Carp (Non-Asian) - Kill Or Release? 2024
blckshirt98 reply :
I've hooked onto a couple of carp while bass fishing (one this morning that actually went after my chatterbait I don't understand, full mouth hookup and everything) and wondering what the general consensus is regarding carp. Catch and release like any other fish, or, kill them by leaving them on the shore or knife their air bladder and throw them back? I know carp stir up the bottom of lakes and smother bass eggs, but still it seems cold to just kill a fish like that. These aren't the crazy invasive Asian carp in the midwest, but your basic vegetation feeding common carp.
sprint61 reply :
I wouldn't bother a common carp unless they are very over populated in your area. Asian carp kill them all.
Big C reply :
I think killing every carp you catch is a waste of time. How many have you caught, 2? That won't make a difference in the population, at all. Also, I think throwing them on shore or slitting their air bladder is unethical. That reminds me of guys in Florida catching catfish and throwing them on the pier to die because they considered them a "trash fish", they didn't make a difference on the catfish population. It just made them look like bad sportsmen.
But, if it's Asian Carp, keep as many as you catch and have a fish fry. They will destroy a lake. In fact that happened to a lake I fish quite often.
Alonerankin2 reply :
Carp do offer benefit in the waterway, if I do catch one.. I release it. No Asian around my area, yet.
HoosierHawgs reply :
Unless you plan on using it, leave it be. Its unethical to put them to waste like that.
CeeJay reply :
Yeah I release Common Carp. And I'm glad you distinguished between the Common and Asian (aka Silver) Carp.
There's also the Grass Carp which I treat the same way as the common.
Awesome game fish. My PB Common was 20 pounds, and it swam off easily after a long battle.
They are omnivorous as well, by the way...they will hit artificial lures. I've even caught Grass Carp that ate (rather than snagged) on nymphs, inline spinners and even a topwater popper.
Common carp are also popular with fly anglers, Dave Whitlock advocates them as American sport fish.
I have immense respect for carp.
LuckyGia reply :
They have a National carp tournament up here in Baldwinsville NY every year. Big turnout pumps a ton of money into the local economy.
LuckyGia reply :
On a side note, there is a private lake up here called Song lake. Used to be real good bass fishing for as long as I could remember. Well the property owners decided to add grass carp to help control the vegetation. You know, because NY people can't have weeds in their waterfront !
Well the bass fishing declined so badly at this lake after about 5 years of the carp eating everything. I just stopped fishing there.
Neil McCauley reply :
The above is at extreme end of the invasive species spectrum. But I consider carp (both Asian and Common) to be in the same category. They are 1) human introduced, 2) destructive, 3) non-native. Having grown up in the fingerlakes I have seen the damage they do to a fishery. The responsible thing to do then is to NOT release them if caught.
And yes they are damaging/harmful, including the Common Carp:
http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?speciesID=4
http://www.in.gov/dnr/files/COMMON_CARP.pdf
QuoteThe bottom feeding habits (rooting) of this fish prove to be quite destructive. When overabundant, carp cause an increase in water turbidity and a decrease in aquatic plants and invertebrates. Evidence has also proven that the common carp prey on the eggs of other fishes and their foraging activities can destroy spawning beds of more desirable species. Therefore, common carp are responsible for the decline of some native fish species.
CeeJay reply :
Here we go again....
Nothing will change the views of common carp on either side of the love or hate debate. There are "facts" to back up either side, and no one wants to be confused by the facts 
I love them as sport fish and I'll continue to catch and release both Common and Grass Carp. Fortunately I've never encountered an Asian/Silver carp...but they are not the same and shouldn't be viewed as such.
It's worth mentioning that in many park lakes I've fished it's illegal to kill stocked (sterilized) Grass Carp...that is my parting shot against those that wish to kill them for non-food use
Heron reply :
Go bowfishing for carp. 
everythingthatswims reply :
If you want to do something about carp, go bowfish for them, or target them specifically on rod and reel and kill every single one you catch.
If I snag one or accidentally catch one while bass fishing, there's no reason for me to kill it, I won't solve any problems. And even if I went out and shot 50 of them with my bow, I'm probably not going to have much influence.
My favorite place to carp fish is also my favorite place to bass fish, lots of both, size and numbers. I'm sure they can hurt fisheries but I just don't see it happening around here.
Josh Smith reply :
I believe Indiana is advising all carp caught to be killed, common and Asian alike.
I could be wrong about the common carp and will have to look it up again.
Josh
Alonerankin2 reply :
On 7/13/2015 at 10:15 AM, Josh Smith said:I believe Indiana is advising all carp caught to be killed, common and Asian alike.
I could be wrong about the common carp and will have to look it up again.
Josh
Are they? Patoka lake has some serious tank sized carp. I've caught some dandys there, it's also not a great bass lake either, I wonder if the carp have a play in that? I will look on the regs too as far as release or not, interesting..
