mmg.com.au

IFISH television presenter Paul Worsteling left Deniliquin this week with a new fishing career highlight.

The colourful celebrity angler landed his first ‘‘wild’’ Murray cod on the Colligen Creek on Tuesday.

He reeled in an 80cm beauty from a kayak he shared with Deniliquin fisherman Marty Smith, and the TV footage may be watched by more than 25 million viewers around the world, such is the growing popularity of Worsteling’s IFISH series.

‘‘I’ve caught a cod to 1.7 metres, but it was in an impoundment,’’ Worsteling said.

‘‘So you can say it was the biggest I have caught in a river.

‘‘I’m 39 and I’ve been fishing since I was 12, and I didn’t catch my first legal cod until I was about 32. I wouldn’t have come to Deni if it wasn’t for the cod.’’

Worsteling wrestled with the 80cm cod for what seemed like an hour, but he said it was worth the fight.

‘‘We’d paddled for about 3km when I cast across the stream at some big timber.

‘‘I landed him and I could feel his big tail thumping up against the log. He was stuck in the tree for about three minutes but then he popped up, and he was a beast.’’

Later that day, Worsteling and his TV crew headed to the Billabong Creek in Conargo Shire where he added another two cod to his haul, both about 75cm.

Also part of his late evening success were two eel-tailed catfish.

‘‘It was a really good indication of what the river system is all about, and will give viewers a good cross section.’’