Question? Unnecessary Hate for the Carp?

[slipperybob]

Where I go fishing, there's always people who have a hatred for the carp. I see people bowfish for them, which I think is pretty cool. However after I see the piles of carp carcasses along the banks further down the river or a huge pile of carp carcasses dumped in the reeds or tall grass nearby, I can only think that they hate carps.

I enjoy catching a big carp and getting into a good 10 plus minute fish fight. However it seems that the carp quality has gone down and that there's a lot of small carps around only.

 

[JoeW]

Hi slip- I feel like you do about wasrteful killing. See my post (and some others!) at: http://outdoor-fishing.com/showthread.php?t=90

I'm not a big fan of what carp do to Gamefish spawning grounds and how they muddy up the water. But they must have some redeeming characteristcics? Interesting thread also at: http://outdoor-fishing.com/showthread.php?t=149
if you take the time to read it all. Best----- JoeW

 

[slipperybob]

I know of a few lakes where I used to catch a lot of big bass, but now is overrun by carps. It's either that or other people have found my honey bass hole.

 

[bdpeters]

I cannot see wasting a carp by tossing it up on shore. sure they cause problems with native fish but so can other intoduced fish that are more popular. places like here in Utah it is illegal to leave them up on the shore but plenty folks do anyway. In my opinion either catch and release or take home. if you don't like to eat carp or any other so called trash fish then use them as fertilizer in your garden. This is just my opinion and I am sure others will disagree.

Brian

 

[JoeW]

Yea, I agree! Interestingly, the introduction of brown trout in the East had a big role in the loss of the Native Brook trout from many (most?) creeks!
Unless a fish directly and definitely harms gamefish, (like the lamprey!) I can't see just killing them and leaving them to rot. And it's not like the number that would be killed by fishermen would make any difference! Geez, I know guys that whack any sheephead (freshwater drum) on the side of the boat then throw them back in the water. Like killing ONE is going to make a difference in the bajillions that are in Lake Erie. Nah, I throw back any carp, suckers, sheephead, etc. that I catch-- heck carp put up a great fight! If I blunder into any this summer, I'm going to try one smoked- I heard people swear by them! Same thing with Northern Pike up in Canada- fishermen used to kill all they caught because they competed with trout--- Now the Northern is the only gamefish in some of those lakes and the Canadians are glad to have them!
Eh, live and let live- someday you or your grandkids may be glad there's carp around to catch! Best---- JoeW

 

[bass or bass?]

Good points. When I was a teenager, I used to fish for bowfin and gar intentionally. Very tough fighters and a lot of fun to catch. Everyone else I saw catch them would whack 'em on the head and leave them to die on the shore, and give me a hard time for releasing them.

 

[tholmes]

I think that a lot of the dislike for carp stems from:

1. They're not a native fish, and their introduction into North American waters didn't help the native species one bit.
2. No matter what anyone says, I'll never be convinced that they're edible.
3. Carp are butt ugly.

I certainly don't advocate just throwing up on the bank to die and leaving them there (in fact, that's illegal in most states. It's called "wanton waste") but I understand why many people don't like them.

Tom

 

[Jgreene49]

I think number 2 and 3 you just mentioned are the main reason that and it's upsetting when think your reeling in the big one and it's a carp but they can put on a fight though

 

[toadfrog]

I f you pressure cook carp with salt garlic and pepper it's not bad . Sorta like tuna or canned mackerel. It will do in hard times.

 

[tholmes]

I f you pressure cook carp with salt garlic and pepper it's not bad . Sorta like tuna or canned mackerel. It will do in hard times.

That's the problem...it tastes like canned mackerel.

Times would have to be pretty danged hard for me to eat that.

Tom

 

[bass or bass?]

Carp could be used to bait a crayfish trap. Now I will definitely eat that!

 

[bdpeters]

see now that is a good use of carp. Just as long as your getting good use out of them. I remember when I was a kid. my grandfather would use irrigation water from a local canal to water his lawn. Carp used to swim out of the pipe and we would chase them around the lawn. it was kind of funny to see them trying to get away in just a few inches of water. afterwords my grand dad would bury them in the garden for fertilizer.

Brian

 

[JoeW]

And here's a warning!

Goldfish ARE carp! The kind you buy for fifty cents, all the way up to expensive Koi-- just selectively bred for thousands of years to be pretty and fancy.

