Carp

I went fishing the other day and caught 2 bass and 9 carp. The bass were
too small to keep, so they went back in the water. The carp ranged in
size from about 2 pounds to one that was probably close to 10. Guess
where they ended up? On the bank, where they belong. The only good carp
is a dead carp. I've never thrown a carp back in the water, and I never
will.


Super_Duper wrote:
http://www.texasfishingforum.com/.ub...1;t=008041;p=1


The "Trash Fish Label" is a bit of mistaken Cause and Effect.

Back during the industrialization of America, natural water ways were
being diverted, dammed, drained, and polluted. This coupled with
freshwater commercial fishing lead to the not so surprising situation of
declining natural fish stocks. The US goverment was well aware of the
problem. After much research, they decided that one solution to the
problem was to import and stock Cyprinus Carpio - aka Carp.

There reasoning was that carp were hardy enought to survive the less
than ideal conditions men had created. Additionally, carp could produce
plenty of protein on very little sustenance. Finally, the large
immigrant communities were hungry for a taste of home.

So, the US government set about on one of the most successful stocking
programs in history. In the 1890's German fish were imported and stocked
as brood stock in ponds near Washington DC and MD. From there shipments
were made upon request to virtually every congressional district in the
USA. People asked, and the gov't provided.

Then a couple of things happened. Water quality due to pollution,
fertilizers, and altered water ways continued to decline. People began
to notice that in some cases the only survivors were carp. Instead of
admiring the carp's tenacity and mending our own ways, Americans began
blaming carp for the problem of declining native fish stocks. Not too
logical since carp were a response to the problem rather than the cause
of the problem.

A second event deepened the perception. The invention of refridgerated
shipping. Before this event, fish were mostly a local fresh food item.
After this invention, salt water species could be caught hundreds of
miles away and provided to the country's interior in an edible state.
Needless to say, the freshwater commercial fisheries took a huge hit as
diets turned from local fresh water fish like carp and buffalo to tasty
sal****er products like salmon, flounder, etc.

It was not long before a stigma was attached to carp. Being nearly the
sole survivor of man's abuse, they were blamed for displacing more
desireable species. It mattered not that the waters in question were
often incapable of now supporting the favored species.

Those who could not afford fancy fish shipped from the sea, would
continue to eat local fare like carp. It was not long before folks began
using carp consumption as yet another racial stereotype.

Politicians being quick to recognize a scapegoat, were more than happy
to decry the evil carp, especially since it helped avoid blame for
industrial pollution, agricultural run off, excessive irrigation,
channelization, etc. etc.

Without an advocate to defend her, the Queen of the Rivers (as noted by
Izaak Walton) came to be regarded as a scourge, a pest, a "TRASHFISH."

Once ingrained in the culture, such labels are hard to shed. I see it
continuing yet today...
A man and his son are enjoying a warm spring afternoon fishing worms for
bass or catfish or walleye or whatever. Suddenly, the little boy's pole
doubles over. For about 10 minutes all is joy. Dad smiling, Jr.
squealing with glee. Then a large golden flank roles near the surface
and a pair of fleshy orange lips poke above the water.

Father's face falls. F'ing carp. Too bad. It's so ugly. Junior now
doesn't know whether to be happy or sad about this, the grandest fish he
has ever caught. Taking his cues from dad, he spits on the fish and
curses it. Dad tells him to throw it in the bushes and they get back to
catching their intended, smaller fish. Lesson Learned.

Scroll forward a few years and Jr. signs on the a place like the TFF.
Carp are mention and Jr has a visceral negative reaction.

Such a scenario will not quickly change. However, there are an
increasing number who have discovered that all is not as it appears.
Join the fun, become a part of the "Carp Brigade."

--------------------
Brian "Carpaholic" Nordberg

That's some reading comprehension you got there.

"Jay C" wrote in message
link.net...
I went fishing the other day and caught 2 bass and 9 carp. The bass were
too small to keep, so they went back in the water. The carp ranged in
size from about 2 pounds to one that was probably close to 10. Guess
where they ended up? On the bank, where they belong. The only good carp
is a dead carp. I've never thrown a carp back in the water, and I never
will.


Super_Duper wrote:

http://www.texasfishingforum.com/.ub...1;t=008041;p=1


The "Trash Fish Label" is a bit of mistaken Cause and Effect.

