Whoever catches a tagged barra during the fishing classic could win $50,000. But the numbers attached to the fish is sealed in an envelope and entrusted to Superintendent Kev Guteridge, who will keep it locked in a safe until the presentation on Sunday. 

Not even Inspector Trevor Kidd, fish stocking group member,even knows the tag numbers. If publicly revealed the numbers could tempt fraudulent claims. 

Insurer Cunningham Lindsey Cairns based representative Travis Hoare arrived in Mount Isa on Thursday morning in time for the tagged barra release. He said the fish are released in three locations. 

The Mount Isa Water Board sponsors the tagged barra prize through its insurance arrangements with Cunningham Lindsey. 

It’s the seventh year of the tagged barra competition and nobody has yet won the prize, Mount Isa Fish Stocking Group secretary George Fortune confirmed. 

If more than one of the tagged is caught the one labelled the major prize winning tag wins. 

Mount Isa Fish Stocking Group president Albert Shelley anticipated good catches during the weekend. 

“The barra are chewing this year, they are biting something big time,” he said. 

“A 1.350 m was caught last Thursday night, that’s a huge fish. That’s a massive fish.” 

The lake’s water level was at 56.89 per cent, which Mr Shelley was happy with. “The water is brilliant. This place here at Black Rock Park is green as.

“The Water Board is proactive and making sure the place is really nice,” he said.  

Fishing Classic sponsor Clancy Corporation’s director Dave Clancy anticipated the dragon boat racing scheduled for 3pm, Saturday, especially against arch-rivals, the Mount Isa Mines team.

“If we put a motor on the back we might be right,” Mr Clancy said. “If we got a boat three times the length we might have a chance. There’s one or two guys at work that want to take it out, it’s their driving passion.”