Do numerous large carp hurt the bass fishery ?

[Andy Taylor]

I was fishing today for bass and northern pike, and there were many large carp swimming around in the shallows. In one area, there had to be at least 30, all 24" and larger. Generally, is this a bad sign for any given lake? This lake is 105 acres. Thanks.

[NorcalBassin]

Seemed to kill the bite when I was at Clear Lake a few weeks ago... every 30 feet or so 10+ pound carp were partying on the surface and the bite DIED. However, when the minnows start swimming around I would assume that the bass would feed on them pretty heavy (and help the fishery).

[Crestliner2008]

In a river I fish for smallies, whenever I find carp boiling the surface, the bass are not far behind. I think they root around the disturbed waters for crawfish and insect larvae in the wakes of the carp, but I'm not sure. I only know it's a great sign! Sort of like a bunch of gulls gathering in one spot.

[Glenn]

Those carp were spawning.

Carp aren't necessarily bad for the bass fishery per se, however there has been much debate about the effects of grass carp on bass fishing. 

Generally speaking, the grass carp do more harm than good because they tend to eat (destroy) more vegetation than originally planned.  This, in turn, eliminates habitat and hiding places for forage.  The forage gets eaten up, and then the bass population declines due to lack of food.  Vicious cycle.

[b.Lee]

Nasty little buggers they are.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

One of the lakes I frequent is the largest and oldest in my area.  It's some a healthy population of large grass carp.  Doesn't seem to hurt the fishing at all.  My lake on the other hand, has no carp in it.  Just Pleco's.  The bass fishing here has steadily been on the decline.  Theres a thick layer of dead vegetation covering most of the waters on the shoreline now.  I know there are still fish here, just not the numbers like when the lake was younger.  There probably needs to be a very specific balance of how many carp to the size of the body of water to keep it healthy.  Once you hit that point where there are too many, good bye fish habitat.

[Andy Taylor]

Thanks guys. I don't know if they're grass carp or not.

[Bass Tracker 20]

little off topic but,  i hate when im gettin skunked while bass fishing and there are these huge carp just strolling by with in two feet of where ever im standing, pretty frustating  >

[jiggerpole]

"Too Many" of any fish is a bad thing when your speaking of a small impoundment. Some management of the resources will be necessary in order to get the best fishing. The carry capacity can peak and the fish will then be stunted for lack of food. In a good lake, all the fish will look healthy. Grass carp [White Armor] are used to control weeds in many small lakes. The weeds or lack of weeds has little to do with growing fish. The fertility and water quality are much more important factors. Weeds can actually rob the lake of needed nutrients for the algea/planton bloom. Cover helps concentrate fish and makes it easier to find them. Too many weeds can actually choke a lake and cause bass to be stunted due to the inability to forage on the baitfish. This can really be a problem with Millfoil & Hydrilla. Especially in small lakes. Alot of info on bass biology and management is on this site. Putting all the pieces of the puzzle together can definitly put you on more fish.

[jignfule]

Those carp were spawning.

Carp aren't necessarily bad for the bass fishery per se, however there has been much debate about the effects of grass carp on bass fishing.

Generally speaking, the grass carp do more harm than good because they tend to eat (destroy) more vegetation than originally planned. This, in turn, eliminates habitat and hiding places for forage. The forage gets eaten up, and then the bass population declines due to lack of food. Vicious cycle.

yep! they help produce a biological wastesland in too many areas.

[tysondawglee]

They are scared that the asian carp will destroy the great lakes.  They must be bad.

[Andy Taylor]

I'm still seeing these HUGE carp swimming in the shallows. They must have spawned already, correct?

[flippin and pitchin]

Glen is pretty much on when it comes to grass carp. My home lake was becoming choked out with cabbage weed, coontail and another species I can't name. After years of debate the fisheries department agreed to plant grass carp. It was planned for 2800 STERILE fish to be dumped. The actual number is in dispute but I heard 28,000 thrown out. They ate all the leafy vegetation in three years. What reed beds there were were gone, same with any dollar pads. The lilly pad field this lake is known for are now cut in half. The water quality has suffered and  the carp are still plentiful when they should have died off by now. The lake incurred the worst algae bloom in 40 years last year and it was the worst year for bass fishing I have ever experienced.

[BassThumb]

A local 80 acre private lake(Rice Lake near Clearwater, Stearns Cty) that used to be full of wildly aggressive, virgin 3 lb average bass had a carp die-off in early 2008. Thousands washed up on the beaches due to a disease, according to the DNR.  No other species appear to have died.

The lake is now garbage, not even worth the time. It's full of unfishable bubbles of slimy hair algae that have choked out the cabbage, coontail, dollar pads, and milfoil in 1-7' of water. The water clarity went from 8' to 3'. It seems that the shallows are uninhabitable, due to what I believe is a water chemistry imbalance and issues with oxygen. I say this because all the fish stay in the 8-12' range on the graph, and are very lethargic and sickly looking. They used to right up on the banks, with very few fish found deeper than 5'.

I'm very disappointed with the situation. I'll take those carp back any day. I'm certain the die-off caused the lake to fall off.  This was one of my favorite fishing holes.

[jignfule]

A local 80 acre private lake(Rice Lake near Clearwater, Stearns Cty) that used to be full of wildly aggressive, virgin 3 lb average bass had a carp die-off in early 2008. Thousands washed up on the beaches due to a disease, according to the DNR. No other species appear to have died.

The lake is now garbage, not even worth the time. It's full of unfishable bubbles of slimy hair algae that have choked out the cabbage, coontail, dollar pads, and milfoil in 1-7' of water. The water clarity went from 8' to 3'. It seems that the shallows are uninhabitable, due to what I believe is a water chemistry imbalance and issues with oxygen. I say this because all the fish stay in the 8-12' range on the graph, and are very lethargic and sickly looking. They used to right up on the banks, with very few fish found deeper than 5'.

I'm very disappointed with the situation. I'll take those carp back any day. I'm certain the die-off caused the lake to fall off. This was one of my favorite fishing holes.

I doubt the disintergration of the pond was due to the lack of carp