Reel surprise: Woman catches 30-pound koi fish in Texas lake

AUSTIN (KXAN) — An angler at a lake in Austin, Texas, said she caught a huge koi fish near the Waller Beach area.

Callie White said about an hour into fishing at Lady Bird Lake on 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,” White wrote in a message to NewsNation affiliate KXAN.

Koi fish caught in Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas. (Credit: Colton Eubanks)

“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.

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

“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!”

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.

It is unknown how the fish got into Lady Bird Lake, but KXAN reached out to TPWD for a statement.