Residents and visitors were out in droves to see who could catch the most fish, who could catch the biggest fish and just to have a great weekend.

Berrima Business Houses Association president Andrew Hearn worked hard with many other volunteers to organise the event.

He said yesterday morning that organisers were hoping to beat last year's weigh-in of just under one tonne.

Yesterday afternoon the numbers were in and Mr Hearn's hopes had become a reality.

"We've broken all records with 1.167 tonne (1167kg) of carp caught," Mr Hearne said.

He said the weekend had been a great success, with 411 entries and registered fishers and anglers - the most they'd had in the four years of the competition.

For the third year in a row, Mark Walton caught the biggest carp, weighing in at a massive 9kg, the biggest caught on record in the Carpathon.

"He's an absolute master," Mr Hearn said.

Mr Walton, of Team Joadja, said he put his success down to perseverance.

"It's a great weekend. Just the competition, great fun, getting out and enjoying the day," Mr Walton said.

Mr Hearn said Nicole Eccleston had won the ladies largest carp for the second year in a row and her sister, Jackie Eccleston, won the biggest bag weight.

"Tony Kirkland won the most carp caught overall with 150kg and he beat runner-up Alan Talbert by 21 kilograms."

Dedicated carp catchers Jeremy Stewart and Daniel O'Keeffe had caught more than 400 carp between them over the weekend, filling up three garbage bins.

Three-year-old James Gallagher caught himself a carp using a Fisher-Price toy fishing rod, his mother Amy Gallagher said.

"He was playing with the toy fishing rod and came back with this big fish," she said.

Mr Hearn thanked the Carpathon's sponsors - Carlton, Mid Strength, Field and Stream Bowral, Wingecarribee Council (which helped fund advertising and insurance from the Environmental Levy) and Shed Company in Mittagong and other Berrima business that donated prizes.

• More Carpathon photos HERE
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