Catch and release on carp???? You're kidding, right? Here in Ga., I think it's illegal to put one back on the water.

My best wintertime carp fly is a small Clouser Swimming Nymph.

We eat carp all the time, at least once a week, more when finances get tight. There is nothing wrong with carp. They are delicious, and there are plenty of them....no limit at all.

Fillet the carp as you would any other fish. Some people prefer to scale them first, but I don't bother with scaling. The skin is coming off, anyway. Once you have filleted both sides, locate the red strip along the lateral line and cut it out. Next, locate the 'Y'-shaped bones along the side. Cut along the top of them and free the tenderloin. Lastly, cut along the bottom of the 'Y' and free the bottom fillet. repeat for the other side. Now you have 4 boneless fillets, ready for frying, grilling, or (my favorite) smoking. Carp tastes every bit as good as mackerel, swai, stripers, or tilapia, and my wife likes my poached carp better than poached salmon.

Carp have an undeserved bad rap in the US, and they are a vastly under-used resource. If money gets tight, and you get hungry enough, you'll gain a new appreciation for carp, quickly......