Asian carp have reproduced in Great Lakes !!! Not good news

[fishindevil]

We had a fish this year take 1000 ft of 65 lb braid without stopping or slowing or turning and no amount of drag or thumbs would slow it down. Ever had a brown do that? My point wasnt to make the other fish seem lesser but to make kings seem like the legitimate top three fighting fish in ontario that they are. Which they are hands down

you are 100% right my friend nothing fights like a 30lb angry silver king !!!!! Muskies don't even come close to pulling like a silver king !!!!!!!

[Gnote]

I wasnt on the rod, but i watched him crank the drag. And even thumb the line.the reel was starting to pull out of its seat in the rod, i was frankly amazed something didnt break before it snapped the backing

[BillM]

I wasnt on the rod, but i watched him crank the drag. And even thumb the line.the reel was starting to pull out of its seat in the rod, i was frankly amazed something didnt break before it snapped the backing

 

It's too bad you didn't get video of that I love those long screamer runs.

[Gnote]

I want to get a go pro but have had more pressing financial issues. Trying for next season.

[ketchenany]

It's too bad you didn't get video of that I love those long screamer runs.

You just love "screamers," fishing or not.

[BillM]

You just love "screamers," fishing or not.

 

I will not confirm or deny this

[Gnote]

Who doesnt:)

[Steve]

kings are CRAZY!!!!

I love 'em --- and nothing beats a wire dipsy hit ... agreed 100%

 

i was just replying to gallie who commented that trout are too small to be fun.

[manitoubass2]

You guys are all wrong! Nothing, and i mean NOTHING fights like a bluegill hitting a 1/122oz jig on 75lb braid and a 7'14" heavy action rod...

[Rod Caster]

electro-fishing is used without harm to fish all the time...why not electro-fish in areas where/when the carp spawn and then just remove the unwanted species? Do this for a month over several years and this would surely make a good dent in a population. Electro-fishing programs cannot be that expensive or difficult to initiate and run, quickly...if they wait and the fish spread too much then good-luck covering that tab no matter what option is chosen thereafter.

[John Bacon]

electro-fishing is used without harm to fish all the time...why not electro-fish in areas where/when the carp spawn and then just remove the unwanted species? Do this for a month over several years and this would surely make a good dent in a population. Electro-fishing programs cannot be that expensive or difficult to initiate and run, quickly...if they wait and the fish spread too much then good-luck covering that tab no matter what option is chosen thereafter.

 

Good idea; that may work if the population is still confined to a small area. It won't eliminate them once they spread but could control their numbers.

[ehg]

First off that's great .

 

But in all honesty I think while obviously not good if they get in, I doubt it'll be the abolute disaster people are predicting. Zebra mussles and gobies and cormorants were supposed to destroy the great lakes. And with all these invasives our fisheries are still strong. Sure there have been impacts, but our native species have adapted.

 

Part of the reason I suspect they won't overtake the lakes is lack of food. Their primary food is phtyoplankton and while certain areas are bad and would become hotspots (western Erie), as a whole plankton populations in the lakes are low, and have been dropping. You can thank the mussels and gobies for that - they're concentrating production in the benthos where it wouldn't be available to filterfeeding carp. Maybe the mussles and gobies are excatly what'll keep them down?

 

Also what do you think the odds are they found the first and only ones in a population. They've likely already been around for years, most invasives have been before they're recognized.

 

Another great post that shows clear thought. Thanks for effort.

 

Only 2 Bighead Carp have been found in Great Lakes. That was in Sandusky bay, Lake Erie, Ohio. in year 2000 and 2003.

No Silver Carp have been found in Great Lakes. Grass Carp have been around 30 yrs. plus and are prized by Carp fisherman.

 

My gut feeling is that Bighead, Silver Carp, which are phyloplankton filter feeders, aren't taking in the clear, cold Great Lakes.

 

They have had decades of opportunity.

[Gnote]

I hope you are right

[hammercarp]

There two other large filter feeding fish that have access to the great lakes. Paddle fish and big mouth buffalo fish . Both are native. They don't seem to do that well in the great lakes. So maybe the bigheads and silvers won't either.

[ehg]

There two other large filter feeding fish that have access to the great lakes. Paddle fish and big mouth buffalo fish . Both are native. They don't seem to do that well in the great lakes. So maybe the bigheads and silvers won't either.

 

Yup,

Paddlefish were last found in Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, Ohio 80 yrs. ago, they feed like Bighead and Silver Carp...

More than likely Great Lakes aren't good habitat for these things.

[jimmer]

electro-fishing is used without harm to fish all the time...why not electro-fish in areas where/when the carp spawn and then just remove the unwanted species? Do this for a month over several years and this would surely make a good dent in a population. Electro-fishing programs cannot be that expensive or difficult to initiate and run, quickly...if they wait and the fish spread too much then good-luck covering that tab no matter what option is chosen thereafter.

Not quite sure why they haven't tried something like this yet. Maybe they have. I know they have been netting them and feeding the hungry in the US. Hopefully they won't take in the Great Lakes, but if they do, I say close the Trent system to avoid their spread into the Kawarthas.

[Steelheadphycho]

You guys are all wrong! Nothing, and i mean NOTHING fights like a bluegill hitting a 1/122oz jig on 75lb braid and a 7'14" heavy action rod...

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!!!

 

 

That's like Jack Russell sled dogs!