Record-Breaking Grass Carp Caught in Louisiana: A Fascinating Look at the Rarest Fish in American Waters

A massive grass carp weighing almost 100 pounds was recently caught in a Louisiana lake, and it could have broken world records if it had been caught in a fishing competition. The biologists from the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries caught the grass carp, measuring 49.5″ long and weighing 92 lbs, on March 11 during their routine spring sampling of Lake Concordia. This catch surpasses 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.

Grass carp are plant-eating fish that are native to Asia and have been utilized in the United States since the 1960s to manage aquatic vegetation in inland bodies of water. Biologist Shelby Richard stated in a news release that the carp most likely migrated through Cocodrie Bayou and the control structure into Lake Concordia. In addition to its remarkable size, this catch is significant because it marks the first time a grass carp has been seen in Lake Concordia.