He really wanted to catch a walleye, but on April 22nd, Jeff Kirk, of Douglas reeled in a native fish that set a new state record.

The 14.5 inch long quillback carpsucker was just under 2 lbs with a nearly 10 inch girth.

“We have several species of native sucker here in Wyoming. And this fish, the dorsal fin on its back, the first ray of it is kind of long and pointy. Kind of like a feather and that’s what gives the fish its name, quillback.”

Robin Kepple, spokesperson for the Casper Regional Game and Fish Offices says  Jeff Kirk made the  catch in Glendo Reservoir.

She says the 53-year-old Kirk didn’t know what the prehistoric looking fish was so he looked it up on the Game and Fish website and discovered he’d set a state record.

The species occurs in the lower North Platte River, in some lakes near Torrington, and in the lower Laramie River. They can grow to about 16 inches and weigh several pounds.

Kepple adds that non-game species like this play an important role in maintaining a healthy aquatic eco-system.

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