Idaho fishermen break records

December was a record setting month for Idaho fishermen.

Two state records were set before the new year started coming only weeks apart. One record involved the biggest cutthroat trout while the other involved the biggest common carp.

The first record was broken on Dec. 12. Angler Jordan Rodriguez headed out to do some ice fishing.  While he was out on the ice, he reeled in a 20-inch Lahontan cutthroat trout weighing in at 2.27-pounds, according to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

Photo courtesy of Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

The previous record was set in September when a 1.17-pound trout was hauled in by an angler.

Cutthroat trout are not native to Idaho, according to the Department of Fish and Game. They are originally native to the Lahontan Basin of northern Nevada, northeastern California, and Southeastern Oregon. They were planted in several remote high desert lakes in southwestern Idaho.

A few weeks later, another fisherman hauled in a record setting common carp using a rod and reel. Alex Veenstra hit the waters on Snake River on Dec. 20. Using a crankbait, Alex landed a 30-pound, 4-ounce monster, according to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

Photo courtesy of Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

The 36-inch fish outweighed the previous record by 10 pounds.

Mirror carp are related to the common carp. Carp get their name from their large scales, which are said to resemble mirrors, according to the Department of Fish and Game. Mirror carp are most common in Europe, where they can grow up to 60 pounds.