Asian carp have been seen from various Facebook videos jumping up at the dam at bass camp . What’s the status on Pool 4 and pepin ? Have any made it there from any netting efforts of years past ? Any predictions before how long there’s a population there and how long before it takes effect on the fishery ? DNR was pictured there trying to net them but sounds like fightings loosing battle . Not good to see .
I heard that about bass camp (Wittman dam) area. I would think with all the high water this spring that they made there way further north than that? I would guess with the major flooding this spring is why they are this far north kind of all of a sudden. Ya not good.
Silver carp, bigheads, other??? Many “Asian carp”
Assume you mean silvers if you say they are jumping but there’s a few flavors of them out there.
A couple of years back (Nick I think?) from the DNR in Lake City shared a big digital piece of information about studies and options related to the Asian Carp advancement up the Mississippi. I know that high water years was an obvious issue, as were some pools having more access points for the fish to advance (flooded dikes, culverts, etc). I believe one option was some sort of aeration system that created a screen of turbulent water mixed with either lights or sounds installed at a dam that had shown the ability to turn the Asian carp away. However this was quite expensive and I believe anything related to something like this was axed from the most recent spending bill.
My random guesses playing armchair biologist:
I think it will take them a while to establish populations further north than Pools 6-9, but once they’re here there’s no eradicating them. I don’t think they’re going to wipe out a fishery but they will become a nuisance and certain areas with favorable conditions will become overrun with them. Other areas of Pool 4 may only have sparse populations of them. With how nutrient rich Pool 4 is and how warm the waters get on Pepin in the summer, it could unfortunately create quite a population hub for them. They likely won’t decimate any one fish species but will carve out some of the available biomass for the system, being a net negative for all other populations.
It’d be nice to see more public outcry or awareness on the subject. But anglers and boaters regularly prove to be fairly unorganized and uninformed on topics that impact their recreation. You would think this topic would be brought up more often around here.
I know a little about Asian Carp. Just enough to get it wrong.
I know it’s going to take 100’s to get a breeding population (because of the way they reproduce).
They need 14 miles or more of river that has slack water (like a bay) at the end.
I’m not a fan of spending millions, no billions of $$ to stop something that might not happen or in the worse case, can’t stop.
I believe it was 2019 during the flooding when anglers were snagging Silvers on the St Croix by the power plant. Five if I remember correctly. The DNR came out and started netting…nothing.
I’m not saying there weren’t more there, just saying their nets came up empty.
I didn’t hear anything about the commercial fishermen netting anything near Prescott this year.
PS I’m more concerned about the MN river then the others.
Here’s a link to your post in 2021 Bucky. Still good info.
Man…this is going from bad to worse.
I’m up to 6 different videos posted by anglers of Asian Carp in the last few days shared on Social Media. If they’re at Pool 5A and visible to the naked eye while fishing for most people, the “only a matter of time” phrase comes to mind…and the time is now.
Again I’m not a sky is falling guy, but Pool 4 is so diverse that once they’re in it and established they will find a way to continue reproduction and box out native species.
For as good as the walleye, sauger, and perch fishing is and relative health of the fishery right now…this will only have negative impacts.
Pool 4 also has a huge (non fishing) recreational boating network that is going to take a hit if/when more of these fish establish a population. When you run down the channels at the foot of Pepin, there can easily be 400-500 boats beached and cruising the area on a holiday weekend.
Interesting about the silvers in the croix – so they are obviously already through pepin then or ? Was it ever confirmed silvers ? I have a hard time believing that .
I have limited experience with them on the Missouri River and it’s absolutely crazy how many of them there can be in one area . They absolutely hate current though and will push in any current break , wingdams , creeks , drainage ditches, boat launches ect . ice anglers will snag them through the ice though – so they aren’t intolerant to cold .
Also – when you circle them up in your boat then throw it In reverse they all pile in your boat – really funny to get the Mrs worked up till you realize they shat all over when hitting the carpet .
I know they have been netted in pool 2. Not sure when the last time was.
shat all over
joy.
Today there were photos shared of guys who caught them at Pool 5a and noted dozens jumping in the area.
I guess if the river fishing goes to sh** in the coming years and native species get boxed out, I can finally get all my work done that I put off every fishing season. That’s the optimist in me 
Never fear though. Our lawmakers are ready to tackle this and protect recreational and economic interests…said no person ever
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Well documented adults can make it up here. DnR is IMO crossing fingers we don’t have any sections of river that can allow a successful spawn. There’s also not much they can do that wouldn’t restrict commerce… and the sippi is navigable with the sole purpose of commerce, so… that’s kinda the deal.
Never fear though. Our lawmakers are ready to tackle this and protect recreational and economic interests…said no person ever
They have been studying them, and experimenting for a couple decades now, so any day now they should figure out how to stop them…also FYI during that time they did determine the name Asian Carp is racist or something, and the general term is now “invasive carp”, or the individual species name black carp, silver carp, bighead and grass carp. Taking on the big problems first…
They almost look like some kind of salmon in those pictures if you cut off their fugly head.
…they did determine the name Asian Carp is racist or something, and the general term is now “invasive carp”, or the individual species name black carp, silver carp, bighead and grass carp. Taking on the big problems first…
Hey but “black carp” is racist too! And personally, I take offense to “bighead” carp…
And personally, I take offense to “bighead” carp…
Haha same, and now that mj is legal here grass carp is surely offensive as well! 
I am just going to call them “Walz Fish”. He and his members of the House and Senate decided to axe the project spending on a barrier, while having a $17 billion + surplus.
Another update.
x2 were caught by the “can line” at the head of Lake Pepin for those who know the area. This was confirmed by a well-known guide and the fish were destroyed. He opted to not post about it online but said the proper people were contacted.
Another update.
x2 were caught by the “can line” at the head of Lake Pepin for those who know the area. This was confirmed by a well-known guide and the fish were destroyed. He opted to not post about it online but said the proper people were contacted.
As of recently ? Or years ago ?
^This week
Yikes . I’ll be curious how long it’ll take for them to be a breeding population . Plenty of good area for it . From my experience in western iowa they push up any drainage ditch or slough by the 1000s . Plenty of back water sloughs and zero current area on Pool 4 . The real question is are 10 years out 20 , 30 ? And how much will it affect it? The flatheads and blue cats like em though .
I am just going to call them “Walz Fish”. He and his members of the House and Senate decided to axe the project spending on a barrier, while having a $17 billion + surplus.
Yeah blame it on the Governor because every other state south of us has done a good job of stopping it. 
Doesn’t the river boarder two states?
Asking for a friend.
Woooo just joking.
It was pretty easy for lawmakers to casually shrug off the project though. Money doesn’t fix everything, but we sure have had some of OUR money spent on a lot dumber things recently
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Spotted 3 silver jumpers via binocs at bass camp L&D. One was a giant!
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