Northland tiddler reels in whopper

Jamie Taylor, 10, with the record-breaking 144.81kg marlin he caught north of the Poor Knights last Saturday.

A Northland 10-year-old has smashed national and club records after hauling in a striped marlin five times his body weight.

Jamie Taylor wrestled the 144.81kg marlin for over an hour before reeling it in north of the Poor Knights last Saturday.

It took the Glenbervie School student - who registers just a tiny 26kg on the scales himself - one hour and 15 minutes to land the fish, with the help of a harness, game chair, and his father's skippering, but no other assistance.

It smashes records for both the Whangarei Deep Sea Anglers Club and nationally, as the heaviest marlin by a small fry angler.

Catching a marlin had been a dream of Jamie's since he started fishing when he was 3. He rated the experience as "10 out of 10".

"I felt happy and proud and good to finally catch my first marlin, but I did have a sore back," he said.

Jamie's next fishing goal is to catch a big tuna, and one day he also wouldn't mind being a presenter on a kids' fishing television show, as well as a doctor or a writer.

His dad - Northland rugby stalwart and former Taniwha and Blues player Hayden Taylor - said he was happy and emotional about his son's success.

"The look on his face afterwards was amazing. We were just looking at catching a little one for him first up," Mr Taylor said.

Fishing is in the blood, with the boat having been in the family for 30 years, he said.

"We've always grown up with boats. Game fishing's just always been a part of our lives."

Jamie's 8-year-old brother Caleb was also on the boat when he landed the fish, and said he was "pretty amazed".

His fishing goals include catching a shark.

"If I was allowed to it would probably be a great white."