Carp = Bad Fishy?...

[kenstah]

Carps eat bass/gill eggs when they're spawning and the DFG asked them to kill all that they can catch... What?.. Really? I read it in another forum for Southern California surf fishing~ is this JUST in Southern California?...

[Sonny Edmonds]

Carp are bottom feeders. When there isn't anything on the bottom they are opportunistic feeders.
Basically a trash fish. So yes..
Kill them.
Some people actually eat them. But I rather eat the plank they were cooked on.

[Bill-B'klyn]

maybe carp are a problem in your state but to say that they are "trash fish" is only one side of the coin. if we begin to pick and choose what we allow in our local fishery we will soon be out of places to fish. be careful of what you wish.

Bill

[flywatersmallie]

Carp are a lot of things but they are most definitely not a trash fish. True, they are not native to the US. Neither are brown trout. They are big, strong, wary fish that are as fine a sport as you will find. Oh, and they are 10 minutes from your door, just about anywhere.

[Steven McGarthwaite]

Carp are not native to North American Continent. European Carp were brought over here by our European Ancestors. Recent year we now have Asian Carp that have be brought over to North America. Both are are aggressive feeders, and they disrupt the Ecological Pyramid that keeps our water healthy, and balanced.

Unforunately, just like the "Genie let out of the Bottle", it is almost impossible to iradicate a species that has been introduced to a ecosystem, where that specie has no know predetors that keep them in check.

Once the damage is done, it cannot be undone! So I say, catch some carp, and eat them. They are quite good to eat! There are many fish that freshwater anglers do not eat, and that is a shame. Burbot (Eelpout) is a freshwater fish that is a member of the Cod family, its loins are good eats, a little melted butter and it taste like lobster.

I love White Fish, smoked and served with a white cream sauce.

I am glad the Northern Pike have restrictions in Minnesota for minimum length, before you keep them. But I do love eating Pike and Pickerell. Easy to fillet if you know how to get around the Y-bone.

I eat Suckers that are caught in clean water, they are good eats also.

[jeffnles1]

Carp are not native to North American Continent. European Carp were brought over here by our European Ancestors. Recent year we now have Asian Carp that have be brought over to North America. Both are are aggressive feeders, and they disrupt the Ecological Pyramid that keeps our water healthy, and balanced.

All true. However, Brown Trout are not native to North America. Rainbow Trout are native to only a few watersheds in the American west. I hear very few people talking about removing them from waters where they are now living in a feral state. (oops I guess with trout, one should say "wild" instead of feral, gotta respect the mighty trout).

Largemouth Bass are not native to much of their current range. Crappie and bluegill have a much broader range today than their native range.

Many of us will talk about some invasive fish or another and say it needs to be eradicated from our local waters without ever considering our favorite fish species is also an invasive.

So, how does one determine which non-native species to protect? Or should we be in favor of eradicating all non-native species and returning as many waters as possible to their natural state, which would be removing browns from all water in North America and Rainbows from most water in North America as well as removing largemouth bass, bluegill and crappie from many lakes and streams in North America. The list of what we consider game fish that are in fact invasive species is fairly large depending on where you live (Oacars and Cichlids in Florida, Peacock Bass in Florida are two that come to mind in addition to Browns, Rainbows, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Crappie are the ones that come to mind right off).

Trust me, I'm no fan of carp. I fish for them from time-to-time and they are fun to catch and grow quite large, but for some reason I don't particularly like catching them. I'd much rather catch an 8" bluegill on a 3wt.

So, this isn't a "save the carp" message, but more of an open ended question of where does one stop when picking and choosing which invasive to remove and which to keep?

Just my thought for the day.

Jeff

[aged_sage]

As a fisheries biologist with 50 years experience under my belt, I don't know of a single waterbody where carp have, in fact, upset the "ecological pyramid that keeps our water healthy and balanced ". There definitely are waters where carp, and other so-called "rough fish" dominate. In almost every such case, if in fact not all, the original damage was done by man; and carp and the other rough fish, being reasonably tolerant of polluted, low dissolved oxygen waters, became the dominant species present, leading to over population in many cases. Being highly visible, they took the rap for being the "cause" of the "bad water" conditions and the loss of the desirable species.

As far as palatability is concerned, they have been considered a delicacy in Europe for ages; that is why our European ancestors introduced them to this continent. The secret to their quality as table fare lies in knowing how to handle one from the time it is caught until it is ready "for the pot". Absent this knowledge, they are not fit to feed to the cats. (Been there; done that.)

[Sully]

Carp are a lot of things but they are most definitely not a trash fish. True, they are not native to the US. Neither are brown trout. They are big, strong, wary fish that are as fine a sport as you will find. Oh, and they are 10 minutes from your door, just about anywhere.

They are considered by the Ohio DNR to be trash fish and one of the FEW that can be taken by bow & arrow or even giged!

[Sully]

.....
Trust me, I'm no fan of carp. I fish for them from time-to-time and they are fun to catch and grow quite large, but for some reason I don't particularly like catching them. I'd much rather catch an 8" bluegill on a 3wt.

So, this isn't a "save the carp" message, but more of an open ended question of where does one stop when picking and choosing which invasive to remove and which to keep?

Just my thought for the day.

Jeff

I have to agree on the bluegill on a 3 wgt....but other than that you have to depend on your state Dept of Natural Resources. How can we determine how many deer are allowed to be taken each season? And by what method(s).?? Trapping seasons (if you are so inclined) etc..etc.

[Fly Goddess]

I was going to say what aged_saged just said...I read they were introduced to the USA as a food source for the Pioneers.

And the places I have seen and fish for them are not in danger of effecting any other species. Like said, waters already affected by Humans.

But this is good because I do like to fish for them. But I will harvest a few from time to time because they do get thick...not hurting anything other than themselves and smell maybe.