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Why Not Fish For Carp???

4616 Views 33 Replies 18 Participants Last post by  Nawanda
I was reading a report in the reports section on 11-mile and it turned into a thread about carp. People snagging them, bow fishing for them and other people saying when you catch one to NOT throw it back. Why???? Why shouldn't a carp get the respect that any other fish does? I never keep fish to eat so its not like im going to starve if I catch one so why not? Their Big, ez to catch and are in almost every body of water in Co. and not mention they fight really well. What other fish in colorado averages over 5lbs and over 20lbs and can be caught almost anywhere?

I just dont understand why they are so looked down upon? I for one am going to target them this summer. HELL, You catch a 10lb walleye and a 10lb carp and tell me which fights better? You catch a 10lb eye and your god, you catch a 10lb carp and your lame....why is that? I fish to catch fish. I dont really care what it is as long as I have a good time catching it.

IMO


-Jay
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G
Jay_In_Parker said:
I was reading a report in the reports section on 11-mile and it turned into a thread about carp. People snagging them, bow fishing for them and other people saying when you catch one to NOT throw it back. Why???? Why shouldn't a carp get the respect that any other fish does? I never keep fish to eat so its not like im going to starve if I catch one so why not? Their Big, ez to catch and are in almost every body of water in Co. and not mention they fight really well. What other fish in colorado averages over 5lbs and over 20lbs and can be caught almost anywhere?

I just dont understand why they are so looked down upon? I for one am going to target them this summer.

IMO


-Jay
They stink.

I call them freshwater bonefish. Makes them more prestigious.
I like fishing for them and do put them back. The only down side I see with them is once you find them they are pretty easy to catch. Wait a minute WHAT KIND OF DOWNSIDE IS THAT! ;D
Carp are a ton of fun. I could not agree any more. Man I have had some good times fishing for those big monsters. My uncle and I would go out to Boyd, (when the fishing was good,before the beaching! ;D) and catch fish all night long!!! They fight very well, and provide constantly good fishing. Carp are Colorado's cat fish.
G
I was thinking about ppostiong something like this. I couldn't agree more. The only time I keep a fish is if I hook the gill somehow and it's gonna die anyway. I'm down for carp any day. I have seen them lying on the banks, like people used to do with gar back in illinois and texas. I'm really not down with that.... if I don't like catching trout (i do actually) but if i didnt, i still wouldnt throw the thing on the bank! Strong feelings on this one..a fish is a fish, don't throw them on the bank. :mad:
Well, that answers my questions in another thread. It's the carp that cause the waters to deteriorate. I am now in favor of killing them (but not torturing them). I would think a dead carp can be used for fertilizer?
Please!!!!! Thats like saying we should do away with all the trout on the Keni river in AK because they fake the salmon into droping their eggs so they can eat them and it is hurting the spawing.

Im sure every fish can be said to be bad for other fish or for the water in some way. In Japan Carp are king and they want to do away with Bass like we do Carp. Its all in what/who you read. My point is that unless the DOW calls for a fish kill on all carp than put them back and enjoy catching them!!!!


IMO


-Jay
i belive that to jay
if you dont like carp just put them back
and let the people that like them have fun with
them
my kids love to catch them and some days when the
only thing biting is the bugs
i will catch them too
I would say the same thing about trout if it caused the number of other fish to dramatically fall. It just seems to me that we lose opportunities to fish for cats, bass, wipers and trout when carp overrun a particular body of water. I know, I know, we can't sovle the problem by killing them one at a time. But I do wish carp would not make fishing for other species worse....

IMO
Carp are here to stay. a great site for carp gear and bait is www.royalcarp.com I reccomend the Royal Scopex Boilies I have used them in ponds here in North Denver and had awsome results. Carp are not easy to catch as some people have said, they are a smart fish and have a very soft mouth so when they dive into the weeds they will throw the hook. I will try to post some pics of my best carp, one was 17.5 lbs out of a pond of less than 2 acres.
Jay-I agree 100%-fact is I'm gonna target them this year up at 11 Mile. Bought some Uncle Josh carp bait at Walmart last week. I got a friend who says-if we could teach them to jump we wouldn't even be talking about bass!! :eek: Ed
The reason a lot of people don't like carp is because it is a "trash fish" and not good eating. Historically, people didn't fish for fun, they fished for food. That has changed, but many attitudes about carp still remain.

Personally, I think they are great fun to catch and I put them back when I catch them because they taste disgusting anyway.
Thanks for everyones input. I just think every fish has a right to be here. If you don't like carp than don't fish for them. If you catch one than put it back, it isn't our place to say weather they live or die.Like I said: If the DOW starts telling people to take some out of the waters than so be it but till than ill keep putting them back!!!

And Hell, we brought them to this country so blame the people that brought them here, not the fish.


-Jay
No matter what even if you dont like carp if you hook into one the fight is usually good and you think you have a monster on. Then when you get it to the boat, shore, net you are either OH crap its a carp or your like dang that was awesome.
I normally dont go to a water to target carp, but if I am not catching anything and I know there are carp in there I'll switch and try catching one.
:p  I don't like carp because the "cool" crowd doesn't either..  :p

Lighten up guys.. There are folks who don't mind carp and those who do. As for me, I don't care for em just cause I'm a drone of this hive we all call society. So when I get one, it's no big deal (I only act like it aint) to me and my buddies. Truthfully, in my head, I'll be saying, "Woww!!! That was one killer fight!"

Shhh.. Don't tell no one I told you all that. It'll ruin my reputation.  ;D

Anyway, back to the matter at hand. I'll agree with throwin em back. Can't kill off the population by just throwing one back for each time you catch one so there's no point. Plus, I was never too fond of throwin em all over the shoreline which I've seen people do at Boulder Reservoir. It stinks up the shoreline if ya ask me. "Ewe..."

I don't like carp, but I'll spare em.. Especially because the smell of dead carp on the shoreline wont spare nobody.

I rest my case....

HAPPY FISHING EVERYBODY!!
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My kids and I love to fish for carp. We throw them back to be caught another day. If a person really thinks they need to thin out the population of carp in a body of water, you can usually find a carp afficionado out there who will take them off your hands. Another idea is burying it in your garden. They make great fertilizer for roses. But anyway don't be a slob and toss them on the bank.

Dan
I bought a 8wt fly rod just to catch carp. I will not go looking for them but if the oppertunity is there.......
Can somebody post a picture of the flies they use for carp or if not, then maybe a description of those flies or their names? Ed
That would be great! I was just going to try big dry flies when they are sucking the surface or a woolly bugger.
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