Bighead Carp caught on the St Croix

[Ice Shack Baby]

Not Good!!!

30-pound bighead carp caught in the St. Croix

Pioneer Press

twincities.com

Posted: 04/20/2012 12:01:00 AM CDT

April 20, 2012 6:17 PM GMTUpdated: 04/20/2012 01:15:51 PM CDT

A commercial fisherman caught a 30-pound bighead carp at the mouth of the St. Croix River near Prescott, Wis., according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

The fish, caught Thursday, April 19, is the latest instance of the invasive creatures being caught in state border waters. About a dozen bighead and silver carp have been caught in the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers along Minnesota's eastern border since 1996.

The two species of Asian carp are making their way up the Mississippi, prompting state officials to devise strategies to limit their impact here. Bills providing money for barriers and scientific research await final approval in the Minnesota Legislature.

[croixflats]

Scary. Let us throw more money at the problem. OHHHHH ! I Got Goofyness to add so lets get to it. Back in the game.!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hookey]

It takes money to solve most any problem. If you "could" throw money at any of our states wildlifes problems or needs without it being deflected into someone's pocket or heading to the general fund . ie the bulk of the funds taken by the Mn state lottery. The States Sportsmen would put up the funds and progress would be made.

The one thing we all have in common other than strong an varying opinions is that if we knew every dime we put up would be spent towards habitat , fish and game we would put it up.

The State is over run with ticks, mosquitoes and other critters that suck the life out of the sportsmens dollar. No fixing that , right Uncle Ted ?

[RumRiverRat]

I saw a dead one in a harbor on Lake Pepin a couple weeks ago.

Posted a pic here.

[echotrail]

I've seen a few hundred Bighead carp in St. Paul. Take a walk into our state capital, they're floppin around all over the place.

[reinhard1]

, ya and those kind hit you in your wallet. seriously though i wonder if any commercial fishermen will net these in the future for a food source. good luck.

[Will]

I watched an outdoors show recently that showed how to clean them, wow! What a pain in the butt!

Tons of bones going at weird angles. These guys swore that it was worth it.

[Tmacman]

The most frustrating part... the government is doing nothing to slow it down. They can't be completely stopped but they can be slowed down and harvested. As far as uses... supposedly they are good to eat, otherwise grind them up and use in dog/ cat food.

[SneakAttack]

The most frustrating part... the government is doing nothing to slow it down. They can't be completely stopped but they can be slowed down and harvested. As far as uses... supposedly they are good to eat, otherwise grind them up and use in dog/ cat food.

Wish there could be something that slows them down but i dont think there is, been to Peoria Illinois and seen them first hand,they are thick, Locals say the Walleye/Sauger fishing has not changed but still nobody wants them

[RumRiverRat]

The most frustrating part... the government is doing nothing to slow it down. They can't be completely stopped but they can be slowed down and harvested. As far as uses... supposedly they are good to eat, otherwise grind them up and use in dog/ cat food.

Why is it the government's job to take care of this problem?

Is it really a problem?

[efgh]

Big headed carp would be good smoked.

[brian6715]

Why is it the government's job to take care of this problem?

Is it really a problem?

I am hoping this is sarcasm, but I don't think it is. You honestly do not believe they are a problem?

[Grum]

Why is it the government's job to take care of this problem?

Is it really a problem?

The government approved the importation of those species for use by the southern commercial fishery industries. That makes them responsible.

[Sonicrunch]

Big headed carp would be good smoked.

That's what I'm talking about.

[RumRiverRat]

I am hoping this is sarcasm, but I don't think it is. You honestly do not believe they are a problem?

No sarcasm at all.

Why is it the government's job to take care of this problem?

We need to embrace our Aquatic Invasive Species Overlords.

The solution is the sticker the DNR is requiring us to put on our boat.

It will create an AIS free zone around our boats and we will have nothing to worry about.

[Sonicrunch]

http://www.anstaskforce.gov/Documents/Carps_Management_Plan.pdf

[Down Deep]

Big headed carp would be good smoked.

Judging by what I have seen in some of the videos posted on Utube showing these fish jumping around you better really like smoked carp.

[Stick500]

wonder if MN DNR will rethink snagging bans once the bigheads and silvers are stacked up below the dams?

[James_R]

Maybe we could slap some of these AIS stickers on our Mississippi river dams in visiable locations so the carp would know what the law is and what the penaties are for entering our waters. They wouldn't be able to tell the game wardens that they didn't know.

