A little Fish History

[MoCarp]

Instead of going to Alaska and Salmon fishing maby I can get you a guided carp trip on the Missouri River. I hear the shore lunches are marvelious.

I prefer the mudbank baked carp, guaranteed to quench the pallot of even the most discriminating fish eater.

Bill,....in Waddinton NY over a Million carp anglers a summer visit to fish the St Lawrence river Internationally known for huge carp, I have a copy of an economic impact study that documents a $500k boost to the economy during 1 week! (I have a copy in PDF if any one wants it)

another study is due out on Town Lake in Austin TX that shows similar impact

Granted most of the business is from international fisherman, but a surprising amount are from the US

I bet a guide service that bivys up on the big Mo's sand bars would be extreamly popular with Brits on Holiday in the states, I can hear it now Lewis and Clark Guide sevice for carp and big blue cats!

[gonefishin]

It is a Myth that common carp are a problem in every water they inhabit, most waters that are overpopulated with carp at the expense of gamefish are ether A) have some water quality issues that allow carp to survive and reproduce beyond the capability of predators to control them or larger predator fish get fish down and allow carp to over populate

You may be right but as the relationship of ecosystems were not understood when carp were introduced as they are today we will probably never really know what the impact of carp actually was. I am no biologist but I do know that a body fo water is only capable of supporting so many fish no matter what type. so the introduction of a species as prolific as carp had to reek havoc on the indeginous fish populations.

Many other fish over populate like crappie & bluegills for example

Yes they do but unlike carp they are relitavely easy to control.

Carp are not some superfish that go from egg to 5 pounder in a summer, and big fish are NOT common a 20 pounder is a rare fish.

If one has carp issues, its because not enought preditors are eating them, a avg flathead can and does take carp up to at least 5 pounds, who knows what size a 50 pounder can eat!--another reason to release those larger fish.

In the fishes of Missouri by William L Pflieger;

Maybe that is the answer. Maybe we need to stock more Flathead. :)

“carp adults AVERAGE are from 1lbs @12” long to 8lbs @ 25 “ long. The grow rates are listed as 6.5” by the end of 12 months life, 11” at the end of 2years, 14.2” @3 years, 16.7”@ 4years 18”@ 5years.Typical weights are a 12inch carp will average 1lbs and a 21.5” will average 5 lbs Few live longer than 12 years in the wild”]

Many reports of lots of 20 pound common carp usually are from big eyed reports that do not weigh the fish, ask a person who does not commonly weigh fish what the carp you caught weighs—I would bet the avg non carp angler would guess over double the actual weight of the fish selective harvest would help get more big fish

Tossing them in the garden is a waste of a great resource and after decades of eradication attempts the only thing accomplished is to turn a single 20 pound carp into four 5 pound carp in the prime of reproductive efficiency--further exacerbating overpopulation issues.

Agreed. They are so prolific that they can't be eridicated therefore to help control over populations they should be used for something productive such as fertilizer, dog, or cat food. Perhaps net tons and tons of them up to send to poor undeveloped nations for protien addition to their diets.

As far as eating carp, The trick on carp for the table is remove the skin along with the blood line, THATS where the strong fishy taste is--also eat small fish those under 6-7 pounds, many folk catch a big carp that might be 25 years old and drag it around all day and then feel guilty to waste fish and clean it for the table, and wonder why it tastes bad!

[gonefishin]

MoCarp: I have just been giving you some static. Guess I dont have anything better to do on a hot Saturday afternoon. Seriously your original post was a good one.

[MoCarp]

no worries GF I get it ALL the Time, until I caught the carp bug and tried to learn as much as I could about them, I was just like everyone else in my attitude toward ol bugle lips

[Bill Babler]

MoCarp, I'm just giving Phil a hard time. You have to keep him in line or he gets out of hand.

Back in the early 80's myself and another guy, were trapping the Mighty Mo. for a living and we would always pull up the Grand River near Carrollton and enjoy some commercial caught Carp and White Buffalo. The fisherman had a restauant right on the shore and sold fresh fish all over central Mo.

