[Spike-A-Pike]

Travis,
I am only 15 pages into the report you posted to by the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife and I am pleased that some action is being taken. One of the simplest things anglers can do is to make sure they is know the risks associated with water transfers by recreational watercraft. Inform boaters and fishermen of the risks of moving infested water and encourage voluntary actions to reduce this risk - in other words, prior to trailering your boats, pump out your livewells of water added from the waterway you are departing. Once your boat is on the trailer, pull the drain plug at the boat ramp. If you have brought water in livewelss or to transport baitfish, DO NOT empety the water into waterway you are leaving.

The tone of the report put out by USDFW is encouraging - I just hope boaters and anglers will read and retain the information and do what is in their powder to do their part in stoping the spread. Thanks again Travis.

[King Bait Co.]

Originally Posted by Travis

Bruce you sound as if no one has looked into the problem. I can assure you that these invasive species are of concern and not over looked. The fact is plain and simple their is no truely effective method (at this time) to rid ourselves of these pests. Many are working on it from government to private individals (big money if someone can do it). We have introduced them into our waterways and now will have to live with them add them to the ever growing list of non natives introduced into our waterways. Man doens't exactly have a great track record for removal on introduced species and to be honest they will most likely forever be found in many of our waterways we can basically just hope to minimize their impact with out further straining our fisheries.

http://www.asiancarp.org/Documents/C...ement_Plan.pdf

I thought they got into the rivers when the Missippi river flooded. I think they were at a fishery near the river. I can't rember what they were using them for. I don't think they were introduced.

[yankee jigger]

Originally Posted by King Bait Co.

I thought they got into the rivers when the Missippi river flooded. I think they were at a fishery near the river. I can't rember what they were using them for. I don't think they were introduced.

Badda bing,Badda boom............
It was flooded fish farms in Arkansas that did it.
What the hell were they doing with them??????

[JSC]

Travis I really appreciate you posting the PDF ... every one who has an intrest in this should download it as it is a 251 page document .... I have read part of it and scanned the rest and know I will be going back to answer more questions. It has answered several questions I had ..
Since My River heads in Alabama I see that they have no restrictions therefore some of the ponds could have had reproducing fish in them ( will check this out a little further) and from those ponds during some of the flood years where there were many dams broken have stocked the watershed with them (grass carp) .. I all ready knew from where I have seen them that they could stand a lot of salt ... I have had some guys see them in the edge of the bay and thought they were big red fish ... fact I did for a while until I got a good look at them (they spook easier than a Red fish) ....
Boy after seeing this report shows me how really bad it is in some areas and it looks like the Mississippi River and water shed is hit the hardest by these other Asian Carp as well ... this report informed me as to why I had not see the jumping as this is the Silver Carp that has not been seen in this area.
Again thanks a lot and if you guys get a chance download a copy and it will answer a lot of your questions ... I know there is a lot of BS that you have to wade thru to get to the heart of it but worth the effort.
JSC

[Travis]

No problem guys. Introduction meaning simply the addition of the species to a new ecosystem, either intentional or non. Many catfish farms used carp to help control algae and snails (intermediate host of detremental fluke). Many of the carp then could be harvested and sold (catfish farm I visited sold to "Chinatown" regions within the states). With the close proximity of some of these farms to open waterways, as mentioned, flooding spread them into our waters. Now some areas these species make up nearly 80% of the fish population. Commercial harvesting has been widely debated. American public, as a whole, not exactly prone to accept carp as an edible species. So animal feed and fertilizers being more likely first uses.

[Spike-A-Pike]

I'm still in the first few pages of the USDFW report and I'm curious to find out if the fears of contaminated water supplies is fact or fiction. I can understand how and why the carp got here... But the Northern Snakehead doesn't seem to have a logical explanation for getting into American waters. One article I read suggested that an individual followed a custom from his original homeland and released two of them into the wild as part of some sort of cerimmony. Given that the Snakeheads seem to be spreading across the U.S. East Coast at a pretty fast pace, I can't imagin that only one pair by a single individual is the sole source.

The markets that allowed these fish into the country needs to be shut down now. I had heard that the Snakeheads were/are being smuggled in, mostly for eating, if the news source reporting was correct. Oh well, if we can just get more poeple aware of the problem, maybe a solution can be found.

[Travis]

Release of fish sold at markets is one reported method for the snakehead. Again in the south commercial fish farms may have also played a role in the same fashion as some of the Asian Carp.

Another possible method is the wet pet theory. Some keep juvenille snakeheads in tanks (although crackdown has limited availability).

Snakeheads

Some good information on where they have been found. Species, other countries with introduced snakeheads, etc....

[Blades and Baits]

http://www.bowfishingassociation.com/
These boys wont rid our waters of them but they have sure done there part to put a dent in them down south.(with the exception of snake heads)
They launched from the same ramp as our weekly night tournmanet (for bass) a few weeks ago and I stayed around to watch them check in. Man they whacked a ton of gar and carp that night. Some boats had as many as 100 fish.
Regards,
Blades

[Spike-A-Pike]

Travis,
Another great find. I was pleased to learn that of the 4 types of snakeheads in the U.S., only 1 type could survive in the northern state. Your latest link talked about a giant snakehead found in Wisconsin could not have survived the winter. The problem isn't as wide spread as the Asian Carp - YET.

Blades,
I almost fear that bow hunting will be replaced with shotguns and the carp will become a replacement for shooting skeet - Lord have mercy.

[Brian_Va]

So happens I live near Snakehead central Virginia where is all got started. So far so good! The local bass pros have been fishn' snakehead last couple of years and the fish are extremely limited to local waters. They can't climb the falls at Great Falls, which is dynamite smallmouth fishn' BTW. They can't survive the salt of tidal Potomac so they are trapped for now. As it stands the locals have honed in on the Snakeheads and been fishing them as fast as they breed. Theres no laws on taking them except that you have to kill it and report it. My son and I have been planning on a trip to Dogue Creek this summer for Snakehead, for the table and the experience. The locals have embraced them for sport and food. Didn't turn out as bad as everyone thought.

Snakehead FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Our biggest concerns have been the mystery fish kills on the James and Shenandoah rivers. The smallies have just died and disappeared.