Carp / Gar Threats To Bass Beds?

[GaBankFisher]

Anyone know if carp and/or gar prey on bass beds? Walked up to my little spot on Clarks Hill and saw several large fish hanging in the corner to my left. Of course I started hyperventilating and fumbling to get my t-rig in the water as quickly as possible. After about 10 minutes I realized I had spotted several humongolous carp and a couple good sized gars. I've caught fish there before but didn't catch anything that afternoon. Not sure if the carp/gar had anything to do with it. The rude/inconsiderate dudes who brought their boat inside the very small cove may have had something to do with it also. Or, just plain old bad luck. In any case, if you have any thoughts on the carp/gar question I'd appreciate it.

[Bluebasser86]

Carp will certainly destroy a bass bed, never heard of a gar bothering the eggs but I'm sure they'd eat the fry once they've hatched, but so will about every other fish in the lake including other bass. I've seen bass and gar using the same areas lots of times because they're both after the same schools of shad. More than likely the bass just weren't using that area at the time or they weren't in a feeding mood. 

[GaBankFisher]

Blue: thank-you for the info. Do you know if the carp deliberately destroy the beds, or if they simply damage the beds while they're feeding on the vegetation? Just curious. These were some big buggahs...like around 15+ pounds. I hadn't seen them in the lake before so my heart was racing until I got a better look. Thanks again.

[Mattlures]

Carp tend to spawn at the same time as bass and they thrash around in the shallows spreading their eggs and milt. If the bass are bedding in the same area then the bass beds get destroyed by the carp. The carp do eat bass eggs but the greater threat is all actual damage the carp do to the bass beds. Even when the beds don't get directly destroyed they can still be ruined by the mud and silt covering the bass eggs.