Back during the industrialization of America, natural water ways were
being diverted, dammed, drained, and polluted. This coupled with
freshwater commercial fishing lead to the not so surprising situation of
declining natural fish stocks. The US goverment was well aware of the
problem. After much research, they decided that one solution to the
problem was to import and stock Cyprinus Carpio - aka Carp.

There reasoning was that carp were hardy enought to survive the less
than ideal conditions men had created. Additionally, carp could produce
plenty of protein on very little sustenance. Finally, the large
immigrant communities were hungry for a taste of home.

So, the US government set about on one of the most successful stocking
programs in history. In the 1890's German fish were imported and stocked
as brood stock in ponds near Washington DC and MD. From there shipments
were made upon request to virtually every congressional district in the
USA. People asked, and the gov't provided.

Then a couple of things happened. Water quality due to pollution,
fertilizers, and altered water ways continued to decline. People began
to notice that in some cases the only survivors were carp. Instead of
admiring the carp's tenacity and mending our own ways, Americans began
blaming carp for the problem of declining native fish stocks. Not too
logical since carp were a response to the problem rather than the cause
of the problem.

A second event deepened the perception. The invention of refridgerated
shipping. Before this event, fish were mostly a local fresh food item.
After this invention, salt water species could be caught hundreds of
miles away and provided to the country's interior in an edible state.
Needless to say, the freshwater commercial fisheries took a huge hit as
diets turned from local fresh water fish like carp and buffalo to tasty
sal****er products like salmon, flounder, etc.

It was not long before a stigma was attached to carp. Being nearly the
sole survivor of man's abuse, they were blamed for displacing more
desireable species. It mattered not that the waters in question were
often incapable of now supporting the favored species.

Those who could not afford fancy fish shipped from the sea, would
continue to eat local fare like carp. It was not long before folks began
using carp consumption as yet another racial stereotype.

Politicians being quick to recognize a scapegoat, were more than happy
to decry the evil carp, especially since it helped avoid blame for
industrial pollution, agricultural run off, excessive irrigation,
channelization, etc. etc.

Without an advocate to defend her, the Queen of the Rivers (as noted by
Izaak Walton) came to be regarded as a scourge, a pest, a "TRASHFISH."

Once ingrained in the culture, such labels are hard to shed. I see it
continuing yet today...
A man and his son are enjoying a warm spring afternoon fishing worms for
bass or catfish or walleye or whatever. Suddenly, the little boy's pole
doubles over. For about 10 minutes all is joy. Dad smiling, Jr.
squealing with glee. Then a large golden flank roles near the surface
and a pair of fleshy orange lips poke above the water.

Father's face falls. F'ing carp. Too bad. It's so ugly. Junior now
doesn't know whether to be happy or sad about this, the grandest fish he
has ever caught. Taking his cues from dad, he spits on the fish and
curses it. Dad tells him to throw it in the bushes and they get back to
catching their intended, smaller fish. Lesson Learned.

Scroll forward a few years and Jr. signs on the a place like the TFF.
Carp are mention and Jr has a visceral negative reaction.

Such a scenario will not quickly change. However, there are an
increasing number who have discovered that all is not as it appears.
Join the fun, become a part of the "Carp Brigade."

--------------------
Brian "Carpaholic" Nordberg

"I.Epstein" wrote in message
news:INeve.1525$cz6.226@trndny07...
That's some reading comprehension you got there.


Instead of reviling the carp, lets restore the waterways, and the native
populations.

(Yes I know bass aren't native to Arizona, but trout are.)

--
Bob La Londe
http://www.YumaBassMan.com

Exactly.

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...

"I.Epstein" wrote in message
news:INeve.1525$cz6.226@trndny07...
That's some reading comprehension you got there.


Instead of reviling the carp, lets restore the waterways, and the native
populations.

(Yes I know bass aren't native to Arizona, but trout are.)

--
Bob La Londe
http://www.YumaBassMan.com

From: "Bob La Londe"

|
| "I.Epstein" wrote in message
| news:INeve.1525$cz6.226@trndny07...
That's some reading comprehension you got there.

| Instead of reviling the carp, lets restore the waterways, and the native
| populations.
|
| (Yes I know bass aren't native to Arizona, but trout are.)
|
| --
| Bob La Londe
| http://www.YumaBassMan.com
|

Some fish have been have been stocked in waters w/o detrimental effects. Example ate
American Shad and Striped Bass.

Striped Bass were taken off my beach here in NJ and brought to California and have had no
problems with competion with native species and are a good sport fish now on the Left Coast.

