New Massive State Record Bighead Carp Certified in Oklahoma

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New Massive State Record Bighead Carp Certified in Oklahoma

A monster of an invasive bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) was pulled out of the water in Oklahoma this week. This massive invasive Asian carp weighed in at a whopping 118-pound 3 ounces and was caught by angler Bryan Baker with Spoonbill Wreckers in Grand Lake. This catch is the first record on the books in Oklahoma for the bighead carp, and it is a giant of fish to start. The bighead variety of Asian carp is the larger of the two invasive species of carp, (Silver Carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, and Bighead Carp, Hypophthalmichthys nobilis). Both of these carp species are originally from East Asia and are large filter-feeding surface-dwelling species. This filter-feeding aspect of the carp is why they were originally introduced into the US back in the 1970s-80s. They were great at helping to maintain the water quality at fish farms by consuming phytoplankton, algae, and other free-floating food in the farm ponds around the Mississippi River Basin. From those original ponds either through flooding or accidental release the Asian carp have spread through Midwest, in waterways, as far south as Louisiana, up all the way north to North Dakota, out west as far as Colorado, and as far east as West Virginia.


From the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation Facebook page.

We’ve asked skilled anglers to help capture invasive bighead carp from Grand Lake, and Oklahoma anglers have answered the call! Thanks to Bryan Baker with Spoonbill Wreckers for reeling in our first bighead carp state record at a MASSIVE 118 pounds and 3 ounces!

Bighead carp consume large quantities of zooplankton, aquatic insect larvae and adults. Because of their feeding habits, bighead carp are a direct competitor with our native species like paddlefish, and bigmouth buffalo; as well as all larval and juvenile fishes and native mussels. If you catch this invasive species DO NOT RETURN IT TO THE WATER. Please report any caught bighead carp to our Porter Office at 918-683-1031 or 918-200-4815.

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