CT Man Catches Rare Mutant Fish From Connecticut River

Would you believe it if a friend told you they had caught a 25-pound fish? After a frustrating day of fishing on the Connecticut River, Jimmy Ayala was ready to call it a day.

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Just as he was getting ready to pack up his gear, he could feel a heavy pull on his pole. As it turns out, Ayala was battling a 25-pound, eight-ounce carp. What made Ayala's catch unique was it turned out to be a rare combination of two genetic mutations - a mirror carp and a fantail carp.

The state's supervising fisheries biologist, Mike Beauchene, told the Hartford Courant that he had never seen one before and estimated it was approximately 15 years old.

If you're an angler, you'll be happy to hear that I-95 just kicked off "Show Us Your Bass" for a chance at a $500 gift card to Candlewood Bait & Tackle! That is a lot of bait, my friends!

But, we know how serious you are about fishing Connecticut's lakes and rivers. To enter, go to the contest page where you'll find step-by-step instructions on how to enter. How about some Common Carp fun facts, according to justfunfacts.com.

• Common carp can live up to 20 years.
• The largest recorded carp caught by an angler weighed in at 100 pounds.
• China is the largest commercial producer accounting for about 70% of carp production.
• Common carp were introduced to the United States in 1831.
• Carp are rarely eaten in the United States, where they are considered pests.

The following is a video of another dude who also caught a giant carp on the CT River, and he looks tired.