Tenth season of Million Dollar Fish competition set to reel in interstate visitors

The Million Dollar Fish is back for its 10th year, with first lines hitting the water soon. Find out more.

The 10th season of the Territory’s Million Dollar Fish competition will return this Wet, with first lines hitting the water on October 1.

The popular fishing competition last season had 61,602 registered competitors and, according to the government, generated more than $90m to the Territory economy.

In partnership with Sportsbet, Katherine angler Keegan Payne became the first-person in history to nab the million dollar red-tagged barramundi.

The competition last year attracted 10,000 interstate visitors and, including Keegan’s million, has awarded more than $2m to lucky fishos since the first lines were cast in 2014.

Keegan Payne won the Million Dollar Barra. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“I keep getting asked, is there going to be a season 10, and we can officially say today there is a season 10 for the million-dollar barra,” Ms Lawler said.

“The Northern Territory is the best place in the world to fish and the only place in the world you can win a million dollars for catching a barra.

“I’m biased, but I want another Territorian to become a millionaire from catching a tagged barra. We also want to see visitors from interstate and overseas spend millions of dollars in our hotels, restaurants, pubs and shops when they visit it the Territory to take part in the Million Dollar Fish.”

Sportsbet head of public affairs Luke Tobin said the company was rapt to be back hosting the Million Dollar Fish.

Recreational Fishing Minister Joel Bowden, Chief Minister Eva Lawler, Major Events Minister Brent Potter, and Sportsbet’s Luke Tonkin.

“At Sportsbet we were absolutely delighted back in April to give away the million dollar prize to Keegan Payne after he reeled the big one in the Katherine River and today,” Mr Tobin said. “We’re throwing down the gauntlet and asking who will be the next Sportsbet fisho millionaires. The thing about fishing in the Territory is you could catch a million dollar barra.”

Major Events Minister Brent Potter said the government would keep the number of million dollar fish under wraps until closer to the event.

“We’re going to hold off on telling how many fish potentially maybe a million and we’re working through this right now about how big it will be,” he said. “It will be bigger than last year, I can confirm that.”

Registrations for the Million Dollar Fish open on September 1. For details visit https://milliondollarfish.com.au/.

Originally published as Tenth season of Million Dollar Fish competition set to reel in interstate visitors