Underwatertimes.com News Service - September 11, 2006 19:16 EST

A Christchurch angler's "dream of a lifetime" came true after he landed a 317kg Northern Pacific bluefin tuna near Hokitika on Tuesday night.

Kelvin White took 2½ hours, from 4.30pm, to haul in the 2.75m long tuna while fishing off the

Mr White said it was the first time he had ever been game fishing for bluefin tuna but it was a battle hauling in the huge fish.

"(Afterwards) I didn't know whether to laugh or cry really.

"I walked round like a stunned mullet for a while then had a beer. I was knackered."

However, the hard work has not put him off. Mr White said he would be back next year to have another go.

Tom Fishburn, skipper of "Legacy" on which the tuna was caught, said it was biggest tuna he had heard of in the 20 years he had been a fisherman.

A 320 kilogramme tuna was caught off the coast by two Canterbury men last month, however it missed out on the record books because international fishing game rules only allow a reel-in from one fisherman. Mr Hamilton says after an intense workout that lasted an hour and a half, the enormous catch was landed and a justice of the peace has verified the weight.