Raul reply :
All carp are invasive, none of them are native fish, kill them.
CeeJay reply :
On 7/13/2015 at 10:56 AM, Raul said:All carp are invasive, none of them are native fish, kill them.
That's brutal.
Jar11591 reply :
On 7/13/2015 at 11:10 AM, CeeJay said:That's brutal.
Along with another adjective.
Bluebasser86 reply :
I think it depends a lot on the region you're from. Our shallow, silt filled lakes are easily disturbed when carp root around the bottom. Combine that with the fact that carp thrive in our lakes and it creates an issue. They destroy shoreline habitats by eating all the vegetation that hold the fragile shorelines together and accelerate lakes silting in. Our lakes are not well suited for more popular sportfish (excluding catfish that thrive in similar conditions that the carp do), so little things can greatly upset the balance. For that reason, the state spends thousands of dollars in carp removal programs each year and highly encourages the removal of common and grass carp alike. We also have Silver and Bighead Asian carp in our rivers, which are illegal to release or possess alive.
However, if you live in an area where carp do not adversely effect the local lakes, they are tremendous fighters and a mostly overlooked option to catch very large and mostly ignored fish. I've spent many days sight fishing for carp with very light tackle and small jigs, it's a blast and I'd highly suggest giving it a try, same goes for freshwater drum and gar.
I personally remove them (usually because I'm bowfishing for them), and give them to people who like to eat them as they're a popular food fish in this region. They're so overpopulated in some of our lakes that it seems like whenever you remove one, 5 more take it's place. They're also terrific cutbait for catfish so I'll sometimes use them as bait myself or give them to people who want to use them for cutbait.
*Hank reply :
On 7/13/2015 at 4:04 AM, sprint61 said:I wouldn't bother a common carp unless they are very over populated in your area. Asian carp kill them all.
I agree!
mplspug reply :
Minnesota used to have a law making it illegal to throw them back. Many people still think it is on the books. The DNR realized it wasn't doing anything but stinking up shores because no one disposed of them properly and it wasn't affecting the population of carp or gamefish and it hasn't been law for decades.
I used to love carp fishing in the spring on ultra light gear. It was a blast.
Like others have said, killing them accomplishes nothing.
Dave Jakes reply :
On 7/13/2015 at 10:56 AM, Raul said:All carp are invasive, none of them are native fish, kill them.
Here in AZ all bass are invasive, none of them are native fish. Do you suggest I kill every bass I catch?
powerduster reply :
There are no asian carp where I am at, but plenty of common carp (and probably grass carp too). I think most bass fisherman in my area would agree that the carp are pretty much harmless. Maybe they been here too long to notice, but I don't see no harm done.
MassBass reply :
This thread should be banned and deleted like the other one.
Josh Smith reply :
On 7/18/2015 at 3:37 AM, MassBass said:This thread should be banned and deleted like the other one.
Why? Looks like a civil discussion to me. Am I missing something 
CeeJay reply :
On 7/18/2015 at 10:26 AM, Josh Smith said:Why? Looks like a civil discussion to me. Am I missing something
Yeah I think its actually been one of the better discussions on how the average, primarily bass anglers view common carp I've seen so far...pretty much anywhere.
The poll results surprised me, but they really shouldn't.
MassBass reply :
Sorry im just bitter because my thoughtful opinion that I posted in the other thread was deleted. I understand the topic of the other thread was someones personal video log and not meant to be a back and forth about non-native carp. However i think these threads should be allowed to flow naturally, and if that means the conversation swings wildly from the initial topic so be it. Like if we were sitting around a fire drinking beers talking about fishing. 
Catch 22 reply :
Well my vote is to kill them. I keep seeing that it doesn`t make a difference.If they silt up a bass nest or eat the eggs and prevent them from maturing, that makes no difference ?. How about other sport and forage fish, they don`t matter.
Obviously you don`t kill them in public places for all the kiddies and antis to see.
C22
deaknh03 reply :
On 7/13/2015 at 10:56 AM, Raul said:All carp are invasive, none of them are native fish, kill them.
Aren't you a veterinarian? Not cool.
Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health and welfare, the prevention and relief of animal suffering, the conservation of animal resources, the promotion of public health, and the advancement of medical knowledge.
I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity, and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics. I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence.
Neil McCauley reply :
On 7/19/2015 at 1:00 AM, Catch 22 said:Well my vote is to kill them. I keep seeing that it doesn`t make a difference.If they silt up a bass nest or eat the eggs and prevent them from maturing, that makes no difference ?. How about other sport and forage fish, they don`t matter.
Obviously you don`t kill them in public places for all the kiddies and antis to see.
C22
Yea, not sure I really understand that reasoning either.... The same could be said about any human activity that affects the environment...keeping fish out of season, litter, waste, etc. Sure, your tiny contribution has a negligible effect overall but that doesn't make it right or wrong.
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