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Eating carp
This post is a bit late in coming but was spawned by Anthony's recent "carp" thread.
I tried to find a photo identification chart that shows the difference between the male and the female carp but could not find one.
Years ago, I fished carp on a pretty regular basis. During that time there was a not-so-sucessful European gentleman that would, from time to time, ask if he could have one of the fish I caught. I released everything but he wanted one for the table. Not knowing, I asked if they were good eating. He said they were very good. I gave him my next fish but he refused it saying he wanted only the female carp. The males were more red meat and not as good as the white meat of the females. Eventually I caught one he wanted. (I learned afterwards that he was talking about the texture, not colour, of the meat when he said red and white. The red meat of the male being more grainy than the smooth white meat of the female.)
I asked him how he could tell the difference between the male and the female. He showed me the anal area, where, this is where it gets unclear, there was a much sharper contour behind the female's anal fin than there was on the male. At least that's how I remember it.
My point is that there is a way to tell. I have met and fish with many Europeans since then and most agree the female is the better eating of the two. I tried to google "carp I.D." and related things to get a picture but with no luck.
If you are planning on keeping a carp for the table it might be worth checking out. Maybe somebody here can spread some light on the subject.
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Cheers
Bob
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Okay - I know some people are going to point and laugh (20 years ago I'd have bent your nose over for it - but now I just grin foolishly and go on) but I eat carp fairly often.
You want them out of fresh water and yep, you want the females. I'm sure there's some specifics to telling the difference but after half a century or so - you kind of get an eye for it. It's basically a "shape" thing. Males tend to be long and skinny -bigger head in relation to the body. Females deeper in the body.
It is a bit of a process to get the best out of them. This is "river" country and "carp steak" is well recieved here.
Go ahead - giggle behind your hand. http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/wink.gif
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snicker, snicker, tee-he-he
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There is a restaurant here in Omaha that specializes in... you betta, Carp. Properly prepared it is darn good stuff. Any of you who were in the Air Force and ever visited Offut or SAC, would be sure to have heard of Joe Tess's.
On a side note... the first time I ate there I called my dad and had him go check on my grandfather's grave... I was afraid he might have kicked all the dirt off when he rolled over. http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/smile.gif
Ed
[This message has been edited by PastorEd (edited 18 May 2006).]
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I would not doubt that there are many nice recipes out there to work with carp. Look over the years what folks have been able to do with catfish - delicious recipes. That said, be careful depending on where the fish came from. Here in the northeast part of the country, specifically SE PA you had better be mighty careful. When you read the PA DER recommended portions depending on water body it is downright scary. From 0 to 6oz or whatever a MONTH! That warm glow that you feel in your tummy after a meal might not necessarily be from a warm meal! I guess it depends on your area of the country, but carp unfortunately have scooped up all the sludge that we have labored so hard to dump in our waters, and around here that is plenty!
Good fishing,
Bob
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Here is the only carp receipt that I ever heard of. Slowly cook carp on a white pine piece of slab wood in a rosting pan filled 1/2 with water. Baste (sp?) the carp from time to time with the liquid made from the drippings and water. Cook until the carp is tender. Take carp out, throw it away, and eat the wooden slab!
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A famous outdoors man, just passed away I think, named Ewel Gibbons,,, lived and loved the outdoors. Never heard that he promoted eating carp, but think I heard he claimed that certain parts of those picnic tables at State Parks were edible. Not positive on that though.
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/JimsTest/cstbb.jpg
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Years ago, a friend from Innsbruck, Austria and I got into a long discussion about eating Carp! He shut me up pretty quickly after I admitted I'd never eaten any. He gave me an invitation to Christmas dinner if ever I was in Innsbruck at that time of year. His wife was a champion carp cook and he assured me that I'd be delighted with her skills, carp being the traditional Christmas dinner of that area.
I'm sorry that I never got to visit and sample the carp before he died.
The fact that carp are frequently found in and seem to thrive in the most foul water, IMHO is the reason we here in the US condemn them.
Anyone wanting to catch them from clean water should try fishing the waters of Milliken Station, an electrical plant about 13 miles north of Ithaca, NY. (East side of Cayuga Lake) This time of year is good and they'll be there for quite a while. I would guess the weights would range from 10 to 25 lb on a typical day.
Ol' Bill
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Chortle, snort, gag, barf!
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I have caught many Carp here near Bull Run Steam Plant. Usually release all of them. But one time a lady asked me to keep a couple of them for her. She has a special marinade for them and then smokes them. She brought me some one time. They tasted great. Just my 2 cents. John
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I wish you all everlasting flies and tight lines.