Latest winning fisho fights off croc for $10,000 barra
THE most recent winner of a tagged Million Dollar Fish barra had to fight for his prize - quite literally - with a hungry beast
Fishing
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THE seventh lucky winner of the $10,000 barra competition really had to fight for his prize – not with other fishos, but with a hungry croc.
Humpty Doo fisho Brian Ahrens was fishing on the Mary River on Friday morning when he felt something on the end of his line, but he said there was a 1.5m saltie who was also interested in what he’d caught.
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He said being the only person on board, he had to try to scare the croc away by whacking it with his fishing net in one hand while trying to keep the barra on the line with the other.
“I tried to get it (the fishing net) out without falling over the Esky, holding the fish and noticed the croc right there,” Mr Ahrens said. “Then he’s come again to have another go and I can’t move the handle or I’ll break the rod.
“I think he (the croc) nearly had him. From the look of the fish he’d had a decent bite. But, I just managed to get the net under (the fish) and get him on the boat.
“Everything was going on so fast.”
Mr Ahrens battled the croc before even realising the fish was tagged.
“I just wanted the fish,” he said. “My kids said ‘Daddy can you bring me a fish home?’”
After he spotted the tag – signalling the fact that he’d just become $10,000 richer – he said he stopped to relish the moment before heading home.
“I rang the wife and said ‘I think I’ve got a prize’, then just sat there and enjoyed it for a moment,” he said.
“We were going to eat it last night but a late phone call changed that and I had a couple of beers.
“I filleted it when I got home and it’s sitting waiting in the fridge.”
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And, what does he want to spend the winnings on? More fishing of course.
“A helicopter tour sounds nice,” Mr Ahrens said.
“I’d like to see all the wetlands from up above so I might shout the family on one of those … or take a couple of mates.”
There are still 94 $10,000 barra remaining as a part of Million Dollar Fish Season 6.
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