The height of the pier meant that lifting the shark directly was not an option, as the line would snap under the weight of the animal.
Luca Curnow with his 2m-long shark catch. Photo / Supplied
Luca threw himself into a 45-minute battle with the shark at the end of the line, carefully working the animal along the pier and down towards the shoreline.
“He had to fight the line the whole way down, reeling it in and being gentle and letting it swim out and reeling it back in,” Stevenson said.
“His heart was beating out of his chest.”
The bait used for the catch. Photo / Supplied
Eventually, Luca managed to bring the shark to shore.
“They managed to get it onto the beach and have a couple of photos. It was quite a production,” Stevenson said.
Unhooking the shark proved to be another lengthy task.
“His friend sat down and held the jaw open of the shark while my partner and Luca were arms deep in its mouth to unhook it,” she said.
The shark was then successfully released back into the water.
Stevenson said Luca had been planning a big catch for several days, although the outcome was beyond anything he had predicted.
“I don’t think he was quite anticipating a shark,” she said.
Workers repairing the New Brighton Pier will be inside watertight tubes on the seabed. Photo / Christchurch Star
Although surfcasting is still relatively new for the teenager, Stevenson said that her son has developed a strong passion for fishing since he was young.
“He just researches all the time, he’s always looking at new methods and watching his idols,” Stevenson said.
Luca also shares his fishing experiences online through his TikTok account, Fishing Bros NZ, where he documents his catches.
“His absolute passion at the moment is fishing, and he’ll take any opportunity to go to different bodies of water,” Stevenson said.
“He just disconnects, and he says it gives him an endorphin rush.
“It’s definitely a nice feeling as a mother knowing that something so wholesome is occupying his time.”