Carp as Bass repellent

[BadKarma42]

This is probably silly, but I have noticed that when I get into areas with a few carp of more, I don't find any bass.  Get away from the carp, hello bass.

Is there something to this or is it my overactive imagination?

[Bass Smacker]

 I fish this spot that is just loaded with carp. It seems the more carp i see the better the bass fishing is.

I was just there today and only hooked into 2 but there where no carp to be found. most of the time theres a million of them and I'll get 15/20 bass..  

[Captain Cali]

My buddy caught a solid 4 pounder right next to where I caught a 11 pound carp last week. Both fish were caught within 15 minutes of each other. I think a 3 pound bass would scare a 30 pound carp. Carp are sissies but they sure fight good.

[senile1]

A lake that I fished back in the 70s is filled with the thickest coontail moss you can imagine.  I still occasionally fish this lake when I visit my Dad.  The coontail was so thick they introduced grass carp in the early 80s to try to control some of the growth.  My Dad and I fished this lake this spring and caught a number of healthy 2 - 4 lb bass.  It has always had a healthy bass population for as long as I can remember.  I don't think carp cause problems for bass, because, otherwise, the Missouri department of conservation wouldn't have introduced them to this lake.  

[flyhatch]

i witnessed several carp feeding off the bottom with bass following them close by , i think they were looking for some leftovers.......

[Bass Smacker]

That would make sence the carp would scare up all kinds of critters off the bottom and the bass would be there to pick them off

[ww2farmer]

Where ever I find carp, I find bass. They do not seem to bother each other, and I have litteraly seen a little 1.5lb buck guarding a nest run off an entire school of 20lb carp just by charging them, bass seem to know that the carp are harmless to them, or else they are just stupid for attacking a fish that big, like wise carp are scared to death of bass, and birds, and flowers, and the wind.......................

[Bassassasin12]

The pond near my house has grass carp in it to control the weeds and I have never had a problem catching fish in it. The carp are always very sensitive and I will just be walking along the bank and one will see me and just splash around and swim away.

[bassnleo]

Carp always seem to want to make the biggest commotion on the lake, man they sure like to splash and wallow in the prettiest cover don't they? I usually lick my chops when I see that, don't forget that bait and forage for the bass get scared out that cover too and the bass are usaully in close proximity with the feed bag on.

[Panamoka_Bassin]

Okay, since carp aren't a problem, what about goldfish and koi?  My neighbor put some feeder goldfish in the pond a couple of years ago and has said he regrets it now because they eat the bass eggs...any truth to this?

[DR_Bass]

Me and my buddy have caught several bass and a 15lbs carp off of the same dock.  Ive never had a problem catching bass were there are carp.

[Raul]

Okay, since carp aren't a problem, what about goldfish and koi? My neighbor put some feeder goldfish in the pond a couple of years ago and has said he regrets it now because they eat the bass eggs...any truth to this?

ABSURD !

[Bass Smacker]

Most likely the bass would eat up them golden treats faster than they could reperduce  

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

Most carp species eat fish eggs, insects, seeds and plants and are prolific spawners themselves. But bass feed on small carp, goldfish, koi quite effectively. Adult bass and carp co-exist very well otherwise, the carp keeping bass waters clean of excess vegetation. Common carp tend to stay put in one area until their primary forage decreases, and in those areas bass will find better hunting grounds. Ponds needing carp for vegetation control ought to be hybrids so you can control their population, but having any carp at all will likely reduce bass recruitment.

Jim