Dedicated fisho Jack Daly, from Nauiyu/Daly River, has pocketed himself $10,000 just in time for Christmas after hooking a Million Dollar Fish Season 9 red-tagged barramundi.
Persistence has paid off again for Jack, with this the third $10,000 barra he has caught since the competition began. It is the seventh $10,000 barra to be caught in Season 9 of Australia’s richest fishing competition, supported by SportsBet.
Jack, 35, reeled in his latest prize-winning catch, a 58cm barra, at Daly River Crossing on Friday. Jack had been down at the crossing on Friday from 7.30pm when several hours later he reeled in the red-tagged fish on a plastic lure. Jack said his secret to catching the barra was consistency, often fishing most nights. Over the moon with his latest catch, he said his two kids had drafted up a Christmas wish list after learning he had hooked a red-tagged barra.
Million Dollar Fish sees prize-tagged barramundi released in waterways across the Darwin, Kakadu, Tiwi Islands, Arnhem Land and Katherine regions. This season someone is guaranteed to win a million dollars. The season runs from 1 October 2023 until 31 March 2024.
Each time a fisho catches a $10,000 barra, they can donate an extra $1,000 to the Million Dollar Fish charity of their choice. Jack decided to give the $1,000 to Riding for the Disabled Association Top End.
There are still 92 red-tagged $10,000 barra out there, plus 12 barra sporting the big million-dollar tags have been released since the competition began, and all are eligible to be caught.
To claim any cash from a red-tagged barra, a fisho must be registered for Million Dollar Fish. Registering is free and easy. Anyone who registers automatically goes in the monthly Lucky Prize Pool to win thousands of dollars’ worth of prizes. To register or find out more, visit [https://www.milliondollarfish.com.au].
Quotes attributed to Chief Minister and Minister for Major Events, Natasha Fyles:
“Jack is one lucky angler and this is a great early Christmas present. There are so many ways to win with Million Dollar Fish. As well as barra worth $10,000 or a million dollars, there is also the Fishmas campaign running until 12 December, which sees amazing prizes given away every day.
“We’re incredibly lucky to live in such a unique part of Australia that offers some of the world’s best barramundi fishing. It’s also prime time for barra fishing at the moment. Add in Million Dollar Fish and you’ve got plenty of reasons for people to head to the Top End right now. We’ve seen interest in the competition continue to grow, especially interstate, with more than 40,000 people registered this season so far, almost half from outside the Territory.”
Quotes attributed to the Member for Daly, Dheran Young:
“It’s great seeing prizes from catching a tagged barra going to people in the Daly electorate.
“There’s been plenty of tagged fish caught in Daly waterways and there’s now even more reason to fish out there with the million guaranteed to be won.”
Quotes attributed to SportsBet NT Operations and Partnerships Manager Thijs Bors:
“Congratulations to Nauiyu/Daly River resident, Jack, who has now reeled in his third $10,000 fish since Million Dollar Fish began in 2015.
“That’s now seven $10,000 caught in the first nine weeks of Season 9. With more red-tagged Million Dollar Fish out there than ever before, the odds are definitely in favour of the fishos this season. We’re getting closer and closer to giving away the million and SportsBet can’t wait.”
Quotes attributed to winning fisho Jack Daly:
“I thought I’d never catch any this year but the water came up a little bit and then started dropping again and then I caught this on the crossing.
“I go fishing nearly every night, or when I get the chance to if I’m not working at night, I’ll go fishing. That’s just something I love doing every day or every night anyway when it’s nice and cool.
“The key is consistency. If you keep fishing every night, anything could happen, you know? That’s all it takes just a bit of time fishing at night or day, and you’ll never know you’ll get a red tag.”
Quotes attributed to Riding for the Disabled Association Top End President Tania Lesneuck:
“We are excited to hear that Jack chose to share his Million Dollar Fish joy with RDA Top End! His donation will bring smiles to our riders and horses.”
Northern Territory Government
