They have nicknamed her “The Carrot.” This fish has been swimming in the Bluewater Lakes in Champagne, France for about 15 years and during that time has managed to elude most anglers. However, Andy Hacket, a U.K. angler, recently caught her for a few precious photographs before returning her to the water.
According to the Bluewater Lakes Facebook page, the goldfish, or more specifically a female koi carp, is 20 years old and weighs an impressive 67.4 pounds.
Bluewater Lakes is a carp fishery and their spokesperson, Jason Cowler, told FTW Outdoors that they added The Carrot to the lake “as something different for the anglers to try to catch.” With her bright orange color, she’s a catch that anglers are unlikely to forget if they manage to reel her in.
Hacket was not confident about catching The Carrot, but he was happy when he eventually did. He informed The Daily Mail, “When I hooked the fish, it was giving me a tough time by moving in various directions. After a while, it surfaced 30 to 40 yards away from me, and I could see that it was orange.” He also stated that it was fortunate to catch the fish.
Hacket spent 25 minutes pulling The Carrot out of the water, and after taking a few photographs, he returned it to the water with care. He shared a video of the fish swimming away and gave a “thumbs up” signal.
Numerous individuals were surprised by the enormity of The Carrot and remarked that the fish was “incredible” and “remarkable.” They were likewise delighted that Hacket chose to release her back into the water. The Carrot is an impressive capture and quite unusual among big carp, which are typically of a pale beige or brown hue.