A keen free-diver and spear-fisher, Moss spotted the 163.4kg monster while diving on Sunday, March 5, on the ‘Shallow Patch’ off Cape Karikari around 1pm.

“I hardly had any time to think, but I was relaxed and calm. My flatmate Rosie had first seen it 10 seconds earlier and shouted out that there was a marlin.

“Initially I doubted her. Then I saw it for about three seconds swimming straight at me before it turned broadside and I had my opportunity for a perfect shot.

“Although my mind was racing and going ‘IT’S A MARLIN!’, I felt very calm and knew exactly where I had to shoot it: 10cm above the pectoral fin.

“I took my time and calmly squeezed off the shot. It hit right where I wanted it to [in the spine], but due to my gun and setup not being specifically for big fish, it really slowed [the marlin], but by no means stopped it!”

“The fish didn’t explode away like it normally would; Nat Davey [an extremely accomplished fisherman, two times spear-fishing world record holder and an ex-commercial fisherman], who was with me and whose boat we were on, said they are one of the hardest fighting fish around. We think that my spine shot must have really slowed it down.

“It still towed me around for approximately 10 minutes before I had a go at finishing it off by swimming down, grabbing it by the bill in one hand, and stabbing my knife between its eyes into its brain to kill it.

“However, it found a new lease of energy and went mental! I was holding on for grim death, and Nat said watching from the boat [which he had gone to retrieve] I was getting lifted up out of the water and then slammed back down! It was like trying to hold onto a mechanical bull!”

“Because I was handed loaded guns, I can’t apply for an NZ record as it must be completely unassisted. However, right from the start – due to my first shot not going right through the fish and therefore not being very secure – we didn’t want to lose it and it likely later die, so speed was more important. Hence, I was handed two loaded guns to second- and third-shoot it. There would have been nothing worse than it getting off and potentially dying and getting wasted.”

Moss was quick to acknowledge the valuable assistance provided by the others diving with him – Nat and Rochele in particular.

“Nat, Nat’s fiancée Rochele Potter, and Rosie Sharman my flatmate, were in the water with me. Rochele is a very, very good spearo with six world spearing records, including for striped marlin. She was giving me advice throughout the fight.”

When finally secured and later weighed, the needle went to 163.4kg – a catch to really be proud of, so no wonder Moss remains on cloud nine.

“It was epic! A huge thrill and something I’ve always dreamed of from an early age – to catch a marlin! I just didn’t ever realise it was possible or think that it would be through spearfishing. I got the same feeling and rush I had when I won my Commonwealth Games gold medal!”