Month: December 2022

Size Matters this Christmas in Territory fishing competition

Posted on by Erin

Australia’s richest fishing competition has raised the stakes for registered anglers of Million Dollar Fish Season 8, with a brand new ‘Size Matters’ campaign rolled out for December.

Thousands of extra dollars are up for grabs as part of the exciting new campaign. The fisho who catches the longest $10,000 tagged barra in December is set to catch a massive cash bonus. Whoever is lucky enough to claim the crown will receive $1,000 per centimetre of their catch, as measured on the official Million Dollar Fish brag mat. So if the biggest $10,000 tagged fish caught in December is 55cm, the lucky fisho wins $55,000. The campaign excludes the nine fish carrying tags worth $1 million.

The ‘Size Matters’ campaign begins today and ends on 31 December 2022. We’ll announce the winner in January 2023.

Australia’s richest fishing competition goes from strength to strength

SportsBet NT Operations and Partnerships Manager Thijs Bors said Australia’s richest fishing competition keeps going from strength to strength.

“We’re backing local and interstate fishos alike to fish the Territory for the chance to bag the longest Season 8 barra of the month, and cash in big time with $1,000 paid out per centimetre,” he said. “Size really does matter this Christmas.”

“To win any cash or prizes as part of Million Dollar Fish, registering is paramount. It’s quick, and it’s easy. By registering, you might find yourself a million dollars richer!”

Season 8 of Million Dollar Fish, underwritten by SportsBet, has smashed records just two months in. Fishos caught a whopping 16 prize-tagged barramundi across the Top End. A total of $170,000 in prize money has also been dished out to local and interstate fishos since 1 October 2022.

This season’s prize purse is the largest ever, with nine fish worth a million dollars now released in five fishing regions – Tiwi Islands, Darwin, Katherine, Kakadu and Arnhem Land.

There’s plenty of time to hit the water and catch a red-tagged barramundi. Season 8 of Million Dollar Fish runs until 31 March 2023.

To register for Season 8 for free, visit www.milliondollarfish.com.au.

Fishing regulations to keep in mind this festive season!

Posted on by Erin

Anyone who tells you that size doesn’t matter is not living in the real world. What fisho doesn’t want to go home after a hard day on the water and hear the words, “wow, that’s a big one!” It’s worth keeping in mind though, that catch sizes, fishing regulations and knowing your limits are all super important.

Fishing regulations are imperative when it comes to snagging a barra in the waterways of the Territory’s Top End.

To beat the odds of a flop at “Lake Disappointment”, you need to know the legal size for a barramundi. It is 55cm from nose to the tip of the tail. Anything smaller than this is a big no, no and must be released back into the water. This rule is the same right across Australia.

Northern Territory guides and conservation conscious anglers also have an unwritten law about those big boy barras. Anything from 90cm upwards should be quickly photographed and released. That’s because when a barra reaches 90cm in length it changes sex and becomes a female breeder.

Know your limits

Like anything in life, you gotta know your limits.  In the Territory, the bag limit for barra is five, with special controls of three barra per angler in Kakadu National Park, and the Mary and Daly River fish management zones.

While rules are in place to keep recreational catches at sustainable levels and reduce the potential for localised overfishing, that doesn’t mean you can’t enhance your enjoyment at dinner time by dishing up a sizeable tale on your catch of the day.

If you’re ever in doubt over fishing rules, restriction zones and the best way to release a fish, and don’t want to come up short, head to the Northern Territory Recreational Fishing Controls guide at www.fisheries.nt.gov.au or download the NT Fishing Mate app for a simpler option.

Good luck out there! And make sure you’re registered before you hit the water.

Size really does matter when picking the perfect lure

Posted on by Erin

When it comes to catching barramundi and deciding what lure to use, size really does matter.

Barramundi are a jumping, fighting and lure-smashing Australian icon. No other fish quite evokes the same sense of action and adventure.

So it’s important to know from the outset on the size of lure you’d like to use.

When it comes to chasing big barramundi, it’s hard to go past using big lures. If you have ever caught a whopper, you will know just how big that bucket mouth is and why they have an appetite to suit.

For this reason, larger barra will prefer to feed on larger sized baitfish often over the 20cm mark or a 15-17cm soft plastic. Remember, an inferior lure might not be able to hold up against the might of a metery.

Good things come in small packages

If you’re targeting smaller fish, you may want to drop down to a 7-10cm soft plastic. Good things can come in small packages so it’s worth keeping in mind that a big barra will always eat a smaller lure but a little barra may shy away from a larger lure.

A slow approach is also desired. No quickies, here. Barramundi, even when they are at their hungriest, love a slow-rolled lure. This can be worked at super slow speeds with maximum action. Being able to fish your lure slowly also adds to added visibility under the water.

Don’t be scared to switch up your lures from time to time, either. Variety is definitely the spice of life and fishing.

Experiment, too, with several sorts and colours (you can’t go wrong with a pack of paddle tail soft plastics and a pack of Gold Bomber hard plastics) until you find the one that works best for you.

Happy fishing! And make sure you’re registered before you hit the water.

Our top tacklebox tips this festive season!

Posted on by Erin

While organising your tackle is a personal thing, you don’t want to be out on a boat or fishing by the water’s edge only to realise your bits aren’t up to scratch and you don’t have the right gear in your tacklebox to land the big one. Make sure your tacklebox is up-to-date with our top tips.

Check out these top five tacklebox tips and you could be in with a chance of winning a red-tagged barra … or at least be popular at dinner time.

Tidy your tackle:

When it comes to storing your tackle, separating out the reels, lures and line is key. There’s a range of storage systems to chose from. Just take your pick from bait boxes, bags, dry packs, lure wraps, leader holders and soft plastic wraps.

Rack up your rods:

Rods can easily get lost or broken without proper storage. Get them upright and organised with a rod rack, all ready to grab for a trip.

Lure ‘em in:

Have a few (maybe a dozen) lures in your box, like some soft plastics, wobbler-type metals and a couple of hard-bodied minnows in small to medium sizes. Bouncing a frog lure across water lilies and using surface popper lures at night are worth a try.

Take a hard line:

Buy god quality braid and leader. One recommendation is 30 pound braid and 60 pound leader on trolling rods. Another is 50 pound braid and 60 pound leader on bait fishing rods. Also, exposure to light weakens even the best line over time. So keep it shaded.

Pack essentials:

A pair of long-nose pliers to retrieve lures or hooks form fish, a sharp knife for cleaning and filleting your catch and a measuring device so you can check if your fish is legal. Here, size really does matter.

Good luck out there! And make sure you’re registered before you hit the water.