Eight-year-old challenges world record with 314kg tiger shark

An eight-year-old boy is challenging a 22 year-old-record after catching a massive tiger shark off the coast of Sydney.

Take one look at Jayden Millauro alongside the potentially world-record shark he caught and an iconic line from Jaws springs to mind.

But the eight-year-old didn’t need a bigger boat when he caught the 314kg tiger shark off the coast of Sydney — although there was precious little room for him and the crew after it was hauled aboard their 7.3m vessel called The Undertaker.

Jayden Millauro with the tiger shark that could break a 22-year world record.

Jayden had been fishing last weekend with his dad, Jonathan, and captain Ibby Dardas for about three hours when the shark swam up to the back of their boat, following a burley trail just like in Jaws, and he hooked it.

“I was nervous,” Jayden said about the moment the shark took the bait.

“I was thinking that I hope the crew can (get) the shark (on the boat after Jayden successfully reeled it in) because I don’t want to lose it. I was really excited when they got it.”

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That excitement grew further when they got Jayden’s catch on the scales at Sylvania Marina. It was 2kg heavier than a catch that has held a world junior record for 22 years.

That belonged to Ian Hissey, who landed a 312kg tiger shark off Port Stephens on the NSW mid-north coast in April 1997 and held the International Game Fish Association’s “small fry” record for the species, according to Port Hacking Game Fishing Club president David Joyce.

“It’s great that he’s a small fry out there and we’re very happy for him because he’s a super-keen fisher,” he said.

Jayden with the shark being weighed.

Jayden’s father was coy about the location of where they hooked the shark, which is not a protected species.

“We were near a popular spot called Browns Mountain off the continental shelf off Sydney,” Mr Millauro said. “That’s all I’ll say because a true fisherman never gives away his spots.”

“It was rainy and the seas were rough,” Mr Millauro said. “We were berleying up and at 11.15 we spotted the shark as it came up to the back of the boat.”

“We threw a couple of baits and threw a line in and the shark grabbed it.”

Mr Millauro said Jayden has been fishing since he was two and began competitive fishing this year.

Asked how he felt when he saw the weight, Jayden said: “Happy. Really happy. I’ve always wanted to achieve this.”

So what’s next? “I’m going for a mako shark,” Jayden said.

How big?

“Dunno.” Presumably bigger than the 151kg mako shark he caught in August.