[Stick500]

Wish there could be something that slows them down but i dont think there is, been to Peoria Illinois and seen them first hand,they are thick, Locals say the Walleye/Sauger fishing has not changed but still nobody wants them

If that last line is true (and I hope it is!), then what are we all so worried about? I understand the whole problem with skiers and boaters, but has it really been shown yet to decimate the game fishing like they are saying? I haven't seen a solid answer to that yet.....

[davidbigreelz]

i wonder if there is any business model in commercial fishing them and shipping them out as a foodstuff? could be some good money in these bigheads.

Louisianna state university says eatem, they even put out some vids on how to clean prep and he has some others that show how to cook em.

he gets into the science of contaminant contents, has 3d bone diagrams in the fillets. check it out i thought it was worth a look.

[hunterjoe]

If that last line is true (and I hope it is!), then what are we all so worried about? I understand the whole problem with skiers and boaters, but has it really been shown yet to decimate the game fishing like they are saying? I haven't seen a solid answer to that yet.....

Reminds me of the zebra mussels deal. They're all over Erie. Wonder how the smallmouth, walleye, perch fishing has declined like they fear will happen to Mille Lacs? Yeah, I know, they're not native and in a perfect world they will stay out, but I'm not too awful worried just yet. The carp do worry me more than the zebras though.

[Sonicrunch]

Judging by what I have seen in some of the videos posted on Utube showing these fish jumping around you better really like smoked carp.

[SkitterPopper]

Quote:

If that last line is true (and I hope it is!), then what are we all so worried about? I understand the whole problem with skiers and boaters, but has it really been shown yet to decimate the game fishing like they are saying? I haven't seen a solid answer to that yet.....

Sometimes you have to think about the other species besides humans that might be affected. These fish are plankton feeders and they will compete will the other native plankton feeders in the same ecosystem. One of the fish that may be affected is the Paddlefish.

Quote:

Reminds me of the zebra mussels deal. They're all over Erie. Wonder how the smallmouth, walleye, perch fishing has declined like they fear will happen to Mille Lacs? Yeah, I know, they're not native and in a perfect world they will stay out, but I'm not too awful worried just yet. The carp do worry me more than the zebras though.

Unless you step on one or grab a dock with them attached. They are very sharp and can cut you quite easily. Also, how many long term studies have been done on Lake Erie to prove that they are not hurting the fishery. If we had a 100 years of studies I would agree with you. But this is relatively new species in our waters so we are still learning what the effects will be for the long term.

I think anything done to slow the spread is a good thing. Just my .02

[harvey lee]

I would say the DNR should not spend one penny on these carp.

So many believe the DNR is wrong with everything they try and do with the AIS program, heck I would not do one thing if I was in thier position.

They have the biologists yet they do not know a thing and are presumed wrong by so many.

I will never understand that people get so upset with how the DNR tries to do things from research and other studies. I might assume that they want to try proven things and not waste one red cent or they will be scraficed by the tax payers. I understand that we all have differnet positions on each subject but we do not know much if anything about these carp other than what others tell us and God knows that could all be nothing more than garbage and wrong but others will say it is fact.

I know there are a few here in the AIS thread that must have degrees in wildlife or biology degrees as they claim that the DNR does about everything wrong trying to work with the AIS.

I hope the DNR can stop or at a minimum slow these carp down and will stand behind them 100% with whatever they try. Thats what they are there for.

No, your AIS sticker will not help.

[harvey lee]

wonder if MN DNR will rethink snagging bans once the bigheads and silvers are stacked up below the dams?

I would really doubt that.

That would give many of the so called sportsmen in Mn a good reason to snag any other specie. That would happen.

[harvey lee]

Maybe we could slap some of these AIS stickers on our Mississippi river dams in visiable locations so the carp would know what the law is and what the penaties are for entering our waters. They wouldn't be able to tell the game wardens that they didn't know.

That might work James but I do not believe they can read english. The carp may also not swim by the decal. You would have to talk to them and explain to them they have to leave. Then they would agrue with that and swim away and laugh at this.

[nate larson]

I think the DNR should stop [PoorWordUsage] money away on zebs and use all their AIS dollars to stop the carp. These are a much bigger threat than milfoil and zebs...besides we are too late to do much about them.

[harvey lee]

Both are a huge issue and we can try to fix both. Leaving them alone will do nothing. The carp are here just like all the other AIS. We need to try and do something other than just let either of them go.

The DNR has thier hands tied until the legislature decides to fund some project to try and do anything. No money or funds, no projects.

[nate larson]

I agree that they are both issues. And I agree that our legislative system is slow and broken. I would just like to see us focus our efforts more on the bighead and jumping carp. I don't honestly think the zebs are that big of an issue.