Idaho angler lands record carp while fishing for smallmouth bass

An Idaho angler has landed a 46.7-pound grass carp, shattering the state record by seven pounds.

Cris Endicott of Meridian caught the 50-inch carp Oct. 10 while casting a twin-tail bass jig on the Snake River.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game announced the new record Monday, stating in a news release that Endicott had been targeting smallmouth bass.

Grass carp eat mostly plants, so the catch was a surprise.

Grass carp are native to Asia but have been introduced around the world, primarily for weed control and aquaculture purposes.

According to the International Game Fish Assn., the all-tackle world record grass carp stands at 87 pounds, 10 ounces. That fish was caught at the Piasuchnik Dam in Bulgaria in 2009.