Did this brave angler stop the carp?
An Oklahoma angler set a state and possibly world record — and helped avoid an environmental catastrophe — in a single fell swoop after landing a monstrous invasive “alien” human-sized carp that was potentially pregnant with tens of millions of eggs.
The ecological catch was recently detailed in a Facebook post by Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC).
“It was the strongest fish I’ve ever had on my line,” said Bryan Baker, describing his catch while fishing in Great Lake O’the Cherokees in the foothills of the Ozarks.
Oklahoman said Life outside that he spotted the lake monster on his boat’s sonar, then forged and caught it.
Baker quickly realized that this was no bizarre catch.
“I knew immediately that this was something I had never caught before,” exclaimed the angler. “It was unreal; like tying a fishing line to a four-wheeled ATV and letting it take off and also you’re trying to slow it down – it’s almost unimaginable.”
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Despite using a 100-pound test braid, the angler had to chase the carp in his boat to prevent the line from breaking.
After an “epic” six-minute battle, knowledgeable fishing guide finally defeated the behemoth.
“When the case got here to light, I could not imagine it,” he said. “I used to be so relieved that I fell to my knees and thanked God; I could not imagine I pulled him in. I used to be overwhelmed and just exhausted.”
![Bryan Baker.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011360510.jpg?w=699)
The fish was the bighead carp, an invasive species from Asia that’s wreaking havoc in North American waterways.
Weighing in at 118 kilos – about the same as the average 14-year-old boy – his specimen broke the state record of 90 kilos set in 2005.
Unfortunately, his fish won’t be counted by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) since it was caught, not baited.
Either way, this will not be the only record for crushing his colossal carp.
“Based on all the research I’ve done – at the very least based on hook and line – that is the world record for bighead carp,” said Quinton Phelps, professor of ichthyology at Missouri State University. “I even have kept tens of hundreds of freshwater fish, and that is unquestionably the largest freshwater fish I even have ever seen in person. It looked fake – however it’s not.”
Based on the weight of the ovaries, experts estimated that the nursing mother – estimated to be 40 years old – can have been pregnant with up to tens of millions of eggs.
Phelps suggested that catching it can have prevented the birth of at the very least 11,000 latest carps.
As such, Baker’s colossal carp has gained recognition from the ODWC, which inspires anglers to fish for this species due to the environmental devastation they cause by eating “large amounts of zooplankton, aquatic insect larvae and adults.”
“Due to their feeding habits, silver carp are a direct competitor to our native species comparable to paddlefish and bigmouth buffalo; in addition to all larvae and juvenile fish and native mussels,” they wrote. “When you catch this invasive species, DO NOT RELEASE IT BACK IN THE WATER. Please report any bighead carp you catch to our Porter Office at 918-683-1031 or 918-200-4815.”
“Twelve or more times a day I get thanks messages for getting it out of the tank,” said Baker, who fried fish fillets as a special treat.
Interestingly, bighead carp is a delicacy in Hunan, China, where its noggin is served folded in half and lined with chili peppers like fiery, confetti-covered parade.
Speaking of American river monsters, last month an Arkansas angler caught a 102-pound prehistoric paddlefish after an hour-long battle – no less from his canoe.