Second $10,000 fish in first week of Season 12

The excitement is continuing to build in Million Dollar Fish Season 12, with the second $10,000 red-tagged barramundi caught in the competition's opening week.

Daly River local Sambono landed the winning fish at Daly River Crossing in the early hours of Wednesday, 7 October, after an evening spent fishing with his mate Quanas.

The pair had been fishing land-based for nearly four hours and had already caught four barramundi without any sign of a red tag. As they prepared to call it a night, Sambono decided to try one final spot.

"We'd been fishing for nearly four hours and caught four barra, but none had a tag. We were about to head home when I decided to try one more spot and that's when I hooked the tagged fish," Sambono said.

Just after midnight, Sambono hooked an impressive 79cm barramundi and battled the fish until it tired before bringing it onto the bank.

"It put up a really good fight. Once it tired itself out, I was able to drag it in. My mate turned on the torch and saw the red tag first," he said.

Despite landing a $10,000 fish, the pair kept their celebrations relatively quiet.

"We had a few high-fives, but we didn't want to make too much noise because there were other fishermen around," Sambono said.

A dedicated Million Dollar Fish competitor, Sambono has registered for the competition every year he has been eligible. The $10,000 prize will help support his family.

"The prize money will help with things like groceries, power bills, some clothes and something for my daughter," he said.

SportsBet Head of Operations NT, Thijs Bors, said the catch was another great example of the excitement Million Dollar Fish delivers.

"Two $10,000 prize fish in the first week is an exciting start to the season. It's great to see mates sharing the thrill of reeling in a red-tagged barra. That's exactly the excitement and joy Million Dollar Fish brings to anglers across the Territory," Mr Bors said.

As the official charity partner, Surf Life Saving NT will also receive $1,000 from Sambono's winning catch, bringing the total raised for the organisation to $2,000 so far this season.

There are still 98 red-tagged barramundi worth $10,000 waiting to be caught across the Territory, along with one barra carrying the competition's ultimate $1 million tag.

Million Dollar Fish Season 12 runs until 31 March 2027. Registration is free and required to claim any prize money. Registration also automatically enters anglers into the monthly prize draw.

To register and find out more, visit www.milliondollarfish.com.au.