Do you love big bluegill?

Carp

I have a 5 acre pond, should I be worried about common carp effecting the fishery? I have seen carp of all sizes so it seems that they are reproducing successfully. What can they do to a pond and what is the most effective way of getting rid of them? If they can't be removed, how can I minimize the damage they are doing. Any tips would be extremely helpful!

-Thanks

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Walt Foreman on May 3, 2010 at 7:23pm

Unless you have exceptional fishing for another species currently in the pond, which I'm guessing you don't due to all of the carp, I would suggest rotenoning the pond and starting over from scratch. Common carp will quickly overrun a pond, at which point they'll keep the water constantly muddy (bad for gamefish) and beyond that just take up most of the biomass of the pond, meaning they'll crowd out your bluegill and bass and anything else you have in the pond.

Permalink Reply by Wade Jones on May 3, 2010 at 7:31pm

We have a good population of 10 inch bluegill and some nice bass and crappie, but I want to do something before they take over completely. I would hope that I wouldn't have start over completely.

Permalink Reply by C Barb on March 25, 2011 at 7:43pm

Remove as many as you can as fast as you can

Permalink Reply by 10.5" RES Sharon on May 3, 2010 at 7:35pm

I would buy a biggest deepest plastic swimming pool from Costco or somewhere and put my good fish in it as the pond drained. Then you could put them back.

Permalink Reply by Walt Foreman on May 3, 2010 at 10:35pm

If a lot of the carp are smaller, i.e. a couple pounds or less, you might try stocking 10 or so tiger muskie, the largest ones you can find (which would probably be around 12-14"). There have been instances of state DNR's using muskie for this purpose:

http://www.nwtigermuskies.com/faq.html

http://www.aquaticconsultants.com/images/newsletters/Sum07_Newsltr_...

http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/14422.pdf

Carp are one of the muskie's preferred food sources:

http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/article.asp?aid=1086

So any carp that they can fit into their mouths, they'll eat.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Workman on June 9, 2010 at 8:28pm

I would also suggest roteno and starting over if you didn't have nice other fish. Given those, I'd suggest you study up and become a carp fisherman. Everyone you catch comes out and stays out of the pond. They also put up a decent fight. Hopefully, the water will clear and LMB will eliminate the spawn from any of the carp that remain.

Permalink Reply by Magnolia Rick on June 10, 2010 at 8:48am

Crappie are fun to catch and eat. You become the preditor fish & fry.

Permalink Reply by Zach Pierce on August 4, 2010 at 11:05am

How did the carp get in there, and can you keep them out from getting in again?

Permalink Reply by Magnolia Rick on October 19, 2010 at 2:34pm

Wade
How you come out on the carp issue?

Permalink Reply by Wade Jones on November 8, 2010 at 6:20pm

Havent done anything yet, I have fished for them once and a while and they have broken me off a couple times. They were absolute monsters, otherwise i havent landed one. I am really considering stocking some tiger muskies.

Permalink Reply by Magnolia Rick on November 8, 2010 at 7:19pm

Deer season take out your bow Got me a 1 1/2 pound tipalia last weekend

Permalink Reply by Ryan McCaw on February 24, 2011 at 1:19pm

I own a pond service business, Efficient Pond Management. Carp are very disruptive to a pond and root in the bottom which creates turbid waters and destroys any rooted aquatic plant growth. If you want bluegill to thrive, this is not an ideal situation.

Starting over is an option if you are willing to stock new bluegill and wait a few years for them to reach a good size. Otherwise fishing the carp out is an alternative. It depends on your patience level and goals.