France (Commonwealth Union) – A British angler had the catch of his life on a trip to France. Andy Hackett spent over 25 minutes attempting to capture an extraordinary goldfish nicknamed ‘The Carrot’, which was put back into the lake after Hackett posed with the fish for photos.
Mr. Hackett who is from Kidderminster in Worcestershire, a county located in the West Midlands of England, is a company director who caught this rare fish on a trip to Bluewater Lakes a fishery in Les Gallerandes, Putteville, France. The rarely seen fish was captured in France after being released into the fishery 20 years back.
“I knew it was a big fish when it took my bait and went off side to side and up and down with it,” Mr. Hackett told the Daily Mail. “Then it came to the surface 30 or 40 yards out, and I saw that it was orange.”
“It was brilliant to catch it, but it was also sheer luck,” he said.
The extremely large orange fish, weighed a massive 67lbs 4ozs and is a hybrid species of a leather carp and a koi carp. The leather carp are usually large specimens lacking scales and quite rare. The koi carp also referred to as Nishikigoi is a popular fish in Japan. The koi carp are also known for their bright colors.
Taking into account the size of the Carrot it may seem unusual that this extraordinary fish is rarely seen. However, it is also possible that since it is heavily sort after it may be extra cautious to remain elusive as a measure of survival.
Mr. Hackett’s finding set the internet and the global media ablaze with many congratulating him and searching for further details on the fish. Many also showed their appreciation that the fish was released back into the lake after the catch.
