Reel surprise: Woman catches 30-pound koi fish in Lady Bird Lake

Julianna Russ
·2 min read
3

AUSTIN (KXAN) — An angler out at Lady Bird Lake in Austin said she caught a koi fish near the Waller Beach area.

Callie White said about an hour into fishing March 17, her line began getting dragged out to the center of the lake.

“I began to reel it in. After a quick, 5-minute fight, the fish was close enough to see some bright orange peak through the water. At this point, I was very shocked by what I saw.

“I was thinking I hooked onto a catfish or a common carp, but once I saw the bright orange and white flashing close to the bank, I realized that what I caught was probably very special and a once-in-a-lifetime type of catch,” White wrote in a ReportIt! message to KXAN.

Man catches record-breaking 64-pound fish in Lady Bird Lake

White said she has caught many fish in Lady Bird Lake, such as bass, catfish and common carp, and she typically goes fishing about three times a week.

“It’s been a passion of mine ever since my dad taught me as soon as I could hold my own pole, White wrote. “Sadly he passed recently, but I definitely keep the tradition alive!”

‘Monster’ striped bass caught in Lady Bird Lake

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD), the predominant fish species in Lady Bird Lake include:

  • Largemouth bass

  • Catfish

  • Sunfish

  • Common carp

While koi, or more specifically nishikigoi, are a type of carp, they are a colored variety typically kept for decorative purposes in outdoor ponds or water gardens.

The City of Austin’s Watershed Protection Department said it was aware of koi in Lady Bird Lake.

“Like most non-native species, they are introduced by people. In the case of koi, someone in the area was either cleaning out or getting rid of their fish tank or koi pond, and decided to release the fish to the nearest creek or reservoir,” the department said. “We believe that is why Lady Bird Lake also now has the non-native plant water lettuce; it is very common in the koi pond/water garden trade.”

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