What is this?

[Wayne B.]

Three years ago I moved to a house overlooking a 120 acre 110' deep lake which had been a sand pit. The lake is about 15-20 years old. It is a catch and release lake because our Association has stocked the lake about 7 years ago with sterile grass carp to keep vegetation in check. The lake has bass, crappie, bluegill, catfish, mirror carp and the grass carp we seeded, plus others I assume. Last year I took pictures of a fish in front of my house which appeared twice in one week in a shallow area, both times when it was raining. The distance from the front of the front fin to the back of the rear fin is at least 30". I haven't seen it since. I have done my best to ID it with not much luck. I have attached some pics two of which were computer enhanced. Any idea what this is?

By the way, the name of the community is Sherwood Lakes named after the "Witch of Pungo", Grace Sherwood. Old Virginia Beach lore. Research it if you have nothing to do. Quite interesting.

[Steve]

Maybe it's another one of these:

[Reeltyme]

Wayne, I would venture to say that it’s a carp. I watched, many times in central New York, the carp would congregate in the shallow water for spawning season. Their fins would stick out of the water as the “canoodled” with their chosen one. Some of the carp were of admirable size. It was always interesting to watch the water with tens of carp breaking the surface all the while knowing the size of these fish would give any angler a rush on the end of a line! That’s my best guess.
Reeltyme

[Wayne B.]

My assumption as well, but the fins look wrong. Maybe they are in “canoodle” mode.

[Mike N]

Wayne,

The photos are Loch Ness-like and I love ‘em. However, I’ve had sterile grass carp in one of my ponds for over twenty years and have seen that same profile before when the dorsal fin is retracted and the tail fin is visible thru the shallow water. It looks to me that the tail fin might have had a chunk taken out it hence the strange profile.




That said, deep down I hope I’m wrong and that Bigfoot stops by your lake, too.

Mike N

[Wayne B.]

You are most likely right Mike. I’ll just keep thinking it is the Witch of Pungo.

[Mike N]

You are most likely right Mike. I’ll just keep thinking it is the Witch of Pungo.

Well, that witchcraft trial did happen in Virginia, but she was accused of turning herself into a cat, not a fish... then again...

[Wayne B.]

Cat-fish! This is getting better and better!

[arley]

Steve- what is that thing in your picture? I ain't catchin' one.