A photograph of a 22-kilogram cod that was caught during the annual recreational fishery in Notre Dame Bay, N.L., has caught the public's attention in a big way.

The photo shows 10-year-old Koby Rice of Pilley's Island holding up the huge fish.

Koby's mother, Kayla Brown, caught the fish Thursday at Valley Pond, near New World Island.

Brown's sister-in-law, Charlotte Rice, submitted the photo to the CBC Newfoundland and Labrador Facebook page, where it immediately captured public attention.

Jamie Baker, host of the Fisheries Broadcast, said just seconds after he tweeted the photo, people were instantly retweeting.

Brown told CBC on Friday that it was pouring rain when she, her father and her two children went fishing on Thursday.

"I said, 'You know what, we're wet, we might as well stay,' and just after that I caught the fish," said Brown.

'You know what, we're wet, we might as well stay,' and just after that I caught the fish. - Kayla Brown

She told her dad she wasn't entirely sure what was on the end of her reel — but whatever it was, it was massive.

"My seven-year-old said to me, 'Mom, what do you have there?' He couldn't believe it."

Brown, who is originally from Summerford, said she's lived on Pilley's Island for 16 years, but enjoys taking in the annual recreational fishery each summer with her family in Notre Dame Bay.

She told CBC News the fish was caught with a hook and line.

When asked about what she planned on doing with 22-kilogram fish, Brown said she's going to deep fry it.