Park and Rec in Greenville Sc were electrofishing to check on the health of fish at Oak Grove Lake and a 9 pound goldfish floated to the surface. I have actually fished there once or twice and the fishing was just awful. Not a bite. I did see a few small bluegill but no one was catching anything. It's a small, highly pressured body of water. I did see some people catfishing there, but mostly it was little kids running around casting over your line or coming right next to you to fish.

 

The other thing is that there are power lines that traverse a good part of the water. Hundreds and hundreds of hooks and lures hanging up there.

 

https://www.newser.com/story/299786/parks-workers-find-monster-goldfish-in-lake.html

 

I’ve seen a few like that in the French broad river. I confess to attempt snagging 

Was under the impression that goldfish were basically carp so 9lbs could be legit. 

 

Oh, and this year especially, I've noticed every submerged tree/stump heavily decorated with glittery baits. 

 

Why throw exposed hooks into heavy cover? Oh well 

I read this story yesterday. The fish appears to be a koi. Have caught a couple of them in South Florida.

I see a few of them every year around here, some upwards of 15-20 pounds. They're in the minnow family just like carp are and really only limited to how big they can get by their surroundings and available food supply. I got a decent shot of one on video while I was fishing a local lake from my kayak.

 

That ''9 pound goldfish'' is a koi and not a goldfish. They are commonly misidentified. 

Thats a goldfish.

It looks just like mine in my garden pond but much bigger. Mine are only about a pound or two, though. And mine are considered big.

Unfortunately most of my goldfish caught some kind of disease and died off.

This fish has barbels under its chin which is an easy way to identify it as a koi. Goldfish do not have barbels like koi do. There has never been a 9 pound goldfish caught or raised as well. One must understand that koi where bred from Amur carp which is why they have barbels. Goldfish where bred from Prussian carp which do not have barbels.