They were close to needing a bigger boat.
A young boy and crew from a Sutherland Shire fishing club snagged a major catch off Sydney heads this month.
Schoolboy Jayden Millauro proudly showed off his teeth-chattering catch - a whopping tiger shark that hooked on his 15 kilogram line on October 5.
He was aboard a Port Hacking Game Fishing Club vessel, 'The Undertaker', captained by Ibby Dardas and a crew of two others, all members of the club.
They were about 20 nautical miles out from shore off Watson's Bay, scattering berley in the water, when the shark neared. Jayden, who was harnessed into his rod, was fighting the shark. It took a whole day to reel it in.
The tiger shark weighed 314 kilograms, and the huge nab could be a NSW, Australian and world record catch. The current world record from 1997 sits at two kilograms lighter.
Although some people on social media congratulated Jayden, others criticised the catch, posting comments about the need to protect marine life in its natural habitat.
Jayden's father Jonathan says while 95 per cent of catches are released, this one was a sure keeper.
"The majority of sharks that are caught are let go," he said. "With this one, fisheries will take samples for research, and the jaws will get moulded into in a plaque on the wall for Jayden. The rest is fish and chips."