The American Shad was taken from NY's Hudson River and also brought to Califonia. They too
have had no problems with competion with native species and are a good sport fish now on the
Left Coast.

Other fish on the otherhand are a BIG problem in the US For example the Jumping Carp and
the Snakefish.

--
Dave
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
http://www.ik-cs.com/got-a-virus.htm

Other fish on the otherhand are a BIG problem in the US For example the
Jumping Carp and
the Snakefish.

Snakeheads are not the big problem they are being made out to be. They have
been around in East Coast Rivers for well over 20 years now and going
against predictions have not forced out native species. They have had very
little impact. The press got ahold of the Snakehead story and blew it out of
proportion without noting they have been around for a long time.

From: "Jeff"

|
| Other fish on the otherhand are a BIG problem in the US For example the
| Jumping Carp and
the Snakefish.

| Snakeheads are not the big problem they are being made out to be. They have
| been around in East Coast Rivers for well over 20 years now and going
| against predictions have not forced out native species. They have had very
| little impact. The press got ahold of the Snakehead story and blew it out of
| proportion without noting they have been around for a long time.
|

Thatnks. I had incorrectly called the the "snakefish" rather than "Snakeheads".

--
Dave
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
http://www.ik-cs.com/got-a-virus.htm

Yeah, why does everyone misunderstand the point of the original post?

So many waters are so far gone that the only fish that can thrive in
them anymore are carp. Carp aren't causing the damage, they are
*surviving* the damage. Learn how to fish for them now, because before
you know it, they're gonna be all that's left.

In my own home region, people keep speculating that the reason alewives
are not coming up the rivers from the ocean to spawn is that carp are
eating their eggs. It's not 150 years of garbage we poured into the
rivers that's killing the alewives, it's the carp. Sure.

My point is that the issue of carp seems to be the only time fishermen
(and women) get all 'ecological.' Fishermen should be fighting for
environmental protection every day. If you fish and you don't care
about the environment, you should be fishing for carp.

ps--where my wife's family comes from in Europe, carp are not native
(they're native to Asia) but I've caught carp and trout in the same
river there. Nobody's afraid that the trout fishery will be destroyed
by carp. But then, carp stocks are pretty low because think that
catch-and-release carp fishing is absolutely crazy. They love to eat
carp so much they have it for dinner on Christmas eve.



David H. Lipman wrote:
From: "Bob La Londe"

|
| "I.Epstein" wrote in message
| news:INeve.1525$cz6.226@trndny07...

That's some reading comprehension you got there.


| Instead of reviling the carp, lets restore the waterways, and the native
| populations.
|
| (Yes I know bass aren't native to Arizona, but trout are.)
|
| --
| Bob La Londe
| http://www.YumaBassMan.com
|

Some fish have been have been stocked in waters w/o detrimental effects. Example ate
American Shad and Striped Bass.

Striped Bass were taken off my beach here in NJ and brought to California and have had no
problems with competion with native species and are a good sport fish now on the Left Coast.

The American Shad was taken from NY's Hudson River and also brought to Califonia. They too
have had no problems with competion with native species and are a good sport fish now on the
Left Coast.

Other fish on the otherhand are a BIG problem in the US For example the Jumping Carp and
the Snakefish.

nobody wrote:
Yeah, why does everyone misunderstand the point of the original post?

So many waters are so far gone that the only fish that can thrive in
them anymore are carp. Carp aren't causing the damage, they are
*surviving* the damage. Learn how to fish for them now, because before
you know it, they're gonna be all that's left.

Hell man I don't know where you live ,but around here the water quality
has improved a hundred fold in the last 35 years, we have creeks that
were totally lifeless 35 years ago teaming with all kinds of fish now ,
from bass to cats, I know of no waters within 100 miles of my
house,,well really, I personally no none in the whole state that will
only support carp

--
Rodney Long,
Inventor of the Long Shot "WIGGLE" rig, SpecTastic Thread
Boomerang Fishing Pro. ,Stand Out Hooks ,Stand Out Lures,
Mojo's Rock Hopper & Rig Saver weights, Decoy Activator
and the EZKnot http://www.ezknot.com

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...

"I.Epstein" wrote in message
news:INeve.1525$cz6.226@trndny07...
That's some reading comprehension you got there.


Instead of reviling the carp, lets restore the waterways, and the native
populations.

(Yes I know bass aren't native to Arizona, but trout are.)

Nor are most trout. Only the Apache Trout is a native to Arizona.