Here's the story and the warning. A friend's father had a beautiful 2 or 3 acre pond on some preoperty he owned. Stocked with Largemouth and Bluegill. Perfect combination- plate size Bluegills and 3-4 pound Bass! Then a nephew decided he was tired of his half a dozen goldfish in an aquarium he had at home, and had his Dad dump them into the pond so they would be "happy"! Within 5 years the pond was swarming with schools of goldfish up to 2-3 pounds in weight! The bigger Bass must have feasted, but eventually the goldfish must have eaten all the spawn (of both the Bass and Bluegills) and eaten up all the little "bugs" and things that baby fish feed on, and as the fish aged and died, there were none to replace them. Eventually, even the goldfish disappeared, probably ate the place out of any kind of food. Even the weedbeds had died most likely from the silt being stirred up and smothering the plants. Pond was restocked, but has never gone back to being as good as previously-- probably because of the goldfish ruining whatever balance of nature it had once had.

Funny, when the Crap are spawning in the feeder creeks of Lake Erie, every now and then you see a bright gold one swimming with them! Evidently some people use Lake Erie as their disposal water for goldfish.

Warning- those cute little goldfish ARE carp! And "letting them go so they'll be happy" may ruin any public or private body of water into which you release them.

Best----- JoeW

 

[bdpeters]

I too have seen this on a couple of public waters. very bad for the ecosystem. look at all the "exotic" species in florida and elsewere.

 

[slipperybob]

We have a couple of inner city ponds full of goldfish.

They say there are big ones in there with the bullheads and a few DNR stocked channel cats.

 

[JoeW]

See what can happen!

I've seen them bigger than this swimming in the creeks that feed Lake Erie! Best----- JoeW Click on the picture, then click on the "Watch on Youtube" words.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ed8yp10ph0&feature=relmfu"]YouTube - Woman Catches Massive Goldfish In KC Lake[/ame]

 

[Squid]

carp fishing

The reason people hate it when you are fishing for a game fish is that the carp will uproot the vegatation for game fish to hide and this has been a problem with fresh water fishing.The best thing for fisherman can do is catch these fish and remove them so game fish can hide.What I like about catching carp is that this fish will do the twists and turns that big fish do when hooked.I look at the action an invite to teach fisherman what it will feel like when you go after the big ones in salt water.

 

[cwd]

You can smoke carp. it's pretty tasty.
I filet it and only smoke the upper half of the fish.
the rest of it is buried in the garden.
I'll have to try using it for mud bug bait as B&B said. It sure cheeper than using chicken legs.

 

[JoeW]

The reason people hate it when you are fishing for a game fish is that the carp will uproot the vegatation for game fish to hide and this has been a problem with fresh water fishing.The best thing for fisherman can do is catch these fish and remove them so game fish can hide.What I like about catching carp is that this fish will do the twists and turns that big fish do when hooked.I look at the action an invite to teach fisherman what it will feel like when you go after the big ones in salt water.

Yea, carp are a real problem, no doubt about it! So bad that the DNR has poisoned & drained some small ponds that were so overrun with them, they had pushed out all other fish. Those ponds take a long time to come back- if they do!

I know there's many fishermen that kill any carp they catch, even if they just throw them up on the bank. In Lake Erie, many old timers do the same thing with sheephead. But ya know-- for fish like those- if you kill one, there's 10 more waiting in line to take it's place. On Cassadaga Lake here in WNY, they have an annual "Carp Derby" where the prizes go to the biggest/most carp taken in any legal manner! Fishing, spearing bow fishing, even jumpin' out in the water and wraslin' with 'em! Sponsors claim it help keep down the population--- but I never saw what difference a few hundred made in a population of many thousands! It's not worth it to just kill them and let them rot (as a matter of fact- it IS illegal in many if not all states). But if you can use them, yep- take 'em home with you!

Interestingly- they were purposely imported to the US in the 1800's from Europe, where they are considered a worthy game-fish, and excellent eating! They are tough to catch, and great strong fish. I've foul- hooked a few on a 7 wgt flyrod while Bass fishing in rivers--- Man, when you do that- it's either break it off, or plan on spending an hour bringing the fish to shore to get your fly back!

Best---- JoeW

 

[dugger]

You can catch them preety easy with a fly rod if you catch them mouthing the surface with a dry fly but you better use a rod with some backbone they will snap some rods with their first run use 12llb for tippet and hold on they are pretty fun fish on lite stuff!