Mary River crocodile boat encounter: Fisherman’s boat attacked by large animal, AFANT says
An Aussie fisherman has revealed what saved his life as he was ‘approached so stealthily’ by a crocodile.
A fisherman has come face-to-face with a crocodile in the Northern Territory, and has revealed what saved his life.
The terrifying account was detailed in a social media post shared by the Amateur Fishermen’s Association NT (AFANT).
The fisherman, who asked the recreational fishing peak body to remain anonymous, was at Mary River Bridge Lagoon last month when he came face-to-face with the animal.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Around 5pm, he was on his 4.7 metre boat near Second Cliffs.
After catching a fish, the fisherman turned around to find “the head of a large crocodile”.
AFANT said the crocodile had “approached so stealthily” that the fisherman with 50 years of experience did not notice the boat moving at the weight of the animal.
As its claws gripped onto the edge of the boat, the crocodile’s head was at the height of the fisherman’s torso and its mouth was less than 10 centimetres from him.
He estimated the head to be between 50 and 60 centimetres wide.
To fend off the crocodile, the fisherman used the butt of his fishing rod.
“If I didn’t have that rod in my hand, I don’t think I’d be here today,” he told AFANT.
The man’s boat was damaged by the crocodile.
The attack was reported to NT Parks and Wildlife and a temporary warning sign was posted to the boat ramp.
After spending several hours searching for the crocodile, the Crocodile Management Team failed to locate the animal, but noted that there is a high concentration of crocs in the area.
AFANT said the fisherman, who had spent the past 30 years fishing in the area, wanted to share his story to encourage others to be vigilant on the water.
The area is popular among fishers, and has recently had a higher concentration recently with the Million Dollar Fish underway.
Million Dollar Fish
Darwin’s Matthew Maurice captured the life-changing barramundi on October 29, making him an instant millionaire.
This is the 12th year of a tagged fish being released with a $1 million prize tag, but only the second time it has been caught.
“I’m just happy to catch fish. I can’t believe I caught a million dollars’ worth of fish,,” Maurice said.
“Any barra is a good barra, especially the million-dollar one.
“It’s surreal, I feel like I’m in a dream.”
He said he would likely spend the cash on paying off debt and buying a house.
