Fisher Ashleigh Clarke's once-in-a-lifetime catch of a giant dusky flathead has become the talk of the Narooma woman's hometown.

Ashleigh caught the monster in the Narooma inlet last week fishing a pink Squidgy plastic and successfully releasing it with the help of her fishing partner Adam Babidge.

They didn't measure the big girl as they just wanted to get her back in the water, but judging by the size of the fish against Ashleigh, who is 165cm tall, it was probably well over the magic metre mark.

 "All I can say is it was up the back of the inlet - it was a good fish, don't think I'll catch another like it!”

The elusive one-metre long dusky flathead is the ultimate goal of every estuary angler, with Wagonga known for its big fish.

All these big flathead are female and should be returned to the water to continue to breed.