Asian Carp on the Mississippi

I remember last year there were so many articles about Asisn Carp migrating up the river. It reminded me of the zebro mussel scare of a few years back, but sounded more ominous because of the size and level of destruction these fish might do. Nonetheless, there has been nothing on this board lately about the Asian Carp. Does anyone have any info or is this just another dead issue.

Thanks

Might take a while for DNR fish surveys. They also base a lot of data off commercial fisherman, I’d wait untill the end of the summer to see.

We’ve got those crazy [censored] things in the Illinois River as well. Watch your head ‘cuz they tend to jump right in the boat cruising at lower speeds!

You are not the first person that I have heard the jumping in the boat thing from on the Illinois. I understand these things are pretty aggressive fish. A friend caught one down while prefishing for a tourney last year at Spring Valley. I have not heard of anyone catching any as far north as Dubuque yet but I did hear of one caught near the Quad Cities last year.

Eyehunter

My folks live just outside of Spring Valley so that’s the area I generally fish on the Illinois. I assume you’re talking Walleye tourney? That would be early in the year @ Spring Valley. I didn’t realize those carp were active that early. I usually have to deal with them in the heat of summer, but either way they can be a nuisance. They sure put up a heck of a fight though. I hooked about a 20 lber. in the tail once. Man, I thought I had an 80 lb. flathead on the line!

I think it was early last year while he was prefishing for a WAT tourney at Spring Valley. I know that the normal idigenous carp are not very active in the early spring but who knows about these Big Head or Asian Carp? He said that it was just about the ugliest fish he had ever seen. He told me that if I ever caught one I would know what it was right away. I’ve never seen one. I think he said the eyes were on the bottom half of the head?????? He did tell me that if I ever did hook into one that I should not bring it into the boat. I guess the one he caught did a little thrashing around.

Eyehunter

You should see them at stoddard!

Which ones are you seeing at Stoddard, Cade? The grass carp or the common (regular) carp?