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Going for the gold(fish): Man sets record for largest goldfish caught in Virginia

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A Virginia man caught a fish that doesn’t quite look like the little guy who lives in your fishbowl. The 3 lbs. 9 oz. goldfish caught in Hunting Creek in May set a new state record.

Jeremy Fortner, a Chesterfield resident, caught the goldfish on May 22, according to the Department of Wildlife Resources.


The fish was 16 inches long and had a girth of almost 15 inches. The over three pound weight was determined during a tournament weigh-in at Green Top Sporting Goods in Ashland.

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A biologist had to verify the fish and the State Record Committee had to review it before Fortner’s catch was recognized as the state record holder.

Goldfish were added to the state record program last year, this is the first time one has been submitted.

The Department of Wildlife Resources says it is illegal to dump goldfish into Virginia waterways. The fish can negatively impact the existing ecosystem.