This summer, an angler broke the Texas state record by reeling in a 71-pound fish in a notorious Texas lake.
The capture of the water buffalo was announced on Friday. The massive 71-pound fish was caught using a rod and reel while swimming in Austin's Lady Bird Lake.
Lady Bird Lake has become infamous as the site of numerous dead bodies found over the past 18 months, with the discovery of a John Doe's body last summer sparking rumors that a serial killer's victims were being dumped in the lake.
In a social media post, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department identified the angler as Austin Anderson and shared a photo of him smiling as he held his catch, which was 44.5 inches long and was later released.
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Texas officials say the catch of a 71-pound smallmouth buffalo broke the record. (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, via X)
“Austin Anderson caught this massive smallmouth buffalo on June 10th, 2024 using a fishing rod and reel,” the post reads.
“Austin won the Big Fish Award, the Waters Record, the Waters Catch and Release Record and finally, the State Catch and Release Record.”
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The fish was caught in Lady Bird Lake, where several carcasses have been found over the past year and a half. (Getty Images/Texas Parks and Wildlife via X)
Social media users were impressed by the record-breaking fish.
“This is awesome!” wrote one X user. “So happy to see this species thriving! Such a lovely fish and so intelligent.”
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Austin Anderson caught a 71-pound fish on Lady Bird Lake. (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, via X)
“Oh my goodness!” another wrote.
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The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department told Fox News Digital that anglers interested in breaking the fishing record should always take photos of the proper dimensions of the fish they catch, including keeping the fish's mouth closed and the tail pinched.
“For anglers who are serious about breaking records, TPWD encourages them to get their scales certified,” the agency added. “This will make it much easier to release the fish while also providing a certified weight that will be eligible for weight-based records such as water bodies and state records.”
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