On a river bank in Camden, Ala., Zack Stinson, with rod and reel in hand, started tearing away at what soon would be a big catch.

Forty-five minutes later, Stinson had a 73.8-pound Asian carp in his grasps.

The carp was the biggest fish he has ever caught.

“They have real big fish in Camden,” Stinson, who has been fishing since he was 4 years old, said.

The former Straughn and Faulkner University baseball player, who just finished his sophomore year in college, now a days has had a lot of free time to go fishing.

“What I’ll try to do is I’ll message people or put it on my (Facebook) wall seeing who wants to go,” Stinson said. “I’ll take anybody really, as long as they split the gas.”

Stinson said he primarily does his fishing in Camden, which is about a 2-hour drive from Andalusia.

While in high school, Stinson said he didn’t have much time to go fishing because his baseball practice schedule was stringent.

“With Coach (John) Fussell, his practices are seven days a week,” he said. “I didn’t have time because of baseball.

“Now, it’s summer time and I’m not taking classes,” he said. “I have a lot of free time. I just use it.”

On the river banks in Camden, Stinson said he can fish for just about anything.

“Well, when I go up to Camden, the main fish I fish for is catfish,” he said. “It’s weird. There are so many fish that they’re over populated.”

Sometimes Stinson doesn’t have to cast a rod and reel.

“I use a triple hook the size of my fist,” he said. “I just throw it off the side and (the fish) snatch it.”

Fishing, like sports, is just something Stinson said he loves to do.

“I just enjoy it,” he said. “It’s like people going shopping and doing other things — it’s just a hobby.

“I really don’t know how to explain why I like fishing,” he said.

Stinson didn’t forget to mention the good grub fish provide.

“The fish are good to eat,” he said.

Stinson is the son of Samanth Stinson of Andalusia, and Gary Stinson of McKenzie.