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Asian Carp?

Volffas

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
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Location
Alexandria, KY
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2007
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
23
Just curious if anyone boats in an area full of Asian carp? Is your experience like the video below or is it not too bad? Are you concerned they might get worse? Have local officials said anything about them?



I know the guy is laughing and I'm sure it would be funny to see, but it really isn't a laughing matter. The invasive species is spreading like wildfire and fears are very real that they will get into the great lakes and destroy the fishing industry. Here is a recent article in National Geographic explaining just how close the fish are getting to the Great Lakes; http://news.nationalgeographic.com/...carp-upper-mississippi-invasive-species-fish/


Last year on Kentucky and Barkley lakes the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife sponsored a carp fishing tournament where almost 83,000 pounds of carp were brought in by commercial fisherman. Here is good article and video; http://fw.ky.gov/Fish/Pages/Asian-Carp-Information.aspx



I would really like to hear some first hand stories of dealings with these fish.
 
@007 and @OperationROL have a video of them wakesurfing and one jumps in the boat!

Yes...they are VERY concerned about them getting into the Great Lakes! There is an "electric fence" in the Chicago river (more than one I think) that puts a charge in the water that they are hoping will keep them out. Something about them not liking it.....so far it is working....
 
@007 and @OperationROL have a video of them wakesurfing and one jumps in the boat!

Yes...they are VERY concerned about them getting into the Great Lakes! There is an "electric fence" in the Chicago river (more than one I think) that puts a charge in the water that they are hoping will keep them out. Something about them not liking it.....so far it is working....


I remember reading an article about the electric fence(s) that they use around Chicago. It was very interesting. I think one of the issues with the fence(s) is that you can't drive your boat through them, you have to get the boat pulled out of the water and hauled up or down river on the river bank. I will have to see if I can find more about that. It's been a long time ago, but I'm pretty sure that was the deal.
 
@007 and @OperationROL have a video of them wakesurfing and one jumps in the boat!

Hopefully they will post the video, that would be interesting to see. I bet a fish jumping in the boat would get your attention REAL quick.
 
That is taken on the Illinois River near Pere Marquette State Park about 5 miles north of the confluence with the Mississippi. They are worse during spawning season and in shallow beds near the shore. They are way worse up river near Peoria!
 
That is taken on the Illinois River near Pere Marquette State Park about 5 miles north of the confluence with the Mississippi. They are worse during spawning season and in shallow beds near the shore. They are way worse up river near Peoria!

I really hope they don't get that bad around here. They have been found in the Ohio River near Cincinnati but they aren't very bad yet. Sometimes when we go out I will see a fish jump close to the boat and wonder if it was an Asian Carp.

I think the hope/dream is to find a drug cocktail that will make the Asian carp impotent but leave all of the native fish alone. At this time I think it is a long shot at best. But it seems like they have lots of people working on finding a "fix" so here's hoping someone comes up with something soon!
 
Since I do most of my boating on Pool 9 of the Mississippi, this concerns me greatly. I'm ok with the occasional Bald Eagle dropping a Sheephead on our boat but hundreds flying through the air while I'm trying to get to a beach sounds awful.


Read this just a few days ago
http://lacrossetribune.com/news/loc...cle_2af90c32-3656-51be-98fb-66b4a6c4c13f.html


250 miles upstream of their last know spawning ground seems like a long way. But as with all rivers it probably is a lot less distance "as the crow flies". Still you have to wonder how many of the eggs get to new places on the feet or wings of ducks and birds.
 
@Volffas I remember hearing about live ones being caught even further north over the last few years. I believe fairly close to the Twin Cities. I think there was talk of even permanently closing a Lock up there to prevent them getting up further.
 
On the Suwannee River in Florida we have been dealing with Sturgeon the last few years. These prehistoric fish have been responsible for alot of injuries and a fatality on the river.
 
I really hope they don't get that bad around here. They have been found in the Ohio River near Cincinnati but they aren't very bad yet. Sometimes when we go out I will see a fish jump close to the boat and wonder if it was an Asian Carp.

I think the hope/dream is to find a drug cocktail that will make the Asian carp impotent but leave all of the native fish alone. At this time I think it is a long shot at best. But it seems like they have lots of people working on finding a "fix" so here's hoping someone comes up with something soon!

Thet have spread a lot more than most people realize. Unfortunately, the have no natural preditors, so their populations increase pretty rapidly. This map is taken from a site referencing it from the Amry Corps of Engineers

carp_id_plate_7a.jpg


"Asian carp have been found in fisheries from Colorado to New Jersey and from North Dakota to Florida, according to a map released recently by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Asian Carp Distribution in North America” displays the presence of bighead and silver carp at all life stages, as well as black carp and grass carp occurrences. Since three bighead carp have been collected in the western basin over the years by commercial fishermen, Lake Erie is one of the green shaded areas, which indicates the presence of at least one adult fish. (This is not the map shown above. Go to link to see more detailed map.)
Not surprisingly, the most intense infestation is in the Mississippi and Missouri River watersheds, including the Illinois River, which connects to Lake Michigan via the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.
On the positive side, no Asian carp have been found above the canal’s electric barriers during the past two years, despite hundreds of interagency monitoring trips, including 192 hours of electrofishing and 82 miles of netting.
But on the southeast side of the Mississippi River watershed, meanwhile, Asian carp are a growing problem for the Tennessee River and especially Kentucky Lake.
"Asian Carp by the thousands are flooding Kentucky Lake, causing a problem for fishermen, regular boaters and the other fish. With no natural predators the Asian carp are single-handedly eating the entire food supply, reports WBBJ."
 
There are some YouTube videos of guys shooting them out of the air with shotguns.

:thumbsup:
 
I hope they don't get up here that would suck!
 
Some of those videos are disturbing. Our only defense up here is really cold water. Not sure if thats enough. We have lakes here that someone has introduced non-native fish like perch. The Fisheries have to poison those lakes and then restock them. Cam
 
There is a company opening in Grafton, Il which is a Mississippi River town near St. Louis, that sole purpose is to catch and export the Asian carp. Along with processing for other uses. Apparently it's gonna be a big business. Hopefully it helps.
 
I heard about that awhile back Stendy, but haven't heard any updates since. Weren't they gonna make dog food or something out of the fish?
 
Yes, I read something along those lines. I think with the bi product of the fish. I think the fish is supposed to be exported to Asian country's and sold as a fresh water fish. I think the place is supposed to open pretty soon.
 
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