A schoolgirl has landed an 873-pound tiger shark while fishing with her family.

Pascale Paton, 16, fought the shark for eight hours before she managed to secure it to the side of a charter boat 4 miles off Sydney at the weekend.

"I was really scared because I've never caught anything that big," she said. "After two hours of fighting with it, I saw it for the first time, and I was determined to get it.

"My legs started to hurt, but I wouldn't give up."

The shark weighed 873-pounds and measured 14.5 feet. Pascale was taking part in Sydney's Broken Bay fishing tournament.

Her father, John Paton, who has spent 50 years in the fishing industry, said it was one of the biggest sharks caught by a female in the past 10 years.

"She nearly gave up. I'm surprised she hung on as long as she did," he said.

"I couldn't help her. As soon as she picked up the rod, she was the only person allowed to touch it -- those are the rules of the competition."

At 9.45am, the shark nabbed an 11-pound salmon bait with a balloon attached to it.

It was 6pm when Pascale won her struggle with the fish.

Mr. Paton said he had taught his daughter to keep sharks on the line by using technique rather than strength.

"Pascale has been fishing since she was a young girl," he said.