Darwin‘s Nicole Soltesz makes NT history by snagging a $20,000 barra

A Top End teacher snagged a big win on the end of her line when she caught her first barramundi - and $20k. Here’s how she hooked the incredible catch.

Nicole Soltesz was in a precarious situation once she realised there was a slippery hunk of $20,000 hooked on the end of her line, before the fish was in the safety of the boat.

Nervous sweat trickled down the primary school teacher’s brow while her friends Kiri, Brad and Tara guided her with advice on how to calmly reel in the lucrative catch.

It was the 24-year-old’s third time to drop a line in Territory waters – a fact that could make any keen fisho cry of frustration.

Nicole Soltesz was fishing with her mates Kiri, Brad and Tara when they spotted the tagged barra on the end of her line. Picture: Floss Adams.

“It’s the first and only barra I’ve ever caught,” Ms Soltesz said.

“I did everything I shouldn’t have done and still managed to get it in and he (Brad) just netted it up when it was close enough to the boat.

“I was just excited about catching a fish.”

For National Gone Fishing Day, Sportsbet announced it would double the prize money of any tagged barra caught on Sunday.

History was made when the four primary-school teachers stood around their blue Esky in awe of what lay inside.

Ms Soltesz’s Hardies Lagoon catch is the most profitable barra caught out of the eight seasons the competition has run.

Darwin local Nicole Soltesz dropped a line on Sunday and caught a $20,000 barra on National Gone Fishing Day. Picture: Floss Adams.

She said the winnings would be split among the group and $2000 would be donated to Starlight Children’s Foundation.

“Working with kids and everything it just seemed like the right thing to do,” Ms Soltesz said.

“It just feels surreal, like this just doesn’t happen but I guess it means that anyone can really do it.

“If I can do it, anyone can”.

A keen fisho himself, Major Events Minister Paul Kirby said the weekend catch proved the Territory’s iconic Million Dollar Fish was the richest fishing competition around the nation.

“Catch of the century at Hardies Lagoon, I don’t think there has ever been a richer fish caught,” Mr Kirby said.

“It’s really great to see the sponsor double the money and not just for Nicole but for the Starlight foundation it turns into $2000.”