When Jason Ren went fishing last month, he got the surprise of his life when he hooked a fish that wound up potentially being a record catch for its species.
“I landed a bunch of fish and I initially was thinking how to use lemon juice, pepper, and salt to turn them into a delicious meal on my way home. I was also planning to invite my friend Tammy to my home for dinner. But, it wasn’t until I opened the cooler and found this monster-size fish,” said Ren, referring to the 17-inch black crappie, a member of the sunfish family.
“I asked my fishing buddies to take a look, and they were all surprised by the size of my fish.”
The crappie Ren caught is still to be verified by Record Fish Canada, where the biggest of its kind thus far has been 15 inches, which was caught by Roger Chen at Hatzic Lake in Mission on Sept. 25, 2015.
Ren said he caught this fish in one of Metro Vancouver’s freshwater locations.
“It's a private lake. The fish could grow so big because the lake has never been disturbed by other fishermen.”
Ren, who carries his fishing gear wherever he goes, stressed that fishing is more than casting a line into the water.
“If people show me a fish they just caught and a photo showcasing the fishing environment in Metro Vancouver, I could easily tell the exact location where they caught it,” said Ren, adding that he went on many long-distance fishing trips, including one from B.C. to Alaska.
“Fishing is a lot of fun. You are expecting to get a bite, but meanwhile, you have no idea if you will. The uncertainty keeps you excited. But, when a trout hits your fly, then you need to stay laser-focused and be patient because the real work just began. The battle won’t be over until you safely catch the fish.”
