Seven-year-old Alexander Smart and his father Dennis have hooked the fifth 10K fish this season.
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The prize-tagged barra was reeled in at Hardie’s Lagoon, Mary River National Park on the weekend during the Corroboree Park Challenge fishing competition.
Alexander hooked the fish and reeled it in, with his Dad Dennis scooping up the 56 centimetre $10,000 prize-tagged barra.
The Million Dollar Fish competition kicked off on October 1 with the $1 Million tagged barramundi still to be caught.
Mr Smart said he and his family fish regularly in the NT and plan to go fishing again this weekend.
“Alexander hooked the fish and once I had pulled it on to the boat he was really excited to see a red tag for Season 3 of the Million Dollar Fish competition," Mr Smart said.
Alex, a Year One student at Humpty Doo Primary School said he was happy and really excited to catch a fish with a red tag.
“Dad said we’re going to spend the prize money on the big boat and maybe a big drone,” Alex said.
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Tourism and Culture department CEO Alastair Shields congratulated the father-son duo and said it was a fantastic time to get out on the water to fish the NT.
“Alexander and Dennis are avid fisho’s, with young Alexander reeling in his first meter-y at five years of age and to catch a prize-tagged fish at seven is fantastic,” Mr Shields said.
“The Million Dollar Fish competition is a great initiative that has helped to boost the NT’s reputation as the best place in the world to stay, play and fish and lure more visitors to the Territory during the wet season from October to February.
“I encourage all anglers and their families to come to the Territory, try their luck at catching the million dollar fish and enjoy our unique tourism experiences while they’re here.”
In Season 3 of the competition, 101 barramundi have been tagged and released across the Territory with 100 carrying $10,000 cash prize tags.
That means there are still 95 $10,000 barra's lurking and the prized million dollar fish to be caught, plus a haul of prizes to be won just by registering for the competition.
Contest officials said at least one tagged fish has been released in the Katherine region.
The Million Dollar Fish competition attracts approximately 40,000 interstate visitors to the Top End for fishing each year, as well as an additional 40,000 Territorians that travel to fish across the year.
CrownBet CEO Matt Tripp said he was delighted to see the fifth tagged barra caught in a great start to the season.
“Million Dollar Fish is the greatest fishing comp in Australia, and we’re hoping season 3 will reel in the big one.
“Season 1 saw 10 prize-tagged barramundi worth $10,000 each caught and season two reeled in eight $10,000 barra’s, so the competition has had a total of $180,000 in cash awarded and we’re tipping season three might top both seasons.”
