
"It took out the line and went down and down," Madison recalled.
She said friend Lucy Hale was her biggest supporter, offering encouragement throughout the battle.
Finally after three hours the marlin was close enough for the gaff team of Brad Batterton, James Yendell, Bayley Taylor-Mackie and Dylan Pilcher to bring the marlin aboard.
"I didn't believe it. I didn't know there was fish that big in the ocean. Everyone was screaming with excitement."
Boat skipper Hayden Wright said it was difficult to catch blue marlin because they were very aggressive and catching such a big fish on such a light line was an achievement.
"You can't put too much weight on the line or else you lose it in minutes," he said.
Back at Tutukaka just before the marlin was weighed, an official came and whispered in her ear, before announcing it to the crowd, she may have a world record catch.
"I couldn't believe it, the biggest fish I've caught before was a kingfish."
The team landed two striped marlin and a spearfish on the Saturday and with the 302kg blue marlin it meant they also took out the team title.
The 302kg marlin was being smoked and the beak of the fish was being mounted.
