Getty Image / Jens Büttner / picture alliance
A world record-sized Bighead Carp was caught earlier this month in Illinois by a commercial angler.
The current IGFA fishing world record for the Bighead Carp species is 90lb, 0z. That fish was caught on rod and reel by angler Jeffrey J. Rorex in Guntersville Lake, Tennessee back 2005.
On June 16th, the Illinois River Biological Station uploaded a picture to Facebook showing one of their commercial netting crew members holding a Bighead Carp that weighed 109 pounds, or over 19 pounds heavier than the existing IGFA fishing world record.
When it comes to fishing world records there are almost always subcategories like the line class it was caught on, fly fishing, women’s and youth divisoins, spearfishing, and there are bowfishing records. However, since this record-sized Bighead Carp was caught using a net it isn’t eligible for any of those world records.
Thus, we just have a glorious picture of a big ol’ fish and honestly, that’s good enough for me.
On Facebook, they wrote:
“One of the commercial netting crews we work with to reduce invasive carp populations in the upper Illinois River caught an absolute GIANT this week near Morris IL. This 109# carp won’t be causing any more problems for native fish and mussels! This fish was caught a day after the same crew caught a 90# fish in the same location.”
Responding to questions in the Facebook comments, the Illinois River Biological Station pointed out that “common carp are also non-native fish – all carp are – and are removed when encountered.” A lot of people either don’t know or have forgotten that carp are an invasive species.
As pointed out on Outdoor Life, “bighead carp are one of several Asian carp species that were introduced to U.S. waters during the 1970s to control aquatic vegetation and limit algae growth.” What nobody expected at that time, however, is these fish would flourish and drastically alter aquatic landscapes and existing food chains.
Back in mid-May, another massive Bighead Carp was caught a few states over. That fish actually weighed a whopping 28 pounds more than the current fishing world record for the species.
However, that fish caught in Oklahoma was also ineligible to be submitted as a new world record because it was ‘snagged’ and not properly hooked through the mouth. Just something to keep in mind if you ever find yourself chasing fishing world records.