Australia’s most sought-after fish has been caught after a 19-year-old Northern Territory man reeled in a barramundi worth $1 million on Sunday morning.
Katherine local Keegan Payne caught the fish, which had been tagged as part of a nine-year-long fishing competition, in the Katherine River.
When the self-professed “mad keen fisherman” found out he had won the Top End’s million-dollar cash prize, he said he planned to use the prize money to help his parents with their home loans.
“This is crazy for us, we’re a big family, there’s eight of us. This is more money than we could ever ask for. This is just great,” Payne said.
“It means so much. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me. I’m happy, really happy.
“I can buy what I want, maybe help Dad and Mum out with the home loans,” he said.
Payne was on a fishing trip with family and a friend at the Katherine River when he caught the prized barramundi.
Prehistoric ocean reptile ‘twice the size of a bus’
Payne called the hotline for the prize in the early hours of Sunday morning, with the competition’s organisers inviting him and his family to collect a prize.
The organisers then confirmed his fish was worth $1 million.
The competition has been running since 2015, but until now, nobody had reeled in one of the million-dollar barramudi.
Every season, more than a hundred fish tagged with special markings are released in waterways across the Northern Territory.
Most of the fish are worth $10,000, but some are worth the major prize of $1 million.
Keegan chose charity partner Cancer Council NT to receive $10,000 from Sportsbet, a sponsor of the competition.
NT Major Events Company chief executive Suzana Bishop said organisers were “so happy and excited for Keegan”.
“We guaranteed a winner this season and we’re delighted to see the prize go off,” said Sportsbet chief executive Barni Evans.
