On May 25, 2025, angler Rafal Wlazlo made history by landing a massive 45-pound, 8-ounce common carp from Lake Lillinonah in Connecticut. The catch, confirmed and certified by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), not only sets a new state record for common carp but also stands as the largest freshwater fish ever recorded in Connecticut.
Wlazlo’s impressive carp surpasses the previous state record of 45 pounds, 5 ounces, caught by Brian Santos in June 2024 at the same lake. Lake Lillinonah, a reservoir on the Housatonic River, has become a renowned hotspot for carp anglers due to its abundant and sizable fish population.
Rafal Wlazlo is a dedicated carp angler known within the carp-fishing community as the founder of Carp Angler, a brick-and-mortar carp-fishing store in Ronkonkoma, New York. Wlazlo moved to the United States after two decades of successful tournament fishing and carp angling in Poland.
While Wlazlo’s catch is monumental for Connecticut, it’s also significant when compared to carp records across the Northeast:
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Massachusetts: The state record for common carp is 46 pounds, 5 ounces, caught in Lake Quinsigamond in 2012.
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New York: The Empire State boasts a record common carp weighing 50 pounds, 6 ounces, landed in the Tomhannock Reservoir.
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Maryland: A 49-pound common carp was caught in the Susquehanna Flats in 2022, setting the state record.
Wlazlo’s 45.5-pound carp places Connecticut prominently among these impressive records, highlighting the state’s potential for producing trophy-sized freshwater fish.
The Rise of Carp Fishing in Connecticut
Carp fishing has seen a surge in popularity in Connecticut, with anglers drawn to the challenge and the opportunity to catch large, hard-fighting fish. Lake Lillinonah, in particular, has emerged as a premier destination for carp enthusiasts, offering both quantity and quality in its carp population.