Man Reels in Two Enormous and Carnivorous Fishes from Lake Lillinonah, Connecticut

Two enormous tiger muskies, a species of carnivorous fish, were caught by a Connecticut fisherman in the state's Lake Lillinonah, shocking social media users.

In the state's Lake Lillinonah, a Connecticut angler stunned online users by reeling in two enormous tiger muskies, a species of carnivorous fish.

The two fish, caught by Oxford resident Joe Rivas, were released after measuring 41 inches and 42 inches, respectively. The 42-inch fish was caught a few weeks after the first one, which was caught earlier this month.

Tiger Muskellunge

The large carnivorous fish are known as the tiger muskie, also referred to as the tiger muskellunge, is a member of the pike family. The fish is specifically a sterile hybrid of the muskellunge and the northern pike.

The fish has a pronounced snout and a long, cylindrical body. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife says that mature adults of the fish can reach a size of between 34 and 48 inches and weigh more than 30 pounds. The fish's average size varies with age (WDFW).

According to the WDFW, tiger muskies are known for being challenging to catch and have the moniker "fish of a thousand casts." Anglers frequently need to use large lures to catch the fish because they frequently hunt other large fish, such as northern pikeminnows.

Rivas Reels In Right

On July 28, the Connecticut Fish and Wildlife published a photo of Rivas holding one of the recently caught tiger muskies, emphasizing how large the fish are.

The account tweeted saying that they appreciate Joe sharing his picture of a magnificent tiger muskie he just caught.

People commented on the length of the catch in the comments section.

A Facebook user claims they no longer want to go swimming anywhere. One user claims that the gigantic fish in the image is a monster, while another disagrees.

Rivas, on the other hand, said the fish was "angry" and that when he recognized what he had caught, his adrenaline shot through the roof.

Rivas said he planned to have a taxidermist create a replica of the 41-inch fish he caught, which he described as the fish of a lifetime despite releasing it. The 42-inch fish was not weighed, but that particular fish came in at 26 pounds.

Despite the enormous size of the fish Rivas caught, it is not a tiger muskie world record. According to the website ModernMuskieRecords.org, Ed Kalinowski caught the 44 pounds, 4 ounces tiger muskie that holds the world record.

A northern pike with a length of 45.75 inches was the longest catch-and-release freshwater fish ever caught in Connecticut.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says that David Jones caught it in the Housatonic River in Falls Village in 2009, Newsweek reports.

Fishing Spots in CT

Connecticut has several fishing spots that anglers flock to. This includes Trout Parks, Community Fishing Waters, Enhanced Opportunity Shore Access, and Fishing Areas With Disabled Access.