Not many eight-year-olds can boast of breaking a world record, but Gillian Ricks may have done just that during a family fishing trip in Bermuda.

For the ‘small fry’ angler managed to single-handedly land a monster 336 pound blue marlin during the Bermuda Triple Crown Billfish Championship last week.

Gillian, from Texas, was taking part in the tournament with other members of her family, including father Sail, mother Sarah and grandmother Sue.

The family were on board the El Cazador fishing in waters north east of the Island last Wednesday, when Gillian felt a tug on her line.

And after battling with her quarry for an hour and 20 minutes, she was finally able to wrestle the marlin aboard.

The International Game Fish Association recognises records for several classes of anglers including Junior Anglers aged nine to 16, and Small Fry anglers, aged eight and under. It is believed that Gillian’s catch is the largest blue marlin caught by an angler in the small fry age group and, if confirmed, it will be the first time Bermuda was listed as the location for any blue marlin world record.