Gigantic Grass Carp Caught in Louisiana: A Rare Species and a World Record Breaker

A grass carp weighing almost 100 pounds was recently caught in a Louisiana lake during routine spring sampling by biologists with the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. The massive fish, measuring 49.5 inches long and weighing 92 pounds, would have broken world records if it had been caught in a fishing competition. It exceeded the “all-tackle” world record set in Bulgaria in 2009 by four pounds and would have tied the current world record of the Bowfishing Association of America set in Alabama in 2015.

The grass carp caught in Lake Concordia in Concordia Parish was not only impressive in size but also a species that had never been seen in the lake before, according to LDWF biologist Shelby Richard. He speculated that the fish most likely traveled through Cocodrie Bayou and into Lake Concordia via a control structure. Grass carp are originally from Asia and have been used in the U.S. since the 1960s to manage aquatic vegetation in lakes and ponds. The discovery of this rare species adds to the diverse ecosystem of Louisiana’s lakes and waterways, making it an exciting find for both fishermen and wildlife enthusiasts alike.