Speaking of Invasives...

[Johnsfolly]

As much as I would love to tangle with a 100+lb fish, this is not the one that I would want to see on the line. Unfortunately this fish may be the tip of the iceberg and other giant invasives could be swimming in the Osage an other MO rivers .

Osage County angler catches 112-pound invasive black carp Black carp is one of the few fish species listed on Missouri’s Prohibited Species list. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – An Osage County man got a surprise last week after catching a 112-pound invasive black carp from the Osage River. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has listed black carp on the Prohibited Species List – a list of species that may not be imported, exported, transported, sold, purchased, or possessed alive in Missouri without written approval of the director. Jesse Hughes of Bonnots Mill was originally catfishing with friends March 4 when he hooked into the fish. “We hooked into it and knew it was something big, but I originally thought it was a catfish,” Hughes recalled. “It was the first I’d heard of a black carp. I didn’t know anything about it, so this has been quite the learning experience.” According to MDC, black carp are an invasive fish from Asia that eat mussels and snails. The fish damage populations of native mollusks, many of which are critically endangered. There is a strong possibility the species is becoming established, with breeding populations, on our continent. Black carp have been found in the Mississippi River system, including the Osage River, where in 1994 about 30 reportedly escaped from a fish farm during a high-water event and entered that river. Most of the black carp in the United States were introduced to control problematic snail populations in commercial fisheries, and these individuals are presumably sterile. Yet fertile individuals can be present, too. Given that black carp can live for 15 years, even the sterile individuals can present a serious long-term problem for native mollusk populations. “If anglers happen to catch black carp, or any invasive fish, while fishing in Missouri waters, it’s imperative to contact their local conservation agent,” explained MDC Fisheries Programs Specialist Andrew Branson. “That way, our Fisheries staff can be notified and monitor the spread of these destructive species.” The black carp caught by Hughes is currently being studied by the United States Geological Survey. “It’s a little disappointing, as I don’t think I’ll ever catch a fish that big again,” joked Hughes. “But at least it’s one less invasive fish in Missouri waters.” Black carp appear similar to the common grass carp, but the black carp is darker, though not truly black, and some report the adult black carp have a relatively narrower snout. It also has large pharyngeal teeth, or throat teeth, that resemble human molars. These teeth are used to crush the shells of mollusk and prey. For more information on black carp, visit the MDC website at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZRa. To learn more about invasive species, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZeV. MDC confirms Jesse Hughes of Bonnots Mill caught an invasive black carp in Osage County March 4. Hughes was catfishing when he reeled in the 112-pound fish from the Osage River upstream of the Bonnots Mill Access. Find this and other MDC media releases in our MDC online Newsroom.

 

[BilletHead]

                   

28 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

As much as I would love to tangle with a 100+lb fish, this is not the one that I would want to see on the line. Unfortunately this fish may be the tip of the iceberg and other giant invasives could be swimming in the Osage an other MO rivers .

Osage County angler catches 112-pound invasive black carp   Black carp is one of the few fish species listed on Missouri’s Prohibited Species list.     JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – An Osage County man got a surprise last week after catching a 112-pound invasive black carp from the Osage River. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has listed black carp on the Prohibited Species List – a list of species that may not be imported, exported, transported, sold, purchased, or possessed alive in Missouri without written approval of the director.     Jesse Hughes of Bonnots Mill was originally catfishing with friends March 4 when he hooked into the fish.     “We hooked into it and knew it was something big, but I originally thought it was a catfish,” Hughes recalled. “It was the first I’d heard of a black carp. I didn’t know anything about it, so this has been quite the learning experience.”     According to MDC, black carp are an invasive fish from Asia that eat mussels and snails. The fish damage populations of native mollusks, many of which are critically endangered. There is a strong possibility the species is becoming established, with breeding populations, on our continent.     Black carp have been found in the Mississippi River system, including the Osage River, where in 1994 about 30 reportedly escaped from a fish farm during a high-water event and entered that river.     Most of the black carp in the United States were introduced to control problematic snail populations in commercial fisheries, and these individuals are presumably sterile. Yet fertile individuals can be present, too. Given that black carp can live for 15 years, even the sterile individuals can present a serious long-term problem for native mollusk populations.     “If anglers happen to catch black carp, or any invasive fish, while fishing in Missouri waters, it’s imperative to contact their local conservation agent,” explained MDC Fisheries Programs Specialist Andrew Branson. “That way, our Fisheries staff can be notified and monitor the spread of these destructive species.”     The black carp caught by Hughes is currently being studied by the United States Geological Survey.     “It’s a little disappointing, as I don’t think I’ll ever catch a fish that big again,” joked Hughes. “But at least it’s one less invasive fish in Missouri waters.”     Black carp appear similar to the common grass carp, but the black carp is darker, though not truly black, and some report the adult black carp have a relatively narrower snout. It also has large pharyngeal teeth, or throat teeth, that resemble human molars. These teeth are used to crush the shells of mollusk and prey.     For more information on black carp, visit the MDC website at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZRa. To learn more about invasive species, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZeV.         MDC confirms Jesse Hughes of Bonnots Mill caught an invasive black carp in Osage County March 4. Hughes was catfishing when he reeled in the 112-pound fish from the Osage River upstream of the Bonnots Mill Access.     Find this and other MDC media releases in our MDC online Newsroom.

 

Get your bows out boys and stab them. Kill each and every one. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

That's one strong dude!  

[BilletHead]

                Wonder if they are white meat like grass carp. If you can stand the bones grass carp is really good.

[fishinwrench]

49 minutes ago, BilletHead said:

                Wonder if they are white meat like grass carp. If you can stand the bones grass carp is really good.

The only reason I can think of to eat carp would be if I couldn't catch anything else, and the nearest Dollar General was closed.

[MOPanfisher]

20 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

The only reason I can think of to eat carp would be if I couldn't catch anything else, and the nearest Dollar General was closed.

They aint bad . . .   If they are fixed right.  Couldn't resist.

[FishnDave]

The bighead and silver asian carps are supposedly really good.  They did blind taste tests, and most people picked those invasive carp over catfish or tilapia (actually, the second link below suggests folks picked tilapia over the asian carp, but still preferred asian carp over catfish).

https://www.in-fisherman.com/editorial/carp-taste-test/155287

and

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/invasive-carp-clobber-local-catfish-in-taste-test/