Proserpine miner lands 40kg barracuda off Whitsunday coast

Proserpine miner Ryan McDermott came off triumphant after a whopping hour-long battle with a 40kg barracuda.

Ryan McDermott with the 40kg barracuda he caught at Gould Reef. Picture: Supplied.

A Proserpine miner won a whopping hour-long fight with a monster 40kg barracuda.

Ryan McDermott was on an overnight fishing trip at Gould Reef off the Whitsunday coast when he felt the giant fish bite.

“I didn’t know what it was at first, it took me over an hour to get it up to the boat,” Mr McDermott said.

“I was just stoked I landed it, I caught it on a rod and reel and just to get it to the boat was big.

“It took two of us to get it out of the water.”

The miner said the mammoth fish measured 150cm long, just 37cm shorter than the fisherman himself.

Mr McDermott said he had looked up the record size for a barracuda, which came in at 46kg and 135cm.

Ryan McDermott with the 40kg barracuda he caught at Gould Reef. Picture: Supplied.

“The photos really don’t do it justice,” Mr McDermott said.

“I couldn’t actually hold the fish properly, we had to winch it off the roof for the photos.

“Its head was bigger than mine with big teeth, you’d be able to stick your head into it and it could chew you up.”

Mr McDermott said the fish was “no good for eating” and he returned it to the water after a few photos.

Despite having “jelly arms” after the long battle, he said he and his crew were still able to catch 27 more fish to take home.

“It was all just unreal, really fun,” Mr McDermott said.