A 19-year-old man has reeled in a tagged barramundi and won a million dollars in Australia’s most lucrative fishing competition.

April 30, 2024

A 19-year-old man has snagged the catch of a lifetime, reeling in a tagged barramundi worth $1 million in Australia’s richest fishing competition.

Keegan Payne was fishing in the Northern Territory’s Katherine River with one of his sisters and a friend when he hooked the fish on Sunday morning.

The teen was blown away when told he had won the massive prize.

“This is crazy for us. We’re a big family, there’s eight of us, this is more money than we could ever ask for,” Mr Keegan said.

“I can buy what I want, maybe help Dad and Mum out with the home loans.”

The barramundi was released into Top End waters for the ninth season of the annual fishing competition.

Organisers release over a hundred red-tagged fish in Darwin, Katherine, Arnhem Land, Kakadu and Tiwi Islands waterways each year.

Some are worth $1 million and others $10,000.

Season nine has resulted in eight anglers sharing in $80,000 by catching $10,000 fish.

It is the first time in the competition’s nine years that the major prize has been won.

Since the competition started in 2015, it has generated more than $70 million in extra spending in the NT and lured more than 10,000 visitors from across the globe to the Top End, providing a significant boost to the tourism industry and businesses.

Charities have also benefited, with sponsor Sportsbet paying $1,000 to the angler’s Million Dollar Fish charity partner of choice every time a $10,000 fish is caught.

Mr Keegan’s million-dollar barramundi means $10,000 will be donated to the Cancer Council.