HNI_Christine

I guessed 11 or 12.

Rob, I don't think bigheads live too long. Maybe there aren't that many over10 years old even out there?? [:-]

bowman15

I guessed 12 too.

carptracker

I'll have to check, but I don't think I have any other 12-year-oldor olderbigheads in my database. But that might be because they have not been in the Missouri River that long - I don't have many fish aged from outside the Missouri. Or because they were not that abundant more than 12 years ago. Time will tell on that. The literature is notvery strong on the maximum age of these fish. Grass carp can be more than 25 years old, though.

Really big fish are often not that old. I read that in the same waterbody where the previous world-record blue cat was from, older fish of less than ten pounds are not unusual. So some fish, in some cases, just grow very big. We are not sure why that is - behavior, genetics, and luck probably play a big part. Very fast growth and survival to an old age are probably inversely correlated, so you have to get one of the lucky fish that beat the odds to get the jumbo. But I do suspect that we'll see more fish in this size class soon.

Oh - and from the pictures, I was wondering if this fish might have been a hybrid. Having seen the fish in person, I no longer suspect that.

Johnny b

So, Ok How old is it? we have waited lone enough already. Inquiring minds want to know.

carptracker

It was 12 years old, according to the scale reading. It was reported on an earlier page of this string.

HunterOpel

The Taxidermist called and said my fish was done, I will put pics up when I get it, between work and hunting, who has time..

Bulzeye

It'd take me about 3 seconds to make time to go get THAT thing.
...right after I rented a bigger truck.

Can't wait to see it Darin.

CHZHead

I'll guess 9 years.

carptracker

Uh, ChZHead - polling is over. Fish was 12 years old according to scales. I don't know how to shut off the poll, though.

TEmbry

Ill guess around 12 years give or take...