He captured a beauty during the Golden Lure on Wednesday, with a 26.2kg short-billed spearfish.

Dykes did battle with the fish at 9am, before reeling it in on a 15kg line.

“It was bang on nine,” he said.

The crew of Wave Rider didn’t know what it was until they got it onto the back of the boat.

Dykes was visibly excited to get the fish when the Port News caught up with him on Wednesday

afternoon.

“I’m very pleased,” he said. “It took a lot of line.”

It was the first time he’d seen one of that species.

“I’d heard of them being out there, but I’d never seen one,” he said.

Port Macquarie Game Fishing Club publicity officer Janeck Kaczorowski was impressed with the catch.

“You have to be in the right place at the right time to get a result,” he said.

“They’re not something you see a lot of.”

“And at 26.2 kilos, it’s a cracking spear fish.”