Washington proposed carp fishing change

[climbguy]

While this is an Oregon forum, there may be many SW Washington carp fishers.

Washington is proposing changing the rules and requiring a license to fish for carp, HB1226 and related SB585. The proposed rule change would also include crawfish and smelt harvesting. I can't speak to the latter two.

Here's my two cents. Carp fishing not requiring a license was what got me back into fishing again. My wife and I will be purchasing licenses this year so we can fish for other species. Carp are considered an invasive species according to the WDFW. There are invasive species of crawfish as well. Rather than require licenses, the state should be encouraging as much harvesting of all invasive species as possible and licenses run counter to that.

 

[Irishrover]

Good point. Carp, shad, brook trout, brown trout, and walleye are all invasive species. Here is a link to the growing crawdad invasive species problem.

https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2011/3132/

 

[Snopro]

Bass, bluegill, bullfrogs....

 

[climbguy]

Carp and bullfrogs are listed by the WDFW as aquatic invasive species whereas bass, bluegill, brook trout, brown trout, and walleye are not.

 

[Snopro]

It doesn't change the fact they are non native...just like carp. I'm all for the license change. We need to capitalize on all the Asian and European carp fishing tourism, utilizing Washington as a world class carping destination. Take the new $$$ from carp licenses and spend it on salmon/steelhead hatcheries.

 

[climbguy]

The difference is that there are reasons some species are listed as invasive and a problem, such as, potential economic harm, spread, threat to other species, or threat to the environment at large. If a species is going to be listed as an aquatic invasive species, for whatever those reasons are, then efforts should be made to remove those species. Encouraging a listed species simply for a possible economic boost from a limited sector is more likely than not to cause more harm than good. Can you definitively say that carp have no impact on salmon or steelhead survival or other species that may be more valuable or desirable? Should certain species of trout or other non native fish also be listed? That's a different argument. Right now, carp are considered invasive for whatever the reasons. So long as they are, efforts should be made to remove them along with non-native crawfish, green crabs, northern pike, etc. and I argue that licenses are an impediment to that effort.

 

[Snopro]

Carp, crappie, Californians....

 

[DonF]

Why do people fish for carp in the first place? I have never met anyone that eats them. Maybe the same reason a lot of people simply fish catch and release for everything?

 

[Irishrover]

https://bonfirebob.com/how-to-cook-carp/

 

[Snopro]

Why do people fish for carp in the first place?

Get big.
Almost everywhere.
In some locations the only fish of size available.
Fight hard with long runs.
Don't need fancy gear to catch.
Easy and fun for beginners.
Readily take flies.
Legal to skewer with arrows.
Sight fishing.
You might catch a bass on accident.

 

[Snopro]

efforts should be made to remove them along with non-native crawfish, green crabs, northern pike, etc. and I argue that licenses are an impediment to that effort.

Sounds like a great Suquet de Peix.

What do you and your wife do with all the invasive carp you harvest?

 

[climbguy]

Sounds like a great Suquet de Peix.

What do you and your wife do with all the invasive carp you harvest?

Mostly eat them, kind of the ultimate point of fishing in my book, especially carp. Not that I haven't caught and released some fish too.
I don't know any hunters that tag their quarry with stun guns but maybe that will be the next big thing in the hunting world, zap and release.

Only had one, so far, that wasn't that great and that was caught right after the algae blooms were dying back.
Biggest challenge with carp are the bones. Similar to Northern pike in that regard from the videos I've seen. There's ways to de-bone them. This is a good thread to check out for eating carp: https://www.oregonfishingforum.com/threads/eating-carp.32006/

 

[DonF]

Can't remember is name, very very famous big game hunter. Story was if an animal wasn't big enough for him, he'd dry fire on it and count coup! Ah Elgin Gates!