What a catch! A Chesterfield man has set a record after catching a huge goldfish in May.
The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources says on May 22, Jeremy Fortner arrowed a 3 lb. 9 oz. goldfish from Hunting Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River. The fish was 16 in. long, had a girth of nearly 15 in. and was officially weighed at Green Top Sporting Goods in Ashland.
After the State Record Committee completed a biologist verification and review, Fortner's catch was certified and is recognized as the current Virginia Archery State Record Goldfish!
VDWR says this is the first goldfish submitted for recognition since the species was added to the State Record program in 2020.
The agency is reminding people that the introduction of goldfish to water bodies in the Commonwealth is illegal and that pet owners should never release aquatic organisms into the wild due to the possibility of unforseen impacts such as disease, competition and predation.
You can learn more about the Virginia Angler Recognition Program here.
