How do you Catch Asian Carp (AC)?
I am working on trying to clean up my Lake!
I had Harold Johnson (Moon River Foods, Indianola, MS Procurement Director) come Tuesday of last week & we set about 300 feet of 4” Gill net, 10 feet tall, monofilament, with weighted bottom.
We made the mistake of leaving it out too long while we went to lunch. Upon returning 2 – 3 hours later, the carp had literally torn it all to pieces! We positioned this net at the entrance to a “long arm” which is about 600 yards wide & about 3 – 5 feet deep. There is so many Bighead / Silver Carp in this lake that we did not catch a single other type fish. Most of the Carp averaged about 10 – 15#, 24 to 30 inches long (est).
On Sat. of last week, I borrowed a “flag” type 4“ inch Gill net; heavier nylon string, 5 ft tall, with no bottom weights. Having learned my lesson at Long Arm, I put out about 50 yards of this net & waited an hour, no commotion, noise or “driving” them. Net held up, but we caught so many we could hardly pull net in boat . I would estimate that in 2 hours time we caught over 3000#’s of Big head & Silver Carp!! Again averaging about 10 -15#’s and NO OTHER fish, not even a Buffalo!
When the Asian Carp processing plant gets going (estimated Nov. 25), but Harry says realistically early January, I hope to have some specialty nets just for the Silver Carp!
What are you all’s suggestions?
Researchers in Australia have come up with what they call a "Williams Trap". It is essentially a wall type net that is staked down and has a "fence" sticking above the water line about 12 - 18 inches. The carp are driven by boats to the barrier & jump over, thus being trapped in a box type net.
Since my lake averages about 5 feet deep & has a flat, mud filled in bottom. This technique may work.
What do ya’ll think?
I am trying to figure out what net I need to begin with. I perused the paper catalogue of Memphis Net (VoxMD | Welcome to VoxMD - VoxMD) and found on page 22 an Experimental or Sampling gill net, No. EXP999., multifilament, #6, 8 ft deep & 5 panels, 25 ft per panel, 125 ft long. It has no floats on it but rather what’s called a “Foamcore” top rope. I have no experience with the 30# test Foamcore & leadcore lines. I’m scared the 30# test might not be strong enough.
I think I should add some floats, something like a FL102 or a SB4, every 4 -5 feet, 25 or so. I can always add lead later if needed. The Carp may jump over the net, so I want it floating high just to be sure.
The flag net I tried got 3000#’s of AC in it in 2 hours! It was almost filled with fish! Most were about 10 to15 lbs, 30” long, about 4 – 5 “ thick. That’s why I used a flag net after having them destroy the monofilament 4” gill net in 4 hours!!
The “Experimental Net’s” standard size mesh is 1”, 1.5”, 2”, 2.5”, & 3” squares; that is the “square” size not the “stretch” size, stretch size is double.
The larger “stretch” size (2.5 & 3" square) may allow carp to escape once pressure gets on the net. While on the smaller end, it might be too small a mesh size for ACs. And the last 2 panels may be too large when the square stretched.
I was hoping something like a Multifilament # 139, G-33, g-39, g-46, g-49, g-51A (2.25 sq & 4.5 stretch) might work, but looking at the tensile or breaking strength wet, net, 11 #’s, I think that might be too weak for an AC gill net. I’d like to try it as a flag net though.
The Multifilament #208, 8 feet deep, with 5 panels of G-72A, 73, 78, 82 & 86 would have a tensile strength of 16#’s wet versus the 139’s 11#’s & the 277 having 22#’s.
I might better go with something stronger like the #277 with G-105A, 105B, 106, 110 & 114. Even though I could get by with a 6 ft deep now, when my lake rises be too shallow, thus 8 foot, plus it might give it a little bulge or ‘give” when it gets loaded.
So, have I got you confused yet?
