July 7 (UPI) — A Virginia angler set a new state record when he landed a 3-pound, 9-ounce goldfish in a creek.
The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources said Jeremy Fortner was fishing in Hunting Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River, when he caught the 16-inch-long goldfish.
The fish, which measures almost 15 inches in circumference, was officially weighed at Green Top Sporting Goods in Ashland and came in at 3 pounds, 9 ounces — enough to capture the state record.
The department said Fortner’s goldfish is the first to be submitted for recognition since the species was added to the state record program in 2020.