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Maybe I should consider doing this before I jump back into the water.
Vermont Fisherman Catches Record Carp
WATERBURY, VT – A Vermont fisherman has claimed a new state record for common carp, displacing the previous record that had held since 1981.
Tyler Evans, 27, of Dummerston caught the huge fish when he went bow and arrow fishing with his 12-year old brother, Jimmy Evans, on May 28, at Retreat Meadows on the Connecticut River in Brattleboro.
It was late in the evening when Tyler and his brother carefully approached the big fish in their boat. The fish swam just under the surface. Equipped with a compound bow and reel spooled with 35 yards of 135 lb test line, Tyler aimed and let his arrow fly.
“You have to actually aim just a little below the fish in order to hit it,” said Tyler. “When the arrow struck, the water exploded and the fish took off, stripping off all of the line and towing the boat around before I was able to bring him to a stop. It fought hard and I wasn’t sure we were going to get him into the boat, but we eventually did after a 15-minute battle.”
Tyler’s huge carp weighed 42.46 lbs on the scales at Adam’s Seafood in Brattleboro. It was 40 ½ inches long and 29 inches in girth.
Doug Bushey of Swanton took a 37 lb., 9 oz carp in Lake Champlain in 1981 and held the Vermont state record until now.
Originally from Eurasia and Southeast Asia, the common carp was widely introduced to North American waters in the late 1800s. Although not highly prized as a game fish here, it is eagerly sought by European anglers for the fishing challenges it presents and for its table value.
“Tyler and his brother can be very proud of their catch,” says John Hall with the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. “Just getting close to a carp of this size is difficult. They are easily spooked. But actually taking a 42-pound carp is quite an accomplishment because of their strength. This is a state record that is likely to stand for a long time.”
Tyler Evans (right) caught this new Vermont state record common carp at Retreat Meadows on the Connecticut River in Brattleboro on May 28th. The huge fish weighed 42.46 lbs.
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