Holy Carp! Angler Reels in Monster From Oneida Lake for Lifetime Catch

Holy carp! A Central New York angler who's been fishing since he was five, reeled in the catch of his life from Oneida Lake.

Ryan McGraw has been dropping a line in the water for almost two decades. This week he went jigging for walleye and caught a monster PB carp.

It happened on Oneida lake Monday, October 24, at about 2:45 in the afternoon.

I was using an 8 lb line on a medium-light action. Took me about 15 minutes to reel in.

Biggest Fish I've Caught

McGraw has been fishing since he was a kid and this is the first monster he's reeled in. The carp weighed in at 34 pounds. "It's the biggest fish I’ve ever caught."

After taking a few pictures of the prize catch to post on McGraw Outdoors Facebook page and a TikTok video, McGraw released the carp back into the water where it came from and watched it swim away.

Free Fishing in New York

Grab the pole and fish for free in November. You can cast a line without a license in the fresh waters of New York State on November 11th.

New York has more than 7,500 lakes and ponds and 70,000 miles of rivers and streams, providing plenty of places to try freshwater fishing. You never know what you might reel in. It could be a 39-pound PB carp when you're looking for walleye. Or a 35-pound monster from Lake Ontario. Not bad for a first-time angler.

Map & Fees

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has a map of all the places to drop a line across the state.

Fishing License Fees

$25 for the year
$12 for 7 days
$5 for 1 day

Prices double for out-of-state residents who want to fish in New York.