Carp on a fly?

[Gigmaster]

I don't know where it is in the reg book, but if you go to any of the lakes and spillways here, like Carters, Allatoona, Lanier, Ocoee and Blue Ridge, they have large signs up that say you cannot release carp, buffalo or gar back into the water once you've caught them. You must also release Grass Carp, and sturgeon, and must report the catch to a particular phone number or website listed on the sign. You must also report any sighting or catches of snake-heads, walking catfish, zebra mussels or Pacu. Failure to do so can result in up to a $500 fine and loss of fishing licence for 2 years. They have pictures of all of them posted for identification.

I don't know how much plainer they can be than that.

I keep forgetting that everyone doesn't understand how it is in Ga. Just because something isn't written down somewhere, doesn't mean they can't or won't take you to jail, fine you and confiscate your property. Law Enforcement, especially the DNR have VERY, VERY wide descretion on what they do, and the courts will back them up in this state. Half the time, you will never even get to go to court to fight it. Example: If you are observed with a loaded weapon within 50' of any dirt road, trsil or anything that could be interpreted as a road, even if you have a CCW, you will be charged with hunting from the road. You do not go to court. You either pay it, or lose your drivers, hunting and fishing licences and maybe have your equipment confiscated.
So in Ga., when they put a sign out telling you not to do something, whethter it is a law or not, we just don't do it, and don't question it much.

Semper Fi!

[Chuck S]

Many years back there was little to naught on the net as far fishing Carp and especially Carp fly fishing. My website has an early article I wrote. In that same time frame Dave Whitlock wrote a couple of excellent pieces that likely can still be found on the Flyfisherman's Magazine site. I think titled the Golden Bones or something similar. About then Barry Reynolds' excellent book on Carp Fly fishing came out and between the publicity those two generated everyone got into this great sport.

Now for some of my early history on Carp on the fly. Like Dave Whitlock, I found out early on that Carp love Mulberries and in Springfield, Ohio down in Snyder park there were a few small lakes and ponds, Buck Creek and Mad River and all with a few Mulberry overhangs here and there. There was also an old blind black man whom we knew as Blind Eddy or just Eddy and he was a Carp and Cat angler par excellance and mixed the purple mulberries into his bread/doughball mix during this time of the year. A very effective way to a Carp's heart.

All was well but there came a day when he or we were out of doughball and necessity being the mother of invention we tore off a thin strip of white cotton from our shirt most likely and wound that on a hook after finding that raw mulberries wouldn't stay on by themselves at all. We then soaked and mushed in the berries and were back in fish almost instantly. Somewhere we found out that the mulberry stain was enough and just hitting beneath the tree with our rudementary fly was enough to get a Carp to swirl and take it. So way back in the early fifties we were fly fishing for Carp and soon after that we found they would take most any fly presented in a natural way.

Great sport, and most widely available, big fish, fly rod target we have in the US and likely the world. As for C & R? Why certainly or at least in many if not most cases but I like the term Selective Release or SR. What this means is if the Carp are destroying shoreline or other vegetation, or habitat, or causing other problems then catch and keep or catch and destroy. If not then C&R by all means as this is one of the premier Fly Rodding, warmwater, Game Fish of this century!

[louisianajeff]

[url=http://img78.imageshack.us/my.php?image=carp5gb.jpg:1ad7d][/url:1ad7d]
OK...I threw everything at em but the kitchen sink.
If I wouldn't have been in the city limits, I'd have gone up to the truck and got my 12 gauge.
I really hate image shack and have gone to photo bucket...you'll have to click on the photo to see my frustration...HA!

I had this exact same experience earlier today.

[jsalkas]

Great stuff, Chuck.

[Rouster]

Well, after hearing about this thread I just couldn?t let it go without checking with the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division to see if there was any possible truth to it?A statement was made saying:


"It's against the law to release carp after you catch them in Ga. and I think TN. THey must be killed and disposed of. This also applies to Gar." "I don't know where it is in the reg book, but if you go to any of the lakes and spillways here, like Carters, Allatoona, Lanier, Ocoee and Blue Ridge, they have large signs up that say you cannot release carp, buffalo or gar back into the water once you've caught them. You must also release Grass Carp, and sturgeon, and must report the catch to a particular phone number or website listed on the sign. You must also report any sighting or catches of snake-heads, walking catfish, zebra mussels or Pacu. Failure to do so can result in up to a $500 fine and loss of fishing licence for 2 years. They have pictures of all of them posted for identification?



I was pretty sure the part about it illegal to release carp, buffalo, or gar back into the water was incorrect, as was the part about their being signs posted at various lakes saying they cannot be released back into the lake?..So, I have contacted the Georgia Department of Wildlife Resources to see if there was any truth at all to what was said?..Well there is not, it is totally inaccurate (which is a nice way of saying what it realty is)?.Mr. John Johnson, a Sergeant with the Law Enforcement Division with the Georgia Department of Wildlife Resources, reported that there is NO law of any kind saying that it is illegal to release carp, buffalo, or gar back in a lake, nor are there any signs posted at lakes stating such?Mr. Johnson also reported that the statement that had been made was totally wrong, it is not something that is subject to interpretation? it is just simply wrong and inaccurate......However Mr. Johnson did state that it would be illegal to do as the fellow suggested if they simply left the fish on the bank or shore, as they could be charged with littering?.