On March 11, biologists from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) caught a massive grass carp weighing almost 100 pounds in Lake Concordia. The catch would have broken world records if it had been caught in a fishing competition. Measuring 49.5 inches long and weighing 92 pounds, the grass carp is the largest ever caught in the state of Louisiana.
This remarkable find by LDWF biologists is not only unique but also significant as grass carp have never been seen before in Lake Concordia in Concordia Parish. According to Shelby Richard, a biologist with LDWF, the carp most likely migrated through Cocodrie Bayou and the control structure into Lake Concordia.
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. Their large size and presence in Lake Concordia is an indication of their adaptability to new environments and their ability to thrive in diverse ecosystems.
The LDWF continues to monitor and study this unique catch to gain insights into its impact on the lake’s ecosystem and how it can be managed for optimal sustainability.