Annual three day NT Fishing comp a success after initial concerns over wet season

ONE of the Territory’s most iconic fishing events took place over the weekend, with the Aurora Kakadu resort hosting the 2019 Kakadu Klash

Ken Brown caught the largest fish at the Kakadu Klash, a 102cm Barramundi. PICTURE Supplied

ONE of the Territory’s most iconic fishing events took place over the weekend, with the Aurora Kakadu resort hosting the 2019 Kakadu Klash.

The 2019 event saw 42 teams compete over three days, with the total length of the largest fish caught by a team from each day adding to their total score.

The greatest total fish length would then take home a $10,000 prize along with a number of sponsor prizes.

Aurora Kakadu resort general manager Peter McKelvie said it was a successful competition despite some concerns over the poor wet season heading into it.

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“It was a very successful weekend particularly when we thought it was going to be a tough competition,” he said.

“Only two teams scored 0 for the competition which was quite good, everyone else caught a fish.”

Mr McKelvie said the competition, held in one of the best fishing locations in Australia, was a truly unique one.

“It’s in Kakadu National Park, it’s the only competition held in a national park, it’s invitational only and obviously the idea is to catch the biggest fish each day,” he said.

“That gives you a total measurement.”

Craig’s Fishing Warehouse led by Trevor Robb, along with Kai Robb and Kale Quinlan, won the competition with a total fish length of 259cm, bagging three barra of 90cm, 86cm and 83cm.

“It’s one of the only ones I haven’t one won, I fished 15 or 16 over the year and this is the first time I’ve cracked it,” Mr Robb said.

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“If you want to be competitive you need to know the river … you need to work with the tides, if you don’t have you’ll have a bit of trouble.”

Mr Robb also hooked the biggest barramundi of the first day’s fishing, a 90cm monster.

Ken Brown from the Fred Builds’ team caught the largest fish over the tournament, his 102cm barra one of two fish more than a metre long, while Old school Tackle Word finished in second place on 253cm, just 6cm behind the Craig's Fishing Warehouse team.

Sumpunt rounded out the top three with a total fish length of 240cm.