Junior angler aged 9 lands record-breaking catch in Oz

Melbourne, Feb 22 (ANI): A budding angler in Australia has landed a record-breaking catch that was bigger than him.

Riley Vallance, 9, hauled in a 27.6-kilogram barramundi during the competition held by Mission Beach Fishing Club in far north Queensland.

Riley was fishing in Lake Tinaroo on the Atherton Tableland when he managed to snare the barramundi that is believed to be a world-record.

His father, fish biologist Terry Vallance, said his son had pestered him to take part in the competition, despite the late start at 9pm. The pair joined the club just an hour before so they could enter.

The schoolboy used a lure while trolling in his dad's 4.3-metre dinghy to catch the 1.32-metre fish, and it took 20 minutes for the fish to tire.

When it jumped under the glare of the moonlight, Terry realised it was a whopper.

"I busted every muscle in my body trying to lift it into the boat," the Age quoted him as saying.

A stunned Riley, who caught his first barramundi aged five, immediately rang and woke his mother to tell her the news.

"I think he was very proud at the time. He ended up winning all the prizes pretty much. He got himself a lovely fishing rod and reel," Terry said.

The club is entering the catch for the International Game Fish Association's Small Fry category (children aged up to 10), for heaviest barramundi. (ANI)