The White Buffalo were by far the better fish and he deep fried them in peanut oil, about 2 minutes after they were cleaned. The Carp were scaled,filleted and then scored and they were just a bit too fishey for my taste, and believe me I ate my share anyway. I can remember that Carp was 60 cents per lb. and White Buffalo was a dollar ten per lb. When purchased fresh at the store.

You bought the lunch fried fish special for $3.25, and it came with a lb. of fish, slaw, fries and unlimited rolls and tea or coffee. It was usually a mix of Buffalo and Carp and I could tell the difference, but I ate it all anyway.

Probably couldn't do as well today. My, how time flys. Wish I had a plate full right now.

[Thom]

I was crappie fishing on Lake of the Ozarks two years ago and hooked into a 7# carp on my light spinning rod uesing 4# test. Of course I had no net but was able to tire the fih out and land him with the help of a friend.

My friend said that it sure was lots of work for a carp. They are not any good to eat. NOT SO. I just smiled and said lets just filet it anyway.

Here is what I learned from the farmers while Pastoring a small church in Vameyer Illinois before the river washed the town away. They seined the sloughs when the river receded in the spring and did the following every year.

Just scale the fish by pushing a fillet knife under the scales and not through the skin and the scales will peel off. Then filet the fish leaving the skin on and removeing any dark meat. Turn the filet skin down and push (not slice) the knife all the way down to the skin being careful not to cut the skin. You will hear the bones cracking. Continue doing this all the way down the filet about 1/4 of an inch apart. Cut the filet into pieces of about 1 to 2 inches wide and dip in andy's or other breading. Deep fry and the bones will dissolve and the filets will roll up into what is called on the river near Grafton as Calhoun county shrimp. Yum! I just make myself hungry for some fried fish.

The guy that told me he didn't like the taste of carp ate about 10 of these pieces and said he wouldn't have believed it was carp if he hadn't seen me catch it.

Thom

[snagged in outlet 3]

I live in St. Charles and regularly chase carp for sport. Let me tell you, when you live in a metro area with few opportunities for sport fish, carp can cure your need to fight fish. 10 minutes from the house and it's "The St. Charles Happy Hour Carp Tournament". Last tourney was 3 hours long and my buddy beat me 9 carp and one channel cat to 8 carp 2 channel cat. Cat's are for a tie breaker in case both anglers catch the same number of carp.

I've never eaten one but the river rats say they are as good as anything in the Mo. River. I have a friend that uses them for catfish bait and his success is unbelievable. 5lb carp caught a 37lb flathead right off the bank of the public access in downtown St. Charles.

If anybody wants a guided carp trip on the Mo. River give me a call. (Britt's included) I'll do it for free. How about a trade for a bass fishing trip on Taney. I don't have a boat, but I have been jonesing to go bass fishing again on Taney. One premium guided trip on a Mo. River slough in exchange for bass trip on Taney.

Now that gas has gone to $3.29/gallon in some areas those carp better look out!

Snagged.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I believe that after a hundred plus years its hard to blame Carp for much.

I fish a lot of streams, and Carp aren't real common in the clear streams that have Sucker populations. The reason we don't see the big Redhorse Etc, isn't from Carp, its from the social attachment to gigging that is at fault IMO.

[MTM]

It is my understanding that the Brit's started fishing for Carp because they could not aford to fish for Trout or Salmon. It just cost to much. I bet it would be the same here if fishing cost as much as it does in England. LOL.. Ron

[MoCarp]

the carp "boom" started in England in the 1970's to what it is today

carp where considerd too hard to catch until the advent of a hair rig around that time, a diverse fish population is available including the huge wels catfish, Zander, pike and trout are still available to average joes--but the salmon gernerally a fish for the upper classes due to who owns the stream banks

the reason Carp are king today is that they get 20+ pounds and fight like heck! they have several faster growing strains than the "feral" carp we have here

today new lakes or ponds are dug in England just for carp, anything could be stocked by the public choice.

I have some interesting pics on the subject I need to post