It’s been a lucky few weeks for Top End anglers, with three Territory fishos each snagging a $10,000 tagged barramundi in Season 11 of Million Dollar Fish.
Borroloola’s David Foster-King, Humpty Doo’s Darren Kenny, and Virginia’s Shane Taylor all landed red-tagged barra, taking the tally of $10,000 fish caught this season to 13.
David became the 11th lucky fisho to reel in a red-tagged barramundi, taking home $10,000 after a quick trip down to the Borroloola Crossing with his brothers. He hooked the 63cm barra on Tuesday, 28 October, using a green bomber lure while fishing in the rain with his two younger brothers. At first, he didn’t realise his catch was worth a small fortune, until his brother spotted the tell-tale red tag.
“And he's seen the tag, and he's like, ‘Bring him up! Bring him up! He has a tag!’” David said.
Having caught an expired tagged barra from a previous season only weeks earlier, David assumed this one might also be expired. But something told him to take another look.
“I was thinking to myself, well, I might as well just go and check it [the red tag] out properly. So when I went to check it out, I seen Season 11 on there, and I just sang out to my brothers and said, ‘Come on, let's go. We got him!’”
The brothers erupted into celebration, cheering and singing out in disbelief. David plans to put his winnings toward his Hilux.
The following week, Humpty Doo angler Darren Kenny became the 12th lucky fisho to reel in a $10,000 tagged barra, landing a 72cm fish at Hardies Lagoon on Saturday, 8 November.
He hit the water with his son just after daybreak and first landed a 58cm barra before hooking the winning fish using a surface lure. The fish hit hard and fought tough, and it wasn’t until after netting the fish and bringing it onto the boat that the red tag was revealed.
“So it was a shock. I couldn’t believe it,” Darren said. “We high-fived and hugged and, yeah, it was good. So it was pretty exciting.”
Darren’s father, Russell Kenny, landed the first $10,000 barra of Season 11, and Darren’s son was on board for both winning catches, proving he might just be the family’s lucky charm.
Shane Taylor from Virginia became the 13th lucky fisho to reel in a $10,000 tagged barra after landing a 63cm fish on Monday, 10 November, while fishing at dusk on the Daly River downstream from the crossing near the Mango Farm.
“Hooked a barra, and it was pretty close to where I cast, and as it came out of the water I saw that it had a red tag, and in that time the heart started to go, and I knew exactly what it was. And I was lucky enough to play it out and get it in.”
“It was a great feeling, so, you know, it was very special.”
A Darwin local since 1988, Shane and his family are avid anglers, and he is a big fan of the Million Dollar Fish competition.
“It’s a great promotion, and it's a tribute to the Territory.”
Shane plans to spend some of his winnings on new fishing gear and lures.
So far this season, $140,000 in prize money has been awarded to lucky fishos, while official charity partner Surf Life Saving NT has received $13,000, thanks to a $1,000 donation for every $10,000 fish caught.
There are still 87 red-tagged barramundi worth $10,000 swimming in Top End waterways, and 11 fish carrying a $1 million tag – nine from Season 9, one from Season 10, and one from Season 11.
Season 11 of Million Dollar Fish runs until 31 March 2026.Register below for your chance to win, and stay tuned to Million Dollar Fish’s social channels for details on the next Reel of Fortune incentive, to be announced 1 December 2025.
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