Asian Carp are destroying Kentucky and Barkley Lake

[QUOTE=kc;568550]I am not too worried about tournaments -- that might actually be a little positive of the asian invasion if they scare off some of the tournament activity. Those lakes are hammered by tourneys. But things I have observed -- other than the poor fishing -- is starting to make me wonder. Notice the baitfish schools -- or lack there of? I remember when Barkley and Ky was bank to bank shad and now I rarely see any schools of shad -- anywhere on either lake. I think that is the first step of the demise as the asians undercut the top of the food chain. The next will be crowding out the fry as they will compete with the asians early on so then recruitment can become a problem. Without the schools of shad what will support the numbers and size of the predators? I caught some crappie on Ky Saturday that just weren't the norm. They were long and skinny -- not the thick slabs with shoulders that usually come out of that lake. That said the few crappie I caught on Barkley this spring seemed normal. I am also starting to wonder about the birds on the lakes. It seems to me that the numbers of blue heron and comorants seem down as I think they primary feed on shad. Although they are transient the numbers of pelicans in the fall and winter might drop off if the abundant shad are not there for them too. A fishery is a complex web of inter-connections and I don't think the asians will soley make all the difference but their presence and expansion is not positive in any way unless you are a commercial fisherman targeting them. I am just hoping for a break -- like that big fish kill below the dam that might knock them down a notch. Or maybe mother nature will throw us back into several years of drought like what started the weed and bass explosion back in the mid-80s. Otherwise, I am trying to figure out how to get a silver or bighead to take a lure as that might become the only game in town...
kc[/QUOTE]

Ban sport fish tourneys and only allow tourney fishing for carp on the affected reservoirs.. We might just be on to something! Then we can find out for sure if the FLW is truly comprised of "the best anglers in the world".

Hey, what did your day one bag weigh?

Meh, only 250lbs; it was a slow day and we couldn't really get them patterned..

barkely and Ky lake were NOT built for sport fishing, it was an unexpected bonus.Be thankful for what you had and are getting. I'm sure ALL of you know the rule of consequences, what profits some, hurts others. The true perperators of eco imbalance are never called to task.The St Lawrence sea way into the great lakes is considered to be an economic wind fall, and it was and is.But with the good alongcame some "not so good"Lamprey eels destroyed the commercial fishing for lake trout, white fish were also put at great risk, lets not forget the zebra mussels, and the cost to water delivery systems.Gobi and sculpins are also a problem to fishermen.Lets face it guys, international commerce is good, but some of the side effects are almost disasterous to natural flora, fauna. Sure there is a lot of money involved in sport fishing, but it's a mere pitance compared to economic progress. So enjoy what you have, it could get worse.

[QUOTE=headbanger;568561]Ban sport fish tourneys and only allow tourney fishing for carp on the affected reservoirs.. We might just be on to something! Then we can find out for sure if the FLW is truly comprised of "the best anglers in the world".

Hey, what did your day one bag weigh?

Meh, only 250lbs; it was a slow day and we couldn't really get them patterned..[/QUOTE]


You know if they jump when hooked like they do when spooked by a boat and I can figure out that lure puzzle I just may give up fishing for other species. Just imagine and endless supply of 20 lb'ers that jump like marlin and darn near are always in the first few feet of the water column. Plus I understand they eat pretty good too!

kc

I've caught regular carp on small jigs and smaller rapellas. there was a guy who used to fish for them with a fly ro, he hasn't posted for awhile.And carp, while not jumpers put up a pretty good fight, and in europe they are a food fish.I have ate some that were smoked, and they were sort of tasty.

[QUOTE=GeoFisher;568508]When a 33 lb 4 day total cashes a 10k check in the Elite Series.........you know the CRAP is BAD. I know the CRAP is bad.

This is by far the worse spring I've ever had down there, and the past two falls have been horrible.

Yea, my friends.........I believe unless they figure something out, the hey day of the LBL region is in for some serious economic issues.....

I suspect this may be the last time the Elites show up on KY Lake.......

[url]https://www.bassmaster.com/results/tournaments/2018-bassmaster-elite-kentucky-lake/1[/url]

Sad all around.[/QUOTE]

Geo you know that is a 2 day weight, right? So we are saying 16.5 lbs a day for a check is bad? :rolleyes:

That said, the amount of fish caught and weights were definitely down. This reflects my fishing experience as well, but I never go that far south where a lot of these good bags are caught.

It only took 27 pounds in the 2-day khsaa state championship to win down there. We were in tenth with 16 pounds! That is not how we expected the fishing to be.

I think the best way to combat all of these stupid carp would be to start bow fishing. Anyone with me?

Hello. I could not find any info on daily limit or size limit for grass carp? I know that black carp should be killed and taken.

[QUOTE=crabn;569806]Hello. I could not find any info on daily limit or size limit for grass carp? I know that black carp should be killed and taken.[/QUOTE]

Page 9 of the KY Fishing & Boating Guide : GRASS CARP HARVEST PROHIBITED in any lake owned or managed by the KDFWR, because they're stocked in those waters to control aquatic vegetation. Signs should be posted at applicable lakes.

BUT ... I'd check with the KDFWR to make sure the waters you're fishing/hunting for Grass Carp in are not owned or managed by them.

Email - [email][email protected][/email]
Phone - 1-502-564-3400

Was down there this past weekend. Fished from Paris to New Johnsonville, we was only boat on the drops at paris. hardly any boats on lake, and what we saw reported no catches or just a few. My concern is the lack of small fish, where you used to catch several now nothing. Also noticed that their were several business closed including the restaurant behind Fishtail lodge. It was bad.

sooner or later they will be EVERYWHERE! Sometime or another someone is going to seine salt river or some other impoundment for bait and will have Asian carp in their seine and then transport them to a body of water for use as live bait and then when they leave they will dump the remaining "shad" in the water. Not sure what the answer is but we are in for some rough time fishing in the future. Just a thought

Now if we could start skeet shooting them........,

[QUOTE=crappiepappy;568524]I've heard that same rumor, but as yet have not seen any ... nor has there been anyone known to have snagged into one. However, that being said .... THEY ARE in the waters below the spillway, having made their way up the Salt River to that point. They can go no further than there UNLESS someone transports them to the lake.[/QUOTE]

Yes they are in the tailwaters but cant get through the dam