A Keilor Park youngster is the toast of the junior fishing world after hauling in a world-record-sized marlin last Saturday for “small fry” competitors, just five years after taking up the sport.
Ten-year-old Makayla Buttigieg, who has been fishing since the age of four, reeled in a new New South Wales and Australia record for children aged under 11 with in a 92.5 kg striped marlin on her father’s boat, Happy Hour, 40km offshore from Merimbula.
But the young Greenvale Sports and Fishing Club member was only getting warmed up for the bigger catch.
The following day she caught a world and Australian record for a striped marlin, 147kg, on a 27kg line.
MAKAYLA WITH GEORGE (LEFT) AND HER FATHER DARREN. (SUPPLIED)
“It took an hour and 45 minutes to land the fish,” proud dad Darren said.
“Makayla was completely exhausted after an hour and was close to giving up. After a bit of rest and some refreshing cold water over the head, and drinking two litres of water throughout the battle, she managed to go all the way.
“It was only four kilograms shy of the record for senior, female anglers.”
Both fish were weighed by the Merimbula Big Game and Lakes Angling Club with paperwork to be sent to the International Game Fish Association to endorse.
The previous world record for “small fry” was caught in New Zealand in 2002 and weighed 132kg, he said.
Club treasurer Lyndon Thompson said fishing world records were “hard to come by”.
“There’s been a lot of marlin out here of late,” he said.
