Sam's big catch

It is the second-largest flathead to be caught in the estuary, the record being 93cm.

A fellow fisherman offered a larger net to get the fish on board.

Sam had the help and steadying influence of his dad, Michael, while brother Ben snapped photos of the magnificent catch.

With adrenalin pumping and a 10 to 15-minute battle, Sam said his legs didn’t stop shaking for half an hour after the encounter.

“It kept surfacing and diving and the drag was just going off,” Sam said.

A Fisheries and Wildlife officer who was alerted to the excitement on the lake captured the moment and posted it on the NSW Maritime Facebook page.