The big one didn't get away from 7-year-old Hunter Scott, whose 133kg striped marlin is the talk of the Bay of Islands Swordfish Club.

A visit to the Chatham Islands is high on the bucket list for many New Zealanders. For when it comes to fishing, hunting, diving, snorkelling, tramping, enjoying the outdoors and simply kicking back, it is like going back in time 50 years.

A shark attacked as Steve Clark was struggling underwater against a kingfish on the end of his spear. He didn't see it coming, but he quickly saw the damage it did.

Fishing can often be unrewarding at this time, but the crayfish, scallops and fish are still there and the diver ventures into their domain.

Dead fish, most of them snapper, have washed up on beaches in one of the most beautiful and popular holiday spots in the country.

It all happened 4000km away with rookie big-game angler and 66-year-old Mr Perry catching a 544kg black marlin on a whirlwind fishing trip off the North Queensland Coast on Friday. While still short of the World record for a marlin - a specimen of over 700kg caught over 60 years ago - it is thought to be the biggest ever to be satellite tagged.