Potential State Record RELEASED.....33 lbs., 2 oz.

Well, I got the fish I have been trying to catch for a long time.  A RI thirty had eluded me until today.  In a little known carp venue that I had been trying on and off with marginal success, I hit the jackpot on this rainy and nasty day.  I landed the RI common of my dreams, a 33 lb. 2 oz. hog of a fish.  It was one of the fattest and widest fish I have ever landed.  It was caught on scopex flavored Pescaviva (imported sweet corn) fished ahead of an oatmeal based method ball.
The fish would have probably established a RI state record as the current record is 32 lbs. 8 oz.  landed by former RI CAG member Steve Wasliewski.  However, to qualify as an official state record, the fish must be brought to a tackle store and weighed on a certified scale.  With this late afternoon catch, it would have been impossible to get this fish weighed alive.  So, I let it go.  I got far more satisfaction watching it swim away than I would have gotten with my name in the record book. And, who knows we could meet up again when this big girl is a mid thirty!  I did get several pics and I had two witnesses that saw the whole thing.
I do plan to enter this fish in the CAG (Carp Angler Group) record catch list where you only need a weigh in and a witness.  It should establish a new RI CAG record for common carp.  I landed the new RI record for mirrors at 25 lbs. back in June.