CAIRNS teenager Thomas MacDonald landed this "catch of a lifetime" while fishing in Trinity Inlet, Cairns, yesterday.

The 14-year-old from White Rock landed the whopping 117cm barramundi while fishing with mates near The Pier, in the centre of the city.

He hooked the big barra about 2pm, starting a 20-minute struggle to reel it in.

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When he eventually got it to land, tourists gathered around the young angler to take photos of his prize catch.

"I fish all the time because it’s really good fun," Thomas said.

"This is the biggest barra I’ve caught and I was so scared I was going to lose it."The Cairns Post fishing writer Scotty Hillier described the barra as a "catch of a lifetime".

"That is exceptional," Mr Hillier said.

"I’ve fished my whole lifetime and my record for a barra is only 105cm."

Mr Hillier said the limit for a barra was 120cm, and anything over 115cm was a rare catch.

"The rain pushes them out of the creeks – it’ll probably be a good spot for fishing over Easter," he said.

Thomas said he would share his prize catch with family and neighbours.

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