A monster blue marlin caught by fishers in Northland brings to mind the iconic line from the movie Jaws: "You're going to need a bigger boat".
The whopping 466kg fish was caught off the coast of Ahipara by members of the Muriwai Sports Fishing Club during the weekend. It dwarfs their tin boat, Hot Lips.
It took the anglers two hours to battle the beast, and it was the first catch for Wade Wilson, who snagged it.
Stan Phillips, the club's president, said they hauled it to shore for a weigh-in, where a crowd had gathered. As they watched, they "couldn't believe it that it went a grander" - weighing more than 1000 pounds.
"It's huge. It's unbelievable. Such a good effort by a great bunch of guys on a little boat - even just to get it on the boat', Mr Phillips told Newshub.
"Another club member, Jed Radaly, had to come in and help them pull it on with his own little boat by running a rope through the windscreen of Hot Lips and tying it onto the back of his boat and then yanking the fish aboard their little boat in the middle of the ocean, which is quite a feat.
"Good old west coasters doing it hard, as usual."
Mr Phillips says angler Mr Wilson had being trying for several years to get a marlin. The rest of the three-person team were skipper John Gifford and "leading man" Jeremy Rewi.
"They did it all really nicely. Did it really skillfully", Mr Phillips said.
While it's the biggest they've seen, Mr Phillips said the club often hauls in hefty catches.
A head mount will be made from the fish, and the meat will "feed the hundreds".
But in the meantime "everyone is over just the moon".
Mr Phillips says special mention must go to Ahipara Gamefish Club for all their help at the weighing station.
Newshub.
