Cambridge fisherman’s spontaneous trip leads to catch of a lifetime

Cambridge fisherman Dylan Law accepted a spontaneous invitation to a deep-sea fishing charter trip – and it turned into the catch of a lifetime.

When Cambridge resident Dylan Law took up a spontaneous invitation to go on a deep-sea fishing charter, he had no idea he would end up with the catch of a lifetime.

During his first experience of deep-sea fishing, he landed a Southern Bluefin tuna weighing over 100 kilograms.

“I’ve never done any deep-sea stuff,” Law said on the Waikato’s All Sports Breakfast.

“Just the usual snapper and gurnard with the family out in Raglan Harbour and a bit around Kawhia.”

But when his friend told him about a last-minute spot being available on a charter heading out from Whakatāne, he couldn’t say no.

“I jumped on the ticket, and we headed out.

“We stayed with Archie and the crew at East Coast Sports Fishing Charters, then hit the water early. It was about 18 hours on the boat.”

As the day went on, Law watched his mates reel in plenty of fish, but his turn on the rod delivered not even a nibble on the lure.

By 11pm he was still empty-handed, but the skipper called for lines in as it was time to head in.

“Archie said, ‘Right guys, time to reel in,’ and boom, a big tuna hits.

“It was the fight of my life.”

The battle lasted around 25 minutes, though Dylan joked it felt like 16 hours.

“My forearms were shot after two and a half minutes.

The fish was hooked at 210 metres.

”I was elbows down on the side of the boat, even took to my knees as my legs burned a bit, just grinding on the reel and trying to get line back.”

The fish was hooked at 210 metres and brought up to 30 metres before it made a dramatic run back down to about 100 metres.

“It was defeating watching all that line run out again. But it stopped, and I managed to reel it back in.”

It ended up being the biggest catch of the night, Law said, measuring 180cm and weighing about 100kg.

Law said the experience “definitely” meant he also caught the deep-sea fishing “bug”.

“I’d do it again and recommend it to anyone. Once you get one big fish in the boat, you’re hooked.”

He said he was very keen for the next trip already, albeit after his arms recovered.

Graeme “Mintie” Mead is a sports commentator, the host of the radio show Waikato All Sports Breakfast and a Newstalk ZB overnight host.