I would only go for the C&R record. Not a chance I would kill any of those fish. I catch a few smaller carp that I use for cut bait, but no way a bigger one.

FYI: I am not mentioning the location because some of the surrounding areas are notorious for bow fishing.

You're worried about killing a carp??

You're worried about killing a carp?? If you just wrap them in a wet blanket you can transport them for hours and they can still be released again. I know from experience. I caught a carp many many years ago below McQueeney dam that my spring scale showed to just barely beat the state record. The closest certified scales I had located that'd let me put a carp on it were at a catfish farm on the north side of Canyon Lake. I wet the blanket, wrapped this massive carp and loaded it into the bed of my truck. Drove to the catfish farm, weighed the carp and was 3 friggin lbs short of the record. I asked the guy at the catfish farm if I could let it go in one of his ponds and he laughed at me and told me to haul that trash fish away from his ponds. Wrapped it back up in the wet blanket, loaded it in the bed of my truck and started on my way home to San Antonio down 281 wondering what I was going to do with it now. Crossed the Guadalupe River above Canyon Lake on the way home and wondered...could it still be alive? Figured if not I could leave it for the raccoons there. Walked the blanket with the carp down to the river, unwrapped it and put it in the water. Started to pump it back and forth to run some water over the gils and it exploded out of my hand like I had just landed it. This was almost 2 hrs later. Keep em wet and they will live for a post weight release. Just know where your certified scales are located and have the paperwork printed out and with you because to certify a record you need the weigh masters signature. I would guess that would qualify you for both the C&R record and the overall. Two for one deal.

you don't have to take the fish to somewhere with certified scales, you can have your personal scale certified. All you need is a witness to sign the paperwork. I know, was there for the current state record. I also have the state record Gray Redhorse.