Internet Shocked by What Fishing Enthusiast Reveals They Caught

A Reddit post has captured the imagination—and concern—of viewers online after one angler's unexpected find during a fishing trip led to a discovery more fitting for a crime scene than a calm afternoon by the water.

The viral moment came on March 23, when the angler, who goes by u/OnePunchClam on Reddit, shared an image of a heavily rusted handgun to the platform, captioned simply: "I went fishing and caught a gun." The post, which quickly soared to 64,000 upvotes, has sparked wide-ranging discussion among Reddit users about how such a weapon ended up in the water—and what to do in such a situation.

Speaking directly to viewers in the comments section, the Reddit user said that, after reeling in the weapon, they and their fishing companions did what they believed was the right thing.

"For anyone wondering, we took it to the police station and gave it to them," u/OnePunchClam wrote under the post. "A few hours later, they called and said we could have it back."

The unexpected offer from law enforcement—that the weapon could be returned—was met with lighthearted banter in the Reddit thread.

To better understand what should be done in these scenarios, Newsweek spoke with Timothy A. Dimoff, CPP, president of SACS Consulting, Inc., and an expert in law enforcement procedures. Dimoff, a former police detective and certified protection professional, said that the most critical step in discovering a weapon is to not touch it at all.

"The first thing to do is to never touch the gun or any weapon you find," Dimoff told Newsweek. "This is important to keep your fingerprints off it and to preserve evidence as cleanly as possible."

Dimoff said that, if someone does find a firearm or other potential evidence during recreational activities such as fishing or hiking, they should focus on preserving the location as much as the item itself.

"Second, mark the area where you found the gun," Dimoff said. "This could be a tree that you wrap something around or some kind of stake that you can put in the ground.

"It is important to be able to find the exact place again if you need to leave the area for any reason, you can also drop a GPS pin; just try not to disturb the area too much, but make sure you can find it again."

He added: "Third, definitely notify the police ASAP."

Dimoff, who has trained numerous law-enforcement professionals and served on an FBI security task force, said that the proper handling of potential crime evidence—even something seemingly inert like a rust-covered firearm—can be critical for law-enforcement investigations.

"Anything removed from the scene without proper protocol may result in the destruction or contamination of key evidence," Dimoff said. "Even rusted items can still hold ballistic markings, serial numbers, or trace DNA that could help resolve cold cases or lead to criminal charges."

Back on Reddit, the post continued to draw attention and amused comments in the days following its upload.

"Better than going shooting and catching a fish," one viewer said.

Another added: "What bait did you use for that?"

"Cops: We don't want to deal with this," a third viewer posted.

As for the current whereabouts of the retrieved gun, that remains unclear. The user has not indicated whether they took police up on the offer to reclaim it. But, to Dimoff, the ultimate takeaway from the viral post is about public awareness and caution.

He said people who find themselves in the unlikely similar circumstance of finding an abandoned gun should call the police as soon as possible.

Newsweek reached out to u/OnePunchClam for more information via Reddit.

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