The Day of the Dancing Carp

Do I need a fishing license if they jump into my arms?

Okay, the carp weren’t so much dancing as leaping onto the dock and flip-flopping in distress, beating themselves bloody until they were nudged back into the water.

But, the sight of the carp in the water was quite magnificent. It’s too bad it happened when we were docking and I couldn’t get a picture.

Asian carp are an invasive species in many points of Illinois. There are areas along the Cal-Sag where the river is electrified in an attempt to control them.

The sign is a little difficult to read in the picture above, so I’ve provided a close up here. There were also warnings before the actual danger was announced.

The warning signs spoke of fish leaping onto boats — apparently that happens because they are agitated by the sound and vibration from the propellers and not because they’ve just been electrocuted. Can you imagine? Fried fish dinner served up on your deck!

Carp ain’t crap

The first thing I thought when I saw just how many fish were leaping in the water at Tall Timbers Marina was, “Why on earth aren’t we eating these? And, if no one wants to eat them, why on earth isn’t someone making them into pet food?

So I asked Mr. Google if people ate carp, and he said yes they do. An article in Food and Wine confirmed their yumminess.

Many people think they are bottom feeders, but they’re not. They are bony, though.

This may be the last year that you hear the name Asian carp. They’re going to be rebranded so that they restaurants can serve them up without the dreaded “carp” name on the menu. This new name was supposed to be revealed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources on June 29, 2021 but the renaming event was postponed.

“Silverfin” looks like the leading contender for the new name. Let’s hope we see it on menus soon.