Two friends were catching mud crabs when one of the reptiles capsized their 3m (10ft) “tinny” boat at Leaders Creek in Darwin on Tuesday morning.
One man drowned after getting trapped trying to get back on to the boat.
The other fisherman managed to smash one of the animals on the skull with a spanner during the three-hour ordeal.
A 72-year-old man has told rescuers how he battled crocodiles with a spanner and spark plugs after watching his friend drown in northern Australia.
Air ambulance Care flight spokesperson Ian Badham recounted the survivor’s experience, saying the crocodiles kept coming back at him during the “terrible tragedy”.
