What do you think about these carp?  

Just what we need some people that think that it is alright to release trash fish that will destroy the waters for other fishes.

If you're an avid sport fisherman, you probably don't think much about carp. That doesn't mean that old buglemouth isn't in the news.

Bass Times, the 'Official Publication of the World's Best Bass Anglers', features an article it's May issue about the debilitating impact of carp in a fishery. Writer Mike Pehanich explains how a model backwater restoration and one of the hottest bass fisheries in the Midwest is now being crippled by a carp population explosion. Near record growth rates for largemouth bass and other gamefish in Hennepin and Hopper Lakes were attributed to an ecosytem anchored by a variety of native plants abundant in the lakes. According to Wayne Herndon, district biologist for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources "Most of that vegetation has disappeared."

Millions of dollars are spent each year to try and control the damage done by common carp. Entire lakes are sometimes poisoned as a last resort.

Meanwhile...California and Texas Carp Sanctuaries?
California's Santee Lakes cite "concern over impacts during spawning season: Carp are now designated as "NO TAKE". All Carp fishing must be catch and release until further notice. ...noncompliance fee: $150.00 per violations."
You read that correctly. Catch and release only. Before you blame the water in California, note that the same idea is taking hold in Texas. Director of Inland Fisheries, Phil Durocher pledged to work with carp angling groups to have Town Lake classified as a "trophy carp water".
As such, a maximum length limit would be imposed to prevent harvest of trophy sized carp. So now apparently Texas will limit carp harvest to the detriment of other fishes like Bass and crappie and shiners and sunfish of all types. According to a post on a carp angling message board, "Needless to say we are extremely happy but we are not out of the woods yet. There will probably be a backlash from the bass fishermen."

According to Robert Rice, president of the conservation group Carpbusters.com "The backlash may not be from just the bass fishermen but also all other sportsfishermen and women who believe that fishing regulations should be based on science and not the appeasement of a group who's special interest happens to be a destructive non-native exotic fish."

For more information on the Carp Sanctuaries go to: www.carpbusters.com

More carp in the news:

British angler Graham Slaughter has caught the new world record carp that weighed a whopping 88.6lbs. Caught in France's Rainbow Lake, the big fish took 20 minutes to land. Read more about the catch here: http://www.worksoptoday.c...

Beginning in August, it will be illegal to transport live silver carp and large-scale silver carp across state lines. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved the ban in an effort to limit the spread of these invasive fish. Silver carp are the so-called 'flying fish' that you may have seen in video clips. One trip to the Illinois River and you'll understand what a problem these fish are creating. If there's any upside to the fish, it's that they are a challenging bowfishing target.

Speaking of bowfishing, a new bowfishing record grass carp taken was taken this Spring. An 84.5lb Grass carp, also known as white amur, was taken by Paul Gragg of Missouri during the Muzzy Classic Bowfishing tournament on Lake Guntersville in
Alabama