Since catching a state-record carp at Virginia Lake in Reno, Nev., Brenden Burnham has become somewhat of a celebrity at the urban lake, which sees plenty of people strolling around its shoreline.
Not surprisingly, word spread among the locals about Burnham’s catch of a whopping 35-pound, 3-ounce carp, prompting the curious to walk right up to Burnham to chat about his catch.
Ordinarily that wouldn’t be a problem. But these are different times, what with the coronavirus.
So Burnham, 41, was prompted to put up yellow caution tape around his fishing spot to force people to remain at a safe distance when approaching him.
“I feel this could be a good way to encourage social distancing while being able to still do the things we love,” Burnham told USA Today/For The Win Outdoors.
Nevada has a stay-at-home order, but people are still allowed to get outdoors to hike, bike and fish—but at safe distances from others.
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Burnham fishes at Virginia Lake about five days a week, and over the course of a three or four-hour session, upwards of 20 people will stop to chat. Some stop to question Burnham about his rod pod and the alarms rigged to them. It’s very European.
“I had been trying for the state record and my good friends knew this,” Burnham told For The Win Outdoors recently. “Just three days before I had caught five carp out of this lake which has never happened – I don’t believe – for anyone. The weights were 14 pounds, 17 pounds, 27 pounds, 29 pounds and finally 30.5 pounds. I knew the potential for the state record was there and, well, the rest is history.”
And please note, any future catches Burnham makes can be enjoyed by onlookers from a distance.
Photos of carp catch and fishing spot are courtesy of Brenden Burnham and David Strege, respectively.