HR1326 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1326 LRB095 21411 GRL 51126 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Darin Opel of Worden on the occasion of catching a record-setting 92-pound, 8-ounce bighead carp; and

WHEREAS, Darin Opel is an experienced bowfisher, having participated in the sport for 25 years; he has been a member of the Illinois Bowfishers Club since its incorporation four years ago; he has bowfished for sharks, stingrays, and even alligators in Florida; and

WHEREAS, Darin Opel caught his record-breaking fish while bowfishing for gar from the shore in a backwater above the Melvin Price Lock and Dam No. 26 on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River near Alton; during the hunt, he shot the 92-pound, 8-ounce bighead carp with a compound bow and arrow; after fighting the giant fish for 10 minutes, he jumped into the muddy water, bearhugged the beast, and inched it to the shore; and

WHEREAS, When the fish was weighed on a certified scale, the huge Asian carp had a 30-inch girth and measured 62 inches long, obliterating the previous Illinois bowfishing record for bighead carp of 35 pounds, 5 ounces; this astounding catch is the largest on record by a recreational fisherman in the Western Hemisphere; Darin Opel's previous record for bighead carp weighed 25 pounds; and

WHEREAS, Darin Opel plans on having the fish, which is currently being stored in his father's meat freezer, mounted by a taxidermist in St. Louis; he plans to display it at the Deer and Turkey Classic in Bloomington next year; and

WHEREAS, Darin Opel's incredible catch serves as an inspiration to both experienced fishermen and aspiring anglers everywhere; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Darin Opel of Worden on his incredible catch and wish him continued success in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Darin Opel as an expression of our respect and esteem.