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Dodging Silver Carp In The Spoon River In Illinois


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#1 Guest_NateTessler13_*

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Posted 03 October 2007 - 01:45 AM

Hello,
I am working this fall on an electrofishing survey crew. We are working in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana. We've seen all sorts of fish while doing mainly large boat-able rivers. Today, for the first time this year, we saw Silver Carp. We were in a tributary to the Illinois River. The river is called the Spoon River. The river has highly eroded banks and lots of agriculture making up its riparian zone. So, there's lots of siltation and carp are able to thrive due to their ability to tolerate conditions other species can't handle. This spot was also one of the first spots where we've seen a complete void of Spotfin Shiners...in their place here is the Red Shiner. It seems these fish are a little more of a generalist than the Spotfin Shiner, as is my understanding. Every spot we've sampled we've at least got some Spotfins, but here, where the Red Shiner is present, the Spotfins are nowhere to be seen. Anyways, the point of this post is to show a short video of what happened to us today. I'm recording while Silver Carp erupt around the boat in a relatively small area. Bob (of the Midwest Biodiversity Institute) is driving the boat and dodging carp (one jumped into our boat earlier in the day). The fish are responding to the vibrations of the motor. I know this isn't a new concept by any means, but I'd still like to share the experience.

Silver Carp on the Spoon River

#2 Guest_bullhead_*

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Posted 03 October 2007 - 10:14 AM

Wear a hardhat!

#3 Guest_threegoldfish_*

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Posted 03 October 2007 - 12:31 PM

Can't watch the video you made just yet, but if it's anything like the one I saw at the Shedd this spring of the jumping carp, I second the "Wear a hardhat!" Would *not* want to get smacked by one of those suckers.

#4 Guest_schoolofperch_*

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Posted 03 October 2007 - 02:17 PM

It's really too bad you can't go shotgun hunting for them.... would be like pregaming for bird hunting.

#5 Guest_ashtonmj_*

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Posted 03 October 2007 - 04:04 PM

I've had that exact discussion a few times....

Happy I'm not dodging carp, that could have been me out there with you...

Carry an aluminum bat, heavily tapped up at the bottom or with rubber gloves on of course :-D

#6 Guest_MScooter_*

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Posted 04 October 2007 - 01:51 AM

It's really too bad you can't go shotgun hunting for them.... would be like pregaming for bird hunting.


Ohhhhhhhh Yesssssssssssss. Genius. Pure Genius. 20 gauge, 25 hp. and johnboat, and go.
Silver Carp Regulators Float Out.-----

#7 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 28 January 2008 - 07:14 PM

These things just made it into Cheatham Reservoir on the Cumberland. :unsure:

Thanks, Arkansas. Thanks a lot.

#8 Guest_FishandFire_*

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Posted 28 January 2008 - 11:13 PM

There's actually a place around Peoria, IL that will take you out on the Illinois River and show you how to bow hunt these.




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