The Carp fish is not held in high regard. Most fishermen refer to them as a “trash fish” and will try to avoid or kill any carp they find. However, carp do not necessarily deserve the bad wrap they get. 

In this article, we will cover the carp as a fish, why it is painted negatively, its edibility, its impact on game fish, whether they are beneficial or not, and why anglers should target carp more often. 

The Stigma 

There are many reasons why carp, particularly Asian and common carp, are seen as a trash fish. The most common being that they live in what is generally “dirty water” this is because of how carp feed and live. 

Carp are bottom feeders who feed off the vegetation that grows in bad quality water. Teh dirty water allows for grass, algae, and other vegetation which carp like to feed on to grow. Additionally, carp are able to absorb heavy metals, mercury, and chemicals much better than other fish, which makes them overall better suited for polluted water. 

Another reason for the bad wrap carp get is the quality of the meat. Carp is a very bloody fish and has a very dark red or light red color and large bloodline through the fillet. This is a stark contrast with the more desired and white flaky crappie or white bass that often inhabit the same water. This is not the mention the heavy bone structure and density of pin bones that carp have makes it hard to get a clean fillet. 

Lastly, carp are not native to the US or even most places they inhabit around the world. In fact, they are originally from China but were introduced around the world for meat and to clean up lakes. Because they are not native they will compete with native fish such as the buffalo carp or other “sucker” bottom-feeding fish. 

Do Carp Really Compete with Native Fish?

The short answer to this question is yes. However, there is in fact more to the story. While there is certainly only so much food to go around, and non-native carp are taking their share of the resources, they might actually do some good.

It has been proven that non-native carp have an effect on their native roommates, that is undeniable. They are responsible for the decline of many sucker fish such as the Buffalo family of fish. This is in large part to the fact that non-native carp eat just as much if not more than native carp. So when you put carp that reproduce much faster and eat more in the same lake with carp that don’t reproduce as fast nor eat as much, the slower reproducing carp will die out, that’s just nature. 

So yeah, there is not much defending carp. They are having an impact on our native fish and throwing things out of balance. However, it is not all bad, there are still some uses for the carp that plague most fresh water in America. 

However, the impact is not as great as many make it seem. Because Common and Asian carp can live in dirty and polluted waters where native fish can’t, they do not have nearly the effect to coincide with their numbers. 

Why Carp Can Be Good 

So what is carp good for? Let’s find out.

While it is not much for taste or processing, it can still be incredibly fun to catch. Carps put up a big fight and are easy to catch. All you need is a medium-fast twitch rod, some small number 8 hooks, and a little white bread or corn, and you can catch carp within a few minutes. 

So other than being fun to catch, what else can you use carp for? Well if you have a garden, carp are some of the best fertilizer out there. After you catch carp and dispatch them, burying them close to or beneath your garden or in a garden bed can be a great form of natural fertilizer. 

For those of you who like to catch catfish, one of the best bait out there is carp cut bait. Carp are, as mentioned earlier, a very bloody fish so they are bound to attract catfish far better than any bluegill will. 

And for those of you who are confident in your cutting skills, a carp may even make a good meal. It is a very similar meat to tilapia. However, you will need to put in some work to get the pin bones out of the meat. However, you should get your carp from clean water as they can absorb chemicals and other heavy metals that are not good for your health. 

Lastly, for those who raise chickens, in my experience chickens enjoy carp far more than people do. Surprisingly enough, if splayed open to where the chickens can peck at the meat on the carp, they will often eat the whole carp. 

Conclusion

Carp, while they do not have the best reputation, can be a unique and useful fish if used properly. You may very well find a use for a carp you catch, whether that be in your garden, or to catch more desirable fish, or even a meal for yourself. No matter what, you will have fun catching carp and can surely find some way or another to use the next carp you catch.