Kai Ziebell has set new Australian game fishing record
A pint-sized fisherman has officially set a whopping new Australian game fish record after less than a month of competitive fishing.
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A nine-year-old fisherman has officially set a new Australian fishing record after taking out the top spot in the Yorkeys Knob Sport Fishing Club’s Light Tackle competition in Early September.
At 9-years-old Kai Ziebell, who only began fishing competitively this year, has officially set a new Queensland and Australian record for catching the largest wahoo in the competition.
The pint sized fisherman caught the 36kg wahoo in early September, less than a month after he began fishing competitively, and had been waiting for official confirmation on the record from the Game Fishing Association of Australia.
Last week, GFAA secretary Peter Cootes confirmed Kai had officially set the record for the for "Small Fry Male" after catching the record breaking wahoo, which came in at 1.77m and 36.7kg.
"GFAA received the claim for a record and is pleased to advise that it has been granted a "Small Fry Male" record. Small fry are under 11 years old." Mr Cootes said.
Kai’s father, Ian, the youngster was super excited to hear the news.
"His mum leaked it to him before I got to him and all the parents at his school were giving him hope, so it's great news. He hasn't stopped talking about it," Mr Ziebell said.
Mr Ziebell said it was a great achievement considering Kai had only started competitive fishing two weeks prior to the big catch.
“He'd been getting involved in fishing competitions over the last two to three weeks. He won the Fitzroy Island, Cairns Bluewater competition in August, which was his first proper billfish competition,” Mr Ziebell said.
Kai won the Junior Champion for a boat under 7.5m category in the Fitzroy Island competition as well as Yorkeys Knob Sport Fishing Club’s Light Tackle competition.
Over three days of fishing, Kai caught and released a black marlin, a sailfish and the potentially record breaking wahoo, which came in at 1.77m and 36.7kg.
“It took him about 45 minutes to catch it, but once he caught it and we weighed it, we knew it would beat the Australian record for the 10kg line he was fishing,” Mr Ziebell said.
“He’s grown up fishing, diving, snorkelling which we do as a family. It’s part of the Cairns lifestyle. He’s taken to game fishing quite well,” he said.
“In the competition, the kids have to do everything themselves. Adults can’t assist in any way and crews can’t touch rods and things. He strapped himself in a little harness and fought away.”
Mr Ziebell said the family had sent the paperwork to the Game Fishing Association of Australia to confirm Kai had set a new Australian record for his wahoo.
“I think we’ll have to wait a couple weeks to hear back but he’s getting the fish mounted by a local company who are making the moulds to turn it into a keepsake trophy,” he said.
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Originally published as Kai Ziebell has set new Australian game fishing record
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