Asian carp in Illinoid

[kaskas]

Was at the spillway below caryle lake yesterday and didn't catch any cat, Kinda chilly. however we did take advantage of all of the huge asian carp around our boat. We used med spinning tackle with a couple small trebles trailing a 3/4 ounce sinker and would cast over and through them. Amusing to land a 30 pounder on light tackle, course I have 20lb braid on that pole. I too would like to know what impact these fish are having on the river systems. I also noticed that the bait that we caught with 2 throws of the cast net appeared to be about 1/3 asian carp 2/3 shad. Are there any laws against fishing this species as we did yesterday? Aaron

[bondman]

as to your question YES there is a law against the way you was catching those asian carp at carlyle dam you was snagging them and they have a no snagging law at carlyle dam. I know that they write a bunch of tickets below the dam every year for snagging. But at the same time after you caught one of them did you put it back into the river? I beleive they have a law against putting them back in the water alive. I think they have a law against having any of them alive in your possession.
Bondman

[kaskas]

yeah, we put them back in the river alive. I was reading up on the illinois natural resources site sec 810.20 on snagging. Asian carp (no live possession) no catch limit, buffalo, drum, common carp, coho ect. However you are right that it does not specifically list caryle lake as a place where one may snag. Is there bow fishing allowed at caryle lake? Probably not. I suppose in my mind I was pretty sure we wern't supposed to snag them so I wasn't really obvious about it ( just reeling rather fast but not jerking the rod) It seems that if this species is not native that it would be allowed to remove them at will. I also realize that this species is not a type of fish that you normally would be able to catch with a rod and reel otherwise. Maybe the rules will change to help slow the growth, they really were stacked up behind the dam. Aaron

[astutzman]

I don't think anyone would give you any hassle if you were reeling maybe a little too fast while fishing an inline spinnerbait with an oversized treble and accidentally foul hooked a couple of asian carp.;)

That said, I wouldn't target any other species though.

[astutzman]

Deciding what to do with asian carp once you've caught them is a problem too. It's illegal to possess live asian carp in Illinois. Since possession starts the second that you land the fish, you essentially have to kill the carp as soon as you touch it. So to comply with the "no live possession" law you've killed the fish right away, but you don't want to eat it so what do you do with it? You could CKR it (catch, kill, release) but you can't throw fish entrails or carcasses back into the water. You could throw it up on land, but I suppose that'd be littering. I guess you're essentially either stuck eating them, or giving them away. Anybody else have any ideas??:confused:

[bondman]

You can always find someone that wants them I have given so many away that it isnt funny... I thought that I would give it a try and see how hard they are to clean and they are so full of bones that I dont see how you can get any meat off of them with out having bones in it. I also see what you mean about tossing them on the bank as littering. They are everywhere at the dam.
Bondman

[treddinwater]

I've heard those dang things are becoming a real problem in Illinios. My family from over there are saying that they are invading most streams? I've read they are good eats so maybe they could be something that could be caught in mass numbers and sold for low prices on the market? Hope they never make it over here into Indiana.

[shortshank]

You can always find someone that wants them I have given so many away that it isnt funny... I thought that I would give it a try and see how hard they are to clean and they are so full of bones that I dont see how you can get any meat off of them with out having bones in it. I also see what you mean about tossing them on the bank as littering. They are everywhere at the dam.
Bondman I don't know much about those carp except my best friend lives back there and fishes the Illinois River around Liverpool(?) We always argue about fishing the might Miss. or the Illinois when we go back to visit until this year. Kieth told me those carp were so bad that one jumped as the boat passed and hit his wife in the back, About a 7-8lber. Those carp have made it up Spoon River and beyond. You can't get them to bite can you? News papers out here are talking about trying to keep them out of Lake Michigan.
Don

[eflow]

cut their head off, stab them w/ a knife, jump on them, let them rot in the sun, make sure u kill everone u catch, use them for bait, but whatever u do don't throw them back alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[greenwing7]

I don't know much about those carp except my best friend lives back there and fishes the Illinois River around Liverpool(?) We always argue about fishing the might Miss. or the Illinois when we go back to visit until this year. Kieth told me those carp were so bad that one jumped as the boat passed and hit his wife in the back, About a 7-8lber. Those carp have made it up Spoon River and beyond. You can't get them to bite can you? News papers out here are talking about trying to keep them out of Lake Michigan.
Don
they are trying to set up an electric barrier to keep them out of lake michigan but it will only be a matter of time, eventually something will come along and check their population into the right size, lets just hope its before they out compete all the other fish, there has to be some sort of disease that can kill them off, the ecosystem can only hold so many

[shortshank]

Man what trama that would be if it was Cats instead of Carp.
Don

To the world you may be just a person, but to a person you may be the world.

[kspor]

Pigs love carp and will eat as many as you can give em. They also make good chum where available. Also good for shrubs. We used regular carp for Pike bait.

[IL Hunter]

I can't remember what magazine it was but there was a fishing tournament of the Illinois River near Bath, and they pulled out what I think was over 2,000 Asian Carp. Some people were hitting them with pieces of lumber. They donated them all people who needed food.

[Desperado]

My understanding you can bowfish them out of that water. It needs to be done, those fish will take over a lake and that is all you will have.

[greenwing7]

I can't remember what magazine it was but there was a fishing tournament of the Illinois River near Bath, and they pulled out what I think was over 2,000 Asian Carp. Some people were hitting them with pieces of lumber. They donated them all people who needed food.

I believe you are talking about the red neck fishing tournament, the winners won by pulling a jon-boat behind their boat and having the carp jump into their boats!! sounds like a crazy redneck time!

[IL Hunter]

I just googled it and that is the tournament that it took place in. I'm sure that would be a bit of fun. In the 2nd one the exact number was 1,263 carp in 2 hours and the winner took home $340 hours.

Edited to add facts

[Believer]

I ate some recently & it's very good!

Eric